Quality assurance is an essential part of the development cycle. Testing guarantees that the software does what it should, free from mistakes or bugs that affect the client experience. Without comprehensive testing and quality assurance processes, software that will be delivered to the market could function poorly. It can also prove damaging, disappointing the customer while harming the company’s profile.
Though quality assurance can be time taking, it is a beneficial thing to do. When integrated into projects from very much of the beginning certain testing techniques save time by guaranteeing that bugs are found early. This keeps the developer from the last moment of code fixing.
Quality assurance is cracked into main categories:
- White Box Testing
It is also known as the clear box or glass box testing technique. It requires the tester to determine how the software will work. They are able to see the internal structure of the code.
- Black Box Testing
It is also called behavioral testing. It requires the tester to determine what the software should or should not do. Usually, a developer or a person with a programming background can do this testing.
Differences between white box and black box testing?
White Box is usually started in the early stages of development. It includes unit and integration testing at lower levels. While Black Box testing is done at a higher level as in system and acceptance testing.
Benefits and drawbacks of white box testing
Benefits:
- White Box Testing can be done by the development team.
- White Box Testing does not require a completed GUI.
- It is highly systematic and easy to reproduce.
- White Box Testing is thorough testing that can test every possible path.
- It helps detect errors in the early stages of the development process.
Drawbacks:
- It takes much time for developers to test rather than code.
- New Code integration invalidates test cases.
- In White Box Testing it becomes really hard to separate the development and testing environment.
Benefits and drawbacks of black box testing?
Benefits:
- The testers need not be highly technical for Black Box Testing.
- Black box testing helps simulate the end-user experience
- It is very to create a test case for Black Box Testing.
- Black Box testing can be automated for some time.
- Value of external/non-developer perspectives
Drawbacks:
- In Black Box Testing the testing scenarios do not capture all software paths.
- The testing results might be difficult to reproduce or document.
- Tests can be extravagant and time concerted.
Which is better? White box testing vs black box testing
Well, both of these testing techniques are essential and complementary. Early white box testing ensures the software’s functionality. It makes the higher-level testing take less time. White box testing requires a technical person mostly a developer who writes the code of the software. Whereas, Black Box Testing can be performed by Quality Assurer without a certain skill set.
So, what separates them both is the application area under testing, and who can perform the test.