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Advantages and disadvantages of software testing

Software testing is a trial and error method to find out the error in the software. It is done many times to make sure the software is well developed. This method often-used some techniques to detect errors and these are noted and also reported to the team for them to study and to revise it before sending the final outcome to the customers.

Method of software testing:

  1. Black-box testing
  2. White-box testing
  3. Grey-box testing

Let us understand one by one and its advantages and disadvantages:

Black box testing:

Black box testing is a method that is software testing also called behavioral testing. The main function of black-box testing is to test the interior design of an item which cannot be known to the tester. The name itself says that the tester who is going to test the product will give input and examine the output results having the poor knowledge of the source code.

Advantages and disadvantages of black-box testing:

Advantages of  black-box testing:

  1. Code access is not required.
  2. Well suited and efficient for large code segments.
  3. The viewpoints of users are clearly differentiated from the developer’s perspective by specifically defined positions.
  4. Large numbers of moderately skilled testers can test the applications with no knowledge of implementation language or operating system.
  5. design of test cases.

Disadvantages of black-box testing:

  1. This testing is limited coverage since only a selected number of test scenarios is actually performed.
  2. The test cases are difficult to design.
  3. Some possible input will only be tested.
  4. This testing is blind coverage since the tester cannot target specific code segments or the error-prone areas.
  5. This testing is inefficient testing, due to the fact that the tester only has limited knowledge and information about an application.

White-box testing

White box testing is detailed of the investigation of the internal logic and structure of the code. White box testing is also called as the glass testing or an open box testing.  In order to perform white-box testing on an application, a tester needs to know the internal working of the code.

Advantages and disadvantages of white-box testing:

Advantages of white-box testing:

  1. In this testing, the almost all paths of a software product will be covered.
  2. Extra lines of code are removed which can cause hidden defects.
  3. It helps to optimize the whole internal source code as the tester is having programming knowledge and information.
  4. It becomes very easy to find out which type of data can help in testing all the applications effectively.
  5. As the tester is having programming knowledge which will be easy to find out the inappropriate unit code.
  6. While using this method their tester knowledge about the code maximum coverage is attained during test scenarios is writing.

Disadvantages of White box testing:

  1. Require highly skilled testers and debugging tools.
  2. Even through all paths of the source code will be covered there may be a chance of missing to find out the hidden errors.
  3. The result will be more efficient but according to resources, it may become expensive.

Grey box testing

Grey box word comes from the combination of the black box and white box testing. It is also called as the gray box or semi-transparent box testing. Grey box testing is a technique to test the application by having limited knowledge of the internal working of an application. In software testing the phrase the more you know, the better carries a lot of the weight while testing an application.

Advantages and disadvantages of grey-box testing:

Advantages of grey-box testing:

  1. Testers do not need to rely on the source code.
  2. Offer combined benefits of a black box and white box testing wherever possible.
  3. The test is done from the point of view of how many of the users and not the designer.
  4. The main advantages are that the tester can perform either black box technique or white box technique even both.
  5. As there is a limitation of software testing, the tester can able to design perfect test scenarios or cases.

Disadvantages of grey-box testing

  1. The major disadvantages are that software products cannot be tested fully as there are limitations.
  2. There may be a chance of occurring redundant if the designer already starts the testing of these cases.
  3. As there is no full access to source code, the tester can able to cover a limited area of the software application.

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Divya Chauhan
Divya Chauhan is an expert writer with 10+ years of experience as a content writer. They specialize in making complex topics like IT, Health, and general topic easy to understand. Divya has written over thousands of articles to help people with their content. Prior to joining Way2benefits’s editorial team in 2020, Divya worked as a Professor of BCA college and freelancer blogger.

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