The Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) is a methodical strategy for testing a software application to verify its conformity with requirements and absence of defects. It comprises a sequence of steps or stages, each with defined objectives and outcomes. STLC aims to guarantee the software’s quality, dependability, and alignment with end-users’ requirements.
The primary aim of the STLC revolves around pinpointing and documenting any flaws or issues within the software application at the earliest stages of development. This proactive approach enables prompt resolution of problems before the software goes live.
In essence, the STLC serves as a crucial process in guaranteeing software quality, offering a methodical testing framework. It empowers organizations to deliver top-notch software that fulfills customer needs, leading to enhanced satisfaction and business prosperity.
What Is the Software Testing Life Cycle?
In essence, the STLC is a roadmap for evaluating software. It outlines a series of phases testers follow to ensure the software functions as intended. These phases involve meticulously examining the software against defined criteria. If testers discover flaws, they collaborate with developers to rectify them. Sometimes, they might consult with stakeholders to gain a clearer understanding of product specifications. Validating that the software meets expectations and verifying it functions correctly are both crucial aspects of the STLC.
What Is the Role of STLC in SDLC?
The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) covers the process of software creation, from deployment and maintenance. It includes multiple stages, planning, designing, coding, testing, and release. The STLC is a subset of the larger SDLC paradigm that is especially concerned with the testing components. To ensure comprehensive and methodical software application testing, the STLC serves as a road map. It describes a set of precise steps that must be followed, such as test planning, test case creation, test execution, defect reporting, and closure. These stages are followed by STLC to guarantee high-quality software that satisfies customer expectations and requirements.
Software Testing Phases
Testers participate in the software development process and start working right from the development phase. Like other software development processes, testing has a lifecycle. Software Testing Lifecycle is a process of executing the testing process systematically. The process can have different phases, depending on the organization’s goals and software development strategy. These phases include the requirement, planning, implementation, conclusion, execution, closure, and more. Let’s have a look at the functioning of these phases in brief:
Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) Phase
The requirement phase involves brainstorming and project analyzing. The tester is supposed to interact with the team to discover whether the requirements could be tested or not. If they are not testable, the tester should discuss it with the authorities so that the right adjustments are made to the plan.
Planning Phase
During this phase, developers collect tools and resources to accomplish the project testing process smoothly.
Analysis Phase
The analytic phase describes the app’s parts and functions that need to be tested. The tester identifies depth, risk, and complexity of testing during this phase.
Design Phase
The design phase describes ‘HOW’ the testing should be carried out. Gathering the test data, creating the test environment, and developing test coverage metrics are the aspects covered under the design phase.
Implementation Phase
During the implementation phase, the team has to come up with the comprehensive test cases. The tester should study the test cases before finalizing them.
Execution Phase
The major job of a tester begins here. During this phase, the tester has to bring the planning, resources, tools, and techniques together to execute the process. Run the test cases, record the bugs and issues, and monitor your testing progress.
Conclusion Phase
As the name implies, this is the final phase that focuses on the bugs reporting and exit criteria. Depending on the company you are working with, you can choose to send daily reports or send weekly updates to the authorities. Remember to include the technical terms in your testing report, especially if it is sent to the project manager.
Closure Phase
Check if you have executed all the planned test cases. The test process completes once all the test cases are executed, and a final report is delivered to the manager.
Conclusion
Simply focusing on identifying errors in the final stage of the SDLC is no longer efficient. Daily business activities demand attention, and excessive time spent on testing and bug fixing can impede productivity. To streamline the testing process, efficient utilization of time and resources is crucial. Adhering to a structured software testing is not only expedites bug resolution but also enhances product quality, leading to increased customer satisfaction, higher ROI, and a stronger brand presence. Moving forward, consider investing in further education on software testing to bolster your expertise.
