ISTQB FOUNDATION 4.0 | Tutorial 13 | 2.2.1 Test Levels & Test Types | Component Testing | CTFL

Summary

This tutorial delves into the ISTQB Foundation Level Certification, focusing on Chapter 2.2.1, which discusses test levels and types. It clarifies the distinction between test levels, which are organized groups of test activities, and test types, which relate to specific quality characteristics. The video particularly highlights the importance of unit testing, the first level of testing, emphasizing its role in validating the smallest testable parts of an application independently. Unit testing is often conducted by developers using white box testing methods and specific frameworks, making it a foundational aspect of the software development lifecycle.

Takeaways

• 📚 The tutorial is focused on the ISTQB Foundation Level certification, specifically Chapter 2 about testing throughout the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle).
• 🔍 The script clarifies the difference between test levels and test types, emphasizing that test levels are groups of test activities organized and managed together, while test types relate to specific quality characteristics.
• 🔑 Test levels are defined by their unique objectives, validating particular parameters or functionalities of an application, such as unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and acceptance testing.
• 🔄 There may be over 50 different test levels for a product, but not all are applicable to every application; only the most relevant ones are performed.
• 🚀 Each test level is an instance of the test process, performed at a given stage of development, from individual components to complete systems or systems of systems.
• 🔄 Test types, such as functional, non-functional, black box, white box, retesting, and regression testing, can be applied at any test level and are not confined to a specific one.
• 🛠️ Unit testing, also known as component testing, is the first level of testing discussed, focusing on testing the smallest testable parts of the application in isolation.
• 💡 The concept of a 'unit' in unit testing can vary and may include a text box, a page, or a specific functionality like login or sign-up, depending on the organization's definition.
• 🛑 Unit testing often requires specific support like test harnesses or unit test frameworks, which are language-specific and help in conducting tests for different programs.
• 👨‍💻 Unit testing is typically performed by developers in their development environment and is considered a white box testing approach, where the tester has access to the internal structure of the application.
• 📝 The script suggests that understanding the basis of testing, such as using detailed design documents, is crucial for preparing unit test cases and conducting effective testing.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Chapter 2 in the ISTQB Foundation Level certification tutorial?

The main focus of Chapter 2 is on testing throughout the SDLC, with a specific focus on test levels and test types in the 2.2 segment.

What are test levels in the context of software testing?

Test levels are groups of test activities that are organized and managed together to validate a particular parameter, functionality, or non-functional characteristics of an application.

Why is it not necessary for a test engineer to know all the test levels?

It is not necessary for a test engineer to know all the test levels because they are not applicable to all applications; only those that are best applicable to the specific application are performed.

What is the significance of each test level having a unique objective?

Each test level having a unique objective ensures that each level concentrates on something very specific and particular about the application, fulfilling the right needs for that level.

How do test levels relate to development activities in the SDLC?

Test levels correspond to development activities, and in sequential SDLC models, the exit criteria of one level often become part of the entry criteria for the next level.

What is the difference between test levels and test types?

Test levels are organized groups of test activities at different stages of development, while test types are groups of test activities related to specific quality characteristics that can be performed at any test level.

What is component testing, and why is it the first level of testing in the process?

Component testing, often referred to as unit testing, is the first level of testing where the smallest testable parts of the application are tested independently to ensure they fulfill the desirable requirements.

Why is it important for unit testing to be performed in isolation?

Unit testing is performed in isolation to focus on individual components and ensure that each component functions correctly on its own before moving on to integrated testing.

What is the role of a test harness in unit testing?

A test harness provides the necessary support, such as dummy modules or mocks, to facilitate the testing of individual components in isolation without the need for the full system to be developed.

How is unit testing typically conducted, and by whom?

Unit testing is typically conducted by developers in their development environment using a white box testing approach, which involves executing and observing the program at the code level.

What are some common synonyms for unit testing in the industry?

Some common synonyms for unit testing include program testing, class testing, code testing, structure testing, and module testing.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Test Levels and Types

This paragraph introduces the concept of test levels and types within the context of the ISTQB Foundation level certification. It clarifies the common confusion between test levels and test types, explaining that test levels are organized groups of test activities aimed at validating specific aspects of an application. The paragraph also discusses the various types of testing, such as unit, integration, system, acceptance, and non-functional testing, emphasizing that not all levels are applicable to every application. The importance of understanding the unique objectives of each test level and the relevance of test types, which are groups of test activities related to specific quality characteristics, is highlighted. The tutorial also touches on the relationship between test levels and SDLC models, noting how different models may influence the sequence and overlap of testing activities.

05:01

🔍 Deep Dive into Component Testing

This section focuses on the first level of testing known as component testing, commonly referred to as unit testing in the software development industry. It discusses the purpose of unit testing, which is to independently verify that the smallest testable parts of an application meet the desired requirements. The paragraph clarifies that the term 'unit' can vary depending on the organization and may include a text box, a page, or a specific functionality like login or search. The importance of using specific support such as test harnesses or unit test frameworks for conducting unit tests is emphasized, with examples of language-specific frameworks like JUnit for Java and pytest for Python. The paragraph also notes that unit testing is typically performed by developers within their development environment and is conducted as a white box testing approach, allowing for direct code interaction and bug fixing.

10:04

🛠 Unit Testing: Process and Significance

The final paragraph delves deeper into the process and significance of unit testing, explaining that it is performed by developers in their development environment using a white box testing approach. This method involves executing and observing the program at the code level without UI interaction, allowing for efficient bug detection and resolution. The paragraph also mentions that unit testing often requires the use of a test harness, which includes dummy modules or mocks to facilitate testing when the system is not fully developed. It concludes by identifying the basis for unit testing, which involves using detailed design documents to define the test cases and ensure that independent modules are thoroughly tested against requirements.

Keywords

💡SDLC

SDLC stands for Software Development Life Cycle, which is a process used by developers to plan, create, test, and deploy an application. In the context of the video, SDLC is discussed in relation to testing activities that occur at various stages, such as unit testing, integration testing, and system testing, to ensure the quality and functionality of the software being developed.

💡Test Levels

Test levels refer to the different stages of testing within the SDLC, each with a unique objective. The video explains that these levels include unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and acceptance testing, among others. They are organized and managed together to validate specific parameters or functionalities of an application.

💡Test Types

Test types are categories of testing activities that focus on specific quality characteristics of the software. The script mentions functional, non-functional, black box, white box, retesting, and regression testing as examples. These types are not tied to a single test level but can be applied across various levels to ensure different aspects of software quality.

💡Unit Testing

Unit testing is the first level of testing discussed in the video, where the smallest testable parts of an application, known as units, are tested independently to ensure they meet the desired requirements. It is often performed by developers using white box testing techniques and specific support like test harnesses and frameworks.

💡Integration Testing

Although not deeply explained in the script, integration testing is mentioned as one of the test levels. It involves testing the interaction between integrated units or components to ensure they work together as expected. This is crucial after unit testing to check the combined functionality of the application.

💡System Testing

System testing is another test level mentioned in the video, which validates the complete, integrated system to evaluate the system's compliance with its specified requirements. It is conducted after integration testing and before the software is released to the end-users.

💡Acceptance Testing

Acceptance testing is the final test level discussed in the video, where the software is tested to ensure it meets the user requirements and is ready for production. It is often performed by the end-users or client to validate the software's functionality and usability.

💡Non-functional Testing

Non-functional testing is a test type that focuses on aspects of the software that are not related to the functionality, such as performance, security, portability, and usability. The video script mentions it as one of the test types that can be applied at any test level.

💡White Box Testing

White box testing is a testing approach mentioned in the script, where the tester has knowledge of the internal workings of the system. It is often used in unit testing, allowing developers to test the functionality directly from the code level, which helps in quickly identifying and fixing bugs.

💡Test Harness

A test harness, as discussed in the video, is a framework or set of dummy modules used to support testing activities, especially in unit testing. It allows testers to create an environment where individual components can be tested in isolation, even if the full system is not yet developed.

💡Development Environment

The development environment is the setting where developers write and test code. In the context of the video, unit testing is typically conducted in this environment by developers. It is one of the stages or environments mentioned for conducting different levels of testing.

Highlights

Introduction to test levels and test types with a focus on their definitions and differences.

Test levels are groups of test activities organized and managed together to validate specific application characteristics.

Different levels of testing include unit testing, integration testing, system testing, acceptance testing, and non-functional testing.

There may be over 50 test levels for a product, but only applicable ones are conducted based on the application's needs.

Each test level is an instance of the test process with a unique objective related to a specific stage of software development.

Test levels are interconnected in sequential SDLC models, with exit criteria from one level serving as entry criteria for the next.

In some SDLC models like Agile, development and testing activities can overlap, allowing for simultaneous test levels.

Test types are groups of test activities related to specific quality characteristics and can be applied at any test level.

Test types include functional, non-functional, Black Box, White Box, retesting, and regression testing.

Component testing, also known as unit testing, is the first level of testing focusing on the smallest testable part of the application.

Unit testing involves testing components in isolation to ensure they meet the desired requirements.

Different organizations may have varying definitions for what constitutes a 'unit' in unit testing.

Unit testing often requires specific support like test harnesses or unit test frameworks for different programming languages.

Unit testing is typically performed by developers in their development environment using a white box testing approach.

Component testing is based on detailed design and uses components as the test basis for creating test cases.

The tutorial emphasizes the importance of understanding test levels and types for effective software testing.

The video concludes with an invitation for viewers to comment with questions and a reminder to continue learning and exploring.

Transcripts

Hello friends and greetings for the day

welcome back to another tutorial on

istqb Foundation level certification we

are in Chapter 2 talking about testing

throughout the sdlc and continuing ahead

with 2.2 which is a new segment talking

about test levels and test types and as

a part of this tutorial we'll be

stepping into the first segment of this

that is

2.2.1 test levels and it will go for

some time as this topic is little longer

I would like to make it in bits and

pieces as

usual in order to get started the very

first and most important thing is a

quick introduction to what is test

levels and test types of course many

people mix and match them and certainly

does not have the right definitions or

right answers to what the test levels

are and how they're different from test

types right here on our screen SC we can

understand that the test levels are

generally defined as group of test

activities that are organized and

managed together so there are certainly

different levels of testing which are

organized and conducted in order to

validate a particular parameter or

functionality or non-functional

characteristics of an application namely

we do know them as unit testing

integration testing integration testing

system testing acceptance or maybe non-f

functionals like performance security

portability and whatnot just for your

kind information we may have 50 plus

levels of testing to be conducted for

any particular product but why would

someone not know all the levels is

because they are not applicable to all

the applications by default so whatever

is best applicable to your application

is what we go ahead and perform them

that's the reason for a particular test

engineer it is not mandatory or

compulsory enough to know all the test

levels but you may find people working

in different portfolios conducting

different levels of testing and in that

context all the levels are important

wherever they are applicable also to add

here when it comes to each test level it

is an instance of the test process

itself performed in relation to software

at given stage of development from

individual components to complete system

or even where applicable the systems of

systems that means all the levels have a

unique objective in fact if you go back

back to our previous topic we discussed

that one of the good practices of

testing says every test level must have

a unique objective specific to that

level and in that context it's not

something that all the levels are going

to fulfill the right needs or the same

set of needs rather each of these level

will concentrate on something very very

specific and particular about a

particular application further to add we

do have test levels defined as related

to other activities within the DLC from

the good practices of testing we can

certainly talk about that we have

corresponding testing activities to that

of development activities and when it

comes to different sdlc model like in

sequencial sdlc models the test levels

are often defined such that the exit

criteria of one level are part of the

entry criteria for the next level and in

some it TR models this may not apply

development activities May span through

multiple test levels or test levels May

overlap in time so I think uh this also

has been discussed in our previous

segment of the chapter 2 itself where we

told you that the testing is not exactly

the same when it comes to different sdlc

model if I talk about sequential models

like waterfall and V model the testing

activities happens one after the other

so the exit criteria of unit testing

would act as entry criteria to

integration testing similarly the exit

criteria of integration testing would

act as entry to system testing but when

it comes to other models like

incremental models like agile certainly

here everything happens in parallel so

development also can overlap throughout

testing life cycle and multiple test

levels can also overlap over a period of

time one more thing here to talk about

is test types are groups of test

activities related to specific quality

characteristics and most of these those

test activities can be performed at

every test level

now test activities are certainly not

those where we talking about in with

respect to test levels when when it

comes to test types these are those

different approaches or those certain

activities of testing which are quite

Global and can be applied to any test

level or can be applied at any point of

time during the testing so here in test

types we'll be talking about things like

what is functional nonfunctional what is

Black Box what is white box and what is

retesting and regression testing and all

of of these if you deep dive when we

come to it we will understand that these

test types are not particular to one

particular level in fact it can be

applied to any test level so let's get

started with the test levels and today

we'll be covering only one level that is

component testing and one by one we'll

cover all the levels as per the syllabus

to discuss them in more better detail so

the very first level of testing which we

start the testing process with is

component testing in general but

technically in soft development

Industries we prefer calling it as unit

testing and here units are tested

independently in terms of making sure

that the smallest part of the

application is also fulfilling the

desirable requirements now many people

get confused when it comes to the

definition of unit testing and do think

that it is just the smallest part of the

application which is testable and that's

what we call it as unit testing right

that's absolutely true if I talk about

the technical definition of unit it

certainly stands the same that is it's

the smallest testable part of the

application which can be called as unit

but what is a unit right is that a

component like a text box on the screen

is that a page of an application or is

that a particular functionality like

login sign up or something else no the

answer is all three as you go to

different organizations you will have

different naming conventions and

different definition to each of these

standard termin techologies thus it may

be different definitions to your

organizations and thus we may call it

out as a combination of all of these so

it is important for one to know that

it's none of each of them or it's just

not limited to one of them unit can be

any of a text box or a radio button or

could be a page of an application or

process or it can be a particular module

like login sign up or search a flight

select a flight or something

independently now as it is just that the

definition is again to talk about the

smallest testable part I just call that

as a unit so in simple words I cannot

test login without username and just

with password right I cannot just test

the login button alone without

fulfilling anything in username and

password so in this context my unit is

not the username field my unit is not

the password field but my unit or the

smallest test component is the entire

login page right so in that context we

can Define our own way of identifying

our units as a part of our application

also to add here we want to tell you

that unit testing may have several

synonyms within the real time so of

course as you see here unit testing or

component testing is also known as unit

testing program testing class testing

code testing structure testing module

testing Etc and mainly focuses on

testing components in isolation that

means independent it's not that we

talking about any sort of Integrations

here if things are just independent like

for example a name field can be tested

independently a phone number field can

be tested independently so we don't talk

about the transactional collection of

modules but just one item at a time and

try to see how feasible it is with that

of the requirement further to add here

we also talk about it is often required

specific support such as test hardness

or unit test Frameworks in order to

perform unit testing it's not that

simple that you can just go and run a

program and get the output you may need

a test framework like unit test

framework for example for different

languages like Java you have junit

python you have py test and similarly

you have G test nunit xunit and whatnot

so language specific unit test

Frameworks are available to perform all

sort of unit test on different programs

and different app applications so yes a

special test harness test harness here

means any kind of uh dummy modules or

supporting mocks which may not be

existing until un the system is fully

established or fully uh prepared or

developed though meanwhile we make use

of certain marks certain stops which are

dumy module and test Arness helps us to

create these kind of uh dummies for

conducting the unit testing also to talk

about component testing is normally

performed by developers in their

development environment so as we get

into the deep dive of environments we

understand that there are different

environments when testing is conducted

so for example we have a Dev environment

we have a QA environment then we'll also

have sit environment then we have uat

and different stages right and then it

goes to production so you call it as

stage or you call it as environments you

may have different dedicated

environments to conduct different levels

of testing and that's where we are

highlighting liting that unit testings

is conducted by developers generally as

a part of development environment also

to add here that it will be performed as

white box testing approach so we'll come

back to you in the next segment that

what is white box testing but on a high

level when testing is conducted at the

code level that is at the back end and

that means a program is being executed

and seen for the desired output without

interacting with a UI that is user

interface we call it as white box

testing and developers generally prefer

using this approach as this is most

convenient option for them and it helps

you to quickly fix the bugs right on the

screen that means as you're looking at

the program you find something you know

not behaving as expected you can quickly

go and fix that error yourself because

you know what is back in right so put

together this is what we call it as unit

testing some of the common bases of

course if you remember V model you have

the answers for what is test basis that

is of course we make use of components

we make use of detail design in order to

basically help us uh Define the basis

that means what do we need in order to

prepare our unit test cases and the test

what you basically conduct is to test

independent modules components programs

and so on right so that's all from this

particular tutorial team this was all

about component testing should you have

anything else feel free to comment below

I'm always there to address your queries

and answer them well till then keep

learning keep exploring keep

understanding the context thanks for

watching the video team and happy

[Music]

learning