Glossary
Definitions
65 key terms across the syllabus, grouped by chapter. Search to filter.
Fundamentals of Testing
Testing
The process consisting of all lifecycle activities, both static and dynamic, concerned with planning, preparation and evaluation of a component or system to determine that it satisfies specified requirements, demonstrate fitness for purpose and detect defects.
Debugging
The process of finding, analyzing and removing the causes of failures in a component or system.
Defect
An imperfection or deficiency in a work product where it does not meet its requirements or specifications.
Error
A human action that produces an incorrect result.
Failure
An event in which a component or system does not perform a required function within specified limits.
Quality
The degree to which a component, system or process meets specified requirements and/or user/customer needs and expectations.
Quality Assurance (QA)
Part of quality management focused on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled.
Quality Control (QC)
Part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements.
Root cause
A source of a defect such that if it is removed, the occurrence of the defect type is decreased or removed.
Test basis
The body of knowledge used as the basis for test analysis and design.
Test case
A set of preconditions, inputs, actions, expected results and postconditions, developed based on test conditions.
Test condition
A testable aspect of a component or system identified as a basis for testing.
Test object
The work product to be tested.
Test objective
A reason or purpose for designing and executing a test.
Validation
Confirmation by examination and through provision of objective evidence that the requirements for a specific intended use or application have been fulfilled ("the right product").
Verification
Confirmation by examination and through provision of objective evidence that specified requirements have been fulfilled ("the product right").
Coverage
The degree to which specified coverage items have been exercised by a test suite.
Testing Throughout the Software Development Lifecycle
Test level
A specific instantiation of a test process (e.g. component, integration, system, acceptance).
Test type
A group of test activities aimed at testing specific characteristics of a component or system.
Confirmation testing
Re-testing to verify that defects have been fixed.
Regression testing
Testing of a previously tested component or system after modification to ensure that no new defects have been introduced.
Maintenance testing
Testing the changes to an operational system or the impact of a changed environment.
Shift-left
An approach in which testing is performed earlier in the lifecycle.
DevOps
An organizational approach that aims to create synergy by jointly performing development and operational tasks.
Acceptance testing
A test level focused on determining whether to accept the system.
Component testing
A test level focused on individual hardware or software components.
Impact analysis
The identification of all work products affected by a change, including an estimate of resources needed to accomplish the change.
Static Testing
Static testing
Testing of a work product without execution of code.
Dynamic testing
Testing that requires the execution of the test object.
Review
A type of static testing in which a work product is evaluated to find defects.
Inspection
A type of formal review which relies on visual examination of work products to detect defects.
Walkthrough
A type of review in which the author leads members of the review team through a work product.
Technical review
A peer group discussion activity that focuses on achieving consensus on the technical approach to be taken.
Moderator
The leader of a review who is responsible for the overall conduct of the review.
Static analysis
Analysis of software development artifacts (e.g. source code) without execution.
Test Analysis and Design
Black-box test technique
A test technique based on an analysis of the specification of a component or system.
White-box test technique
A test technique based on an analysis of the internal structure of the component or system.
Experience-based test technique
A test technique that uses the experience, knowledge and intuition of the tester.
Equivalence partitioning
A black-box technique in which test cases are designed to execute representatives from equivalence partitions.
Boundary value analysis
A black-box technique in which test cases are designed based on boundary values.
Decision table testing
A black-box technique in which test cases are designed to execute the combinations of inputs and/or stimuli (causes) shown in a decision table.
State transition testing
A black-box technique in which test cases are designed to execute valid and invalid state transitions.
Statement coverage
The percentage of executable statements that have been exercised by a test suite.
Branch coverage
The percentage of branches that have been exercised by a test suite.
Exploratory testing
An informal test design technique where the tester actively designs the tests as those tests are performed and uses information gained while testing to design new and better tests.
Error guessing
A test technique in which tests are derived on the basis of the tester's knowledge of past failures, or general knowledge of failure modes.
ATDD
Acceptance Test Driven Development — an approach in which acceptance test cases are specified during requirement analysis and before coding.
BDD
Behavior Driven Development — a collaborative approach to development in which the behavior of an application is specified in scenarios (often Given/When/Then).
Managing the Test Activities
Test plan
Documentation describing the test objectives, resources and processes for a test project.
Entry criteria
The set of conditions for officially starting a defined task.
Exit criteria
The set of conditions for officially completing a defined task.
Risk
A factor that could result in future negative consequences; usually expressed as impact and likelihood.
Product risk
A risk impacting the quality of a product.
Project risk
A risk impacting project success.
Risk-based testing
Testing in which the management, selection, prioritization and use of testing activities and resources are based on corresponding risk levels.
Configuration management
A discipline applying technical and administrative direction and surveillance to identify and document the configuration of a configuration item.
Defect report
Documentation of the occurrence, nature and status of a defect.
Test pyramid
A model showing the desired distribution of test types — many low-level (unit), fewer at higher levels.
Test estimation
The calculated approximation of an outcome related to various aspects of testing.
Test Tools
Test tool
A software product that supports one or more test activities.
Test management tool
A tool that provides support to the test management and control part of a test process.
Test execution tool
A tool that executes tests against a designated test item and evaluates outcomes.
Static analysis tool
A tool that carries out analyses of software work products without executing them.
Performance testing tool
A tool that generates load to a test object and measures performance.
Test automation
The use of software to perform or support test activities.