Time and again, in many conversations, people ask the question to software testing candidates that explain to them about what is the exact difference between Software Testing and Debugging. For a layman, both technologies are the same but these are two separate terms. The difference between Testing and Debugging are the most important terms for those who are new in the Software Testing field.
What is Software Testing?
Software Testing is interpreted as an action to examine whether the concrete results match the demanded results and to ensure that the software system is deficit free. It includes the execution of a software element or system element to appraise one or more properties of interest. Software testing also serves to identify errors, gaps or missing provisions contradictory to the actual requirements. It can be either done manually or using computerised tools. Some fancy saying Software testing as a White Box and Black Box Testing.
Testing: Fundamentally, testing is a manner to validate if the system is working the same as it was deemed to do, and not working as it was not reckoned to do. It is performed by the tester to identify the deficits in the system. It can be done using Manual and automated way. The upshots are logged upon all failed cases and communicate to the dev team for debugging and fixing. After the bug repairs then tester retests the bug and checks if the problem no more exists.
- Testing gets started with known conditions with expected results.
- It performed based on the testing type which we need to perform unit testing, integration testing, system testing, user acceptance testing, stress, load, performance testing etc.
- Testing is the process which can be planned, designed and executed.
- It is the process to identify the failure of the implemented code.
- It is a demonstration of error or apparent correctness.
- Testing is the display of errors
- Design knowledge is not required for testing the system under test. Any person with or without test case can do testing.
- Testing can be outsourced to the outside team as well.
- Most of the test cases in testing can be automated.
- Testing is the process to identify the bugs in the system under test.
Importance of software testing:
- Software Testing Saves Money: Testing has many benefits and one of the most important ones is cost-effectiveness.
- Security: Another important point to add is security. This is probably the most sensitive and yet most vulnerable part.
- Product Quality: To make your product vision come to life, it has to work as planned.
- Customer Satisfaction: The ultimate goal for a product owner is to give the best customer satisfaction.
What is Software Debugging?
Debugging is the usual means of locating and excluding computer program bugs, errors or irregularities, which is methodically handled by software programmers via debugging tools. Debugging investigations, detects and repairs errors or bugs to allot proper program operation according to set specifications.
It is done by the developers to fix the error in the system. Based on the defects reported, the developer starts analyzing the root cause of the defect to make a system defect free. The developers need to fix the code to make the original result same as the expected result. With the help of details added in the defect developer obey steps mentioned and check the loopholes in the particular code area. They may use a different tool for debugging. On fixing the defect developer send back the defect to a tester for retesting.
- This is manual step by step unstructured and unreliable process to find and removes a specific bug from the system.
- It performed based on the type of bug.
- Debugging is the process which cannot be so forced.
- It is the process to give the absolution to code failure.
- It is always treated as a deductive process.
- It is a deductive process
- Detailed design knowledge is required to perform debugging.
- Debugging cannot be outsourced to an outside team. It must be done by the inside development team.
- Automation in the debugging cannot possible.
- Debugging is the process to identify the root cause of the bugs.
Importance of debugging
- It reports an error condition immediately. This allows earlier detection of an error and makes the process of software development stress-free and unproblematic.
- It also provides maximum useful information of data structures and allows easy interpretation.
- Debugging assists the developer in reducing useless and distracting information.
- Through debugging the developer can avoid complex one-use testing code to save time and energy in software development.
Conclusion
These are the main discrepancies between Software Testing and Debugging, the principal difference is that debugging is performed by developers and they fix the issues filed by testers in the debugging phase. The result of debugging is the matter got resolved and available for retesting. Testers do not fix the defects; rather they test the defects fixed by the developers.