What is Software Testing?

[iwant2learn]

My understanding about software testing is,
Before introducing any softwares into market they need to be checked whether they are performing the specified tasks.

Anyone please suggest me whether i am right,

If i am right please explain me about the various processes involved in testing a s/w.

Thanks,
Bharani

[Meetee]

My understanding about software testing is,
Before introducing any softwares into market they need to be checked whether they are performing the specified tasks.

Anyone please suggest me whether i am right,

If i am right please explain me about the various processes involved in testing a s/w.

Thanks,
Bharani

Hi Bharani,

Please refer this link for your testing related queries

http://www.testingfaqs.org/

For more, kindly go to Misc Questions or S/W Development and ask your query.

Regards

[r035198x]

My understanding about software testing is,
Before introducing any softwares into market they need to be checked whether they are performing the specified tasks.

Anyone please suggest me whether i am right,

If i am right please explain me about the various processes involved in testing a s/w.

Thanks,
Bharani

Moved to general software forum.

[jpenney]

Software testing really is

The answer to this depends on who's asking the question. I'll answer it as if my audience is an engineer.

I am flip, but sincere - my practical experience has proven to me that the theory of software development never takes place in reality.

Theoretically, software testing is:
- verifying and documenting that software performs the functions it's supposed to.
- verifying and documenting that it doesn't do anything it's not supposed to

This presupposes that you've been told what it's supposed and not supposed to do. The people you work for don't always do that - they may not necessarily trust you not to run away with their secrets.

Because software is a business (except when you're working for the military,) business rules apply much more strongly than engineering rules. Software testing costs money, so the decisions about how much to do, and what the goals are are really determined by ROI considerations. In the end-user relationship, the user's perception is not necessarily directly related to the physical world, and it is the user's perception of whether your system works that ultimately rules in the minds of management, whose job is strictly to make sure no one is complaining about the software.

Therefore, the really practical definition of software testing can be summarized as 3 goals:

- verify that the users of the software believes it is doing the things they need it to do

- verify that the software doesn't do anything immediately detectable that isn't desirable to the user.

- verify that any undesirable behavior has a long enough period that the software will appear to perform correctly long enough for you to make it to the next round of VC investment or sell the company.