Software Testing

In 2008, Software Certifications selected Prometric, a world leader in assessment testing services, as its partner for the administration of certification examinations. Prometric’s international network of testing centers provides the framework needed to support Software Certifications global needs.

Software Certifications adds Five New Certifications

• Certified Associate in Software Quality (CASQ)
• Certified Associate in Software Testing (CAST)
• Certified Associate Business Analyst (CABA)
• Certified Software Business Analyst (CSBA)
• Certified Software Process Engineer (CSPE)
• Certified Quantitative Software Process Engineer (CQSPE)

QuickPath…

1. If you are completely new to the Program, start with the Overview.
2. If you are already familiar with the Program and are interested in learning more about a particular certification, use the appropriate link below for the certification of interest
   • Certified Associate in Software Quality (CASQ)
   • Certified Associate in Software Testing (CAST)
   • Certified Software Quality Analyst (CSQA)
   • Certified Software Tester (CSTE)
   • Certified Manager of Software Quality (CMSQ)
   • Certified Manager of Software Testing (CMST)
   • Certified Software Project Manager (CSPM)
   • Certified Associate Business Analyst (CABA)
   • Certified Software Business Analyst (CSBA)
   • Certified Software Process Engineer (CSPE)
   • Certified Quantitative Software Process Engineer (CQSPE)

Abbot Java GUI Test Framework

Description:

The Abbot framework provides automated event generation and validation of Java GUI components, improving upon the very rudimentary functions provided by the java.awt.Robot class (A Better ‘Bot). The framework may be invoked directly from Java code or accessed without programming through the use of scripts. It is suitable for use both by developers for unit tests and QA for functional testing.

Requirement:

TBC

Download data:

Downloadable files: 81656 total downloads to date

Anteater

Description:

Anteater is a testing framework designed around Ant, from the Apache Jakarta Project. It provides an easy way to write tests for checking the functionality of a Web application or of an XML Web service.

Requirement:

OS Independent

Download data:

Downloadable files: 18356 total downloads to date

Apodora

Description:

Apodora is a framework/tool for automating functional testing of web applications. It provides the user with programmatic control of the web browser allowing them to interact directly with the browser’s user interface. It uses a database backend in order to remember how to find your html elements. This also makes your scripts easier to maintain.

Requirement:

Windows, IE6

Download data:

Downloadable files: 9990 total downloads to date

Arbiter

Description:

Document based acceptance tester. Similar to FIT in goal. Manages requirements documents in Word or RTF format that are created jointly by customer and developer. Requirements are parsed to extract a glossary and test suite.

Requirement:

OS Independent

Download data:

Downloadable files: 2117 total downloads to date

Autonet

Description:

Autonet is a GUI network test platform, internally it’s based on CLI to communicate with devices. It can help you to arrange test cases, setup commands to devices ,run commands to check results and record test results

Requirement:

windows, linux and any other platform which support tcl

Download data:

Downloadable files: 2372 total downloads to date

AutoTestFlash

Description:

AutoTestFlash allows the recording and playback of tests writen in Flash and Flex. The tool website provides a live sample.

Requirement:

Windows / Flash

Download data:

No data feed available

Avignon

Description:

Avignon is an acceptance test system that allows you to write executable tests in a language that you define. It uses XML to define the syntax of the language but, if you choose to extend the language, leaves the semantics of the tests up to you. Avignon includes modules for testing HTML applications (through either IE or FireFox), Swing and .NET WinForm applications.

Requirement:

Java (MS Windows only for .NET testing)

Download data:

Downloadable files: 12301 total downloads to date

Blerby Test Runner

Description:

Ajax test runner for php. Currently supports simpletest and phpunit 3.x. Allows developers to refactor code while being able to receive instant feedback on their changes. Tracks test dependencies and automatically re-runs appropriate tests upon source changes.

Requirement:

Windows, *nix, apache

Download data:

No data feed available

Canoo WebTest

Description:

Used for functional testing of web pages, WebTest is an open source testing framework built on top of HttpUnit. It allows tests to be defined in XML as Ant targets.

Requirement:

JDK 1.2 and ANT v1.3

Download data:

No data feed available

Concordion

Description:

Concordion is an open source framework for Java that lets you turn a plain English description of a requirement into an automated test. Concordion specifications are active. Behind the scenes, they are linked to the system under test and therefore do not go out-of-date. If a change is made to the system’s behaviour then the tests associated with the relevant specification will fail and let you know.

Requirement:

Java 1.5 or above

Download data:

No data feed available

Crosscheck

Description:

Crosscheck is an open source testing framework for verifying your in-browser javascript. It helps you ensure that your code will run in many different browsers such as Internet Explorer and Firefox, but without needing installations of those browsers. The only thing you need is a Java Virtual Machine.

Requirement:

Java Virtual Machine

Download data:

Downloadable files: 8468 total downloads to date

csvdiff

Description:

csvdiff is a perl script for comparing two files of comma-separated values with each other. In contrast to standard diff, it will show the number of the record where the difference occurs, the column number, and (if provided) the fieldname which is different. The separator can be set to any value you want, not just a comma. It also provides support for multiple column keys, the ability to ignore case and trim leading/tailing spaces, and the ability to ignore selected columns such as timestamps.

Requirement:

Everywhere you can install perl

Download data:

Downloadable files: 8381 total downloads to date

CubicTest

Description:

CubicTest is a graphical Eclipse plug-in for writing Selenium and Watir tests. It makes web tests faster and easier to write, and provides abstractions to make tests more robust and reusable. CubicTest’s test editor is centered around pages/states and transitions between these pages/states. The model is intuitive for both Ajax and traditional web applications and supports most user interaction types. CubicTest features an innovative test recorder and test runner based on Selenium RC which are fully integrated with the graphical test editor. Tests can also run standalone from Maven 2.

Requirement:

Eclipse plug-in

Download data:

No data feed available

Cucumber

Description:

Cucumber is a tool that runs functional tests written in plain text. It supports over 20 spoken languages. Programmers then write small chunks of ruby or java code to wire the plain text tests to the system under test. Cucumber is designed for Behaviour Driven Development.

Requirement:

Ruby, JRuby, Java or any web platform

Download data:

No data feed available

DBFeeder

Description:

With DBFeeder you can automatically generate testdata for Oracle Databases which fits primary and foreign keys of tables. A file-based configuration system allows in-depth customization of the generated data.

Requirement:

independent

Download data:

Downloadable files: 659 total downloads to date

DbFit

Description:

Extension to FIT/FitNesse for test-driven database development. Enables developers to manipulate database objects in a relational/ tabular form, making database testing and management much easier then with xUnit-style tools.

Requirement:

Java/.NET

Download data:

Downloadable files: 11837 total downloads to date

DejaGnu

Description:

DejaGnu is a framework for testing applications such as Tcl, C, C++, Java and network applications and cross testing of embedded systems. Its purpose is to provide a single front end for all tests. Think of it as a custom library of Tcl procedures crafted to support writing a test harness.

Requirement:

MacOS, Windows, POSIX

Download data:

No data feed available

Software Testing Life Cycle
Phase	Activities	Outcome
Planning	Create high level test plan	Test plan, Refined Specification
Analysis	Create detailed test plan, Functional Validation Matrix, test cases	Revised Test Plan, Functional validation matrix, test cases
Design	test cases are revised; select which test cases to automate	revised test cases, test data sets, sets, risk assessment sheet
Construction	scripting of test cases to automate,	test procedures/Scripts, Drivers, test results, Bugreports.
Testing cycles	complete testing cycles	Test results, Bug Reports
Final testing	execute remaining stress and performance tests, complete documentation	Test results and different metrics on test efforts
Post implementation	Evaluate testing processes	Plan for improvement of testing process

Testing New Functionality

When developer added a new functionality in the application why do tester needs to make sure that added new functionality does not break the other part of the application?

Butterfly Model of Test Development

Fixing of Bugs

In which phase of SDLC, the fixing of bugs is least expensive?In which phase of SDLC, the fixing of bugs is most expensive?

What are you going to do if there is no Functional Spec or any documents related to the system and developer who wrote the code does not work in the company anymore, but you have system and need to test?

In recent days this is the most asked question to me by readers. How to get software testing job? How to come in software testing field? or Can I get job in testing?

In recent days this is the most asked question to me by readers. How to get software testing job? How to come in software testing field? or Can I get job in testing?

All these questions are similar and I want to give also similar answer for this. I have written post on choosing software testing as your career where you can analyze your abilities and know which are the most important skills required for software testing.

I will continue mentioning that “know your interest before going into any career field”. Just going to software testing career or any other hot career is wrong and which may result into loss of your job interest as well as your job.

Now you know your abilities, skills, interests right? and you have made decision to go for software testing career as it is your favorite career and you suit most in this career. So here is a guideline for how to get a good job in software testing field.

If you are a fresher and just passed out from your college or passing out in coming months then you need to prepare well for some software testing methodologies. Prepare all the manual testing concepts. If possible have some hands-on on some automation and bug tracking tools like winrunner and test director. It is always a good idea to join any software testing institute or class which will provide you a good start and direction of preparation. You can join any 4 months duration software testing course or can do diploma in software testing which is typically of 6 months to 1 year. Keep the preparation going on in your course duration. This will help you to start giving interviews right after getting over your course.

If you have some sort of previous IT experience and want to switch to software testing then it’s somewhat simple for you. Show your previous IT experience in your resume while applying for software testing jobs. If possible do some crash course to get idea of software testing concepts like I mentioned for freshers above. Keep in mind that you have some kind of IT experience so be prepared for some tough interview questions here.

As companies always prefer some kind of relevant experience for any software job, its better if you have relevant experience in software testing and QA. It may be any kind of software testing tools hands-on or some testing course from reputed institutes.

Please always keep in mind- Do not add fake experience of any kind. This can ruin your career forever. Wait and try for some more days to get the job by your abilities instead of getting into trap of fake experience.

Last important words, Software testing is not ‘anyone can do career!’ Remove this attitude from your mind if someone has told such kind of foolish thing to you. Testing requires in depth knowledge of SDLF, out of box thinking, analytical skill and some programming language skill apart from software testing basics.

So best luck and start preparation for your rocking career! I will continue writing this career series and what you actually need to prepare for software testing interview.

The profession of software testing emerged in the early nineties when personal computers became more popular as they became more affordable. The fast-growing population of PC users created new opportunities for software companies as well as strong competition for the consumers business. The new generation of software users quite naturally expected their applications to work as advertised.

At the same time, market forces encouraged the fast release of new software often at the sacrifice of thorough testing. Defective software does not sell. The software industry soon recognized that, to achieve success, they would have to set quality standards prior to release and create thorough end-user testing procedures in-house. In 1992, I got my very first job as a Software QA Engineer literally by accident: an old friend introduced me to a small startup company in Newark where he worked at the time.

My job there was to identify functionality and performance problems in a client-server database application. I searched for fellow testers for professional networking; but I found none. I approached over two dozen software developers asking if they knew of anyone who tests software for a living. They had never heard of software testers and could see no use for them since they tested their own software. I found myself wondering what growth potential, if any, there may be in this career. In particular, I wanted to know how much I could earn as a software tester. I approached our VP of Engineering with this question.

He suggested that, if I stay with the company for five years and do really well, I might hope to make up to $40,000 a year. A small group of developers who had heard this exchange were clearly skeptical. I read the look on their faces, “That’ll be the day!” In May of 1993 the startup I worked for collapsed. In the course of a week, there were five advertisements in the San Jose Mercury News for software QA positions. I sent a resume to each, which resulted in two job interviews the following week and one on-the-spot job offer. My new employer was a multimedia startup. And guess what – that job paid 25 percent more than my previous one.

Three months later I got a raise, which brought me to a $40,000 salary, exactly the projected five-year target thought to be unrealistic. My new employers were exceptionally successful. They sold the company profitably six months later. The new owners restructured the business and I was back in the job market again. What I discovered in my new job search amazed me. Where I had found only five software quality assurance listings over the course of a week, I was now finding 10-12 listings a day. I had 3-4 interviews a week, sometimes two interviews a day, and received many offers within a month.

The market had grown dramatically within a single year and the demand for software testers far exceeded the supply. I chose the company that offered me strong exposure to automated testing, my passion at the time; but I could not help mulling over the amazing growth in demand for software testers and the equally amazing lack of supply. In the mid-90s, software testing was still a new profession. Between 1994 and 1997, half of QA graduates of many small and big local QA schools became the first person in their companies specifically hired as software testers. Today, most software companies have a dedicated quality assurance department with one or more managers and a staff ranging from junior testers to senior quality assurance engineers.

Before the recent recession, starting salary in QA was about $60,000 on average with 2-3 weeks spent on job search. Those who liked to change jobs every year or so as they acquired experience, saw their salaries grow to $90,000-95,000 within two-three years. When the recession hit Silicon Valley job market in 2001, there appeared to be no jobs at all for the inexperienced software tester. But in the year 2007, the recession is over. On average, an entry level QA job seeker in Silicon Valley would get 2 job interviews a week. It seems to take only 3 or 4 interviews to land an offer. Finding a QA job today seems to be no more difficult than it was in the 90s. Software QA is a unique job niche in many ways: Maturity is an asset in software testing unlike other IT fields.

Maturity is easily marketed as patience, attention to detail, and tolerance for routine tasks, all of which are highly valued in software QA. Whatever your prior education or work experience, it is likely to be an asset because there is likely to be software that specializes in your field of expertise. If you have experience in education, accounting, banking, publishing, workflow or contact management, sales, client relations, drafting, stock or bond trading, image processing, to name but a few industries, you will find software companies that target your field. Testing software is basically about finding the discrepancy between the expected behavior of the application and its actual behavior. If you have an accounting background, for example, you are better positioned to understand what the expected behavior of a software application should be and how an accounting department would use it. Testing is not a difficult concept to learn. We all have some experience testing something.

We test new recipes, test-drive cars, double-check our change at the convenience store. In each case we are testing to see that the actual result meets our expected result. Entry-level jobs in software QA do not require a computer science degree. The field covers a broad spectrum of technical proficiency. The niche is large enough to accommodate you. We see individuals of all ages transitioning from H1B visas to green cards, for example, becoming two-income families and homeowners, and establishing themselves in their new country. Software testing is definitely a consideration for college educated people of all the ages and professional background looking for a career change.