What is Dynamic Testing? (Types and Methodologies)

Dynamic testing refers to analyzing code’s dynamic behavior in the software. In this type of testing, you have to give input and get output as per the expectation through executing a test case. You can run the test cases manually or through an automation process, and the software code must be compiled and run for this.

The main purpose of dynamic testing is to validate the software and ensure it works properly without any faults after the installation. In a snapshot, you can say that dynamic testing assures the overall functionality and performance of the application. Also, it should be stable and consistent. 

Characteristics of Dynamic Testing

• Execution of code: The software’s code needs to compile and run on the test environment. It should be error-free.
• Execution of test cases on the running system: First, identify the features that need to be tested. Then you need to execute the test cases in the test environment. The test cases must be prepared in the early stage of dynamic testing.
• Inputs are provided during the execution: It is necessary to execute the code with the required input per the end-users specifications.
• Observing the output and behavior of the system: You need to analyze the actual output after the test execution and compare them to the expected output. This output will decide the behavior of the system. If they match, then the test will pass. Otherwise, you need to consider the test as a failure. So, report it as a bug. 

Types of Dynamic Testing

1. Functional Testing

Functional testing checks the functionality of an application as per the requirement specifications. Each module needs to be tested by giving an input, assuming an output, verify the actual result with the expected one. Further, this testing divides into four types –

• Unit Testing: It tests the code’s accuracy and validates every software module component. It determines that every component or unit can work independently.
• Integration Testing: It integrates or combines each component and tests the data flow between them. It ensures that the components work together and interact well.
• System Testing: It makes to test the entire system. So it’s also known as end-to-end testing. You should work through all the modules and check the features so that the product fits the business requirements.
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Customers perform this test just before releasing the software in the market to check the system meets the real user’s conditions and business specifications.

2. Non-Functional Testing

Non-functional testing implies checking the quality of the software. That implies testing whether the software meets the end users’ requirements. It expands the product’s usability, maintainability, effectiveness, and performance. Hence it reduces the manufacturing risk for the non-functional components.

• Performance Testing: In this testing, we have to check how the software can perform in different conditions. Three types of conditions are most considerable to do the performance testing. They are-
  • Speed Testing: The time requires loading a web page with all components- texts, images, videos, etc.
  • Load Testing: Test the software stability when users increase gradually. That means, by this test, you can check the system’s performance under variable loads.
  • Stress Testing: It sets a limit on which the system breaks due to a sudden increase in users’ number.
• Security Testing: Security testing reveals the vulnerabilities and threats of a system. Also, it ensures that the system is protected from unauthorized access, data leakages, attacks, and other issues. Then fix the issues before deployment.
• Usability Testing: This test checks how easily an end user can handle a software/system/application. Additionally, it will check the app’s flexibility and capability to reach the user’s requirements.

Dynamic Testing Methodologies

Black Box Testing

In this testing test, engineers have to test the software as per the requirements and specifications. They don’t need to know about the internal implementation or coding of the software. So, programming knowledge is not necessary for this testing.

Imagine a black colored box is put on a table. You don’t know what is inside the box or even can’t see them because of the black color. The same things happen in this testing. Testers shouldn’t know about internal structures and can’t see that. The tester will put input in a selected test case and then check its functionality to determine whether it’s giving the expected output or not. If it gives the expected output, it will be marked as ‘pass’. 

Black box testing is performed after white box testing.

White Box Testing

White box testing mandates the coding knowledge of a tester because it needs to test internal coding implementation and algorithms for the system. You can compare it to a transparent white box to see all the materials from the outside. 

Similarly, in this testing, it’s already known, and can see the internal coding of the system. Thus it’s named like that. For this testing, you have to execute a programming line-by-line to find whether there are errors in the line. Every line should be tested in this way. Input and output are already known for this testing. Here, test cases are made from source code.

Gray Box Testing

Gray box testing combines black and white box testing. Here the testers need to perform both tests, hence, the name. In this case, testers can see the internal coding partially, and you can say the coding is like a gray box that indicates semi-transparency.

‘Database testing’ is a practical example of gray box testing. Cause you have to test both the front and backend sides of the DB. The front end comprises UI-level operations like login. So, here you don’t need any kind of programming. It’s black-box testing. 

The backend indicates the internal structure of the DB. You need to know about the tables’ structures. Then you can test the DB by writing and executing SQL commands to check the modification within tables. Thus it’s a kind of white-box testing. In this way, you can complete a gray box testing.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Dynamic Testing

Advantages

1. Detects defects early: The dynamic test cases need to prepare in the early phases of the testing life cycle with inputs and expected outputs. This way, it will find the defects whenever the test cases are executed without wasting time.
2. Provides confidence in the system: Dynamic testing covers major functionalities of a system and component and ensures they are working correctly. Also, it includes proper communication between several modules, increasing the quality of the software.
3. Helps in identifying the system’s performance: Non-functional testing is an essential category of dynamic testing that helps to identify the system’s performance. This test includes checking an application’s response, speed, stress, and loading time in real user conditions and environments.

Disadvantages

1. Time-consuming: This testing requires many resources, including test cases. Thus it becomes time-consuming. 
2. Required skilled resources: You need to hire well-skilled human resources, which means software testers. They must have in-depth coding knowledge that requires unit and integration testing. So, here you need to spend lots of money.
3. Costly: Dynamic testing occurs in the later stages of software development. It is done after the completion of the coding phase. So, issues fixed in this testing automatically increase the cost of the project or product.

Importance of Dynamic Testing in Software development

• Dynamic testing validates the dynamic behavior of the software. Thus you need to compile and run the program software.
• It ensures that the software will work fine after installation without any errors.
• This measures the app’s performance in different environments and real-time scenarios- stress, load, hardware and network issues, OS-browsers compatibility, OS fragmentations, website responsiveness, and more.
• Dynamic testing helps to improve product quality by producing error-free code. It will lead to the ultimate success of the project.
• It helps to identify the loopholes and fix security issues in the applications of organizational levels.

Testing on a Real Device Cloud

BrowserStack is a cloud infrastructure that provides 3000+ real device-browser-OS combinations for dynamic testing. 

Opt for manual or automated dynamic tests using Browserstack on 3000+ real devices and browsers if your product is a Web or Mobile App. It seamlessly integrates with your testing requirements and provides multiple solutions for your Manual and Automation test requirements.

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