UNIT -II

White-Box Testing Techniques

 Overview: UNIT II

 Dynamic testing vs. static testing

 Static Testing: Inspections, Structured Walkthrough
 Technical Reviews. Logic Coverage Criteria
 Basis Path Testing, Loop Testing
 Data Flow Testing, Mutation Testing
 Dynamic Testing:
 All the methods that execute the code to test a software are
known as dynamic testing techniques. In this technique, the
code is run on a number of inputs provided by the user and the
corresponding results are checked.
 Dynamic testing is further divided into two parts:
(a) black-box testing
 (b) white-box testing
 Dynamic testing vs. static testing

 Static testing:
 It is a technique for assessing the structural characteristics of
source code, design specifications or any notational
representation that conforms to well-defined syntactic rules .
 It is called as static because we never execute the code in this
technique. For example, the structure of code is examined by
the teams but the code is not executed.
 Static Testing:
Inspections, Structured Walkthrough

 Static testing techniques do not demonstrate that the

software is operational or that one function of
software is working; rather they check the software
product at each SDLC stage for conformance with
the required specifications or standards.
 Requirements, design specifications, test plans,
source code, user’s manuals, maintenance
procedures are some of the items that can be
statically tested
 The objectives of static testing can be summarized as
follows:

 „To identify errors in any phase of SDLC as early as

possible
 „To verify that the components of software are in
conformance with its requirements„
 To provide information for project monitoring
 „To improve the software quality and increase
productivity
 Types of Static Testing

 Static testing can be categorized into the following

types: „
 Software inspections
 „Walkthroughs
 „Technical reviews
 Inspection

 Inspection process is an in-process manual examination of

an item to detect bugs.
 This process does not require executable code or test cases.
 It may be applied to any product or partial product of the
software development process, including requirements,
design and code, project management plan, SQA plan,
software configuration plan (SCM plan), risk management
plan, test cases, user manual, etc.
 Inspections are embedded in the process of developing
products and are done in the early stages of each product’s
development.
 An inspection process involves the interaction of the
following elements: „
 Inspection steps „
 Role for participants „
 Item being inspected
 BENEFITS OF INSPECTION PROCESS

 Bug reduction
 The number of bugs is reduced through the inspection process.

 Inspection helps reduce bug injection and detection rates.

 Bug prevention
 Productivity
 Real-time feedback to software engineers
 Reduction in development resource
 Quality improvement
 STRUCTURED WALKTHROUGHS

 It is a less formal and less rigorous technique as

compared to inspection.
 The common term used for static testing is inspection
but it is a very formal process.
A typical structured walkthrough team consists of the following members:

 Coordinator Organizes, moderates, and follows up the

walkthrough activities.
 „Presenter/Developer Introduces the item to be
inspected. This
 member is optional.
 „Scribe/Recorder Notes down the defects found and
suggestion proposed by the members.
 „Reviewer/Tester Finds the defects in the item.
 „Maintenance Oracle Focuses on long-term
implications and future maintenance of the project.
 „Standards Bearer Assesses adherence to standards.
 „User Representative/Accreditation Agent Reflects
the needs and concerns of the user.
 TECHNICAL REVIEWS

 A technical review is intended to evaluate the software

in the light of development standards, guidelines, and
specifications and to provide the management with
evidence that the development process is being carried
out according to the stated objectives.
 A technical review team should also prepare a set of
indicators to measure the following points:
 „Appropriateness of the problem definition and

requirements
 „Adequacy of all underlying assumptions

 „Adherence to standards

 „Consistency

 „Completeness

 „Documentation