The Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) is a method for testing software to ensure it meets quality standards. STLC follows a step-by-step testing process. It’s important not to mix up STLC with the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). While STLC concentrates on testing, SDLC covers all the stages of development. If you’re interested in mastering the art of software testing, you might consider Software Testing Course in Chennai to enhance your skills in this crucial aspect of the development process. Let’s take a closer look at the Significance of Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC).
What is the Role of Software Testing Life Cycle?
STLC is a method to test software and make sure it meets certain quality standards. Tests are done step by step in different stages. These stages may be done more than once during the development of a product until it’s good enough to be released.
The Importance of Software Testing Life Cycle
An STLC is beneficial for teams in the following ways:
- It helps refine the agile testing process, making it more consistent and effective.
- Goals and expectations for each aspect of a project are clearly defined.
- Time limits are applied to project testing.
- It ensures that each feature is thoroughly tested and functional before new features are added. It verifies that project requirements are met.
Some common activities in the Software Testing Life Cycle include:
- Analyzing client and stakeholder system requirements.
- Creating a traceability matrix that compares requirements with project features.
- Identifying necessary testing techniques and types for each feature.
- Prioritizing features to be tested.
- Analyzing opportunities for task automation.
- Identifying relevant environmental information.
The advantages of STLC are as follows:
- Shifting testing left in the development cycle leads to well-designed tests and clear feature specifications.
- Systematic testing speeds up the testing process and helps teams identify and resolve issues quickly.
- Tracking project progress becomes easier due to well-defined testing goals and phases.
STLC vs SDLC: Key Differences
While both Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) are interconnected and often run concurrently, they have distinct objectives and guidelines. STLC can be executed as a set of steps within the SDLC or can run alongside its phases. If you’re interested in expanding your skill set, you might consider Python Training in Chennai to gain proficiency in a versatile and widely-used programming language.
The main contrast lies in their responsibilities. SDLC is accountable for gathering requirements and developing features accordingly, while STLC is responsible for designing tests based on the gathered requirements and ensuring that features meet those requirements. Over-engineered features in SDLC are usually acceptable, but in STLC, excessive testing can burden the team unnecessarily.
Both life cycles necessitate collaboration among stakeholders, DevOps, and testing teams. Without this collaboration, it’s difficult to ensure that requirements are correctly defined, tests are pertinent, and results are appropriately applied.
The 6 STLC Phases In-Depth
STLC is composed of six phases, each with clear entry and exit criteria, along with specific activities and deliverables. The entry and exit criteria determine the start and end points for each phase. Activities and deliverables outline the tasks to be completed and the expected outcomes. While certain phases can be carried out concurrently, others are dependent on the completion of preceding phases. If you are interested in mastering Java, a foundational programming language widely used in software development, consider enrolling in a Java Course in Bangalore to acquire the skills and knowledge needed for a successful career in the field.
Phase 1: Requirement Analysis
In this phase, the testing teams assess the feature requirements gathered during the SDLC process to identify testable elements. If needed, the teams might consult with stakeholders to clarify the requirements. These requirements can either be functional or non-functional, specifying what a feature can do or its characteristics, respectively. The feasibility of automating the testing process is also assessed at this stage.
Entry Criteria: documented requirements, acceptance criteria, and the intended product architecture.
Exit Criteria: approved requirement traceability matrix (RTM) and a report on the feasibility of automation.
Phase 2: Test Planning
In this phase, the testing strategy is detailed in a test plan document. This plan encompasses the required tools, testing procedures, as well as assigned roles and responsibilities. The strategy is determined through an analysis of risks and costs, alongside an estimated testing timeline.
Entry Criteria: requirement analysis, RTM, and the automation feasibility report.
Exit Criteria: an approved test plan that includes timelines and an analysis of risks and costs.
Phase 3: Test Case Development
In this phase, test cases are formulated. Each case outlines the test inputs, procedures, execution conditions, and expected outcomes. It is crucial for test cases to be clear, effective, and flexible. Achieving 100% test coverage is the goal once all test cases are generated. Additionally, any required automation scripts are developed during this stage.
Entry Criteria: an approved test plan that includes timelines and an analysis of risks and costs.
Exit Criteria: approved test cases and developed automation scripts.
Phase 4: Test Environment Setup
In this phase, the testing environments are arranged and implemented. This process might involve the utilization of various testing tools, such as TestComplete, Selenium, Appium, or Katalon Studio. Occasionally, this phase also entails configuring test servers. After the deployment of environments, initial smoke tests are conducted to verify that the environments are functioning correctly with all the intended features. If you’re looking to enhance your skills in software testing and automation, consider exploring Selenium Training in Chennai. This training can provide you with the knowledge and hands-on experience to become proficient in Selenium, a widely used tool for web application testing.
Entry Criteria: system design and project architecture definitions.
Exit Criteria: a fully operational test environment and approved test cases.
Phase 5: Test Execution
In this phase, features are tested in the deployed environment using the predefined test cases. The anticipated test outcomes are compared with the actual results, and the findings are collected and reported back to the development teams.
Entry Criteria: all exit criteria from the previous phases.
Exit Criteria: completion of all tests and documentation of the results.
Phase 6: Test Cycle Closure
This final phase of the STLC involves the preparation of a test result report. This report should offer a comprehensive overview of the entire testing process and include a comparison between the anticipated and actual results. The comparison should encompass objectives achieved, time taken, overall costs, test coverage, and any detected defects. If you’re interested in mastering software testing techniques and tools, you might consider enrolling in a Software Testing Course in Bangalore to gain comprehensive knowledge and practical skills in the field.
Entry Criteria: test results and logs from all preceding phases.
Exit Criteria: submission and approval of the test closure report.