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In this blog we will explore about Software Testing Basics Interview Questions. It is essential for any job seeker to have a knowledge about the job that he/she is applying for. Software Testing is one of the fields on high demand since past few years and will continue to be relevant for quite sometime in future. This article will help you in understanding the type of interview questions that you may have to face during the selection process.
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What is Software Testing?
Software testing is checking if a software application works as it should. It helps find and fix problems before the software is used by people.
Key Points of Software Testing:
Purpose:
-
- Ensure the software performs its functions correctly.
- Detect and fix bugs before the software is released.
Types of Testing:
-
- Manual Testing: Humans test the software without using automation tools.
- Automated Testing: Software tools automatically run tests on the software.
Testing Techniques:
-
- Functional Testing: Checks if the software does what it’s supposed to do.
- Non-Functional Testing: Looks at performance, ease of use, reliability, and other qualities.
- Regression Testing: Makes sure new changes don’t break existing features.
Phases of Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC):
-
- Requirement Analysis: Understanding what needs to be tested.
- Test Planning: Defining the strategy and objectives for testing.
- Test Case Development: Creating detailed test cases and scripts.
- Test Environment Setup: Preparing the necessary environment for testing.
- Test Execution: Running the test cases and recording the results.
- Test Cycle Closure: Evaluating test completion criteria, documenting findings, and closing the testing phase.
Benefits:
-
- Improves software quality.
- Ensures the software is reliable and performs well.
- Helps deliver a better user experience.
Software Testing Basics Interview Questions [ 2024 Updated]
1: What is software testing?
1. What are the phases involved in the Software Testing Life Cycle?
Answer: The Software Testing Life Cycle includes:
- Requirement Analysis: Understand what needs to be tested.
- Test Planning: Define the test strategy.
- Test Case Development: Create detailed test cases.
- Environment Setup: Prepare the hardware and software for testing.
- Test Execution: Run the tests and compare actual vs. expected results.
- Test Cycle Closure: Evaluate test completion, discuss findings, and finalize the testing process.
2. What are the different methods of testing?
Answer: The three main methods of testing are:
- Black-box Testing: Tests based on requirements without knowledge of internal code.
- White-box Testing: Tests based on internal code structure and logic, requiring programming skills.
- Gray-box Testing: Combines both black-box and white-box testing, with partial knowledge of the internal code.
3. What are the different levels of testing?
Answer: The four main levels of testing are:
- Unit Testing: Testing individual components.
- Integration Testing: Testing combined parts of the application to see if they work together.
- System Testing: Testing the complete system as a whole.
- Acceptance Testing: Testing if the system meets the business requirements.
4. What are the principles of software testing?
Answer: The seven principles of software testing are:
- Absence of errors fallacy: Even if the software is nearly bug-free, it must meet user needs.
- Testing shows the presence of defects: Testing can reveal bugs but cannot prove the software is completely bug-free.
- Exhaustive testing is not possible: Testing every possible scenario is impractical; only a subset is tested.
- Defect clustering: Most bugs are found in a small number of modules.
- Pesticide Paradox: Repeating the same tests will not find new bugs, so tests need to be updated regularly.
- Early testing: Finding and fixing bugs early in the development process is more cost-effective.
- Testing is context-dependent: Different types of software require different testing approaches.
5. Explain Bug Life Cycle or Defect Life Cycle.
Answer: The Bug Life Cycle includes the following steps:
- New: A defect is logged and posted for the first time.
- Assigned: The defect is assigned to the development team.
- Open: The developer starts analyzing and working on the defect.
- Fixed: The developer fixes the defect.
- Pending Retest: The tester retests the fixed defect.
- Retest: The tester retests the defect to verify the fix.
- Verified: The defect is retested and confirmed as fixed.
- Closed: The defect is verified and closed.
- Reopened: If the defect persists, it is reopened and goes through the cycle again.
6. What is a test case?
Answer: A test case is a set of actions, conditions, and expected results developed to test a particular feature or functionality of a software application.
7. What is the difference between functional and non-functional testing?
Answer:
| Functional Testing | Non-Functional Testing |
|---|---|
| Performed to verify software functions as required | Performed to verify aspects like performance and usability |
| Based on customer requirements | Based on customer expectations |
| Focuses on what the product does | Focuses on how the product works |
8. What is Verification and Validation in Software Testing?
Answer:
- Verification: Static process of evaluating documents, design, code, and programs. Examples include reviews and walkthroughs.
- Validation: Dynamic process of testing the actual product. Examples include functional and non-functional testing.
9. What is exploratory testing?
Answer: Exploratory testing involves testers exploring the software without a predefined test plan. They use their experience and intuition to find bugs, noting down what they test and discover. It’s like exploring a new place without a map, helping to find unexpected issues.
10. What is end-to-end testing?
Answer: End-to-end testing involves testing the entire software from start to finish, simulating real user scenarios. It verifies that all components and systems work together as expected, including their interactions with external systems.
11. What is unit testing?
Answer: Unit testing focuses on testing individual units or components of the software in isolation. It aims to ensure that each part works correctly on its own.
12. What is an API?
Answer: API stands for Application Programming Interface. It allows different software applications to communicate with each other by defining the methods and data structures they use.
13. What is a test environment?
Answer: A test environment is the setup of hardware and software where the testing team executes test cases. It mimics the production environment to ensure accurate testing results.
14. Explain test scenarios, test scripts, and test cases in software testing.
Answer:
- Test Case: A set of conditions and steps to verify a specific feature.
- Test Scenario: A high-level description of what needs to be tested.
- Test Script: Detailed instructions to execute a test, often automated.
15. What is a bug in software testing?
Answer: A bug is a flaw in the software that causes it to behave unexpectedly or incorrectly. Testers find bugs so developers can fix them.
16. State the difference between bugs and errors.
Answer:
| Bugs | Errors |
|---|---|
| Problems in the software causing incorrect behavior | Mistakes made by humans during coding or designing |
| Flaws or issues in the code | Root causes of bugs |
| Result from coding mistakes, logic errors, or design flaws | Can include syntax errors, logic mistakes, etc. |
17. What is a Test Plan? What does it include?
Answer: A test plan is a document outlining the testing strategy, objectives, resources, schedule, and scope. It includes details on what will be tested, how it will be tested, and when the testing will occur.
18. What is a Test Report? What does it include?
Answer: A test report summarizes testing activities and results. It includes:
- Test objectives
- Project information
- Defects found
- Test summary and results
19. What do you mean by Test Deliverables?
Answer: Test deliverables are documents and tools provided to stakeholders during the SDLC. They include:
- Before Testing: Test plans, test cases, test design specifications
- During Testing: Test scripts, simulators, test data, traceability matrix, logs
- After Testing: Test results, defect reports, procedures, release notes
20. What are different categories of debugging?
Answer: Different debugging categories include:
- Brute Force Debugging: Checking all possible errors.
- Backtracking: Tracing back to the origin of the error.
- Cause Elimination: Removing potential causes one by one.
- Program Slicing: Analyzing specific sections of code.
- Fault Tree Analysis: Using logical reasoning to find the error.
21. Write some common mistakes that lead to major issues.
Answer: Common mistakes include:
- Poor scheduling
- Underestimating the effort required
- Ignoring small issues
- Not following processes correctly
- Improper resource allocation
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22. What is a user story?
Answer: A user story describes what a user wants to achieve using the software. It focuses on the value to the user rather than implementation details.
23. List some of the popular software testing tools/frameworks, providing a brief description of each.
Answer:
- Selenium: Automates web browser testing.
- Protractor: Tests Angular applications end-to-end.
- Cypress: Modern front-end testing tool.
- Jasmine: JavaScript testing framework.
- JUnit/NUnit: Unit testing frameworks for Java/C#.
24. What is usability testing?
Answer: Usability testing checks if the software is easy to use. It involves real users testing the software to provide feedback on its usability.
25. What are the categories of defects?
Answer:
- Wrong: Incorrect implementation of requirements.
- Missing: Requirements not implemented.
- Extra: Unrequested features added.
26. On what basis is the acceptance plan prepared?
Answer: The acceptance plan is based on:
- Requirement documents
- Input from the customer
- Project plan
27. What is coverage and what are the different types of coverage techniques?
Answer: Coverage measures how much of the code is tested. Types include:
- Statement Coverage: Ensures each line of code is executed.
- Decision Coverage: Tests all possible outcomes of decisions.
- Path Coverage: Tests all possible paths in the code.
28. What are the benefits of Automation testing?
Answer: Benefits include:
- Executes repeated test cases
- Tests a large matrix of scenarios
- Enables parallel execution
- Reduces human error
- Saves time and money
29. Why is Selenium a preferred tool for Automation testing?
Answer: Selenium is preferred because:
- It’s open-source with no licensing costs.
- Supports multiple programming languages.
- Runs on various OS and browsers.
- Integrates with tools like TestNG, JUnit, Maven, Jenkins, and Docker.
30. What are the various components of Selenium?
Answer: Selenium components are:
- Selenium IDE: A record-and-playback tool.
- Selenium RC: Supports different programming languages.
- Selenium WebDriver: Directly communicates with the browser.
- Selenium Grid: Runs tests on multiple machines and browsers.
Software Testing Basics Interview Questions: Conclusion
All common basic software tester interview questions are discussed above. Aspirants can go through them and prepare well for their job interviews. Being well prepared will boost your confidence and help you perform well in the interview.
