Testing Tools Interview Questions
Q.What is Software Development Life Cycle? Answer: The systems (or software) development life cycle (SDLC) is a conceptual model used in project management that describes the stages involved in an information system development project, from an initial feasibility study through maintenance of the completed application. It includes the following different stages: 1. Requirement phase 2. Design phase 3. Coding (programming) 4. Testing 5. Release (Production) 6. Maintenance (Support) Q.What is Business Requirement Document (BRD)? Ans: It is a document that describes the details of the application functionalities which is required by the user. This document is written by the Business Analysts. Q.What automating testing tools are you familiar with? Answer: Win Runner , Load runner, QTP , Silk Performer, Test director, Rational robot, QA run. Q.How did you use automating testing tools in your job? Answer: 1. For regression testing
- Criteria to decide the condition of a particular build
Q.Describe some problem that you had with automating testing tool. Answer :The problem of winrunner identifying the third party controls like infragistics control. Q.How do you plan test automation? Answer : 1. Prepare the automation Test plan
- Identify the scenario
- Record the scenario
- Enhance the scripts by inserting check points and Conditional Loops
- Incorporated Error Handler
- Debug the script
- Fix the issue
- Rerun the script and report the result.
Q.Can test automation improve test effectiveness?
Answer: Yes, Automating a test makes the test process: 1.Fast 2.Reliable 3.Repeatable 4.Programmable 5.Reusable 6.Comprehensive
Q.What is data - driven automation?
Answer: Testing the functionality with more test cases becomes laborious as the functionality grows. For multiple sets of data (test cases), you can execute the test once in which you can figure out for which data it has failed and for which data, the test has passed. This feature is available in the WinRunner with the data driven test where the data can be taken from an excel sheet or notepad.
Q.What are the main attributes of test automation? Answer: software test automation attributes : Maintainability - the effort needed to update the test automation suites for each new release Reliability - the accuracy and repeatability of the test automation Flexibility - the ease of working with all the different kinds of automation test ware Efficiency - the total cost related to the effort needed for the automation Portability - the ability of the automated test to run on different environments Robustness - the effectiveness of automation on an unstable or rapidly changing system Usability - the extent to which automation can be used by different types of users
Q.Does automation replace manual testing? Answer: There can be some functionality which cannot be tested in an automated tool so we may have to do it manually. therefore manual testing can never be repleaced. (We can write the scripts for negative testing also but it is hectic task).When we talk about real environment we do negative testing manually.
Q.How will you choose a tool for test automation? Answer: choosing of a tool depends on many things ...
- Application to be tested
- Test environment
- Scope and limitation of the tool.
- Feature of the tool.
- Cost of the tool.
- Whether the tool is compatible with your application which means tool should be able to interact with your application
- Ease of use
Q.How you will evaluate the tool for test automation? Answer: We need to concentrate on the features of the tools and how this could be beneficial for our project. The additional new features and the enhancements of the features will also help.
Q.What are main benefits of test automation?
Answer: FAST ,RELIABLE,COMPREHENSIVE,REUSABLE
Q.What could go wrong with test automation?
Answer: 1. The choice of automation tool for certain technologies
- Wrong set of test automated
Q.How you will describe testing activities? Answer: Testing activities start from the elaboration phase. The various testing activities are preparing the test plan, Preparing test cases, Execute the test case, Log teh bug, validate the bug & take appropriate action for the bug, Automate the test cases. Q.What testing activities you may want to automate? Answer: Automate all the high priority test cases which needs to be exceuted as a part of regression testing for each build cycle. Q.Describe common problems of test automation. Answer: The common problems are:
- Maintenance of the old script when there is a feature change or enhancement
- The change in technology of the application will affect the old scripts
Q.What types of scripting techniques for test automation do you know? Answer: 5 types of scripting techniques: Linear Structured Shared Data Driven Key Driven Q.What are principles of good testing scripts for automation? Answer: 1. Proper code guiding standards
- Standard format for defining functions, exception handler etc
- Comments for functions
- Proper error handling mechanisms
- The appropriate synchronization techniques
Q.What tools are available for support of testing during software development life cycle? Answer: Testing tools for regression and load/stress testing for regression testing like, QTP, load runner, rational robot, winrunner, silk, testcomplete, Astra are available in the market. -For defect tracking BugZilla, Test Runner are available. Q.Can the activities of test case design be automated? Answer: As I know it, test case design is about formulating the steps to be carried out to verify something about the application under test. And this cannot be automated. IHowever, I agree that the process of putting the test results into the excel sheet. Q.What are the limitations of automating software testing? Answer: Hard-to-create environments like ?out of memory?, ?invalid input/reply?, and ?corrupt registry entries? make applications behave poorly and existing automated tools can?t force these condition - they simply test your application in ?normal? environment. Q.What skills needed to be a good test automator? Answer: 1.Good Logic for programming. 2.Analatical sklls. 3.Pessimestic in Nature. Q.How to find that tools work well with your existing system? Answer: 1. Discuss with the support officials
- Download the trial version of the tool and evaluate
- Get suggestions from peopel who are working on the tool
Q.Describe some problem that you had with automating testing tool. Answer: 1. The inabality of winrunner to identify the third party control like infragistics controls
- The change of the location of the table object will cause object not found error.
- The inability of the winrunner to execute the script against multiple languages
Q.What are the main attributes of test automation? Answer: Maintainability, Reliability, Flexibility, Efficiency, Portability, Robustness, and Usability - these are the main attributes in test automation. Q.What testing activities you may want to automate in a project? Answer: Testing tools can be used for : * Sanity tests(which is repeated on every build), * stress/Load tests(U simulate a large no of users, which is manually impossible) & * Regression tests(which are done after every code change) Q.How to find that tools work well with your existing system? Answer: To find this, select the suite of tests which are most important for your application. First run them with automated tool. Next subject the same tests to careful manual testing. If the results are coinciding you can say your testing tool has been performing. Q.How will you test the field that generates auto numbers of AUT when we click the button 'NEW" in the application? Answer: We can create a text file in a certain location, and update the auto generated value each time we run the test and compare the currently generated value with the previous one will be one solution. Q.How will you evaluate the fields in the application under test using automation tool? Answer: We can use Verification points(rational Robot) to validate the fields .Ex.Using objectdata,objectdata properties VP we can validate fields. Q.Can we perform the test of single application at the same time using different tools on the same machine? Answer: No. The Testing Tools will be in the ambiguity to determine which browser is opened by which tool. Q.What is 'configuration management'? Answer: Configuration management is a process to control and document any changes made during the life of a project. Revision control, Change Control, and Release Control are important aspects of Configuration Management. Q.How to test the Web applications? Answer: The basic difference in web testing is here we have to test for URL's coverage and links coverage. Using WinRunner we can conduct web testing. But we have to make sure that Web test option is selected in "Add in Manager". Using WR we cannot test XML objects. Q.What are the problems encountered during the testing the application compatibility on different browsers and on different operating systems Answer: Font issues, alignment issues Q.How exactly the testing the application compatibility on different browsers and on different operating systems is done Answer: Please Send Your Suggestion Q.How testing is proceeded when SRS or any other document is not given? Answer: If SRS is not there we can perform Exploratory testing. In Exploratory testing the basic module is executed and depending on its results, the next plan is executed. Q.How do we test for severe memory leakages? Answer: By using Endurance Testing . Endurance Testing means checking for memory leaks or other problems that may occur with prolonged execution. Q.what is the difference between quality assurance and testing? Answer: Quality assurance involves the entire software development process and testing involves operation of a system or application to evaluate the results under certain conditions. QA is oriented to prevention and Testing is oriented to detection. Q.why does software have bugs? Answer: 1.miscommunication 2.programming errors 3.time pressures. 4.changing requirements 5.software complexity Q.What is memory leaks and buffer overflows ? Answer: Memory leaks means incomplete de-allocation - are bugs that happen very often. Buffer overflow means data sent as input to the server that overflows the boundaries of the input area, thus causing the server to misbehave. Buffer overflows can be used. Q.What are the major differences between stress testing,load testing,Volume testing? Answer: Stress testing means increasing the load ,and checking the performance at each level. Load testing means at a time giving more load by the expectation and checking the performance at that level. Volume testing means first we have to apply initial. Q.What is Negative Testing? Answer : Testing the system or application using negative data is called negative testing, for example, testing password entering 6 characters where it should be 8 characters should display a message. When we test an application by putting negative values (instead of actual values), then the system should not allow the other values rather than the actual value. The system should give an message that the value is not correct. This is called negative testing. Another example is, if a user tries to type a letter in a numeric field, the correct behavior in this case would be to display the “Incorrect data type, please enter a number” message. The purpose of negative testing is to detect such situations and prevent applications from crashing. Also, negative testing helps you improve the quality of your application and find its weak points. (source: Jerry Ruban) Testing Tools Interview Questions Testing Tools Interview Questions and Answers Q.What is the difference between Load Testing and Performance Testing? Answer : Basically Load, Stress and Performance Testing are the same. However, Load testing is the test to check the users’ response time of number of users of any one scenario of the application whereas Performance Testing is the test to check the user response time for multiple scenario of the same application. Q.What was the process of QA testing in your company where you worked for the last time? (or As far as the QA process is involved, what was the testing process in your company?) Answer : The QA testing process that was followed in my last company where I worked was like this: First of all the Business Requirement Document was prepared as per the client’s requirement (with the muck-up screen shots). Then on the basis of the requirement document, Test Strategy, Test Plans and Test Cases were written in sequential order. Once the Build is made and deployed to the different testing environments where different types of testing were performed to check whether there are any defects. Q.What is SQL? Answer : SQL stands for Structured Query Language. SQL is an ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard computer language for accessing and manipulating database systems. SQL statements are used to retrieve and update data in a database. SQL works with database programs like MS Access, DB2, Informix, MS SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, etc. Unfortunately, there are many different versions of the SQL language, but to be in compliance with the ANSI standard, they must support the same major keywords in a similar manner (such as SELECT, UPDATE, DELETE, INSERT, WHERE, and others). Note: Most of the SQL database programs also have their own proprietary extensions in addition to the SQL standard. Q.Where do you write SQL query? Answer : We write SQL queries using some these tools: Todd, Squirrel and Rapid SQL. Q.Do you really need to write SQL as a QA Engineer? Answer : Yes. You need to. No matter whether it is a small company or big, they have a database and you need to validate the data by writing SQL queries going into the database. The stronger you are in SQL, the better the chance of getting a job. Q.What are the basic commands in SQL+? Answer : They are: SQL>select *from tab; -to directory of database tables SQL>ed -to edit the queries in the notepad SQL>/ -to run or execute the query command SQL>create table ‘table name’ -to create a table SQL>desc ‘table name’ -to display table with column name with type SQL>alter table ‘table name’ -to add a columnadd ‘column name’ ‘type’ SQL>alter table ‘table name’ -to modify the name and type of a columnmodify ‘column name’ ‘type’ Q.What is the most common syntax you have used while writing SQL query? Answer: SELECT Q.What is a Primary Key? Answer : In a database table, the Primary Key is a column which has a unique value for each of the row within that column. It can’t have NULL value. Q.What is a Unique Key? Answer : In a database table, the Unique Key is a column which may or may not have null value of each of the row within that column. Q.What is Data? Answer : Data is number, character or image which has some information. Q.What is Database? Answer : It is collection of logically related data designed in a tabular form to meet the information needs of one or more users. Q.What is Change Control (OR Change Request)? Answer: It is a document that describes the additional functionalities that are added after the Business Requirement Document is signed off. It can be updated in the old business requirement document or it can be a separate document. (For example, in the Business Requirement Document, on the login page, there are User Name and Password fields. The owner of the software wants to add, “If you do not have User Name and Password, please click here.” This is a change. But this change came after the document is signed off by the Project Managers. Now this is a change control and comes as a separate document. (It is also called Change Request, Modification Request). Q.Have you written Change Control? Answer: Yes. There was a situation where in one page of an application in my previous project, when the user clicked “Contact” link, it would pop up a different window (new separate window). But it was NOT the way it was described in the requirement document. In the requirement document, when the user clicks “Contact” link, then it should navigate to another page (Not a separate new window. Then was it a problem? Functionality wise, it was NOT a problem, however, on all the other pages, when the user clicked “Contact” link, the system would navigate to next page (not a separate window). So, it was NOT CONSISTENT with the other functionalities on the other pages. Therefore, it was a consistency issue. I reported this as a bug. But the Project Manager asked me to write it as a Change Control (because it requires more budget to fix this issue) so that he can address this issue at a later time. So I wrote this as a Change Control. (However, it is NOT a job of a tester to write change control. It’s the business analyst’s job) Q.What is Backend Testing? Answer : It is a test to check whether the data displayed in the GUI front end report format matches with the particular data in the original database. Q.Have you done any Back End Testing and/or if you did, how did you do it in your last project? Answer : Yes I did. I was working on Reports. When I was working in my last project, this was my scenario: It was the case of testing one part of application used in the bank, where a customer comes to a bank’s front desk associate and ask for opening an account. The associate then asks for the personal information about the customer which, are the primary data, such as: First Name, Last Name, Date of Birth, Address and Social Security Number. The associate then put these primary data of that particular customer into the computer, which then afterwards batch-processed into the DATABASE in XML Format. Then the batch-processed data is sent to ETL (Extract-Transform-Load, which is software made by ‘AbInitio’ or ‘Informatica’) which processes the job to create a file to produce the report. The file is displayed to a GUI Front End report format with the help of Crystal Report/Business Object. In the GUI Front End report, let us say, if for January, the income of that person was displayed as $ 900.00, then my job was to validate this data by writing SQL queries whether this displayed data matches with the original input data in the database, being called as the Back End Testing.
Q.How can you be sure that the query you wrote is correct? Or how do you know that the data you pulled from the database is correct?
Answer: I write SQL query based on the requirement document. In the requirement document, various conditions are given for the query. Based on those conditions, I write SQL query. Therefore, anything different from the requirement document is definitely a defect.
Q.What is XML?
Answer : -XML stands for EXtensible Markup Language. -XML is a markup language much like HTML. -XML was designed to describe data. -XML tags are not predefined and we must define our own tags. -XML uses a Document Type Definition (DTD) or an XML Schema to describe data. -XML with a DTD or XML Schema is designed to be self-descriptive. -XML is a W3C Recommendation.
Q.What is Quality Center?
Answer: QC is mercury interactive process based test management system.
Q.Why use Quality Center?
Answer: QC is a part of the Test Suite set of tools that allows u to organize and manage your testing effort. -create a repository to store all the test results, metrics and collateral. -maintain security for the testing project. -Writing manual test cases and automated test scripts -Scheduling and executing the tests -Integrating with the feature testing tool (Win Runner & QTP) -Analyze the entire testing process with graphs and reports -generate custom project documents (MS Word, MS Project) -Provides a means for defect tracking and reporting -Is accessible world-wide
Q.What are the phases of Quality Center process?
Answer: -Setting up the QC project -Requirements Management -Create Test Cases -Run Tests and Analyze Results -Report and Track Defects Q.What are the features of Quality Center?
Answer: -Entirely browser based -Project customization now a separate module -Test requirements management -Execution Flow tab -"Drill Down" in graphs -save graph, report and grid settings for reuse -Attach screen snapshots to any object that accepts attachments -Web Defect Manager functionality built into Defects tab
Q.What is a Quality Center Project?
Answer: QC project is a customizable repository for the testing effort. It contains tests, test sets, execution records, defect reports and other test documentation.
Q.What data sources (databases) does QC use to store and manage data?
Answer: QC project can be stored and managed using the following data sources. -Microsoft Access -Sybase -Microsoft Sql -Oracle
Q.How does u create a project in QC?
Answer: Use the Project Administration Utility to create a QC project
Q.How does u control the access to a QC project?
Answer: As a QC Admin, you can specify the users and the privileges each user will have. Privileges can also be set for groups.
Q.What is a Table in QC project?
Answer: A table in QC project stores records of information about your test plan. It is part of a database.
Q.How many built-in tables does QC have? What are they?
Answer: There are 6 tables accessible to the user via QC's Customize Project interface. They are as follows: -Test Table -Test Step Table -Run Table -Test Set Table -Defect Table -Requirement Table
Q.What is a User-Defined field? How many can u create?
Answer: A User-Defined field is a column in a QC table activated by the user to hold project specific information. You can create unto 99 user-defined fields in a QC project
Q.What are the benefits of User-defined fields?
Answer: -Store project-specific information that may be inappropriate for built-in fields -More ways to filter and sort project information -More ways to customize graphs and reports.
Q.What are the currently supported user defined field types?
-Number -Date -String -User List -Lookup List
Q.Where are the user-defined fields added?
Answer: The user-defined fields are added to the Test Plan tab under "Other Information"
Q.How do u launch winRunner ?
Answer: Test Script tab under Test Plan module lets u -see any WinRunner code that exists for a test -launch WinRunner with this script loaded. Q.How do you link requirements with a test?
Answer: We link requirements to a particular test using Requirements coverage tab.
Q.What is a Test Plan Tree?
Answer: The Test Plan tree is a branching structure that allows you to organize Your entire test plan visually.
Q.What are the benefits of a test plan tree?
Answer: -Visually organize your tests -Use different criteria for groups of tests -object controls -business tasks -regression -Insert Placeholders where needed -Testing can start before all tests are created while keeping the plan orderly.
Q.Why limit access to a Quality Center project?
Answer: You can enhance project security by assigning access privileges to all users.
Q.What are Test Requirements?
Answer: Test Requirements refer to objectives or conditions that must be satisfied during testing
Q.What are the categories of test requirements?
Answer: -Business Requirements->High-Level objectives of the customer requesting the product -User requirements->Describe tasks the user must be able to accomplish with the product. ->Tasks captured in use cases or scenario descriptions. -functional requirements->documented in a software requirements specification (SRS) ->Define the application's software functionality to enable users to accomplish their tasks.
Q.How do u check which tests are linked to a specific requirement?
Answer: Coverage View is used to check which tests are linked to a specific requirement. Use this view to find untested requirements.
Q.What does document view show?
Answer: document view displays columns for all requirements.
Q.How do you customize requirements traa?
Answer: Open the "select columns" dialog to customize the requirements tree
Q.What is an automated test?
An automated test is a recorded script of user actions that is played back on an application to verify correct functionality.
Q.Can u use QC for automation?
Answer: Yes. QC integrates with WinRunner which is a testing tool that enables you to create and playback automated tests.
Q.What are the 2 ways of adding automated tests?
Answer: -save a WR test to a Quality Center project. -Convert a manual test to an automated one.
Q.What is the importance of connecting a test case to test requirements?
Answer: -to see if all the requirements are covered. -to map a test case associated with its requirements.
Q.What are the types of graphs and reports in QC?
Answer: Progress graphs are available for all tables. Summary graphs are available for all tables. Test lab has additional graphs -cross test set progress -cross test set summary Defects table also has Age graphs Reports -standard reports -Document generator -snapshots -full reports Q.What are Progress Graphs?
Answer: Progress Graphs display specified information over a period of time. Each testing phase has a progress graph Requirements Phase -Data grouped by fields in the REQUIREMENT table. Planning Phase -Data from TEST table Execution Phase -Data from RUN table Defects Phase -Data from DEFECT table
Q.What are Summary Graphs?
Answer: Summary graphs show the accumulated value of specified data in the Quality Center project. Each testing phase has a summary graph User may select 2 fields for grouping- graph for each field, grouped by field
Q.Why use a filter?
Answer: Filters allow you to restrict the scope of data displayed in the graph, report or grid according to criteria that you specify. When a filter is applied, only those records that meet the filter Conditions are displayed. Filters are available for Graphs, Reports and Grids.
Q.When would you generate project documents using the standard Reports?
Answer: Feature and when would you use the Document Generator? We use standard Reports -to view quick reports, -to filter/sort and customize the fields, -and to save it to a Web page file (.htm) We use Document Generator -for high customization involving index, tables & attachments -to save and edit in MS Word format (.doc) -to choose between snapshot and Full report.
Q.What icon indicates whether a test has steps?
Answer: footprint next to the manual and automated icons indicates whether a test has steps.
Q.What is a Test Set?
Answer: Test Set is a group of tests selected from the database to achieve a Specific goal.
Q.What is a Host Machine?
Answer: host is a computer connected to a network, serving the project database, Which is able to execute automated tests.
Q.What is a Scheduler?
Answer: The Scheduler is a QC feature that allows timed execution of automated tests. You can specify the date and time when a test will be run. This is useful for running large no. of tests unattended, such as overnight.
Q.How does u open a Scheduler?
Answer: Goto-> Execution Flow tab. Right click a test to be scheduled and select "Test Run Schedule" from the pop-up menu.
Q.Why use QC to track defects?
Answer: Maintains a centralized database Standardize defect reporting Prevent duplicate defects Attach supporting information easily Analyze defect data using reports and graphs.
Q.How to prevent logging of duplicate defects?
Answer: Search the defect table for similar defects before entering a new one. Use the "Find Similar" option to compare new defect and all other defects by: Summary Description and R&D comments.
Q.How does a Defect get fixed?
Answer: Developers: Fix open defects Report the repair information Change status to 'Fixed' Once the defect is fixed, it gets closed.
Q.What is a Defect Age Graph?
Answer: It shows the length of time a reported defect has been present in the project. contact for more on Testing Tools Online Training