Testing

Test yourself

Purpose of Testing

Errors in software are often called bugs. Testing helps to identify bugs. Debugging gets rid of bugs.

Bugs

Bugs are mistakes in the programming of a system.
Bugs are not deliberate attempts to bring down systems.

Testing

The purpose of testing is to check that a program:
- Works as intended under good conditions.
- Copes with errors when given bad data.
Different types of testing take place at different points in the development and deployment of a solution.

Debugging

Once a bug has been identified in testing then it can be debugged.
Debugging means finding the cause of the bug, and fixing it.

Types of Testing

Different types of testing take place at different points in the development of a solution, including performance and load testing, usability testing, functionality testing, and security testing.

Iterative testing

Iterative testing involves testing code as it is written.
- The results of this continual testing are fed back into the development process.

Terminal testing

Terminal testing happens at the end of development:
- The results of this final testing are used to check how the software performs when given a certain set of test data.

Test Plans

It is important to make sure that tests are planned carefully to make sure that as many bugs as possible are fixed before deployment.

Test data

To make sure that testing is thorough, both expected and unexpected data should be used in testing:
- Valid data is correct and of the right format.
- Extreme data is correct but on the edge of the valid range.
- Invalid data is not within the acceptable range or is an invalid format.
- Null data is where no data is entered to see what happens.
- Erroneous data is of the wrong type altogether.

Test plans

Test plans make sure that testing is effective by detailing exactly which tests will be performed, what test data will be used, and what the system's intended outcome should be.
A test plan should be created before development. It is part of the design stage.
Testing should cover all of the success criteria of the project.

1Components of a Computer

1.1Structure & Function of the Processor

1.1.1Structure of the CPU

1.1.2Fetch, Decode, Execute Cycle

1.1.3Factors Affecting CPU Performance

1.1.4CPU Architecture

1.2Types of Processors

1.2.1CISC & RISC

1.2.2Multicore & Parallel Cores

1.3Input, Output & Storage

1.3.1Computer Systems

1.3.2Magnetic Storage

1.3.3Optical Storage

1.3.4Types of Optical Storage

1.3.5Types of Memory

1.3.6Flash Memory

1.3.7Virtual Memory

2Software & Software Development

3Exchanging Data

4Data Types, Data Structures & Algorithms

4.1Data Types

4.1.1Data Types

4.1.2Arrays & Strings

4.1.3Representing Numbers

4.1.4Binary Arithmetic

4.1.5Hexadecimal

4.1.6Converting Binary Numbers

4.1.7Floating Points in Binary

4.1.8Floating Point Arithmetic

4.1.9Bitwise Manipulation

4.1.10Character Sets

4.2Data Structures

4.2.1Arrays, Linked Lists & Queues

4.2.2Graphs, Hash Tables & Stacks

4.2.3Trees

4.3Boolean Algebra

4.3.1Computational Logic

4.3.2Boolean Logic

4.3.3Karnaugh Maps

4.3.4Boolean Identities

4.3.5Flip Flops & Adder Circuits

5Legal, Moral, Cultural & Ethical Issues

5.1Computing Related Legislation

5.1.1Data Protection Act (1998)

5.1.2Computer Misuse Act (1990)

5.1.3Copyright Designs and Patents Act (1988)

5.1.4Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (2000)

5.2Moral & Ethical Issues

5.2.1Online Activity Tracking

5.2.2Censorship

5.2.3Cultural Issues

5.2.4Environmental Issues

5.2.5Layout, Colour Paradigms & Character Sets

6Elements of Computational Thinking

6.1Thinking Abstractly

6.1.1Abstraction

6.2Thinking Procedurally

6.2.1Decomposition

6.3Thinking Logically

6.3.1Pseudocode & Flow Diagrams

7Problem Solving & Programming

7.1Programming Techniques

7.1.1Programming Fundamentals

7.1.2Modularity

7.2Programming Construction

7.2.1Integrated Development Environments

7.2.2Testing

8Algorithms

8.1Algorithms

8.1.1Interpreting, Correcting & Completing Algorithm

8.1.2Sort Algorithms

8.1.3Insertion & Merge Sort

8.1.4Search Algorithms

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