Updated June 9, 2023
Introduction to Glass Box Testing
The testing method to determine the structure and data from the program logic or the code written is called Glass box testing. It is called by different names such as structural testing, clear box testing, open box testing, and logic-driven or path driven testing. In this testing, the tester can see the code and verify that if it runs properly in the system. This makes the tester to make sure that all sides of the code are tested. The test cases cannot be created unless the tester sees the code and this testing is one of the important types of testing in the system.
Techniques of Glass Box Testing
1. As the name suggests, the testing is transparent and the testing becomes successful only if the tester can see the code and its working. The knowledge from the code logic is used to get data for the test cases and hence to test the software. This helps to improve the design of the application and helps the software developers by knowing the data of the application. As white box and black box testing are well known in the software world, glass box testing modifies both the testing techniques and presents a new way by overcoming the limitations of both.
2. As the name suggests, a tester can see the entire code and this technique helps in the coverage of entire statements written in the program. This helps to provide a proper result from the code. Testers compare this result with the expected result to see whether the entire code is covered for the testing purpose.
3. This testing ensures the statement coverage for better results and path coverage for better networking of the code. All the statements and paths are validated from the program to ensure proper coverage and working. Testers make sure that all the options are tested and validated for accurate working of the code.
4. Now the statements and paths are covered, it is important to test whether all the branches in the code is covered so that the tester will be able to know the branch coverage in the code does proper work. This makes the tester to be confident about the code doing intended work in the software application. There are formulae used to ensure the statement, path and branch coverage is exact or not.
5. Testing is done in a different perspective to know the hidden errors in the code. For example, testing is done in the developer’s point of view to check whether any developing threads are left out. In tester’s point of view helps the code to review it and to check it thoroughly for the code coverage. Also, testing is done in memory of view point to enhance the memory of the code and to develop it to the extend of the application. Testing is done in terms of performance to know how the code performs during rigorous testing conditions and to know the extend of working of the code.
6. Each unit of the code is tested for the enhanced version of the code. Along with errors and bugs hidden in the code, it also helps to know the working of the code and to use this knowledge in other applications. Several programs work in the same manner and an error in one program helps in the proper functioning of another program. This makes the testers to know the programming language and to use this knowledge to work with developers to know the code. Testers will be good in programming and testing the application.
7. All the conditions in the code are tested to check whether they work properly in the application. The if else condition, though most of the times it works efficiently, there are hidden bugs in the condition that could be found out with the help of glass box testing. This helps to improve the efficiency of the code and the performance of the same. Automating the code also helps to know the bugs in the conditioning statements.
8. The loops are the sections in the code where different conditions are given to ensure different stages of working of the code. This helps the code to work efficiently and to the expectation of the developer. The loop testing is done in this testing method to ensure the proper functioning of the program.
Benefits of Glass Box Testing
- During this testing, it is not seen from the tester point of view but from the developer’s point of view. This makes sure that the entire code is tested and to enhance the code’s application with the help of branch coverage.
- Though the testing is manually done, it can be easily automated with the help of Java and Selenium tools. This makes the work of testers easy and loaded. They can do a number of tests on the code at a faster rate. Prior experience is not needed for the same.
- Due to the rigorous testing in statement, path, and branch, bugs can be found out and hidden errors are brought to notice of the developers. They prefer this testing even though it is time consuming due to this rigorous behavior if the testing.
- Once the testing is done, issues and codes those not working can be easily identified. This helps the testers to work with developers to know the code and to identify the bugs in the code. Hence the issues are sort out and the code can be made working efficiently in the system.
- Due to the behavior of the testing, it is easy to know the internal structure of the code and the actions of the application. This boosts the performance of the application and the accuracy of the code.
Conclusion
Though this testing overcomes the limitations of white box and black box testing, there are some disadvantages. A Tester should know programming to know the hidden errors in the code. Also, the testing process takes time as the tester waits for the developer to complete the code. If these are solved, then glass box testing is one of the best testing in software code.
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