It is a well-known fact that the value of detecting errors and defects during the development stage of an application is exceedingly high. Well, as the good old saying by Aristotle tells, to begin is half done. Likewise, the return on investment will be higher, if this detection can be achieved without the execution of application’s main code. Achieving this goal of testing has been made possible by Static testing, which is one important testing technique executed during the verification phase of the software. So, let’s plunge into a detailed discussion on static testing and reap as many benefits from it as we can.
Static testing, which is a type of software testing methodology, is the verification of a software product, done in a static environment i.e. testing done without executing the code. Carried on by means of manual and automated reviews of documents, static testing enables early detection of defects during the initial phase of the development cycle of the product.
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To attain clarity about static testing, it is important for us to acknowledge its features and components that set it apart from its counterparts as well as other software testing techniques. Therefore, mentioned here are some of the features of static testing:
Static testing involves going through written materials which can give a holistic view of the general working of the product under test. This information can be gained by delving through various documents and reports, other sources like:
As stated above, the process of static testing can either be implemented manually or through the use of automated tools. The former method involves reviewing the various documents for error, while the latter involves analysis of software code. These two methods of static testing are:
Static testing is a process, that is frequently performed manually, by the team of testers. During this process, the team follows the method of software review, which further involves various testing techniques, such as:
Before implementing static testing, it is crucial for the team to accumulate all the necessary and relevant information and knowledge about the technique, which will help make informed decisions, as well as allow them to be prepared with necessary tools and actions. Therefore, following are the merits and demerits of static testing:
The process of static testing can be better understood comparing it with its counterpart dynamic testing. Though usually used by inexperienced testers interchangeably, dynamic testing has several distinct different and divergent qualities and features, some of which are overcome by static testing. Hence, to highlight the differences among static and dynamic testing here is a detailed comparison of the two:
| Static Testing | Dynamic Testing |
| 1. Static testing is performed during the early stages of development cycle. | 1. Performed during the later stages of software development life cycle. |
| 2. During this type of testing, tests are performed without executing the program. | 2. Here, the program is executed by the team to test the software product. |
| 3. It is performed during the verification stage. | 3. It is executed during the validation stage. |
| 4. Offers more statement coverage than dynamic testing in a shorter span of time. | 4. As it a covers limited area of the code, dynamic testing requires less statement coverage. |
| 5. Offers code and documentation assessment. | 5.It provides bugs and bottlenecks of the software. |
| 6. Involves various assessment methods like walkthrough, inspection, review, and more. | 6. Involves both functional and non-functional testing. |
| 7. The objective of static testing is to mainly prevent defects in the software. | 7. The objective of testing here is to find and fix defects. |
| 8. It is a comprehensive testing of the code, which helps find more defects in the system. | 8. Finds fewer defects than static testing. |
| 9. This is a cost effective testing technique, that requires minimal time for assessment. | 9. Dynamic testing is time consuming as it tests each test case separately. |
| 10. Static testing is performed without executing the code. | 10. This type of testing is done by executing the code. |
| 11. It is done before the deployment of the code by the team. | 11. It is performed once the code is deployed by the team. |
| 12. The percentage of fixing defects is higher in static testing. | 12. The bugs fixed during dynamic testing are fewer than static testing. |
| 13. This type of testing follows a checklist for the process of test execution. | 13. Here, test cases are prepared by the team to execute the process. |
| 14. To ensure the quality of testing, collecting more feedback and reviews is required. | 14. To validate the quality of testing during dynamic testing finding more defects is recommended. |
When it comes to testing a software product, it is always advised by the team to follow some tips or suggestions, which can simplify the process of testing and help them get accurate and expected results. Likewise, for static testing also, following tips are provided, which can help the team immensely.
Before we conclude our discussion on static testing, it is extremely crucial for us to mention the popular tools used by software testers around the world for the process of static testing. Nowadays, when the market is full of various open source as well paid tools, this list will help you easily get secure and reliable tools that offer remarkable advantages to their users. Hence, here is a list of popular tools used for static testing are:
In spite of the fact that static testing requires a long time spent in heady discussions and meetings, it is well worth the time to prevent defects from occurring at the latter stages of product development. Therefore static testing is rightfully considered as a major step towards developing an application zero bugs.
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