You may have heard that QA engineers play a key role in finding defects before the product is made available to customers. However, how precisely do they do this? You can check out the QA engineer training to learn more about Software bugs.
How Do QA Engineers Find Software Bug?
The software’s nooks and crannies are painstakingly examined by QA engineers, who act as digital detectives hunting for any anomalies. To find bugs, they use a variety of tools and procedures, including:
- Testing scenarios: To replicate real-world interactions with the program, QA engineers carefully adhere to preset testing scenarios and use cases. They check that every function and feature operates as planned and spot inconsistencies.
- Unscripted testing known as exploratory testing involves QA engineers examining the software’s functions for anomalous behaviour, bugs, or inconsistencies.
- Regression testing is a technique used by QA engineers to verify that bugs have been addressed and that new code has not produced any faults that have not already been present when the software was verified.
- Boundary and stress testing: QA engineers push the program to its breaking point by inputting extreme numbers or overburdening it with loads, in an effort to find probable flaws or performance-related defects.
- Compatibility testing is done to make sure that the program behaves consistently across a range of platforms, browsers, and devices.
As they gain more expertise, QA engineers can even pinpoint potential problem areas and get right to the high-risk ones.
How to Tell It’s a Bug?
“There is no bug. It’s an attribute”. A charming joke with lots of reality. Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between a real bug and an intentional feature or user error.
1.Deviation from Specifications
There is a good chance that a problem is to blame if the observed behaviour conflicts with the listed requirements.
As an illustration, a website for online shopping that should display product prices in USD does so instead in another currency.
2.Continuity of a Problem
If a problem regularly arises under particular circumstances and cannot be traced to user behaviour, it is probably a bug.
Example: Regardless of the content being edited, a video editing program breaks every time a user tries to export a video file.
3.Unintended Outcomes
A bug is present when the program exhibits unexpected, illogical, or inconsistent behaviour from its intended functionality.
For instance, a button may open the incorrect form or direct a user to the incorrect page.
4.Compared to earlier versions
Anomalies that suggest the presence of a bug can be discovered by comparing the current behaviour with earlier software versions.
For instance, without any deliberate design modifications, characters in an updated edition of a mobile game walk more slowly than they did in the prior version.
5.Reproducibility
Bugs can be reproduced; if the same sequence of events consistently causes the problem, it’s probably a bug.
For instance, when a user tries to upload a file that is too huge, the software program always breaks.
6.External Factors
Functional interruptions (in this scenario, there is no defect) can also be brought on by network connectivity issues, hardware issues, or interruptions in third-party services.
As an illustration, a mobile app may appear to be unresponsive, but the problem is actually a problem with the network rather than a defect in the software itself.
7.Messages and Logs for Errors
Log files, console outputs, and error messages can all offer important clues about what causes unusual actions.
For instance, when users try to log in, a web application shows an error message suggesting a database connection failure.
8.User Reviews
User reviews and feedback frequently draw attention to patterns of strange behaviour that might point to a bug.
A software program, for instance, is reported to stall when users try to print a document.
How to Report a Software Bug?
For engineers to successfully identify, duplicate, and fix problems, accurate bug reporting is crucial. In order to report a bug, QA professionals must:
- Describe the precise procedures that were done, along with any unique inputs or activities, that resulted in the bug’s appearance.
- Record the device, operating system, browser, and any other pertinent information about the environment in which the incident occurred.
- Explicitly describe any error messages, crashes, or other symptoms (manifestations) of the defect.
- Give developers visual aids, such as images or log data, to help them visualize the problem and identify the error more quickly.
Conclusion
The bug paradox holds my interest. As they signify failure, some people despite flaws. Some people adore them because they signify a job well done. One thing is certain, though: Mistakes help us develop. So let’s be grateful for each bug and each mistake we make. They’re here to make us better. Check out the QA testing training to learn more about Software bugs.
