During the software development process, it is extremely important to ensure that your source code does not contain security vulnerabilities or programming errors. One of the powerful methods to achieve this is to use static testing. Let’s learn about the practical applications of static testing through the following article.

What is static testing?

Static testing is a software testing method that focuses on examining the source code and documentation of the software without executing the program. During this process, static testing tools analyze source code to find programming errors, security vulnerabilities, and performance potential. The goal of static testing is to detect problems at an early stage of development to minimize risks and costs during testing and maintaining the software.

There are two main types of Static Testing: manual testing and automated testing.

Manual testing

This type of testing is performed by humans, without the use of tools. Manual testing includes activities such as: Review code (Check source code to find syntax, logic and semantic errors); Review documents (Check documents related to software such as requirements, designs, test cases,…); Inspection (Analysis of source code or documentation according to a structured process to find errors).

Automated testing

This type of testing uses tools to automatically analyze source code or documentation. Automated testing includes activities such as: Static code analysis (Using tools to analyze source code and find syntax, logic and semantic errors); Code coverage analysis (Analyze the percentage of source code executed by test cases); Data flow analysis (Analyze the data flow in the program to find logic errors).

In addition to the above two main types, Static Testing also includes other types such as: Unit testing (Testing each individual unit in the program); Integration testing (Check how units are combined together); System testing (Check the entire system to ensure it meets the requirements).

Applications and benefits of static testing

During software development, it is extremely important to ensure that your source code is secure, reliable and efficient. To achieve this, static testing has become an indispensable tool.

Application of Static Testing

Below are some common uses of static testing applications.

• Check source code: Check source code for syntax, logic, and semantic errors.
• Check documents: Check documents related to software such as requirements, designs, test cases, etc.
• Interface testing: Test the user interface to ensure it is easy to use and meets requirements.
• Performance testing: Analyze source code to predict software performance.
• Security testing: Analyze source code to find security vulnerabilities.

Benefits of Static Testing

• Detect errors early: Static testing helps detect errors in the early stages of software development, when fixing errors is easier and less expensive.
• Save time and costs: Detecting errors early helps save time and costs for fixing errors later.
• Improve software quality: Static testing helps improve software quality by minimizing the number of errors in the software.
• Minimize risks: Static testing helps minimize risks during software deployment

Static testing implementation process

To perform static testing effectively, a specific process needs to be applied. Below is the process of performing static testing:

• Determine scope and goals: The first step in the static testing process is to determine the scope of the test and the specific goals you want to achieve. This includes determining the type of software to test, the specific functions to test, and the quality criteria you want to apply.
• Collect documents and source code: After determining the scope and goals, you need to collect documents and source code to test. This includes collecting documents such as requirements, design, and source code of the software from the development team.
• Categorize documents and source code: Next, you need to categorize documents and source code based on the type of testing you want to perform. This can include classifying documents into functional requirements, design, and technical documents, as well as source code into specific components such as modules, classes, or functions.
• Use appropriate tools and software: After classification, you need to use appropriate tools and software to perform static testing. These tools may include code editors, syntax checkers, and automated source code analysis tools.
• Conduct testing: Conduct testing by carefully analyzing documentation and source code to find programming errors, security vulnerabilities, and other issues that can affect quality and reliability software reliability.
• Record and report results: Once testing is completed, record results and create a report on detected errors and issues. This report should provide detailed information about the problems, as well as suggestions on how to fix and improve.
• Repair and retest: Finally, discovered errors and problems should be repaired and retested to ensure that they have been fully and effectively resolved.

The difference between Static testing – Dynamic Testing

The information above has told you what static testing is. During software testing, two main methods are used: static testing and dynamic testing. So what is dynamic testing?

Dynamic testing is a software testing technique performed by running a program and observing its behavior. It focuses on finding errors in software functionality and behavior. Both static testing and dynamic testing play an important role in ensuring software quality, but they have fundamental differences.

• Execution time: Static testing is performed during the software development phase, before the program is executed, while dynamic testing is performed during the testing phase after the program has been deployed and executed.
• Testing scope: Static testing focuses on the source code and documentation of the software, while dynamic testing focuses on the actual program and the results when the program is executed.
• Type of errors detected: Static testing detects programming errors and security vulnerabilities from source code and documentation, while dynamic testing detects execution errors and issues related to program performance and stability.

See more: Acceptance Testing

Static testing is an effective and necessary testing technique for every software development project. Applying this technique will help improve software quality, save time and costs, and increase the working efficiency of the development team.