This week in class, we took another deep dive into the world of test doubles. This week pertained to mocks specifically. While doing class activities related to mocks this week in class, it seemed to me that mocks are easier to use than stubs while offering more insight on how a program is supposed to run. With that in my mind, I took the opportunity to further learn about mocks. I ended up finding a blog that gave me an even better understanding about mocks, and it is called “Understanding Mock Objects in Software Testing: A Tale of Simulated Reality”.

One quote from the blog does a great job of summing up what mocks are. “It’s like a stand-in actor in a movie – the mock object behaves like the real one but is controlled within the testing environment.” Mocks mimic the actions of the object it replaces when called upon in a test class. Mocks check the order and frequency of method calls in which they are used, which stubs don’t do.

Frameworks

There are mocking frameworks for many different languages. Some common mock frameworks include Mockito in Java, Moq in .NET, and Jasmine in JavaScript. Mockito is popular for its simplicity. It does well to create mock objects for a certain class or database that simulates how a real object would respond in the program. Moq is primarily used for C# applications and is popular for its strong typing and fluent interface. A language with strong typing demands specification over data types, so variables must have a type when they are defined. Jasmine mocks HTTP requests, which allows front-end applications to be tested without back-end interactions.

Pros

Some of the benefits of using mocks is that they are used in a controlled and predictable environment, and they are efficient. Mocks give predetermined behaviors and don’t leave the testing framework, which leads to consistency and predictability. And since mocks are used in the place of real-world objects, the testing process is sped up. It allows testers to isolate external factors and focus solely on the code being tested. Mock testing is also a cheaper alternative to testing real-world objects that may be very expensive.

Cons

A drawback of mock testing is that while tests pass in the testing, they may not in real-world situations. And just like stubs, changes to the system can cause mocks to become outdated, so it is important that mocks are frequently provisioned in order kept up to date with any changes to the system being tested.

Example

In the example above Mockito is the framework being used. WeatherService represents the external dependency, and WeatherModule represents what is being tested. mockService should return “Sunny” when “New York” is the string in the .getWeather() method. This allows WeatherModule to be tested in isolation. module.getWeather() is then assigned to the string variable “weather”. From there, weather is tested for if it returns “Sunny”. This is fascinating because the tests compile and are ran using make-believe objects

Reference

https://www.thetesttribe.com/blog/mock-testing/

From the blog Blog del William by William Cordor and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

During week 10, we experimented with stubs and mocks. Stubs and mocks are two forms of testing doubles that allow a team to write tests before the whole program has been written. Stubs and mocks simulate the code’s fleshed out methods and allow for testing methods to be written in advance. 

Stubs are methods or classes that are either empty or return a set value so they can run and be tested. Stubs are state testers and focus on testing the outcome of methods. Mocks are more dynamic, the test block can define what it wants the outcome of any method to be and then test for that outcome. It can also test for multiple set outcomes in the same block. Mocks are behavior testers and test the interactions between methods, rather than the outcome. 

The reference I found was a blog that compares and contrasts stubs and mocks by BairesDev to get a better idea of their use cases. They explained what stubs and mocks are, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and the situations to use both of them.

Advantages for stubs are their predictability and isolating the method. They will always return what you are expecting because of how simple they are. Since stubs do not involve any other calls or methods, they are great at isolating testing to just that method. Disadvantages are user error and the lack of behavior testing. The user might have a discrepancy in what they return in the stub and what they expect in the test. If your method needs to interact with other methods, stubs are not great for testing behavior because they only look at the outcome. 

Advantages for mocks are being better at testing subtle bugs and issues and testing the interactions between methods in your code. Since mocks are behavioral tests, if the methods don’t interact how they’re expected to, the test will not pass, which goes beyond what stubs do. Disadvantages are increased complexity and brittle tests. Mocks make your tests more complex than if you were testing the fully written code, which may take more time to adapt to once the program is finished. Brittle tests can occur if tests are too connected to the mock expectations, and small changes can cause a lot of errors. 

Overall, stubs are useful when testing independent methods and those that only need to be tested for the outcome. Mocks are useful when methods are dependent on others and can find errors that might not show up if you were just testing outcomes. Both are great when writing tests, but have different applications and both should be used when testing programs. 

Source: https://www.bairesdev.com/blog/stub-vs-mock/

From the blog CS@Worcester – ALIDA NORDQUIST by alidanordquist and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Decision table testing is a software testing  technique  that connects  inputs to  outputs. It  utilizes a structured table  for all possible test cases to be analyzed. A  condition represents  a variable or input that  impacts a process, and the action is the outcome influenced by a condition. Condition alternatives define all  possible values for a condition. Each row in  decision table testing is a connection between a  condition and action, with values typically  represented as true or false or yes or no. For instance testing a login system, the conditions are username and password. Action is a successful or  failed  login attempt. Switch table is classified as a type of decision table testing where  a single condition decides a design. A  traffic light system is an instance of decision table testing, with traffic light color being the condition. Action is cars  stopping or  continuing through traffic depending on traffic light color. In  rule based decision table, columns are actions and conditions, and the  row indicates if a condition and action  for a column match the condition and action for a rule.  Another type of decision based testing is a limited decision table. Limited decision tables have a simple and independent condition with an example of a login system. A  login attempt result  is known from a  username and password being correctly entered. Username and password are independent  conditions, as a system identifies username or password is correct, regardless of each other.

First step in creating a decision table is identifying the conditions. A login system will be used for an example. Conditions are valid   username or  password. Once the conditions are constructed, the next step is defining  possible condition alternatives. In a class activity, the conditions were gpa and credits. A condition with either  gpa or credits is allowed  multiple  values  such as gpa > 2.5  or gpa < 4.0. Once condition and condition alternatives have been created, the actions have to  be defined. The next step is setting up  rules for the decision table. After the rules have been set. The table should hold conditions, actions, rules, and condition alternatives. Table should be now filled. The last step to creating a decision table is identifying and deleting  repetitive rules. Prior to taking a software testing class, I had little knowledge on decision table testing. I choose this blog as a chance to expand my  understanding of decision testing. After reading the article, I have a better understanding of decision testing compared to my first learning decision testing.

article: https://www.browserstack.com/guide/decision-table

From the blog CS@Worcester – jonathan&#039;s computer journey by Jonathan Mujjumbi and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Software testing is a significant part of confirming the functionality, reliability, and performance of software products. Out of all the diverse types of tests, Basis Path Testing is one essential technique for confirming the control flow of a program. In this blog, we share the concept of Basis Path Testing, its importance, and how it is applied in software testing.

What is Basis Path Testing?
Basis Path Testing is a white-box testing method that focuses on software control flow. It was formulated by Thomas J. McCabe as a part of the Cyclomatic Complexity metric, which calculates the amount of linearly independent paths in a program’s control flow. The approach is designed to test the software by executing all the independent paths through the program at least once to provide complete coverage of the code.

The goal of Basis Path Testing is to locate all the potential paths within a program and ensure that each of them is tested for possible issues. It helps in determining logical defects that are not obvious through other testing techniques, such as functional or integration testing.

Key Elements of Basis Path Testing
Control Flow Graph: The first step in Basis Path Testing is to design a control flow graph (CFG) for the program. This graph represents the control structure of the program, including decision points, loops, and function calls.

Cyclomatic Complexity: The second step is to compute the cyclomatic complexity of the program, which is the number of independent paths. The metric is calculated as:
V(G) = e – n + 2*P

Where, e is number of edges, n is number of vertices, P is number of connected components.
The cyclomatic complexity provides the minimum number of test cases required to exercise all the independent paths.

Independent Paths: After calculating the cyclomatic complexity, the independent paths in the control flow graph must be determined. These are paths that don’t reuse any other path’s sequence of execution.

Test Case Design: Once independent paths are identified, test cases are created to execute each path such that all aspects of the program’s logic are exercised.

Importance of Basis Path Testing
Basis Path Testing is particularly useful in revealing intricate logical errors that can result due to intricate control flow. By carrying out all independent paths, it ensures that nothing in the program is left untreated, and this reduces the chances of undiscovered defects.

The approach is used widely in unit testing and integration testing, especially for programs with intricate decision structures and loops. It is also a good approach to use in regression testing, where changing the codebase can probably introduce flaws into previously tested paths.

Conclusion
Basis Path Testing is a highly valuable method for thorough testing of software using independent paths through the control flow of a program. By understanding and applying this method, software developers are able to improve the quality of applications, reduce errors, and deliver improved software to end-users.

Personal Reflection
Having studied Basis Path Testing, I can see how this approach is essential to checking the strength of software systems. As a computer science major, what I have learned from my studies is that testing is not just about checking if the code runs but, more importantly, that the logic and correctness of running are checked. Basis Path Testing’s focus on cyclomatic complexity provides a clear, mathematical way to ensure that all possible execution paths are considered.

My experience is that application of this technique detects logical flaws in programs which would otherwise not be easily seen through normal debugging or functional testing. 

Citation:
“Basis Path Testing in Software Testing.” GeeksforGeeks, https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/basis-path-testing-in-software-testing/.

From the blog Maria Delia by Maria Delia and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

This week I am diving into an article by David Rodenas, PhD – a software engineer with a wide array of knowledge on the topic of Software Testing. I found the article, “Improve Your Testing #13: When F.I.R.S.T. Principles Aren’t Enough” which is one of many posts from Rodenas that helps provide insights to Software Testing that only a pro could provide. Through this article, Rodenas walks through each letter of the FIRST acronym with new meaning – not replacing what we know but instead enhancing what we know. As the author teaches us these new ways of understanding, examples are provided to look for ways in our own work in which these can be applied.

The acronym can be read as: Fast, Isolated, Repeatable, Self-Verifying, and Timely, but taking this one step further we can acknowledge the version that builds on top of this as: Focused, Integrated, Reliable, Significant, and Thoughtful. It is obvious that these definitions are not opposites of each other, they should also exist cohesively in our quest for trustworthy software.

One pro-tip that sticks out to me here is keeping your code focused by avoiding using the word “and” in the test name. When I first read it – it seemed kind of silly, but in a broad-sense it really does work. The writer relates this to the Single Responsibility Principle – by writing tests with a clear focus, our tests are fast and purposeful. Another takeaway is the importance of writing reliable and significant tests. Tests should not only validate but also provide meaningful information for what went wrong to cause them to fail. A test that passes all the time but fails to catch real-world issues is not significant. Similarly, flaky tests—ones that pass or fail inconsistently—break trust in the testing suite and should be avoided. Rodenas also emphasizes that integrating tests properly is just as important as isolating them. While unit tests should be isolated for precision, integration tests should ensure that components work together seamlessly. A good balance between both approaches strengthens the overall reliability of a software system.

Ultimately, this article challenges us to go beyond simply following FIRST principles and to think critically about our testing strategy. Are our tests truly adding value? Are they guiding us toward our goal of thoroughly tested software, or are they just passing checks in a pipeline? By embracing this enhanced approach to testing, we can ensure that our tests serve their true purpose: to build confidence in the software we deliver.

From the blog cameronbaron.wordpress.com by cameronbaron and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

I chose this blog because I wanted to learn about methods for ensuring thorough test coverage while minimizing effort. During my research, I stumbled upon an intriguing article on TestSigma about decision table testing. I was particularly intrigued because it offers a structured approach to managing complex decision-making scenarios in software applications. Because I am still working on my programming and testing skills, I found this technique particularly useful for systematically identifying various input conditions and their expected outputs.

Decision table testing is a black-box testing technique that allows testers to organize input conditions and associated output values in a structured table format. This method is especially useful in software applications where multiple variables affect the output. By organizing all of the factors into a decision table, testers can ensure that all possible combinations of inputs and expected outcomes are thoroughly covered, with no gaps in test coverage.

For example, consider an online banking system in which a user can only transfer money if his or her account balance is sufficient and the authentication process is successful. In a decision table, this scenario would have four different combinations:

• Sufficient balance and successful authentication.

• Enough balance and failed authentication

• Insufficient balance with successful authentication.

• Insufficient balance and failed authentication.

Each combination would be associated with the corresponding expected outcome, ensuring that all scenarios were tested. This structured approach ensures that no critical test case is overlooked, allowing testers to avoid missing edge cases or rare conditions that could lead to system failures.

I chose the TestSigma article because it explains decision table testing in an understandable, simplified manner. Although most other methods of testing may be involved, this one is broken down in depth and includes real-life examples, making it easier for even beginners to understand. The other articles I found were either too technical or too shallow and disorganized, whereas this one managed to strike a balance between the two.

Decision tables are a simple way to solve complex decision-making scenarios in software. It is structuring the input conditions and expected outcomes in order to provide more comprehensive test coverage while avoiding redundancies. The above article provides the most lucid and applicable example of the technique, making it an extremely useful tool for students like me. I’m still honing my programming and testing skills, learning structured testing methods like the decision table, so I can create very efficient, thoroughly organized, error-free tests, preparing me for a future in software development and testing.

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

From the blog CS@Worcester – Matchaman10 by tam nguyen and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.

Intro

Software testing is an essential part of the development lifecycle, ensuring that applications function correctly and efficiently. The blog post “Static Testing vs. Dynamic Testing” by TatvaSoft provides an insightful comparison and description of these two fundamental testing approaches.

Summary Of The Source

The blog post explains the key differences between static and dynamic testing, their benefits, and when to use each approach:

1. What is Static Testing? This type of testing is performed without executing the code. It involves reviewing documents and conducting code inspections to detect errors early in the development process.
2. What is Dynamic Testing? Unlike static testing, dynamic testing requires running the code to identify issues related to performance, security, and functionality. It involves techniques such as unit testing, integration testing, and system testing.
3. Advantages of Static Testing: Helps detect issues early, reduces debugging costs, and ensures adherence to coding standards.
4. Advantages of Dynamic Testing: Identifies runtime errors, ensures the software behaves as expected in real-world scenarios, and validates functional correctness.
5. When to Use Each Method? Static testing is best used in the early stages of development to catch errors before execution, while dynamic testing is crucial before deployment to validate real-world performance.

Why I Chose This Blog

I chose this blog because it breaks down the question of static vs dynamic testing really well. It has clear sections that serve their purpose of answering the important details, such as what they are, their benefits and disadvantages, and even comparing them. It’s a great blog to check out for anyone new to this by keeping it clear and understandable. 

Reflection

The blog reinforced how skipping dynamic testing can lead to undetected runtime issues, which can be costly and damaging after release. One key takeaway for me is the necessity of balancing both testing methods. Relying solely on static testing may overlook execution-related issues, while dynamic testing alone can result in avoidable errors slipping into the later stages of development. A collection of both is needed or at least most optimal, but practicing good static testing early makes it so that the dynamic testing which comes later is less prone to errors.

Future Application

I think in the future, when going about testing software, I will definitely keep in mind these two methodologies and probably incorporate them both as I think static testing is very valuable to prevent any errors or bugs before running but dynamic is really useful to actually see the end functionality as you’re testing. It’s an important topic to know as correct testing methodologies and practices keep code clean and working properly.

Citation

TatvaSoft. (2022, November). Static Testing vs. Dynamic Testing. Retrieved from https://www.tatvasoft.com/outsourcing/2022/11/static-testing-vs-dynamic-testing.html.

From the blog CS@Worcester – The Science of Computation by Adam Jacher and used with permission of the author. All other rights reserved by the author.