What is Static Testing? How To Perform Static Testing?

Another amazing software testing method is static testing where the entire program is successfully examined thoroughly with associated documents. Now I am sure you must have come across dynamic testing. Many of you have this misconception that static testing and dynamic testing are the same but they are completely different. Dynamic testing is another amazing category of software testing where it is possible to interact with the program even while it runs whereas static testing doesn’t require the program to be executed. The following post focuses on what is static testing and how one can successfully perform static testing.

Static testing is done to identify any defects found within the software application. It’s quite a trouble-free process and works wonders in the quick progression of the software development procedure. Here almost all the software documents are examined comprehensively and not just that even the code and different functions are considered as well.

Quality is paramount even in today’s fast-paced times. If you fail to achieve high-end quality, there is no such point in launching software as your customers won’t at all like it and it will hamper your brand and reputation. So software testing is way more important than before. If you think static testing is pretty much like others then you are wrong, unlike others, it is mainly conducted during the early stages of the software development life cycle.

The reason is pretty simple, bugs can be identified and destroyed right then and there.

Here Software testers tend to validate and verify the application without executing the code and test cases. So what happens here is code is thoroughly examined and all the necessary documents are reviewed without executing the program. Now you must be wondering what are the documents required in static testing.

• Business requirement document, customer requirement specifications

• Functional requirement documents, software requirement specifications

• User stories, use case documents

• Prototype and design specifications

• High-level and low-level design documents

Why is there a need for Static Testing?

• First and foremost it is easy to find and address defects and errors pretty early.

• The second is to enhance development productivity

• The third is to reduce mobile application testing costs and the timeline for dynamic testing

• Fourth is reducing the number of defects that can be found way later in the app development process.

Where exactly static testing is supposed to be carried out?

• Business Requirements Documents

• Automation

• Traceability matrix documents

• Conducting unit test cases

• Test data

• DB field dictionary spreadsheet

• Test plan strategies

• Functional or system requirements

• Performance test scripts

• Prototypes

Benefits of Static Testing

• Easy detection and rectification

• Reduced time scale for development

• A better idea of quality issues can be given

• Enhanced functionality with the help of user feedback

• A clear picture of software quality problems

• Automated tools used to expedite the code and document review process

• Improved flow of information and no scope of goof-ups or miscommunication.

Disadvantages of Static Testing

• It requires lots of documentation

• Lots and lots of meetings and evaluations

• There are certain tools used to analyze which aren’t compatible with all programming languages

How is Static Testing Different from Dynamic Testing?

Static Testing	Dynamic Testing
This one comprehensively reviews application documents, code, and much more. All this is done in earlier stages.	Here even if the code is running, conducting dynamic testing is possible.
All the defects can be uncovered and issues can be resolved in a pretty early stage.	It is possible to validate the functionality and behavior of the software, especially during the latest stages of SDLC
Uses code reviews, peer reviews, and walkthroughs to get into the nitty-gritty of potential problems.	It is possible to use a wider range of techniques featuring unit testing, integration testing, user acceptance testing, and more.
Reduces cost and time	Correcting issues can be quite time-consuming.
This one purely prevents defects	This one purely detects defects.

How to Perform Static Testing?

1. Proper Planning

The first step to take into consideration when performing static testing is to plan thoroughly. Yes, it is very important to plan the test prior. Ask your reliable testing teams to define the aspects and features of the software application that require proper assessment.

Here everything is planned from establishing testing objectives to defining the test scope, developing the test strategy, and whatnot! Software components are supposed to be evaluated way prior. Not just that, one must not forget to specify the technology, methodology, and tools required for testing.

2. Analysis

The next step after planning is to gather different relevant resources such as source codes, design documents, requirements, and test cases. To increase your chances of precise documentation, one must collect these artifacts.

Analysis is pretty much important for conducting successful static testing. As the name implies, it means reviewing and analyzing the source code. Now accessing code compliance is extremely important. At least, it is supposed to match with the existing coding standards, code quality, and current security issues. And do you know what is the best part here? There is no need to execute the code or run the application on the spot. Also, it is advisable to seek assistance from some software testing tools.

3. Code Review and Walkthrough

The next step to consider while performing static testing is code review and walkthrough. Such activities are extremely important to involve team members. Code review means mobile app testers successfully access code quality and with the help of walkthroughs, team members can be more familiar with the code and identify potential issues.

4. Expert Evaluation

And we have an expert evaluation, this step is also very crucial. Here a panel of testing experts is chosen where they can systematically examine the code and other documents properly. Again these experts do ensure to look around for potential errors.

5. Reporting issues

The next step is to report all the current and potential issues once the critical documents and codes are reviewed by the experts. They are supposed to document precisely and report in case any identified issues or bugs are encountered while conducting the assessment.

6. The Result

No matter what it has to be positive. You see issues, defects, and bugs are pretty inevitable when you are conducting a mobile app development project. Mobile testing professionals should also meticulously analyze the assessment results just to make sure that the software’s overall quality is enhanced.

Additional Static Testing Tips to Take into Consideration

• Make sure you have a clear understanding of all the predetermined goals and objectives

• Prepare a plan based on proper understanding

• Develop a test strategy in adherence to your objectives

• Use as many testing methods as you can from code reviews to walkthroughs, inspections

• Identify what are the exact software components that require testing

• Comprehensive checking of all components and functionalities is a must

• Most mobile app testers tend to conduct periodic reviews to determine the effectiveness of the testing process

• Ensure seamless consistency in all the phases of testing as well as conduct quick reporting

• Conduct comprehensive testing procedures

• Establish a proper communication plan

• Document everything to maintain transparency

Tools To Use for Static Testing

• Checkstyle

• SourceMeter

• Soot

• Lint

• SonarQube

• PMD

• FindBugs

Conclusion

And this is it! So this is what static testing is all about. It’s an impressive way of testing software without even running it. By choosing such an approach, ample time, money and effort can be saved. And not to mention the overall quality of the software automatically gets improved.

I hope the following post was worth the read and worth sharing among your peers. Also, keep watching the space to know more about mobile app testing later in the day.