Static Testing

Static testing is a form of software testing where the software isn't actually used. This is in contrast to dynamic testing. It is generally not detailed testing, but checks mainly for the sanity of the code, algorithm, or document. It is primarily syntax checking of the code and/or manually reviewing the code or document to find errors. This type of testing can be used by the developer who wrote the code, in isolation. Code reviews, inspections and walkthroughs are also used.

From the black box testing point of view, static testing involves reviewing requirements and specifications. This is done with an eye toward completeness or appropriateness for the task at hand. This is the verification portion of Verification and Validation.

Even static testing can be automated. A static testing test suite consists of programs to be analyzed by an interpreter or a compiler that asserts the programs syntactic validity.

Bugs discovered at this stage of development are less expensive to fix than later in the development cycle.

The people involved in static testing are application developers, testers, and business analyst.

There are many approaches to software testing. Reviews, walkthroughs  or inspections are considered as static testing, whereas actually executing programmed code with a given set of test cases is referred to as dynamic testing. Static testing can be (and unfortunately in practice often is) omitted.

Dynamic testing takes place when the program itself is used for the first time (which is generally considered the beginning of the testing stage).

Walk Through:

1.     Meeting start by author.

2.     May be documented.

3.     Optional may be use of check list permeating preparation.

Benefit: it is quite informal to very formal.

Purpose: Find effect & learning

Inspection:

1.     Meeting let by moderator.

2.     Planning entry /exit criteria.

3.     Kick off(distribute document).

4.     Entry criteria.

5.     Individual preparation.

6.     Review meeting.

7.     Scribe.

8.     Rework.

9.     Follow up(exit criteria).

Peer Review (By Technical Persons):

1.     Meeting let by moderator.

Benefit:

 1. Early defect detection and correction.

 2. Lifetime cost reduction.

 3. Fewer defects and improve communication.

 4. Reduce testing cost and time.