Software Testing - Code Inspection

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The software development life cycle (SDLC) consists of multiple stages. Each and every stage of it plays an important role towards software development. Inspection is a critical step for the complete building of the software.

The focus is not only in creating the software but also in verifying the entire code used for building it and detecting faults in them. This is known as code verification. It is of two types listed below −

• Dynamic Technique − It is done by running the software by feeding some inputs to it. Then the output it generates is examined to find issues in the code.
• Static Technique − It is done by running the software conceptually without any data and inputs. The static techniques include reading through the code, static analysis, code reviews, inspections etc.

What is Code Inspection?

The code inspection is done to review the code of the software and detect errors in it. It reduces the probability of fault multiplication and defects being detected at the later stages of SDLC by streamlining the bug identification procedures. Thus code inspection is a part of code review.

How Does the Code Inspection Work?

The moderator, author, reader, and recorder forms a part of the code inspection team. All relevant documents are made available to this team to plan for the future course of actions in this regard. If the inspection team is unaware of the project, the author gives an introduction of the project and the outline of code to the inspection team.

The inspection team then checks every piece of code as per the inspection checklists. Once inspection has been completed, the inspection team informs the findings of the reviewed code to the respective team members.

Why is Code Inspection Done?

The code inspection is done for the reasons listed below −

• It detects faults in the software code.
• It identifies if there are any needs for process improvements.
• It validates if the correct coding standards are followed in the project.
• It involves peer review of the code.
• It records and documents all the bugs in the code.

Advantages of Code Inspections

The advantages of code inspection are listed below −

• It is done to enhance the software quality.
• It identifies bugs in the software code.
• It suggests various process improvements in the project.
• Educates the team how to leverage from past mistakes.
• It detects inefficiency in the code and project.

Disadvantages of Code Inspections

The disadvantages of code inspection are listed below −

• It is a time-consuming process.
• It requires extensive planning and execution.

What are the Code Inspection Checklists?

The common code inspection checklists are listed below −

• If the code is readable.
• If the code is maintainable.
• If there is efficient coding.
• If the code is incorporating all the software requirements.
• If the code has been created keeping in mind all the security features.
• If the code has the correct formatting, indentions, comments etc.
• If the code has been unit tested.
• If the code is as per the standards.
• If the code has all the relevant documentations and references.

The code inspection checklists followed in various projects, and organizations may differ from one another based on the multiple factors. Also, the checklist items for code inspections are revisited frequently to incorporate new changes. They assist the inspection procedure but not a replacement for human code review and knowledge.

What are the Errors that are Generally Detected During the Code Inspections?

The errors that are generally detected during the code inspections are listed below −

Data Errors − Some of the data errors are −

• The variables are not initialized correctly before actually using them.
• The constants have no proper names.
• There is buffer overflow.

Control Errors − Some of the control errors are −

• The conditions in the conditional statements are not correct.
• The loop is not ending correctly.
• All the code snippets do not correct brackets.

Input/Output Errors − Some of the input/output errors are −

• All the input variables remain unutilized.
• All the output variables are not assigned values.
• Some of the input values get corrupted.

Interface Errors − Some of the interface errors are −

• The methods and functions do not have proper parameters.
• The formal and actual parameters are not matching.
• The parameters are not appearing in the correct sequence.
• The parameters are not sharing the same memory structure.

Exceptional Errors include all other error conditions which may appear in the software.

Conclusion

This concludes our comprehensive take on the tutorial on Software Code Inspection. We’ve started with describing what is code inspection, how the code inspection works, why code inspection is done, advantages and disadvantages of code inspections, what are the code inspection checklists and what are the errors that are generally detected during the code inspections. This equips you with in-depth knowledge of the Software Code Inspection. It is wise to keep practicing what you’ve learned and exploring others relevant to Software Testing to deepen your understanding and expand your horizons.