Activity 3: Static testing techniques

Activity 3 of our course dives into the world of software testing techniques, focusing on static testing. Static testing is a crucial part of the testing process where we review and inspect the product’s documentation and code without actually running (or executing) it.

These steps will cover different static testing methods such as reviews, walkthroughs, and inspections, including opportunities for you to write your own tests when working through a code review.

We’ll also introduce an optional exercise using pseudocode, where we model writing code with simple language examples.

Additionally, we’ll explore the use of static analysis tools to automatically detect potential issues.

By the end of this activity, you should understand the importance of static testing in early error detection, cost reduction and improving software quality.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this activity, you will be able to:

• Describe the different types of software testing, and where they may be applied in the software development process.
• Design tests for a simple software program, analyse their effectiveness, and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Produce a testing plan using at least one technique and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this technique.
• Reflect on the experience of writing tests and discuss different software testing techniques