(Approved by AICTE-New Delhi & Affiliated to Anna University, Chennai)

(Accredited with ‘A’ Grade by NAAC)

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Expected Questions with Answers for IAT-1
CCS366- Software Testing and Automation
Why do we test Software?,Kack-Box Testing and White-Box Testing,Software Testing Life
Cycle,V- model of Software Testing,Program Correctness and Verification,Reliability
versus Safety,Failures,Errors and Faults (Defects),Software Testing
Principles,Program Inspections,Stages of Testing:Unit Testing,Integration
Testing,System Testing.
UNIT-I / PART-A
1 Define software testing (Nov/Dec’14)
Software testing can be stated as the process of verifying and validating
whether a software or application is bug-free,meets the technical K1
requirements as guided by its design and development and meets the user
requirements effectively and efficiently by handling all the exceptional and
boundary cases.
2 Explain how software testing contributes to cost savings in the
software development process.
K2
Software testing identifies and rectifies defects early in the development
cycle, reducing the cost of fixing issues post-release, where costs can be
significantly higher.
3 How does software testing help manage risk in software projects?
Software testing helps identify and mitigate potential risks by uncovering
K2
defects and vulnerabilities, allowing for proactive risk management and
minimizing unexpected issues in production.
4 What is Kack-box testing?
The technique of testing in which the tester doesn’t have access to the source
K1
code of the software and is conducted at the software interface without any
concern with the internal logical structure of the software is known as Kack-
box testing.
5 What is white-box testing?
The technique of testing in which the tester is aware of the internal
K1
workings of the product, has access to its source code and is conducted by
making sure that all internal operations are performed according to the
specifications is known as white-box testing.
6 Compare and contrast the objectives of Kack-Box Testing and White-Box
Testing. Kack-Box Testing focuses on functionality, while White-Box
K2
Testing examines the internal code. Kack-Box aims to validate user
requirements, while White-Box verifies code structure and logic.
7 What are the different levels of software testing?
K1
1.Unit Testing 2.Integration Testing 3.System Testing 4.Acceptance
Testing
8 What is the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC)?
STLC is a series of phases and activities that guide the testing process from K1
test planning through test execution, defect tracking, and reporting.
9 Why is test planning an important phase in the STLC?
Test planning defines the scope, objectives, and strategies for testing, K3
ensuring that testing efforts are well-organized and focused on goals.
10 Describe the significance of test planning in the Software Testing Life Cycle.
Test planning defines the scope, approach, and resources for testing. It K2
ensures that
testing aligns with project goals, budget, and timelines.
11 How does the Software Testing Life Cycle interact with the Software
Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
K2
The STLC operates in parallel with the SDLC. While development
creates software, testing ensures its quality and correctness through various
stages.
12 Why is test design a critical phase in the STLC?
Test design involves creating test cases, scenarios, and scripts based on K2
requirements,
ensuring comprehensive test coverage.
13 What is the V-model of software testing?
The V-model is a software development and testing approach where each K1
development phase has a corresponding testing phase, forming a "V" shape.
14 How does the V-model promote early defect detection?
The V-model emphasizes testing at each development phase, allowing for K2
early detection and resolution of defects, reducing the cost of fixing issues
later.

15 How does the V-Model reduce post-release defects?

The V-Model promotes early defect detection by testing at each K3
development phase, reducing the likelihood of defects surfacing
after release.
16 How the V-Model enhances communication between development
and testing teams?
The V-Model is a clear correlation between development phases K3
and corresponding testing phases, fostering communication by
emphasizing the interdependency of these activities.
17 What are the potential drawbacks of strictly adhering to the V-Model
in software development?
K1
A drawback is that it can be rigid and less adaptaKe to changes or
agile development practices. It may not suit projects with evolving
requirements.
18 What is program correctness?
Program correctness refers to the extent to which a software program K2
meets its intended specifications and behaves as expected.
19 What is the purpose of program verification?
Program verification is the process of formally or rigorously K1
confirming that a program adheres to its specifications to ensure its
correctness.
20 Differentiate between verification and validation.
VERIFICATION VALIDATION
Verification is the process of Validation is the process of
evaluating software system or evaluating software system or
component to determine whether component during or at the end of
the products of a given the development phase to satisfy K2
development phase to the conditions imposed at the
satisfy the start of that phase.
conditions imposed at the start of
that phase.
Verification is usually Validation is usually
associated with associated with
activities such as inspections and traditional execution based
reviews of the software testing.
deliveraKes.
21 Why is safety critical in industries like aviation and healthcare?
Safety is critical in such industries because software failures K2
can lead to severe consequences, including loss of life or critical
system failures.
22 What is the difference between a software failure and a software
error? K2
A software failure is the observaKe malfunction of the software,
while a software error is the part of the code where the fault
(defect) resides.
23 What is integration testing?
Integration testing is the second level of the software testing process
which comes after unit testing.In this testing,units or individual K1
components of the software are tested in a
group.The focus of the integration testing level is to expose defects at
the time of interaction between integrated components or units.
24 What is System testing?
System testing is a type of software testing that is performed on a
complete integrated system to evaluate the compliance of the system
with the corresponding requirements.In system testing,integration
K3
testing passed components are taken as input.The goal of integration
testing is to detect any irregularity between the units that are
integrated together.System testing detects defects within both the
integrated units and the whole system.The result of system testing is
the observed behaviour of a component or a system
when it is tested.
25 What is software testing principles?
1. Testing shows presence of defects.
2. Exhaustive testing is not possiKe.
3. Early testing.
K2
4. Defect clustering.
5. Pesticide paradox.
6. Testing is context dependent.
7. Absence of errors fallacy.
26 What are the different types of software testing?
Sofware testing can be broadly classified into two types:
1. Manual testing:Manual testing includes testing software manually
i.e. without using any automation tool or any script. There are K1
different stages of manula testing such as unit testing,integration
testing,system testing and user acceptance testing.
2. Automation Testing:When the tester writes scripts and uses
another software to test the product.This process involves the
automation of a manual process.
27 What is the principle of "Exhaustive Testing"? K2
Exhaustive testing is impractical because it would require testing all
possiKe inputs and scenarios. Testing is done based on risk and
priority.
28 What does the "Pesticide Paradox" mean in software testing? K3
The Pesticide Paradox suggests that if the same test cases are
repeatedly used, they become less effective at finding new defects.
29 What is the principle of Equivalence Partitioning, and why is it
important in software testing?
Equivalence Partitioning is a testing principle that involves dividing K3
input data into groups or partitions to test representative values from
each group. It's essential because it optimizes test coverage by
testing typical and boundary values, minimizing redundant
test cases.
30 How does early testing align with the software development
process? K1
Early Testing involves starting testing activities as soon as possiKe
in the software development life cycle. It aligns with the
development process by identifying defects early, reducing rework,
and saving costs associated with fixing issues later in the
development cycle.
31 What is the primary goal of a Formal Technical Review (FTR)
during program inspections?
The primary goal of an FTR is to identify defects, improve software K1
quality, and ensure that the software adheres to standards and
specifications. It involves a formal, structured examination of code
or design documents.
32 How do walkthroughs differ from inspections in program reviews?
Walkthroughs are informal and focus on knowledge sharing, while K2
inspections are formal, structured, and aim to find defects and ensure
compliance with standards.
33 In unit testing, what is the significance of "stub" and "driver"
components, and how do they support testing?
Stubs simulate lower-level components not yet implemented, while K2
drivers simulate higher-level components. They allow testing to
proceed when dependent components are missing or incomplete,
facilitating thorough unit testing.
34 Describe a common challenge in integration testing and how it can
be mitigated. K2
A common challenge is detecting and resolving integration issues
among components. This can be mitigated by adopting a top-down
or bottom-up integration approach, conducting incremental testing,
and using well-defined interfaces.
35 What is the purpose of "Acceptance Testing" in the system testing
phase? Acceptance testing assesses whether the software meets user K1
requirements and is ready for deployment. It helps determine if the
system is fit for its intended purpose, ensuring user satisfaction and
system readiness.

36 Differentiate error , fault and failure K1

Error: A mistake made by a developer in the code or design.
Fault (Defect/Bug): A flaw in the system caused by an error, which
may lead to incorrect behavior.
Failure: When the system does not perform as expected due to a
fault being triggered during execution.
37 Outline the need for software testing K1
Ensures Quality – Verifies that the software meets requirements
and functions correctly.
Detects Defects Early – Identifies bugs and errors before
deployment, reducing costs.
Enhances Security – Finds vulnerabilities to protect against cyber
threats.
Improves Performance – Ensures the software runs efficiently
under different conditions.
Ensures Reliability – Confirms that the system works consistently
over time.
User Satisfaction – Delivers a seamless and error-free user
experience.
Compliance with Standards – Ensures adherence to industry
regulations and guidelines.
UNIT I/ PART- B
1. What are the fundamental reasons for testing software, and how
K2
do they contribute to the software development process?
2. Explain the concepts of Kack-Box Testing and White-Box
K1
Testing, highlighting their differences and use cases.
3. Describe the key phases and activities in the Software Testing
K2
Life Cycle (STLC) and their importance in ensuring a robust
testing process.
4. Explain the V-Model of Software Testing, how it differs from
K4
traditional development approaches, and its role in promoting
early defect detection.
5. Discuss the significance of program correctness and verification
K2
in the software development process and the methods used to
achieve them.
6. Differentiate between reliability and safety in the context of
K3
software, emphasizing their importance in safety-critical
domains.
 7. Define and explain the relationship between software failures,
K3
errors, and faults (defects) and how they impact the reliability of
software systems.
8. Enumerate and elucidate the fundamental software testing
K3
principles and their significance in the testing process
9. Define program inspections and outline their purpose, processes,
K4
and key participants in a software development context.
10 Describe the three stages of testing—Unit Testing, Integration
K2
Testing, and System Testing—and their respective objectives
and challenges.
UNIT I/ PART- C
1. You are a quality assurance manager. You've been assigned
to test a complex, K5
proprietary software application. How would you decide whether
to use Kack-Box Testing or White-Box Testing, and why?
2. You're a software project manager leading a project where quality K2
is paramount. How would you utilize the V-Model to ensure early
defect detection and effective testing?
3. Explain how the principle of "Defect Clustering" can guide your K3
testing strategy for the
e-commerce platform update. How do you prioritize testing
efforts based on this principle?
4. Apply the principle of "Early Testing" to the e-commerce K3
platform update project. Explain how you would implement this
principle.
5. Explain the concept and importance of Integration Testing in the K3
context of the inventory management and order processing
application.