
What is a Test Case?
Test Case/s is a specific set of instructions that the tester is expected to follow to achieve a specific output during software testing. Test cases are documented keeping in mind the requirements provided by the client.
It’s a collection of input values (also known as test data) that are intended to provide results for closely related functionalities.
Test cases guide testers on how they can purposely confirm the software to work under certain conditions.
Test cases play a critical role in both manual testing and automation testing. They give a disciplined way of testing by making sure that all parts of the application are tested.
Types of Test Cases
There are different types of test cases that help in software testing. Here are some of the common types which are important,
- Functionality Test Case
- User Interface Test Case
- Performance Test Case
- Integration Test Case
- Usability Test Case
- Database Test Case
- Security Test Case
- User Acceptance Test Case
Who create Test Cases?
Even though the test cases are widely used by testers across the world, process-oriented organizations get unit test cases prepared by developers also. So for an organization that aims to achieve CMMi, it’s mandatory that their developers create unit test cases.
Approximately 25% to 35% of a software testing team’s time is spent on writing and maintaining test cases.
Why Test Cases are Important?
Test cases are important for multiple issues of which the most ones are,
Consistency: Test case makes sure that every part where a testing activity is conducted consistently, specially for the activities that needs be repeated.
Well Written Test Cases Cover Everything: Meaning that the test cases do go through all application functionalities, ensuring proper testing of every feature.
Reproducibility – Tests can easily be rerun, and reproducible tests are crucial for verifying bug fixes and new features.
Documentation: Test cases provide a documented history of what has been tested, being a valuable feature for future efforts.
Accountable: They are expected to specify what is supposed to happen in which situation, holding both the developers and testers accountable.
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Test Case Components
A good test case is made of the following parts:
- Test Case ID (a unique identifier for every single test case )
- Test Description: A short summary of what the test case will contain
- Pre Conditions: The set of requirements that needs to be satisfied prior running the test
- Test Steps: Specific steps, which should be performed during the test.
- Test Data: Actual data that is to be used within test.
- Expected Outcome: What is to be expected out of the test.
- What Happens When We Execute The Test: This column will get filled in after execution of the test case – this is pretty self-explanatory, what happens when we run it.
- State: Indicates whether the test case is pass or failed
- Comments: Any other possible thoughts or observations.
Requirements for Writing an Effective Test Case
Writing an effective test case requires following a structured process, which is as below:
- Mention requirements: A complete understanding of requirements should be clear by the person who is writing Test Cases.
- Specify Goals: Requirements of the test case, what is to be achieved with this.
- Specific: Each test case should be specific to a particular functionality or scenario.
- Simple Language: Test steps and descriptions should be written in easy language to prevent misunderstanding.
- Preconditions: Write down all the pre-incident conditions that need to be in place before carrying out this particular test.
- Outline the Steps: This includes giving a structure to how you are going to carry out the test.
- Share Test data: This is required for the test
- Postcondition: clearly express the expected outcome of a test
- Review and Update: Test cases are updated periodically as part of regular PPQA process
A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Test Cases
Best Practices to Follow While Writing Test Cases
In order for the test cases you write to be as effective as possible, it is recommended that they follow some of the following best practices:
- Be Simple in Your Tests: Do not complicate. Choose different testers for coding and using systems. Apply this principle definitively if clear enough. Split those up into small, easy-to-grok tests.
- Scenario-Based Use Case Writing: The scenario will help the tester to write test cases from the end user’s point of view for their requirements.
- Importance of Test Cases: Select the test cases by placing which functionality is important based on what kind of work you are doing.
- Established Traceability: Prove that each test is traceable to certain requirements.
- Automate Where Applicable: Automate the repetition test cases in order to save time and also ensures accuracy.
- Retain Test Case Repository: Use any Test Management tool to maintain or organize the test cases correctly.
About 40 % of testers use a dedicated tool for test case management-like JIRA etc. to track and manage test case execution.
Challenges in Test Case Development
Developing test cases is difficult for a number of reasons:
- Changing Requirements: Ever-changing requirements may lead to very significant problems in expanding, updating, or creating test cases.
- Time Constraint: This can be too time-consuming, as you have to go through all test cases or you need to hurry for doing a test because the time is limited.
- Complex Applications: For complex applications highly detailed, and sometimes numerous test cases are required.
- Not Enough Documentation: The lack of enough documentation for the code can make the writing of test cases a very cumbersome and time-consuming task.
- Testing and Development Not Communicating: This is another common cause of problems in which there is no communication between the testing and development team; hence, it may result in missing the requirements or some scenarios that were not documented properly.
Test Cases Vs. Test Scenario:
In software testing test cases and test scenarios are both important parts, but they serve different functions.
A test case is an extensive, step-by-step method for testing a particular functionality, along with the expected outcome.
In contrast, a test scenario is a high-level, one-line description of what needs to be tested.
What is a Test Scenario?
A test scenario is a brief and concise document that describes the complete functionality to be tested from an end-user’s perspective. Test scenarios represent real-life situations and guide the process of testing by outlining what needs to be tested without going into specific details.
Test scenarios are easily created, managed, and updated, making them perfect for agile teams. They save time by focusing on what to test instead of how to test, hence allowing the tester to identify the next steps in testing.
Difference Between Test Case and Test Scenario
Parameters | Test Case | Test Scenario |
---|---|---|
Definition | Detailed document containing test steps, data, and expected outcomes. | High-level document summarizing end-to-end functionality in one line. |
Purpose | Specifies both what to test and how to test a specific feature. | Focuses only on what to test from an end-user perspective. |
Level of Detail | Low-level, covering granular details and test steps. | High-level, covering broad actions and overall functionality. |
Time Requirement | Takes more time to create due to detailed steps and data. | Faster to create because it’s concise and high-level. |
Maintenance | Harder to maintain due to complexity and number of test cases. | Easier to maintain and update due to its simplicity. |
Creation | Requires in-depth understanding and thorough planning. | Easier to create with minimal details. |
Example | “Checking login with incorrect password for 3 failed attempts.” | “Verifying login functionality of the software.” |
Scope | Narrow scope focusing on individual functionalities or conditions. | Broad scope covering overall system behavior or features. |
Resource Requirement | Requires more resources (time, manpower) for creation and execution. | Fewer resources needed to create and maintain. |
Use in Agile | Less suited for Agile due to complexity and maintenance load. | Well-suited for Agile due to speed and adaptability. |
Derived From | Derived from test scenarios or detailed requirement documents (e.g., SRS). | Derived from requirement documents (SRS, BRS). |
Testing Focus | Focuses on what to test and how to test. | Focuses on what to test. |
Exhaustiveness | Enables exhaustive testing by defining exact steps and outcomes. | May leave room for flexibility in the testing process. |
Ambiguity | Clear, no ambiguity as every step is well-defined. | Can be ambiguous as it is a one-line description. |
Execution | Needs specific input data and conditions to execute. | Can be executed with minimal setup and instructions. |
Test Coverage | Offers in-depth test coverage with step-by-step instructions. | Provides high-level coverage of all critical paths. |
Documentation Format | Complex with multiple fields (e.g., preconditions, steps, expected results). | Simple and brief, often just one-liners or short statements. |
How Testscenario can Assist
At Testscenario, We provide you with a team of expert testers, focused on offering fully tailored test case development and management services.
Why Choose Testscenario?
- Expertise and Customization: We have professional testers that creates customized test case solutions based on your projects you are dealing with.
- Efficiency and Innovation: We apply a lean process, with the use of new tools and technologies to design the test cases. This ensures speedy delivery with no compromise on quality.
- Continual Support: We ensure that your tests are always representative of the state of readiness to help you throughout the testing lifecycle.
Conclusion
Test cases are the backbone of quality assurance, hence providing a structured framework for testing that ensures that the software meets user expectations.
Writing the perfect test case requires a deep understanding of requirements, paying attention to detail, and following the best practices, which could be inconvenient and tricky, especially for more complicated applications.
We at Testscenario believe in meeting your needs for quality software and hence deliver nothing but the best.
Our team of experts creates a detailed test process for any software, from reviews of coding for ensuring maximum usability to all aspects.
Contact us to get the professional services that are ideal for your quality assurance objectives.