Types of Testing
Computer Science: OCR GCSE, topic 2.3.6
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.
Types of Test Data
Normal
- Normal test data is within the acceptable range of inputs.
- It represents the typical values a user would enter during normal use.
- It checks that the program works correctly under expected, everyday conditions.
- Example: If the valid age range is 1–120, a normal value might be 45.
Boundary
- Boundary data sits on or very close to the limits of the allowed range.
- It checks whether the system handles the smallest and largest valid values correctly.
- It also includes values just outside the limits to ensure validation is working.
- Example: For a valid range of 1–120:
- Valid boundaries: 1, 120
- Invalid boundaries: 0, 121
Invalid/erroneous
- Invalid data is outside the valid range or in the wrong format.
- It is used to make sure the system can detect errors and handle them safely.
- It checks whether the program gives appropriate error messages instead of crashing.
- Example: If a system expects a number, invalid data might be "hello".
Test yourself on Types of Testing
What is iterative testing?
A program accepts ages from 1 to 100. What is an example of normal test data?
A password must be between 6 and 12 characters long. Which input is boundary test data?
A program expects a whole number between 10 and 20. Which value is invalid/erroneous test data?
A system checks if a PIN is between 0000 and 9999. Which is a boundary value?