The blog post “Mocking Made Easy: Understanding Mockito for Java Unit Testing” describes what mocking is and how to use mockito for java testing. I chose this blog post because this semester we have covered mocking and its uses during our in class activities. I feel like this post made effective and efficient descriptions for mocking and mockito allowing readers to grasp a greater understanding of the topic.

The blog starts with describing the importance of unit testing in software development and highlights the challenges developers face when testing components that have dependencies on other classes or external systems. The blog focuses on the tool Mockito. Which as a solution, facilitates the creation of mock objects to mimic the behavior of real objects, enabling isolated testing of individual components.The blog focuses on the fundamentals of Mockito, explaining concepts such as mocks, stubs, and spies. A mock object simulates the behavior of a real object, allowing developers to define its responses to method calls. Stubs are similar to mocks but focus solely on returning predefined values rather than executing real code. Spies, on the other hand, are used to monitor real objects while still allowing their original behavior. In addition, the blog highlights Mockito’s usage through code examples, demonstrating how to create mock objects, specify their behavior using method chaining, and verify interactions between the tested component and its dependencies.The blog post emphasizes the importance of clear and concise test code, advocating for readable and maintainable test suites. Additionally, the post explores advanced Mockito features such as argument matchers, which allow for flexible verification of method invocations with varying arguments, and annotations for simplifying mock creation and injection. The author also discusses best practices for using Mockito effectively, including avoiding excessive mocking, preferring real objects over mocks whenever feasible, and refraining from mocking third-party code unless necessary. In conclusion, the blog provides a comprehensive overview of Mockito, offering practical insights and examples to help developers harness the power of mocking for robust unit testing. 

After reading this blog post, I feel like I would be better prepared for software testing or quality assurance. The descriptions of mocking and mockito were very helpful in solidifying my knowledge on software testing as well as teaching me new ways to utilize mocking such as using the mockito tool. If I ever am in the situation where I need to create tests and to utilize mocking I feel more comfortable and prepared than before I read the blog.

https://blog.machinet.net/post/mocking-made-easy-understanding-mockito-for-java-unit-testing

From the blog CS@Worcester – Giovanni Casiano – Software Development by Giovanni Casiano and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

The blog post “Software Testing Basics: Positive vs. Negative Software Testing” explores two fundamental approaches in software testing: positive and negative testing. I chose this blog post because this semester we have been taught a variety of software testing techniques and strategies. From this blog post, it has categorized some of the techniques we have learned into one of two categories mentioned, positive or negative testing. I found this useful as it also allows us to know easily when to utilize certain techniques for certain scenarios.

The blog begins by describing the significance of software testing in ensuring the quality and reliability of software applications. Testing is important not only to detect bugs but also to enhance user experience and maintain credibility. Positive testing involves validating the software’s expected behavior under normal conditions. Test cases are designed to verify that the system functions as intended when provided with valid inputs. This method aims to affirm that the software performs its functions accurately and efficiently. By executing positive tests, developers can gain confidence in the system’s reliability and usability. On the other hand, negative testing focuses on the software’s ability to handle invalid or unexpected inputs and conditions. Test cases are designed to provoke errors, exceptions, or failures within the system. This approach aims to uncover vulnerabilities, defects, or unforeseen scenarios that may compromise the software’s performance or security. Negative testing is crucial for identifying weaknesses and enhancing the robustness of the software.The blog emphasizes the complementary nature of positive and negative testing. While positive testing validates the correctness of the software’s intended behavior, negative testing uncovers potential issues that might have been overlooked. Together, they provide comprehensive test coverage and contribute to the overall quality assurance process.Moreover, the blog discusses various strategies and techniques for conducting positive and negative testing. For example, positive testing involves scenarios such as input validation, boundary testing, and functional testing, where the focus is on confirming the expected outcomes. While, negative testing encompasses techniques like boundary value analysis, error guessing, and stress testing, aimed at challenging the error-handling capabilities of the code.

After reading this blog post, I feel like I would be better prepared for software testing or quality assurance. The descriptions of positive versus negative testing in my opinion were very helpful in solidifying my knowledge on software testing as well as teaching me new aspects of it. As previously mentioned, the blog post was beneficial for teaching me to know when to utilize certain techniques for various scenarios.

https://www.testmonitor.com/blog/software-testing-basics-positive-vs.-negative-software-testing

From the blog CS@Worcester – Giovanni Casiano – Software Development by Giovanni Casiano and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

The blog post, “Unit Testing Best Practices: 9 to Ensure You Do It Right” focused on highlighting important habits and practices that testers must utilize to increase efficiency and effectiveness. I chose this blog post because as we continue to learn different software testing strategies in class I think it was important to highlight some important aspects that could be utilized as a tester so we can make sure we incorporate these in the future. I thought that this blog highlighted good practices that were covered in class and even added some more.

The blog presented recommendations and strategies for effective unit testing, catering to developers aiming to streamline their testing workflows.The blog begins by explaining the significance of unit testing in software development, highlighting its role in detecting bugs early, ensuring code reliability, and facilitating code maintainability. It emphasizes the importance of adopting a systematic approach to unit testing to maximize its benefits. The blog advocated for writing clear, concise, and focused tests that target specific functionalities or units of code. Emphasizing readability and maintainability, the blog suggests using descriptive test names and organizing tests into logical groups. The blog also addresses the importance of test automation in modern software development. It advocates for automating unit tests to expedite the testing process and ensure consistent test coverage across code bases. By integrating automated tests into continuous integration pipelines, developers can detect regressions early and maintain code quality throughout the development lifecycle.In addition to automation, the blog stresses the significance of test isolation and dependency management in unit testing. Techniques such as, mocking and dependency injection are recommended to isolate units under test from external dependencies. The blog also touches upon strategies for handling test data effectively, including techniques like parameterized tests and test data factories. By managing test data efficiently, developers can enhance test coverage and minimize test redundancy.

After reading this blog post, I believe that I am now more confident and informed about how a software tester should go about testing strategies. Being able to know good testing practices will be beneficial so I can focus on utilizing the skills within my own work. I found it interesting how most of the practices that were being mentioned in the blog were very simple. This makes it even easier to understand and incorporate these rules as they will be easy to remember and become a standard foundation whenever I have to think about writing tests for a project. 

https://www.testim.io/blog/unit-testing-best-practices

From the blog CS@Worcester – Giovanni Casiano – Software Development by Giovanni Casiano and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

The blog post, “The 3 Biggest Software Testing Mistakes” from Daniel Knott focused on highlighting vital mistakes that software testing groups frequently come upon in their testing strategies. I chose this blog post because as we continue to learn different software testing strategies in class I think it was important to highlight some mistakes that could be made as a tester so we can avoid these in the future. 

 The first mistake that Knott highlighted was the mistake of not asking enough questions. When you are working as a tester your first job should be to ask as many questions during the development phase of the product as possible. This will allow you to verify that the product will work as intended for the customer. These questions should be highlighting product features, limitations, etc. The second mistake is trying to automate everything. Automation if done right can be very helpful however there are scenarios where automation can do more harm than good. Knott says that many teams mistakenly aim to automate everything, often driven by those unfamiliar with automation’s true benefits. Some parts of the code that are still in development, may not be ready for automation, while other areas will require detailed quality checks that automation cannot provide. Due to this, a risk assessment and informed questioning should precede test automation while working. Once suitable areas for automation are identified, decisions on the level of automated checks should be made by the team.The third mistake in software testing is reusing the same test data repeatedly. Software testing heavily relies on data such as text, images, or voice, and system configurations. Reusing test data compromises its integrity. The system’s state or configuration may change between tests which could affect results. To effectively test an application, the development team must define and generate appropriate test data. Generating test data can be complex, depending on the system’s intricacy and technologies involved. Ideally, scripts can create test data for specific tests, allowing for deletion or reset afterward. The conclusion of the blog post has Knott describing how mistakes can be good as they are a part of growing as a software tester. The best thing we can do is to be transparent about our mistakes to allow for a culture of learning.

After reading this blog post, I believe that I am now more confident and informed about how a software tester should go about testing strategies. Being able to identify common mistakes will be beneficial so I can avoid doing those mistakes in my own work. I found it interesting the fine line between automation since it can be both beneficial and harmful depending on just what you are working on. This is why as I read it is best to be left to a team decision as automation has its own list of pros and cons.

https://shiftsync.tricentis.com/testing-strategies-methodologies-42/the-3-biggest-software-testing-mistakes-95

From the blog CS@Worcester – Giovanni Casiano – Software Development by Giovanni Casiano and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

The blog post, “Decision Table Testing: Everything You Need to Know”, discusses the concept of decision table testing in the software quality assurance field. Decision table testing is a systematic technique used to test the behavior of software systems against various input conditions. The blog post provided a comprehensive overview of decision tables, their components, advantages, and how they can be effectively utilized in software testing processes. In addition, the blog post offered practical insights into creating decision tables and implementing them effectively in test creation. It discussed the best practices for defining conditions, actions, and rules within decision tables, emphasizing the importance of clarity and consistency. Additionally, it provided tips for managing decision tables in a structured manner, facilitating easier maintenance and updates as the software evolves.

I chose this blog post because we have covered this topic extensively as well as incorporating a homework assignment on the topic. Due to this, I wanted to have further instruction on how this method of testing can be put to use and gain further knowledge on the method of testing. After reading the blog, I was able to gain a clearer understanding of decision table testing and its significance within software testing. Decision table testing is a very important testing method that will be a very useful tool to know and understand in use when testing for software quality assurance.

The blog highlighted the benefits of decision table testing, such as its ability to identify redundant test cases and minimize duplication efforts which are great to learn as it will help increase functionality of my tests as well as efficiency. From the blog post I was able to gain a greater understanding of Decision table testing and with that deeper understanding of decision table testing, I hope to be able to have real world scenarios that I would be able to apply the theory to. In conclusion, the resource not only expanded my knowledge of decision table testing but also equipped me with practical insights that I hope to be able to apply in my academic as well as my professional career in the future. As I continue to write and develop code for class and hopefully for career opportunities the more knowledge I have when it comes to software testing the better as it will help improve my level of design. Understanding one of the fundamental testing methods is just a step in the right direction for my career.

https://testsigma.com/blog/decision-table-testing

From the blog CS@Worcester – Giovanni Casiano – Software Development by Giovanni Casiano and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

The blog “Test Driven Development: The Best Thing That Has Happened to Software Design” explains the benefits of using Test Driven Development  in software development. It describes the focus on writing tests before writing the code, it emphasizes on how this approach will enhance software design, increase code quality, and allow for easier maintainability. The post highlights Test Driven Development’s ability to shift focus towards desired software behavior. I chose this blog post due to its relevance to the recently covered topics in class as well as how it can apply in writing better code. Test Driven Development is a topic that we just covered in class and I found it very interesting to see its uses and benefits.. Additionally, I am using this style of code in my CS-497 class which allowed me to further get hands-on experience with how Test Driven Development works.

After reading the blog post, I agreed with many of the points raised by the author of the blog. I found the idea of writing the tests first as a foundation of code construction seems like a great idea as when you are writing code you know how you want it to work which is how you will write the tests to make it pass. Once you have the tests you can write the code that will allow the tests that you have already created to pass. The idea of problem-solving to make the tests pass rather than troubleshooting seems like an efficient way of coding. The author highlighted an aspect of Test Driven Development that I found very beneficial as it can highly increase efficiency is how creating the tests first gives you better insight on how your code is not working properly. If you are getting the wrong output making your test fail you will know how to fix it better than without having that test in place.

This blog post allowed me to consider different aspects of solutions for coding because different styles have different benefits while developing  software. In addition, it reinforced the importance of writing clean, concise code and underscored the significance of thorough testing which are also key aspects of this class.Moving forward, I would like to and plan to incorporate the style of Test Driven Development more into my coding practices. By focusing first on test creation and then writing the code to make the tests pass, I can aim to enhance the efficiency and quality of my code. In conclusion, I believe that using Test Driven Development will increase my workflow and coding skills that will be beneficial not only in this class but potentially for the rest of my career.

https://www.thoughtworks.com/en-us/insights/blog/test-driven-development-best-thing-has-happened-software-design

From the blog CS@Worcester – Giovanni Casiano – Software Development by Giovanni Casiano and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

The blog post highlights the qualities as well as the differences between these two types of testing, static testing and dynamic testing. I chose this blog post because as this course covers software quality assurance and testing as well as the fact that we have spent time in class covering these two types of testing I believe that this blog post is able to highlight and reinforce core concepts that will be able to assist in gaining further knowledge withing this class. In addition, the blog post is able to explain the information regarding static and dynamic testing in a simple and easy to understand format that further compliments the idea of using this blog post as a resource to reinforce these topics.

The blog post as previously discussed covers static testing vs dynamic testing. We learn that static testing involves testing the code without actually running it while dynamic testing involves running the code to test it’s outcomes through various testing circumstances. From those two descriptions we can tell how static testing relies on testing through software documentation as well as the design of the code itself. However, dynamic testing is able to execute the program allowing the testers to test how the code will work in an assortment of testing scenarios. This concept allows testers to see how the code will work once it is released to the public to verify that it works as intended. These two types of testing are very different in their methods of achieving a successful test. Static testings wants to identify problems and improve on them early in development while dynamic testing wants to validate the performance and functionality of the code once it is in a executable state. Since they have different intents your requirements for the project is what determines what testing you will choose.

From what I have learned from the blog post I believe it was very helpful and was able to reinforce core concepts that will help me further in this class. I believe learning more about static and dynamic testing will help me when it comes to working in this class as well as assist in knowing how to test in a professional setting. Knowing the core differences between the two will allow me to know what type of testing will be best for certain circumstances when it comes to projects. In conclusion, this blog post was very helpful and will be utilized in the future.

https://testsigma.com/blog/static-testing-and-dynamic-testing

From the blog CS@Worcester – Giovanni Casiano – Software Development by Giovanni Casiano and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

The blog I chose was “Will AI Replace Manual Testers?” by Thijs Kok. The blog post highlighted the importance of testing for software development and the role that AI plays. I chose this blog for two reasons, one due to the fact that we recently discussed the types of testing in software development. The other reason being the rise of artificial intelligence popularity in the software and technology field. I thought this blog was able to highlight one of the main fears that people who are studying computer science or people who are already in the field have when it comes to artificial intelligence. This fear being is artificial intelligence going to be able to take over our jobs. We have seen just what artificial intelligence is able to do through a multitude of examples showcasing just how advanced the AI is when it comes to solving programming problems. For those reasons, that is why I chose this blog because I thought it would be interesting if AI could take over this aspect of the jobs we want.

The blog post started off by acknowledging the power AI has right now throughout the world and how the tech field is no exception. The author described three ways how AI is already being utilized within the software testing scope. These ways being test case generation through, test case execution and test result analysis. The blog post ended with the overall question, will artificial intelligence replace testers? The conclusion that the author reached was, no, “While AI can automate specific testing aspects, it cannot entirely replace human testers. The cognitive skills, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and emotional intelligence that human testers bring to the table are irreplaceable”. The author stated that even though AI can be very powerful it can be seen more as an enhancement rather than a replacement.

My overall take from this blog post is the importance in understanding how AI works and how to integrate to use it as a tool for the future. While we can’t use the AI to just do the work for us it can be a helpful asset that will make the job easier allowing us to focus our efforts on more important matters, things that the AI otherwise could not handle. I believe that the blog post was a great piece that anyone could read and take away various insights from. For example, it was able to downplay people’s fears on AI taking over as well as teaching people how to use it to their benefit allowing integrations for the future.

https://www.testmonitor.com/blog/will-ai-replace-manual-testers

From the blog CS@Worcester – Giovanni Casiano – Software Development by Giovanni Casiano and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.