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In the world of software testing, ensuring the reliability and accuracy of applications is paramount. However, to save time and effort &#8211; testing needs to be efficient too. This is where testing techniques come into play. In this article, we will delve into the step-by-step process of how to implement and automate equivalence partitioning for efficient and effective testing.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Understanding_Equivalence_Partitioning">1 Understanding Equivalence Partitioning</a></li><li><a href="#Step-by-Step_Process_of_Equivalence_Partitioning">2 Step-by-Step Process of Equivalence Partitioning:</a></li><li><a href="#Can_this_technique_be_implemented_during_test_automation">3 Can this technique be implemented during test automation?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_Equivalence_Partitioning">4 Why Equivalence Partitioning?</a></li><li><a href="#Advantages_of_Equivalence_Partitioning">5 Advantages of Equivalence Partitioning:</a></li><li><a href="#Disadvantages_of_Equivalence_Partitioning">6 Disadvantages of Equivalence Partitioning:</a></li><li><a href="#Summarynbsp">7 Summary&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">8 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#Q1_Is_Equivalence_Partitioning_a_black_box_test">8.1 Q1. Is Equivalence Partitioning a black box test?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-understanding-equivalence-partitioning">Understanding Equivalence Partitioning</h2>



Equivalence partitioning is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-box_testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black-box testing technique</a> that allows testers to group input data into sets or classes, making it possible to reduce the number of test cases while still achieving comprehensive coverage. This technique is particularly useful when dealing with a large range of input values. Let&#8217;s walk through an example to understand the concept and process of Equivalence Partitioning.



Testing a Login Form



Suppose we have a login form with a username field. To apply Equivalence Partitioning, we can divide the possible input values into equivalence classes based on their expected behavior.



Equivalence Classes:



1. Valid Usernames: Alphanumeric usernames with a length of 5 to 15 characters.



2. Invalid Usernames: Usernames containing special characters or exceeding the length limit.



3. Empty Usernames: Leaving the username field empty.



<h2 id="h-step-by-step-process-of-equivalence-partitioning">Step-by-Step Process of Equivalence Partitioning:</h2>



1. Identify the input field: Determine the input field to be tested, such as the username field in our example. 



2. Define equivalence classes: Categorize the possible input values into distinct equivalence classes. Each class represents a set of inputs with similar behavior or characteristics. 



3. Determine representative values: Select representative values from each equivalence class. These values should cover the boundary conditions and critical scenarios within each class.



4. Create test cases: Generate test cases that cover each equivalence class. For example, one test case would include a valid username, another would include an invalid username, and a third test case would cover an empty username. 



5. Execute the test cases: Run the test cases using the defined equivalence classes to validate the behavior of the system. Observe and record the results for each test case.



By following this step-by-step process, testers can effectively apply Equivalence Partitioning to streamline test case design and achieve comprehensive test coverage while minimizing redundancy.



<h2 id="h-can-this-technique-be-implemented-during-test-automation">Can this technique be implemented during test automation?</h2>



Equivalence partitioning is indeed a technique that can be seamlessly implemented during test automation. By leveraging automated tools and frameworks, we can effectively streamline the process of generating test cases based on the identified equivalence classes. For example, let&#8217;s consider a scenario where we are testing a login form with an email field. Through equivalence partitioning, we can divide the possible input values into equivalence classes such as valid email addresses, invalid email formats, and empty fields. With the help of automated test generation tools, we can quickly generate test cases that cover each equivalence class, ensuring comprehensive test coverage while saving time and effort.



Examples of Equivalence Partitioning Technique To further illustrate the practical application of the equivalence partitioning technique, let&#8217;s explore a couple of examples and delve into how they can be implemented using Testsigma, a powerful testing tool. By leveraging Testsigma&#8217;s intuitive interface and automation capabilities, testers can effectively implement Equivalence Partitioning in their testing workflows.&nbsp;



I. Example &#8211; Testing User Registration Form 



In this example, let&#8217;s consider a user registration form that requires input for the age field. The Equivalence Partitioning technique can be applied to divide the possible input values into different equivalence classes.



Equivalence Classes:



Valid Age: 18-60 (inclusive)



Invalid Age: Below 18 and above 60



Empty Age Field 



Implementation with Testsigma:



<ol><li>Using TestSigma&#8217;s intuitive interface, create a new test case for the user registration form.</li><li>Add a test step to enter a valid age within the range of 18-60. This step represents the Valid Age equivalence class.</li><li>Add another test step to enter an invalid age below 18 or above 60. This step represents the Invalid Age equivalence class.</li><li>Include a test step to leave the age field empty. This step represents the Empty Age Field equivalence class.</li><li>Run the test case in TestSigma&#8217;s automation environment, which will execute the test steps based on the equivalence classes defined.</li><li>TestSigma will generate comprehensive test reports, highlighting the results for each equivalence class, allowing you to identify any issues or defects</li></ol> 



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 II. Example: Testing Credit Card Validation 



Consider a scenario where a credit card validation functionality is being tested. Equivalence Partitioning can be applied to the credit card number input field.



Equivalence Classes:



Valid Credit Card Numbers



Invalid Credit Card Numbers (e.g., incorrect length, invalid checksum)



Empty Credit Card Field 



Implementation with Testsigma:



<ol><li>Create a new test case in Testsigma for the credit card validation functionality.</li><li>Include a test step to enter a valid credit card number. This step represents the Valid Credit Card Numbers equivalence class.</li><li>Add a test step to enter an invalid credit card number, such as a number with an incorrect length or an invalid checksum. This step represents the Invalid Credit Card Numbers equivalence class.</li><li>Include a test step to leave the credit card field empty. This step represents the Empty Credit Card Field equivalence class.</li><li>Execute the test case using Testsigma&#8217;s automation capabilities.</li><li>Testsigma will automatically validate the credit card numbers based on the defined equivalence classes and provide detailed test reports.</li></ol>



<h2 id="why-equivalence-partitioning">Why Equivalence Partitioning?</h2>



Equivalence Partitioning enhances <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-coverage-techniques/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test coverage</a>, saves time and effort, promotes error detection, enables test case reusability, improves maintainability, and ensures comprehensive testing. Let&#8217;s explore these benefits in more detail below and see why you should choose Equivalence Partitioning.&nbsp;



Enhanced Test Coverage: Equivalence partitioning allows us to cover a wide range of input values with a minimal number of test cases, ensuring thorough testing without exhaustive combinations.



Time and Effort Efficiency: By reducing the number of test cases, equivalence partitioning helps save time and effort during the testing process, making it more efficient and cost-effective, which can be crucial when you are, for instance, testing the HTML/CSS of <a href="https://mailtrap.io/blog/mass-email-marketing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mass emails</a> for your marketing campaigns.



Error Detection: Equivalence Partitioning aids in uncovering defects by focusing on critical and boundary values within each equivalence class, increasing the likelihood of identifying potential issues.



Test Case Reusability: Equivalence Partitioning promotes test case reusability, as the defined equivalence classes can be used to generate additional test cases for future testing cycles, reducing duplication efforts.



Improved Maintainability: With Equivalence Partitioning, maintaining test cases becomes easier, as changes to the underlying equivalence classes can be reflected across multiple test cases, ensuring consistency and reducing maintenance efforts.



For you to better understand Equivalence Partitioning, here are a few Pro’s and Con’s &#8211;



<h2 id="for-you-to-better-understand-equivalence-partitioning-here-are-a-few-pro-s-and-con-s-advantages-of-equivalence-partitioning"> Advantages of Equivalence Partitioning:</h2>



<ol><li>Enhanced Test Coverage: Equivalence partitioning allows testers to cover a wide range of input values by selecting representative test cases from each equivalence class, ensuring comprehensive coverage while minimizing redundant testing.</li> <li>Efficiency in Test Case Design: By dividing input values into equivalence classes, test case design becomes more structured and systematic. It helps testers identify critical and boundary values for each class, enabling focused testing on potential areas of failure.</li> <li>Time and Effort Savings: Equivalence partitioning helps optimize testing efforts by reducing the number of test cases needed while still maintaining sufficient coverage. This leads to time and effort savings, making the testing process more efficient.</li> <li>Defect Detection: Equivalence partitioning increases the likelihood of detecting defects by targeting specific equivalence classes and their boundaries. By testing representative values from each class, testers can identify potential issues or failures.</li></ol>



<h2 id="h-disadvantages-of-equivalence-partitioning">Disadvantages of Equivalence Partitioning:</h2>



<ol><li>Limited to Input Values: Equivalence Partitioning primarily focuses on input values and their equivalence classes. It may not address other factors, such as system behavior or interaction between components, which can also contribute to defects.</li> <li>Complex Scenarios: In complex scenarios with multiple inputs or dependencies, defining accurate and comprehensive equivalence classes can be challenging. It requires careful analysis and consideration of various factors, potentially increasing the complexity of the <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/principles-of-software-testing-2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testing process</a>.</li> <li>Requirement for Domain Knowledge: Equivalence Partitioning relies on domain knowledge and understanding of the system under test. Testers need to have a clear understanding of the input values and their classifications to accurately identify and define equivalence classes.</li> <li>Potential for Overlooking Defects: While Equivalence Partitioning improves test coverage, it does not guarantee the detection of all defects. There is a possibility of overlooking specific scenarios or edge cases that fall outside the defined equivalence classes.</li></ol>



 By understanding the advantages and disadvantages of Equivalence Partitioning, testers can make informed decisions about when and how to effectively apply this technique in their testing approach.



<h2 id="summary">Summary&nbsp;</h2>



Equivalence Partitioning is a powerful testing technique that enables comprehensive test coverage while reducing the number of test cases. This article provides a step-by-step process for implementing Equivalence Partitioning, along with real-world examples and references. With Testsigma, testers can seamlessly integrate Equivalence Partitioning into their test automation workflows, enhancing efficiency and accuracy in software testing.



<h2 id="h-frequently-asked-questions">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



<h3 id="h-q1-is-equivalence-partitioning-a-black-box-test">Q1. Is Equivalence Partitioning a black box test?</h3>



Yes, Equivalence Partitioning is a black-box testing technique. It focuses on testing the functionality of the software from an external perspective, without considering the internal structure or implementation details. Testers identify and categorize input values into equivalence classes based on their expected behavior, without knowledge of the internal workings of the system. This allows for comprehensive testing while maintaining independence from the internal code.



Q2. How many test cases for equivalence partitioning?



The number of test cases for equivalence partitioning depends on the number of identified equivalence classes. In general, for each equivalence class, at least one test case is needed to represent that class. So, the total number of test cases would be equal to the number of identified equivalence classes. However, it&#8217;s important to note that additional test cases might be required to cover specific boundary or edge cases within each equivalence class. Therefore, the exact number of test cases may vary based on the complexity of the system and the identified equivalence classes.



Q3. Who uses equivalence partitioning?



Equivalence partitioning is utilized by various stakeholders in software testing, including manual testers, test automation engineers, QA analysts and managers, developers, and non-technical product team members. By categorizing input values into equivalence classes, it enhances the effectiveness and accuracy of testing efforts, leading to higher-quality software products.

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Reviewing your work is critical in the software development life cycle (SDLC). It reduces the instances of human errors and allows for better-quality code. Similarly, peer review in important, that involves peers checking each other’s work. But why is it essential, and how much software quality does it improve? Let’s see.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Peer_Review_in_Software_Testing">1 What is Peer Review in Software Testing?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_Do_We_Need_Peer_Review">2 Why Do We Need Peer Review?</a></li><li><a href="#What_Should_We_Review">3 What Should We Review?</a></li><li><a href="#Types_of_Peer_Reviews">4 Types of Peer Reviews</a><ul><li><a href="#Formal">4.1 Formal</a></li><li><a href="#Informal">4.2 Informal</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Peer_Review_Process">5 Peer Review Process</a></li><li><a href="#Peer_Review_8211_Static_Testing">6 Peer Review &#8211; Static Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Peer_Review_Characteristics">7 Peer Review Characteristics</a></li><li><a href="#Key_Takeaway">8 Key Takeaway</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs">9 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</a><ul><li><a href="#What_are_the_3_kinds_of_peer_review">9.1 What are the 3 kinds of peer review?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_a_peer_review_example">9.2 What is a peer review example?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_the_5_key_elements_of_peer_review">9.3 What are the 5 key elements of peer review?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-peer-review-in-software-testing">What is Peer Review in Software Testing?</h2>



Peer review in software testing can be described in 2 ways:



 1. A practice of checking or reviewing the code of your fellow developer.



 2. It can also mean checking the test cases and scripts created by your fellow testers to provide feedback and reduce testing issues.



Peer reviews involve viewing and testing the functioning some code or test cases to ensure that they meets the essential requirements criteria. The aim of peer review is to highlight any possible issues the piece being reviewed, suggest improvements, and check if their compliance with standards. Peer reviews help in getting a different perspective on one’s work and receiving suggestions on making the work not only better but also easier to follow. Peer review can be considered a static testing technique.



There are automated tools too that support the review of <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-web-application-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automated tests </a>like <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/best-automation-testing-tools-for-web-and-mobile/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma,</a> that is built with review workflows, enabling testers to review each other’s work. Not only that, it has multiple other features that would enable you to achieve a test automation ROI, sooner and better. Check more about Testsigma here: <a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://testsigma.com</a>



<button class="btn bg-primary cta-btn" style="margin: auto"><a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:#fff">Get a test automation tool that enables peer reviews too; get Testsigma</a></button>



 <h2 id="h-why-do-we-need-peer-review">Why Do We Need Peer Review?</h2>



There are many reasons why you need to adopt peer review practice in your SDLC process. And it’s more than just improving the code quality.



<ul><li>The inquisitive approach of your fellow developers and testers is sure to find minute issues that might miss your eyes.</li><li>It improves communication and accessibility within the team, as everyone knows who is working on what. This kind of understanding will increase the give-and-take of information among the team members.</li><li>Peer review facilitates learning among peers and builds an environment of healthy competition.</li><li>This process helps save costs in outsourcing the reviewing task to external resources or buying tools for the exact purpose.</li><li>Peer review practice is important as it also helps developers and testers meet their deadlines by taking help from their fellow team mates to solve any blockers faced.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-what-should-we-review">What Should We Review?</h2>



There is no point in promoting peer review when you don’t know what things you should review in the first place. There is a plethora of documentation to prove that soliciting feedback results in improving the quality of the product and reducing rework. We have a list of all the necessary documents and tasks you should include in your peer review process:



<ul><li>Product definition and marketing planning document to properly analyze the product’s purpose and delivery needs</li><li>User requirements/specifications documents containing all the information end-users want in the application</li><li>System design documents that consist of system architecture and UI/UX plan</li><li>Programming code reviewing involves checking the backend code and looking for defects, improvements, and flow</li><li>Test plans and test cases documents consist of the test scenario, steps, and more</li></ul>







<h2 id="h-types-of-peer-reviews">Types of Peer Reviews</h2>



Peer review in software testing can be classified into two types: formal and informal. They differ in how they are conducted within the organization.



<h3 id="h-formal">Formal</h3>



A formal peer review is one which is led by a trained moderator and follows a particular structure. It consists of a series of tasks, including requirements walkthroughs, technical reviews, inspections, and a well-detailed report at the end.



<h3 id="h-informal">Informal</h3>



Informal peer review is the exact opposite of formal. No moderator leads the process, and it is usually a personal favor that your colleagues ask of you. It follows no structure, and there are no recorded minutes of meetings for reviewers to access.



<h2 id="h-peer-review-process">Peer Review Process</h2>



Follow these different ways to implement a peer review process in your company:



Informal: Start with the informal review process that simply consists of asking a fellow developer or tester to check your code or tests for correctness and to suggest improvements.



Walkthrough: This method consists of a software developer or tester leading peers interested in the review process. They can pose questions while reviewing and come up with their explanation/understanding of the product.



Create a structure: For a formal review process, creating a structure and having a moderator enforce the structure upon the reviewers is the best way to go.



Review: Start the review process formally or informally, as mentioned in the above steps.



Verify: Verification involves an organized way of conducting the evaluation process. It involves applying several testing metrics/techniques to understand the results of the review process and to analyze the validity of the output.



<h2 id="h-peer-review-static-testing">Peer Review &#8211; Static Testing</h2>



Peer review is a static black-box testing technique. Static testing refers to analyzing the code and the related documents without the need to execute the program and tasks. So, instead of running the tests and uncovering defects, peer review follows the static testing method, which identifies issues before executing the code.



Here are some examples of what undergoes testing/analysis as a part of the static testing method:



<ul><li>Requirement specification documents</li><li>Design documents</li><li>Webpage content</li><li>Source code</li><li>Test plans, test cases, test scripts, and test data</li><li>User requirement documents</li></ul>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Frame-48095885.png" alt="" class="wp-image-30350" width="600" height="400" /></figure></div>



In the above image, you can see how the peer review process gradually becomes formal as it moves down across the pyramid. The picture illustrates the different stages of the peer review process that we have discussed in the above section.



Read here about <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/peer-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peer Testing</a>



<h2 id="h-peer-review-characteristics">Peer Review Characteristics</h2>



The characteristics of peer review are as below:



<ul><li>It is a documented way of evaluating the code that involves a defect detection process.</li><li>The higher management is not involved in peer review. It consists of peers and a few technical specialists.</li><li>The peer review team is managed by a moderator who is not the original author of the code.</li><li>Reviewers create a final report of the review, which lists and details all the issues that require attention and enhancement in the program.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-key-takeaway">Key Takeaway</h2>



Peer review is a way of checking and validating the code of another developer. It is done to offer advice on making the product better and finding bugs in the code. There are different ways to perform peer review, and the most suitable one is the formal review. We have discussed the types, benefits, and processes of peer review in software testing in the above sections.



Peer review is a fairly easy task that takes less time than sourcing the work to outside parties, but it offers immense advantages to the business. It builds communication among the team members and creates a sense of shared responsibilities among them. And with the right approach and moderator, any peer review will only provide positive results for every code you check.



<h2 id="h-frequently-asked-questions-faqs">Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</h2>



<h3 id="h-what-are-the-3-kinds-of-peer-review">What are the 3 kinds of peer review?</h3>



The three kinds of peer review in testing are single-anonymized, double-anonymized, and open peer review.



The single-anonymized peer review is where the author does not know the identity of the reviewer. In double-anonymized, both reviewer and author don’t know the identity of each other. In Open peer review, the identity of the author and reviewer are known by everyone in the reviewing team before, during, and after the peer review process.



<h3 id="h-what-is-a-peer-review-example">What is a peer review example?</h3>



An example of peer review is deciphering the code of a developer. Suppose your colleague approached you to see their code and check if there is any possibility of making the program easy to understand and ensuring there is a smooth flow of data between the different modules/components of the code. This is a scenario where you are the reviewer, and your colleague is the author. Another example of peer review would be verifying the project specifications and design documents after receiving them from the clients and the stakeholders before moving ahead with the project.



<h3 id="h-what-are-the-5-key-elements-of-peer-review">What are the 5 key elements of peer review?</h3>



The five key elements of peer reviews are:



<ul><li>Fairness in analyzing the code/documents</li><li>Appropriately selecting the right reviewers with the relevant experience</li><li>Choosing identifiable and publicly acceptable reviewers</li><li>Timely reporting of the review results</li><li>Providing helpful feedback</li></ul>

What is Peer Review in Software Testing?

All software undergoes continuous modifications. Sometimes developers do so to fulfill clients’ requests, and other times it is to upgrade the functionality or security features. But whatever the case, any changes made to the software require continuous monitoring and maintenance. Testing software for how maintainable it is, is called Maintainability testing. 



Let’s dive deeper into the subject in this blog. We will also talk about <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automated testing </a>with maintainability testing.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Maintainability_Testing_in_Software">1 What is Maintainability Testing in Software?</a></li><li><a href="#Factors_Affecting_the_Maintainability_of_the_Software">2 Factors Affecting the Maintainability of the Software</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_Measure_the_Maintainability_of_an_Application">3 How to Measure the Maintainability of an Application?</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_Improve_Your_Software_Maintainability_with_Testsigma">4 How to Improve Your Software Maintainability with Testsigma?</a><ul><li><a href="#Steps_to_conduct_GUI_testing_with_Testsigma">4.1 Steps to conduct GUI testing with Testsigma:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Maintainability_Testing_Best_Practices">5 Maintainability Testing Best Practices</a></li><li><a href="#Summary">6 Summary</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs">7 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</a><ul><li><a href="#What_is_the_purpose_of_maintainability">7.1 What is the purpose of maintainability?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_an_example_of_maintainability_in_software_quality">7.2 What is an example of maintainability in software quality?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-maintainability-testing-in-software">What is Maintainability Testing in Software?</h2>



Maintainability testing is verifying the software’s ability to maintain itself as it goes through several changes. Maintainability refers to a software’s capability to maintain itself under varying situations. It is important as applications go through several changes throughout the SDLC process, which clearly requires proper maintenance along with regular testing. And with maintainability testing, it becomes easier to validate a system’s potential to keep going with frequent features updates and bug fixes, among other things.



Maintainability testing is non-functional testing that defines how easy it is for developers to maintain, analyze, change a system, and run tests on it.



Please note that <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-maintenance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">maintenance testing</a> and maintainability testing are different. The former focuses on testing an application because of changes introduced in it. The latter checks how well the system can handle and maintain the changes.



<h2 id="h-factors-affecting-the-maintainability-of-the-software">Factors Affecting the Maintainability of the Software</h2>



There are several real-world and software-based factors that influence the maintainability of a system. 



For instance, some of the real-world factors are:



<ul><li>How old the software is currently and how many changes it experiences on a weekly/monthly basis?</li><li>If the memory and storage of the application is sufficient to withstand the changes and maintain its functioning accordingly.</li><li>The skill your business possesses to understand maintainability testing.</li><li>How developers built the application? Did they develop with the idea of making the system self-sufficient and maintaining itself during modifications?</li></ul>



The software-based factors are:



<ul><li>Does the structure of the software support maintenance?</li><li>Which programming language is used to develop the software?</li><li>If the software is self-reliable to withstand changes without breaking down.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-how-to-measure-the-maintainability-of-an-application">How to Measure the Maintainability of an Application?</h2>



Now, we will discuss how to measure them and gauge the maintainability of an application. Two of the most common measurement scales are: how changeable an application is and how stable it is while going through those changes. <a href="https://www.iso.org/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">ISO</a> is a popular standard that is internationally accepted and also provides guidelines for Systems and Software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE).



There are 5 prominent ISO-defined attributes that support the measurement of an application’s maintainability:



<ul><li>Modularity: This attribute focuses on the modular components of the system. It checks if the software consists of several independent components coming together. Based on the modularity of the application, a small change can have an impact on the application that might require renovations.</li><li>Reusability: This attribute looks for pre-existing code snippets you can reuse in the application or another software to replicate its functionality. It reduces the cost of writing new code and improves the quality and overall productivity of the software.</li><li>Analyzability: It checks how efficiently a software flow, often unintended, can be found and fixed. This attribute identifies defects in the system components that require changing.</li><li>Modifiability: As per its name, modifiability is the criteria of the system that checks how much a system can be modified without compromising its quality and existing features.</li><li>Testability: This attribute defines the degree of effectiveness with which test criteria can be developed. It further checks if these tests can meet those criteria.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-how-to-improve-your-software-maintainability-with-testsigma">How to Improve Your Software Maintainability with Testsigma?</h2>



There is no one way or concrete method to follow while implementing maintainability testing. As every software undergoes certain changes throughout SDLC and even after its release, maintainability testing then works on a case-to-case basis. Typically, automation tools greatly support and expedite maintainability, such as <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a>. Let’s take an example of running visual testing with Testsigma to understand how the tool supports maintainability testing. You can perform both static and dynamic visual testing using our tool.



Testsigma allows the execution of visual testing for web and mobile applications. Before starting, you only need to tick the ‘Enable Visual testing for this step’ option. The visual testing option is now available for the next successful run, where the online UI elements are compared against a baseline image.



<h3 id="h-steps-to-conduct-gui-testing-with-testsigma">Steps to conduct GUI testing with Testsigma:</h3>



<ul><li>Create a test case, add it to a test suite, and add the test suite to a Test Plan as per your requirement.</li></ul> 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/step-1_377529c5a8877f32e7869dc65a848865_2000.jpg" alt="Create a Test Case" width="800" height="400"/></figure></div>



 <ul><li>Enable Visual Testing for the test steps that need visual testing.</li></ul> 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/enable-visual-testing_db8e8e08798cc94c84f275da70258acb_2000.jpg" alt="Enable Visual Testing" width="800" height="400"/></figure></div>



 <ul><li>Run your test plan once to save all images as base images. These are the baseline pictures to compare the visual changes.</li><li>Now Run your test plan again. The tool will automatically take screenshots of your application at every test step and make reference images.</li></ul> 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/run-the-test-plan-view-the-results_377cd46e65e10a74256e68a4d06ad5a6_2000.jpg" alt="Run the Test Case" width="800" height="400"/></figure></div>



 <ul><li>Testsigma automatically compares these reference images with the base images in the first run to find differences.</li></ul> 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/find-visual-errors_10baecf60cdf72d6e7323219516b3b39_2000.jpg" alt="Compare the Results" width="800" height="400"/></figure></div>



 <ul><li>Any other changes in the screenshots are automatically ignored to avoid false negatives.</li></ul> 



Having a baseline image makes it easy to test the visuals and maintain the same quality and look of the application in the future. Such practice improves the maintainability of the application and even allows for reusing the test cases if similar visuals need to be tested later on. <a href="https://testsigma.com/request-demo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sign up for a demo</a> to see all this in action.



<button class="btn bg-primary cta-btn" style="display: block;
 margin: auto;"><a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:#fff">Improve the maintainability of your software with an efficient test automation tool, Testsigma</a></button>



<h2 id="h-maintainability-testing-best-practices">Maintainability Testing Best Practices</h2>



But before you start maintaining your tests and also implement maintainability testing, here are some of the best practices that work for every type/category:



<ul><li>Ensure to build a list of maintainability factors before you start with the testing, which would include the stability and complexity of the code.</li><li>The software must adhere to appropriate standards for the database, interface, and development processes. One instance of this will be verifying if the application supports optimized algorithms and the ability to reuse the code.</li><li>Your maintainability testing should comply with the five maintainability attributes we mentioned above: Modularity, Reusability, Analyzability, Modifiability, and Testability.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-summary">Summary</h2>



Maintainability testing is the software’s ability to maintain itself as it goes through several modifications. It reduces the cost of maintaining the system. There are different categories of maintainability testing that focus on separate areas of the application and check for possible issues.



There are multiple ways to measure maintainability, which we have discussed in the above section.



<h2 id="h-frequently-asked-questions-faqs">Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</h2>



<h3 id="h-what-is-the-purpose-of-maintainability">What is the purpose of maintainability?</h3>



The purpose of maintainability is to better the maintenance efforts of the software. The higher the maintainability, the better the ability of the application to handle the changes and maintain itself.



<h3 id="h-what-is-an-example-of-maintainability-in-software-quality">What is an example of maintainability in software quality?</h3>



An example of maintainability in <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/software-quality-assurance-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">software quality</a> is code with a clear structure and proper commenting that makes it easier for developers to debug and analyze the program if new lines are added to it.