What is Software Testing Life Cycle?

Introduction

Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) is the testing procedure which is executed in an orderly and arranged way. In the STLC procedure, various exercises are done to improve the nature of the item. 

Attributes of STLC:

• STLC is a basic piece of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) however STLC comprises of just the testing stages. 
• STLC begins when prerequisites are characterized, or programming necessity report is shared by partners. 
• STLC yields a bit by bit procedure to guarantee quality programming. 

In the basic periods of STLC, while the item thing or the application is being made, the testing bunch examinations and describes the degree of testing, area and leave criteria and the trials. It helps with reducing the test procedure length and besides redesign the item quality. 

At the point when the advancement organize is done, the group is set up with experiments and start the execution. This helper in finding bugs in the beginning time. 

STLC Phases

STLC has the accompanying various stages however it isn't required to follow all stages. Stages are reliant on the idea of the product or the item, time and assets designated for the testing and the model of SDLC that will be followed.

Requirement Analysis:

Requirement Analysis is the absolute first stage in Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) and it begins when the SRD/SRS is imparted to the testing group. 

Right now, the group experiences the Requirement archive with both Functional and non-functional subtleties so as to recognize the testable necessities. ‘Requirement analysis’ phase helps in deciding and preparing in case of any mitigation strategy is required.

On the off chance that any contention, missing or not saw any prerequisite, at that point QA group catch up with the different partners like Business Analyst, System Architecture, Client, Technical Manager/Lead and so on to all the more likely comprehend the nitty-gritty information on necessity. 

From absolute initial step QA associated with the where STLC which assists with forestalling the bringing deserts into Software under test. The prerequisites can be either Functional or Non-Functional like Performance, Security testing. Likewise, prerequisite and Automation attainability of the venture should be possible right now (if applicable)

Entry Criteria	Activities	Deliverable
Following documents should be available: – Requirements Specification. – Application architectural Along with the above documents, Acceptance criteria should be well defined.	Prepare the list of questions or queries and get resolved from Business Analyst, System Architecture, Client, Technical Manager/Lead etc. Make out the list for what all Types of Tests performed like Functional, Security, and Performance etc. Define the testing focus and priorities. List down the Test environment details where testing activities will be carried out. Check out the Automation feasibility if required & prepare the Automation feasibility report.	List of questions with all answers to be resolved from business i.e. testable requirements Automation feasibility report (if applicable)

Test Planning:

Test Planning is the most significant period of Software testing life cycle where all testing system is characterized. This stage likewise called as Test Strategy stage. All the features in the testing activities are planned and put into a document this is called as ‘test planning’. Right now, Test Manager (or Test Lead dependent on organization to organization) required to decide the exertion and quotes for the whole venture. This stage will be commenced once the necessity gathering stage is finished and dependent on the prerequisite investigation, begin setting up the Test Plan. The Result of Test Planning stage will be Test Plan or Test system and Testing Effort estimation archives. When the test arranging stage is finished the QA group can begin with test cases development activity.

Entry Criteria	Activities	Deliverable
Requirements Documents (Updated version of unclear or missing requirement). Automation feasibility report.	Define the Objective & scope of the project. List down the testing types involved in the STLC. Test effort estimation and resource planning. Selection of testing tool if required. Define the testing process overview. Define the test environment required for the entire project. Prepare the test schedules. Define control procedures. Determining roles and responsibilities. List down the testing deliverable. Define the entry criteria, suspension criteria, resumption criteria and exit criteria. Define the risk involved if any.	Test Plan or Test strategy document. Testing Effort estimation document.

Test Case Development:

The test case development activity is begun once the test arranging action is done. This is the period of STLC where testing group record the definite experiments. Alongside experiments testing group likewise set up the test information if any required for testing. Test cases are written for all the newly implemented features needs to be tested. When the experiments are prepared then these experiments are inspected by peer individuals or QA lead. 

Likewise, the Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM) is readied. The Requirement Traceability Matrix is an industry-acknowledged configuration for following prerequisites where each experiment is mapped with the necessity. Utilizing this Requirement Traceability Matrix we can follow in reverse and forward detectability.

Entry Criteria	Activities	Deliverable
Requirements Documents (Updated version of unclear or missing requirement). Automation feasibility report.	Preparation of test cases. Preparation of test automation scripts (if required). Re-requisite test data preparation for executing test cases.	Test cases. Test data. Test Automation Scripts (if required).

Test Environment Setup:

Setting up the test condition is an essential piece of the STLC. Essentially, the test condition chooses which conditions programming is tried. This is a free movement and can be begun corresponding with Test Case Development. During the time spent setting up a testing domain, the test group isn't engaged with it. In light of an organization to organization might be an engineer or client makes the testing condition. In the meantime, the testing group ought to set up the smoke test cases to check the status of the test condition arrangement. While deciding the environment all hardware and software details are taken into consideration like which Operating system to use, how many servers should be involved, memory space, test drivers, stubs, testing data.

Entry Criteria	Activities	Deliverable
Test Plan is available. Smoke Test cases are available. Test data is available.	Analyze the requirements and prepare the list of Software & hardware required to set up a test environment. Setup the test environment. Once the Test Environment is setup execute the Smoke test cases to check the readiness of the test environment.	Test Environment will be ready with test data. Result of Smoke Test cases.

Test Execution:

When the arrangement of Test Case Development and Test Environment arrangement is finished then the test execution stage can be commenced. Right now group begin executing experiments dependent on arranged test arranging and arranged experiments in the earlier advance.

When the experiment is passed then the equivalent can be set apart as Passed. On the off chance that any experiment is fizzled, at that point the relating deformity can be accounted for to the engineering group by means of the bug following framework and bug can be connected for the comparing experiment for additional investigation. In a perfect world, each bombed experiment ought to be related within any event a solitary bug. Utilizing this connecting we can get the bombed experiment with a bug related with it. When the bug fixed by the advancement group then a similar experiment can be executed dependent on your test arranging. 

On the off chance that any of the experiments are hindered because of any imperfection, at that point such experiments can be set apart as Blocked, so we can get the report dependent on what number of experiments passed, fizzled, blocked or not run and so forth. When the imperfections are fixed, the equivalent Failed or Blocked experiments can be executed again to retest the usefulness.

Entry Criteria	Activities	Deliverable
Test Plan or Test strategy document. Test cases. Test data.	Based on test planning execute the test cases. Mark status of test cases like Passed, Failed, Blocked, Not Run etc. Assign Bug Id for all Failed and Blocked test cases. Do Retest once the defects are fixed. Track the defects to closure.	Test case execution report. Defect report.

Test Cycle Closure:

Get out the testing colleague meeting and assess cycle fulfilment criteria dependent on Test inclusion, Quality, Cost, Time, Critical Business Objectives, and Software. Talk about what all went great, which region should be improve and taking the exercises from current STLC as a contribution to up and coming test cycles, which will assist with improving bottleneck in the STLC procedure. Experiment and bug report will investigate to discover the imperfection dispersion by type and seriousness. When complete the test cycle at that point test conclusion report and Test measurements will be readied. Test outcome examination to discover the imperfection dissemination by type and seriousness.

Entry Criteria	Activities	Deliverable
Test case execution is completed Test case Execution report Defect report	Evaluate cycle completion criteria based on Test coverage, Quality, Cost, Time, Critical Business Objectives, and Software Prepare test metrics based on the above parameters. Prepare Test closure report Share best practices for any similar projects in future	Test Closure report Test metrics