Regression Testing with Real Life Examples | Software Engineering

Summary

This video explains the concept of regression testing using real-life examples to highlight its significance. Regression testing ensures that new software updates or changes do not negatively impact existing functionality. Examples include issues caused by updates in Microsoft Windows, Apple iPhones, and Tesla vehicles. The video covers different types of regression testing such as unit, partial, and full regression, explaining their purposes in testing specific parts or the entire system after changes. The key takeaway is the importance of regression testing in maintaining system stability while introducing new features or fixes.

Takeaways

• 😀 Regression testing ensures that new software updates do not negatively impact existing functionality.
• 😀 Real-life examples, such as Windows and Apple updates, highlight the unintended issues caused by updates.
• 😀 The goal of regression testing is to verify that new features do not affect previously working functionalities.
• 😀 A key challenge in regression testing is preventing new updates from introducing bugs or issues in the system.
• 😀 Regression testing types include full regression, partial regression, and unit regression testing.
• 😀 Full regression testing involves testing the entire system after any change or update.
• 😀 Partial regression testing focuses only on the affected modules or parts of the system.
• 😀 Unit regression testing tests specific units or modules that have been changed, without testing the entire system.
• 😀 Real-world examples like Tesla and BMW show how software updates can affect other unrelated systems, such as car features.
• 😀 Regression testing is not foolproof and can still lead to issues, as seen in the examples of battery drain and audio problems.
• 😀 The primary purpose of regression testing is to ensure system stability after updates, preventing the introduction of new problems.

Q & A

What is regression testing?

Regression testing is a type of software testing aimed at ensuring that changes made to a system, such as new updates or features, do not negatively impact existing functionalities. The goal is to verify that previously working features remain unaffected by the changes.

Why is regression testing important?

Regression testing is important because it ensures that updates or changes made to a system do not cause new issues or break existing features. This is crucial for maintaining system stability and reliability after modifications.

Can you give a real-life example of regression testing?

One example is Microsoft’s 2018 Windows update, where users reported data loss and audio issues after installing the new version. This highlighted how an update meant to improve the system can unintentionally disrupt existing functionalities, which regression testing would have helped prevent.

What types of regression testing are there?

There are three main types of regression testing: Full regression testing, partial regression testing, and unit regression testing. Full regression tests the entire application, partial regression tests only the modified modules, and unit regression tests a specific unit or module that has been changed.

What is full regression testing?

Full regression testing involves testing the entire application from start to finish after changes have been made. This ensures that no part of the application is negatively impacted by the modifications.

What is partial regression testing?

Partial regression testing focuses on testing only the specific modules or features that were modified. This allows for more focused testing while ensuring the changes do not affect other parts of the system.

What is unit regression testing?

Unit regression testing tests a specific module or unit of the system that has been modified. This type of testing ensures that the changes made to an individual component do not break its functionality.

Can you explain how a software update can break existing features?

A software update can break existing features if the new changes interfere with or override parts of the code that were functioning correctly before. This often happens when new features or bug fixes have unintended side effects, as seen in the real-life examples like the Microsoft and Apple updates.

What were the issues with Apple’s 2018-2019 update?

In 2018-2019, Apple released an update to fix battery-related issues, but many users reported rapid battery drain after the update. This is an example of how an intended fix can lead to new problems if regression testing is not thorough.

What happened with Tesla’s system update?

Tesla released an update for its vehicles, but it inadvertently caused issues with the air conditioning system. This highlights the importance of regression testing to ensure that updates do not impact unrelated systems.

What happened with BMW’s electric car update?

BMW’s update to their electric cars caused an issue with the display, where the dashboard indicators for speed and fuel were incorrectly displayed. This serves as another example of how updates can unintentionally affect existing systems, making regression testing essential.

What is the main challenge in regression testing?

The main challenge in regression testing is ensuring that new changes do not disrupt the functionality of the existing system. Given that systems can be complex, unintended side effects may occur, requiring thorough testing to catch these issues before they affect users.