Software Testing - Stability Testing
A software is developed keeping in mind the fact it will be used under different environmental circumstances. To ensure that the characteristics, and quality of the software in varying conditions are maintained, the stability testing is done. This type of testing checks the robustness, and behavior of the software verified under numerous situations.
What is Software Stability Testing?
The software stability testing is one of the concepts under the non-functional testing. It makes an attempt to extend the limit of working of different modules of software to the maximal extent. It evaluates the productivity of the software beyond its threshold working potential, also known as the breakpoint.
The stability testing plays a very important role in the error handling, and to ensure stability, performance, scalability, and usability of the software under the influence of large load. It is not focussed on assessing the characteristics of the software under operational conditions. This type of testing is important to determine the stability issues in the software, and verifies if it undergoes any crashes under any circumstances.
Objectives of Software Stability Testing
The objectives of the software stability testing are listed below −
- The stability testing improves the confidence, and trust on the stability of the software.
- The stability testing confirms if the software has the capacity to handle complicated issues.
- The stability testing enhances the productivity, and efficiency of the software.
- The stability testing measures the stability of the software under the different conditions of stress.
Process of Software Stability Testing
The process of the software stability testing are listed below −
Step 1 − The first step involves the test planning based on the expected usage trends of the software. It also considers the need for having a consistent performance of the software for an increased duration of time, and to achieve objectives of stability in a software.
Step 2 − The second step involves the test case preparation based on the real life use cases, and transactions to analyze the stability of the software.
Step 3 − The third step involves the review of the test cases to measure whether they are of the standard quality and are correct, and efficient.
Step 4 − The fourth step involves the execution of the test cases to gauge the softwares capacity to maintain a stable state for an extended period of time under various conditions.
Step 5 − The fifth step involves the evaluation of the test results, and reporting the discrepancies.
What if Software Stability Testing isn't Done?
If the stability testing is not performed, the software slows down while dealing with the large amounts of data. Also, it is observed that the software shows a high frequency of crashes in case its stability is not tested. The stability testing ensures that the software does not show indifferent characteristics when it is shifted to various other environments. Finally, in the absence of correct stability tests, the softwares performance, and robustness are affected which adversely affects the business.
What Factors does Software Stability Testing Cover?
The factors which are covered as a part of the software stability testing are listed below −
- Verification of Disk Space
- Throughput
- Memory Usage
- Total count of users per second
- Efficiency of CPU
- Total count of transactions per second
- Response time of each transactions
Different Tools used for Software Stability Testing
The different tools used for the software stability testing are listed below −
- LoadRunner
- HeavyLoad
- NeoLoad
- Apache JMeter
- IntelBurn Test
- WebLoad
Advantages of Software Stability Testing
The advantages of the software stability testing are listed below −
- The stability testing calculates the threshold amount of data that the software can manage under normal conditions.
- The stability testing improves the confidence, and trust on the performance of the software.
- The stability testing evaluates the stability, and performance of the software under various load conditions.
- The stability testing builds trust, and loyalty of the customers on the software.
Conclusion
This concludes our comprehensive take on the tutorial on Software Stability Testing. Weve started with describing what is software stability testing, what are the objectives of the software stability testing, what is the process of the software stability testing, what happens if the software stability testing is not performed, what factors are covered as a part of the software stability testing, what are the different tools used for the software stability testing, and what are the advantages of software stability testing. This equips you with in-depth knowledge of Software Stability Testing. It is wise to keep practicing what youve learned and exploring others relevant to Software Testing to deepen your understanding and expand your horizons.