Static Testing VS Dynamic Testing – Key Differences
We know Software testing is an essential part of software development. Static and dynamic Testing are two approaches to Testing software that are important for ensuring the software’s quality.
- Static Testing involves testing the software without running it
- Dynamic Testing involves executing the program and testing its behavior in different scenarios.
This blog will discuss the differences between static testing vs dynamic testing and when to use each approach.
Table Of Contents
Differences Between Static Testing and Dynamic Testing
Static Testing
Static Testing is a software testing technique that involves reviewing and analyzing
- software documentation,
- design, or code
without executing the software.
It is a way of checking for errors and defects in the software by examining it in a “static” state rather than actively running it.
Static Testing aims to identify issues early in software development when they are easier and less costly to fix. By catching defects early, Static Testing can help improve the software’s overall quality and reliability. Also, it enhances maintainability and ultimately saves time and money in the long run.
| Read More about Static Testing |
Dynamic Testing
This software testing technique involves executing the software and testing its behavior in different scenarios. During dynamic testing, testers create test cases and conduct test runs to identify defects and ensure the software meets the specified requirements. This testing aims to validate the software’s functionality, performance, and security and to ensure that it behaves as expected by testing it against various inputs, expected outputs, and error conditions.
| Read More on Dynamic testing |
Static Testing Vs Dynamic Testing
| Features | Static Testing | Dynamic Testing |
| Definition | A testing technique that reviews and analyzes software documentation, source code, and other artifacts before execution. | A testing technique that evaluates software behavior when it is executed. |
| Objective | To identify defects and improve software quality early in development. | To validate the software’s functionality and behavior in different scenarios. |
| Types of Testing | Code review, walk-through, and inspection | Unit, integration, system, acceptance, performance, security, and user acceptance testing. |
| Timing | It begins early in the software development process and continues forever. | Conducted after coding and development are complete. |
| Results | Includes reviews, walkthroughs, and inspections of the software. | Includes functional, integration, system, performance, and usability tests |
| Automation | These tests, generally, cannot be automated. | These can be automated. |
Choosing Between Static Testing and Dynamic Testing
When choosing between these testing, it is essential to consider the specific requirements and objectives of the testing process. Both approaches have advantages and limitations, so a justification for selecting one over the other depends on various factors.
Static testing involves analyzing code without executing it, while dynamic testing involves running code to identify any issues. The choice between static and dynamic testing largely depends on the desired outcome. Static testing may be the way to go if you’re looking to catch coding errors early and improve code quality. On the other hand, dynamic testing is likely the better choice if you’re concerned with how a program behaves when running. You could also choose to do both according to the results you are expecting.
I conclude by saying both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses. So, it should be completely a decision based on the project’s specific needs.
Summary
In summary, static testing is a non-execution approach performed at the early stage of development that identifies defects through code review, walkthrough, and inspection techniques. Dynamic testing is another approach that validates the software’s performance, scalability, functionality, and reliability through various testing techniques such as black-box, white-box, and grey-box testing. This testing is done while the code is being executed in a run-time environment.
Both testing techniques play a vital role in software development and complement each other by thoroughly reviewing the software’s quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is static and dynamic testing in agile?
When, just like the software development activities in Agile, the static and dynamic testing is also done in iterations according to the tasks taken up for each iteration, it is termed “static and dynamic testing in Agile”.
Is black-box testing static or dynamic?
Black-box testing is dynamic testing. The main objective of black-box testing is to assess the software’s functionality, usability, performance, security, and other non-functional aspects.
What are static and dynamic testing tools?
Some examples of static testing tools include SonarQube, Crucible, Code Collaborator, and FindBugs. Some examples of dynamic testing tools include Testsigma, Selenium, SoapUI, JMeter, and LoadRunner.
