In this blog I will try to explain what is Software Testing Lifecycle or in-short STLC . So, let’s start!!!
STLC:
It is a step-by-step procedure to test the software. It is basically a sub set of Software Development Lifecycle. Steps in software testing lifecycle or STLC are as follows.
- Software Testing Lifecycle starts as soon as Test Lead or Test Manager gets the requirements. They will start doing the system study and prepares the Test Plan.
- Test Plan is a document that consists of all the testing activities. Resources will follows this document during STLC. Test Plan is the one of the most important document in Software Testing Lifecycle.
- Team members follows the Test Plan and starts preparing the Test Cases according to his/her assigned module.
- There is a specific approach to write Test Cases, i.e., first the Test Engineer reads, review and understands the requirements.
- Based on the understanding Test Engineer prepares a high-level document known as test scenarios . It consists of all the possible combinations of testing the applications.
- Test Engineers prepares the Test Cases (in-detailed document) after completion of test scenarios.
- Test Cases are send for review process once completed.
- The reviewer cross checks the Test Cases and send it back with the review comments.
- The author has to fix the necessary review comments and send it back once again for review.
- This process continues until both of them accepts the correctness of the testcases. Test Lead or Test Manager approves the test cases finally. Test Artifact Repository are created for storing this documents.
- Before execution test engineers prepares a Requirement Traceability Matrix or RTM document to make sure that all the requirements are covered in the form of a test cases.
- By this time when Test Engineers completes all these activities , development team completes their coding and deploys the build in the Test Server.
- Testing team starts execution of the test cases on the test server.
- During the testing process test engineer may encounter many defects or bugs which needs to be logged and tracked using any defect/bug tracking tools. Defect lifecycle in software testing blog will cover more on this topic
- The process continues until all the bugs are fixed and application is stable and working according to the requirements.
- Test Engineer prepares the Test Execution Report. This document contains status of all the executed test cases. It also gives us a good idea about the stability of the product. Stakeholder are provided with stable product.
- Pros and Cons about the current release are discussed in the end. Any scope of improvement which can be implemented are also discussed during this period.
Diagram of lifecycle of software testing
So that’s it for this blog. I hope you enjoyed reading it. And as always, I try to describe my articles in the simplest of ways so it will be helpful to everyone irrespective of their experience in the IT industry. Beginners in Software Testing field can also take the ISTQB foundation level certification exam to learn more about software design development test full lifecycle.
Cheers!!!
Happy Reading!!!