Introduction to Software Testing
Understanding Software Testing
- Definition and purpose of software testing.
- Importance of testing in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
- Difference between Quality Assurance (QA) and Testing.
Objectives of Testing
- Ensuring software quality, reliability, and security.
- Detecting and fixing defects early.
- Enhancing user experience and business reputation.
Types of Errors and Bugs
- Logical, Syntax, Performance, and Security defects.
- Examples and real-world consequences of critical bugs.
Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and Testing Life Cycle (STLC)
Overview of SDLC Models
- Waterfall Model, V-Model, Agile Model, and DevOps practices.
Introduction to STLC
- Phases: Requirement Analysis, Test Planning, Test Design, Test Execution, Test Closure.
- Entry and Exit Criteria for each testing phase.
Shift-Left and Shift-Right Testing
- Importance of early testing and continuous feedback.
Types of Testing
Manual Testing
- Understanding test cases, test scenarios, and test plans.
- Exploratory testing and ad-hoc testing methods.
Automation Testing
- Importance of automation in modern development cycles.
- Introduction to automation tools (Selenium, Cypress, Playwright).
Levels of Testing
- Unit Testing, Integration Testing, System Testing, Acceptance Testing.
Specialized Testing Types
- Regression Testing, Smoke Testing, Sanity Testing.
- Performance Testing, Security Testing, Usability Testing, Accessibility Testing.
Manual Testing Concepts
Test Planning and Documentation
- How to write test cases and test scripts.
- Importance of a traceability matrix and defect report.
Defect Lifecycle
- Defect discovery, reporting, fixing, and retesting.
- Bug tracking tools overview (JIRA, Bugzilla, Mantis).
Best Practices for Manual Testing
- Prioritizing critical test cases.
- Testing from a user perspective.
Automation Testing Concepts
Introduction to Automation Frameworks
- Data-Driven Framework, Keyword-Driven Framework, Hybrid Framework.
Scripting Basics
- Writing and executing simple test scripts.
- Basics of Java/Python for Automation.
Popular Automation Tools
- Selenium WebDriver, Cypress, Appium (for mobile apps), Test Complete.
Continuous Testing in DevOps
- Integrating testing into CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI.
Performance Testing
Understanding Performance Testing
- What is load, stress, endurance, and spike testing?
Performance Testing Tools
- Introduction to JMeter, LoadRunner, and Gatling.
Performance Metrics and Analysis
- Measuring response time, throughput, error rate, and resource utilization.
API Testing
Introduction to APIs
- Understanding REST, SOAP, GraphQL APIs.
API Testing Tools
- Postman, SoapUI, REST Assured (automation).
Key Aspects of API Testing
- Validation of status codes, response times, schema validations, and security testing.
Automating API Testing
- Integrating API tests into pipelines.
Security Testing Basics
Overview of Security Testing
- Why security testing is critical.
Common Vulnerabilities
- OWASP Top 10 (SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting, Broken Authentication, etc.).
Security Testing Techniques
- Penetration Testing basics.
- Static and Dynamic Application Security Testing (SAST, DAST) introduction.
Popular Security Testing Tools
- Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, Nikto.
Test Management and Reporting
Test Management Tools
- Overview of TestRail, Zephyr, and Xray.
Reporting and Metrics
- Test coverage reports, defect density, and velocity tracking.
Importance of Metrics in QA
- Continuous improvement through proper measurement.
Future Trends in Testing
Artificial Intelligence in Testing
- AI-based test generation and prediction.
Test Automation for Microservices and Serverless
- Challenges and strategies for modern architectures.
Continuous Testing and Quality Engineering
- Moving from traditional QA to integrated Quality Engineering practices.
Testing in Agile and DevOps
- Real-time feedback, TestOps, and Testing as a Service (TaaS).