Dynamic Testing | What it is ,Types ,& Step by Step Process

What is Dynamic Testing?

Dynamic testing is a software testing technique that involves executing and evaluating a program or system during runtime. Unlike static testing, which focuses on examining the code or documentation without running the program, dynamic testing involves actually running the software to observe its behavior and performance. In this blog, we will learn more about the different aspects of dynamic testing.

Objectives of Dynamic Testing: Why Do We Need it?

1. Defect detection: Dynamic testing helps identify bugs, errors, and defects in the software that may affect its functionality, reliability, or performance. 

2. Validation of requirements: By executing the software with various inputs and scenarios, dynamic testing ensures that it behaves as intended and meets the specified requirements.

3. Improved software quality: Through continuous testing and feedback, dynamic testing contributes to enhancing the overall quality of the software, making it more reliable and robust. 

4. Performance evaluation: Dynamic testing technique – performance testing, helps assess the software’s responsiveness, scalability, and resource utilization under different workload conditions. 

5. Risk mitigation: By detecting and addressing defects early in the development process, dynamic testing helps mitigate potential risks associated with software failures or malfunctions. 

Characteristics of Dynamic Testing 

● Execution of the software: Dynamic testing involves running the software or system under test and observing its behavior during runtime. 

● Evaluation of actual behavior: Testers compare the actual behavior of the software with the expected behavior to identify any discrepancies or deviations.

● Validation of requirements: Dynamic testing ensures that the software meets the specified requirements and behaves as intended. 

● Bug detection: Dynamic testing helps uncover defects, bugs, and errors that may exist in the software, allowing for early detection and resolution. 

● Error handling and recovery assessment: Dynamic testing evaluates the software’s ability to handle errors and recover gracefully without crashing or causing data loss. 

● Performance evaluation: Dynamic testing techniques, such as performance testing and load testing, assess the software’s responsiveness, scalability, and resource utilization. 

● Compatibility testing: Dynamic testing validates the software’s compatibility across different platforms, operating systems, browsers, and devices. 

● Regression testing: Dynamic testing plays a crucial role in regression testing by retesting the software after modifications to ensure that existing functionality is unaffected. 

● Risk mitigation: Dynamic testing helps mitigate risks associated with software failures by identifying and resolving defects early in the development process. 

● Validation of user experience: Dynamic testing contributes to delivering a high-quality user experience by ensuring the software functions correctly and meets user expectations. 

These characteristics highlight the active and real-time nature of dynamic testing, focusing on executing the software, evaluating its behavior, and ensuring its quality and performance.

Dynamic Testing Techniques

Dynamic testing employs various techniques to analyze and evaluate the software’s behavior when running. Some common dynamic testing techniques include:

• Black-box testing: This technique tests the software’s functionality without delving into the internal workings of the software. The tester inputs the data and checks if the output is as expected.
• White-box testing: This technique tests the software’s internal implementation details. The tester tests specific functions, methods, or code snippets to ensure they work as expected. Get to know key differences between Blackbox Testing and White Box testing
• Grey-box testing: Grey-box testing is a combination of black-box and white-box testing. In this technique, the tester has partial knowledge of the internal workings of the software, which helps to create more comprehensive test cases.
• Regression testing: We perform regression testing when we add new features to existing software. It ensures that changes in the software do not impact existing features negatively.
• Performance testing: Performance testing evaluates the software’s response time, load capacity, and stability under heavy usage to ensure it can handle real-world situations.
• Security testing: Security testing ensures the software is safe and secure from malicious attacks, including data breaches, unauthorized access, and hacking attempts.

These dynamic testing techniques help testers to assess software behavior and identify issues or defects that can compromise the software’s functionality, reliability, or security.

Levels or Types of Dynamic Testing

There are many types of dynamic testing done at different levels, all of which come under two categories: white box testing and black box testing.

1. White Box Testing

White box testing is a software testing technique that focuses on examining the software’s internal structure, design, and implementation details. Developers perform white box testing because it requires access to the software’s internal code, data structures, and algorithms. Its primary objective is to uncover coding errors, logic flaws, and missing functionality within the software. 

Dynamic testing when done as a part of white box testing, deals with identifying and testing the paths through which data is transferred and transformed within a program. It aims to reveal potential errors or anomalies related to the flow of data, such as incorrect assignments, missing data updates, and data dependencies.

2. Black Box Testing

Black box testing is just the opposite of the white box, where testers do not have access to the knowledge of the internal structure of the software. In black box testing, the tester treats the software as a “black box” and tests it solely based on its inputs and expected outputs without considering the internal workings. This approach helps validate whether the software or system behaves as expected, meets the specified requirements, and correctly handles various inputs and scenarios. There are two types of black box testing;

Functional Testing

As the term suggests, functional testing checks the functionality of the software against the specification documents. It focuses on how the application is behaving on the front end rather than giving attention to the actual code. There are four levels of functional testing that you should know about:

Unit Testing: This is the first level. Developers perform unit testing to check every unit/snippet of code before moving ahead for further testing or development. It is the first level of testing that focuses on the accuracy of the code and validates the unit components.

Integration Testing: This testing verifies the interaction between two or more modules of the same system. It tests the transfer of data and compatibility between the modules. This is the second level.

System Testing: System testing refers to validating the entire system as a whole, ensuring that all components and subsystems work together correctly. It checks the system against functional and non-functional requirements, including reliability, performance, usability, and compatibility. This is the third level.

UAT : User acceptance testing (UAT) is the phase of testing where end users validate and approve the software to ensure it meets their requirements and is ready for production. Users perform real-world scenarios to determine if the software functions as expected and meets their needs. It is the fourth and last level before releasing the software.

Non-Functional Testing

Non-functional testing focuses on evaluating the non-functional aspects of a system, such as its performance, reliability, usability, scalability, security, and maintainability. Unlike functional testing, which verifies the specific functionality of the software, non-functional testing assesses its quality attributes and how well it performs under various conditions and constraints. The goal is to ensure that the software meets the desired non-functional requirements and provides a satisfactory user experience.

Non-functional testing is further divided into various types, which represent different testing levels:

Performance testing: It checks for how well the software is performing under certain traffic loads. Performance testing evaluates a software system’s speed, scalability, and responsiveness under different loads and conditions. One example can be simulating multiple users accessing a website simultaneously to measure its response time and server performance.

Usability testing: Usability testing assesses a software or system’s ease of use and user-friendliness by observing users’ interactions and collecting feedback. An example of this could be observing users as they navigate through a mobile application to evaluate the intuitiveness of the user interface, menu navigation, and overall user experience.

Compatibility testing: Compatibility testing verifies the compatibility of a system or application across different platforms, operating systems, browsers, and devices. It ensures that the software functions correctly and displays consistently across various configurations, avoiding interoperability and user experience issues.

Recovery testing: This testing checks how effectively a system recovers from a crash or downtime. It assesses the system’s ability to restore data integrity, resume normal operations, and recover gracefully from unexpected events or disasters, ensuring business continuity and minimizing downtime.

Security testing: Security testing focuses on identifying vulnerabilities and weaknesses in a system’s security controls. It uncovers potential threats, assesses the system’s ability to protect sensitive data, and verifies compliance with security standards, thereby ensuring the software’s integrity, confidentiality, and availability.

Example of Dynamic Testing 

Let’s consider a scenario where we are checking the login process by entering valid and invalid credentials to ensure successful authentication and appropriate error handling.

Scenario: Testing the Login Functionality 

Test Objective: To ensure that users can successfully log-in to the web application using valid credentials. 

Test Steps:

• Enter a valid username and password.
• Click the “Login” button.
• Verify if the user is redirected to the home page.
• Check if the appropriate user-specific content is displayed.
• Log out and repeat the steps with an invalid username/password combination.

Expected Outcome: The login should succeed for valid credentials, redirecting the user to the home page with the correct content. For invalid credentials, an error message should be displayed, preventing access to the system.

We can discuss another example of testing the file upload feature by uploading a file, verifying successful storage and metadata display, and checking error handling for unsupported file formats.

Scenario: Testing the file upload feature of a document management system. 

Test Objective: To ensure that users can successfully upload a valid document/file onto the document management system.

Test Steps:

• Select a file to upload.
• Click the “Upload” button.
• Verify if the file is successfully uploaded and stored in the system.
• Confirm that the file metadata (name, size, date) is displayed accurately.
• Attempt to upload a file of an unsupported format.

Expected Outcome: The file should upload successfully, and the system should store it correctly with accurate metadata. Unsupported file formats should generate an error message, preventing the upload.

During the dynamic testing of the login functionality, testers would be actively interacting with the application, executing the steps, and verifying its behavior in real-time. The process helps uncover any issues or deviations from the expected behavior, such as incorrect login, error messages, or improper redirection. Defects found during dynamic testing can then be reported, analyzed, and addressed by the development team.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Dynamic Testing

Advantages

1. Extended testing: Dynamic testing allows for thoroughly examining the software’s functionality by executing various test cases and scenarios. It helps identify bugs, errors, and unexpected behaviors that may not be apparent during static testing.

2. Real-time feedback: Testers receive real-time feedback on the software’s performance and behavior with dynamic testing. This enables them to quickly identify and rectify issues, leading to faster bug resolution and improved overall quality.

3. Accurate simulation of user interactions: Dynamic testing involves simulating real-world user interactions with the software, ensuring that it behaves as expected under different conditions. This helps validate the software’s usability, responsiveness, and compatibility across various platforms or devices.

4. Improved reliability: Potential failures or defects can be identified early in the development process by subjecting the software to dynamic testing. This improves reliability as issues are addressed promptly, reducing the likelihood of critical failures or system crashes in production environments.

5. Enhanced security: Dynamic testing also helps identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the software, allowing for robust security measures to protect against potential threats and breaches.

Disadvantages

1. Time-consuming: Dynamic testing requires the creation and execution of test cases, which can be time-consuming, especially for complex software systems. 

3. Expensive: Dynamic testing often requires specialized tools and resources to execute test cases effectively. These tools can be expensive to acquire and maintain, especially for organizations with limited budgets or small-scale projects. Additionally, dynamic testing may require skilled testers proficient in using these tools, further adding to the overall cost.

4. Dependent: Dynamic testing tools rely on the current state of the system being tested, making it necessary to update and adapt the tools as the system evolves, which can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.

Dynamic Testing Process 

The dynamic testing process involves several steps. Here is a step-by-step explanation of the dynamic testing process: 

1. Test Planning: Define the objectives, scope, and test strategy for dynamic testing. Identify the test types, techniques, and resources required. Determine the test environment and establish the test objectives and success criteria. 

2. Test Case Design: Create or select test cases that cover various scenarios and functionalities of the software. Test cases should include input values, expected results, and any preconditions or setup required. Consider both positive and negative test cases to validate the software’s behavior. 

Read more on Test Case Design Techniques.

3. Test Environment Setup: Prepare the test environment by setting up the necessary hardware, software, and network configurations. Install and configure the software or system under test, including any test automation tools or frameworks. 

4. Test Execution: Execute the test cases based on the test plan and test case design. Input the test data, interact with the software, and observe the output and behavior. Record any issues, defects, or deviations from expected results.

5. Defect Reporting: Document and report any defects or issues encountered during test execution. Provide clear and detailed information about the defect, including steps to reproduce, expected behavior, and actual behavior. Include any supporting artifacts like logs or screenshots. 

Read more on How to write good but report

6. Defect Analysis and Debugging: Investigate and analyze the reported defects to identify the root cause. Debug the software or system to understand the underlying issue. This may involve collaborating with developers, analyzing logs, or using debugging tools. 

7. Defect Resolution: Work with the development team to address and resolve the reported defects. Implement fixes or changes to the software or system to correct the issues identified during testing. Conduct retesting to ensure the fixes are effective. 

8. Test Reporting: Summarize the test results, including the executed test cases, their outcomes, and any defects found. Provide insights into the software’s behavior, performance, and adherence to requirements. Communicate the test report to stakeholders, highlighting any critical issues or risks. 

9. Test Closure: Evaluate the overall test execution and assess if the testing goals and objectives have been met. Identify any lessons learned and areas for improvement in future testing efforts. Prepare test closure documents and archive the test artifacts for future reference. 

Throughout the dynamic testing process, it is important to maintain effective communication with stakeholders, collaborate with the development team, and ensure timely feedback and resolution of defects. Continuous monitoring, analysis, and adaptation of the testing approach may be necessary based on the test results and evolving requirements.

Dynamic Testing and Test Automation 

Test automation should be considered for dynamic testing in the following scenarios: 

1. Repetitive and frequent execution: If a particular test scenario or set of test cases needs to be executed repeatedly and frequently, test automation can save time and effort by automating the execution process. 

2. Large and complex test suites: When dealing with a large number of test cases or complex test suites, manual execution becomes time-consuming and prone to human errors. Automation can efficiently handle the execution, reducing manual effort and ensuring consistent results. 

3. Regression testing: Regression testing involves retesting the software after modifications or enhancements. Since regression testing often requires executing a significant number of test cases, automating this process helps in detecting any regression issues quickly and efficiently. 

4. Performance testing and load testing: These types of testing involve simulating multiple users or high workloads. Automating the execution and analysis of performance tests helps in accurately measuring the system’s performance, identifying bottlenecks, and collecting performance-related metrics. 

5. Cross-platform and compatibility testing: When testing software across different platforms, operating systems, browsers, or devices, test automation simplifies the process by allowing parallel execution on multiple 

configurations. 

6. Data-driven testing: If the test cases require variations in input data sets, automating data-driven testing can enable the efficient execution of multiple test scenarios with different data combinations.

7. Integration testing: In scenarios where the software interacts with various external systems or components, automating integration testing helps in simulating and verifying interactions, ensuring proper integration and functionality. 

It is important to note that not all dynamic testing scenarios are suitable for automation. Some aspects, such as exploratory testing or user experience testing, may require human judgment and observation. Test automation should be applied judiciously based on factors like test complexity, repeatability, and ROI considerations.

How to Choose the Right Dynamic Testing Tool?

Before you embark on the journey of automating your tests, you need to decide on an automation tool. But among many options available in the market, how do you know which ones are best for your business and project? 

Follow the below pointers to choose a test automation tool for dynamic testing:

• Identify specific testing needs and objectives.
• Evaluate the tool’s compatibility with the technologies and platforms used.
• Assess the tool’s ease of use, learning curve, and available support.
• Consider the tool’s capabilities for scripting, test case management, and reporting.
• Check if it integrates with existing testing frameworks or tools.
• Analyze the tool’s scalability, robustness, and performance.
• Consider the cost, licensing, and maintenance requirements.
• Seek recommendations and read reviews from experienced users.

And now, you can select a tool. We have some options for you.

Tools for Automating Dynamic Testing 

1. Testsigma: 

● Testsigma is a cloud-based test automation tool designed for web, mobile, desktop, and API applications. All tests can be automated from the same place.

● Key features include natural language-based test creation, AI-powered self-healing tests, and a codeless test automation approach.  Thus, its very easy to automate your tests. 

● Testsigma offers seamless integration with popular tools like JIRA, Jenkins, and Slack, enabling easy collaboration and reporting. Thus, very easy to integrate with your existing time line.

● Its cross-browser and cross-platform compatibility help ensure comprehensive testing across various configurations. 

Automate your dynamic tests for web, mobile, desktop and APIs, 5x faster, with Testsigma

2. Selenium: 

● Selenium is a widely-used open-source test automation framework for web applications. 

● It includes Selenium WebDriver for interacting with web browsers, Selenium IDE for record-and-playback functionality, and Selenium Grid for distributed testing. 

● Selenium supports multiple programming languages, such as Java, Python, and C#, allowing flexibility in scripting and test development.

 ● It integrates well with various test frameworks and CI/CD pipelines, making it suitable for continuous testing and integration. 

3. Appium: 

● Appium is an open-source test automation tool for mobile applications, both native and hybrid, across different platforms (iOS, Android, 

Windows). 

● It allows testers to write automated tests using popular programming languages, including Java, Python, and Ruby. 

● Appium supports a wide range of mobile testing capabilities, including gesture support, device synchronization, and context switching. 

● It can seamlessly integrate with popular test frameworks and CI/CD tools, making it suitable for mobile test automation in Agile and DevOps environments. 

Please note that these are just a few examples, and there are several other dynamic testing automation tools available in the market. The selection of a tool should be based on your specific requirements, technology stack, and team expertise.

Best Practices: Important Points to Keep in Mind When Performing Dynamic Testing

• Test Coverage: Ensure that tests cover all critical functionalities and scenarios.
• Test Data: Use appropriate and diverse test data to validate different paths and conditions.
• Environment: Test in various environments to assess system behavior under different conditions.
• Automation: Automate repetitive tests to improve efficiency and consistency.
• Documentation: Document test cases, results, and any discovered issues for future reference and analysis.
• Feedback Loop: Incorporate feedback from testing into the development process to iterate and improve software quality.
• Risk-based Testing: Prioritize testing efforts based on identified risks and critical functionalities.
• Performance Testing: Include performance testing to assess system responsiveness, scalability, and reliability under load.
• Security Testing: Incorporate security testing to identify vulnerabilities and ensure data protection.
• Compliance Testing: Validate adherence to industry standards, regulations, and compliance requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dynamic Performance Testing?

Dynamic performance testing evaluates the performance and responsiveness of a software system under varying conditions by executing it with simulated user loads or input data. It aims to assess factors such as response time, throughput, scalability, and resource utilization to identify performance bottlenecks and ensure the system meets specified performance criteria.

What are the steps in dynamic testing?

Dynamic testing involves the below lists of steps:

• Identify test objectives and define test scenarios.
• Create test cases based on functional and non-functional requirements.
• Execute tests by running the software with different inputs.
• Observe and analyze the system’s behavior and outputs.
• Compare actual results with expected results.
• Report and track defects for resolution.

Is dynamic testing White Box testing?

White box testing is a type of dynamic testing. However, keep in mind that dynamic testing is not limited to white box testing. Dynamic testing can be performed using both white-box testing and black-box testing techniques.