Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability from edX

Software testinggets a bad rap for being difficult, time-consuming, redundant, and above all - boring. But in fact, it is a proven way to ensure that your software will work flawlessly andcan meet release schedules.

In a two-course series, we will teach you automated software testing in an inspiring way. We will show you that testing is not as daunting a task as you might think, and how automated testing will make you a better developer who programs excellent software.

This first course will teach you specification-based testing, boundary testing, test adequacy and code coverage, unit vs system testing, mock objects, design for testability, and test code quality.

This is a highly practical course. Throughout the lessons, you will test various programs by means of different techniques. By the end, you will be able to choose the best testing strategies for different projects.

If you are or want to become a five-star software developer, QA engineer, or software tester, join this course. Testing will never be the same again!

What's inside

Learning objectives

How to test any software system using current state-of-the-arttechniques
How to derive test cases that deal with exceptional, corner, and bad-weather cases by means of several different techniques

The limitations of current testing techniques and how to decide on the best testing strategies for a given context
How to develop testable architectures and to write maintainable test code

How to test any software system using current state-of-the-arttechniques
How to derive test cases that deal with exceptional, corner, and bad-weather cases by means of several different techniques
The limitations of current testing techniques and how to decide on the best testing strategies for a given context
How to develop testable architectures and to write maintainable test code

Syllabus

Topic 1: Automated software testing

Understand some basic principles of testing and whyit requires creativity.

Get familiar withsome testing vocabulary, which improves our communication.

Devise our first set of tests for a Java program and automatethese testsusing JUnit.

Understand the differences between unit, integration, and system testing, as well as the testing pyramid.

Topic 2: Functional testing

Learn how to read a requirement and derive the partitions, which are the actual concrete tests we will perform to make sure our system works (we call it "partitioning" and "equivalent partitioning").

Learn how to think about and test possible corner cases, as developersoften forget to deal with such cases (we call itboundary testing).

Get a few tips, based on experience, on common corner cases.

Topic 3: Structural testing and code coverage

Learn how to analyze the structure of your source code and derive meaningful tests.

Be able to use the most popular structural testing adequacy criteria, such as line coverage, branch coverage, and path coverage as well as to understand their differences.

Derive a minimal set of tests when your branches (e.g., ifs) are too complex.

Use a standard industry code coverage tool and interpret its results.

Topic 4: Testability and mock objects

Understand the differences between different test levels (e.g., unit, integration, and system tests)

Understand what makes a system more or less testable.

Propose refactoring opportunities for increasing testability.

Be able to apply mock objects in order to unit test a class.

Understand when not to apply mock objects and go for integration tests.

Topic 5 : Test code smells

Judge the internal code quality of your test suite and advice possible improvements.

Understand and avoid flaky tests.

Refactor and clean smelly test code.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Designed for five-star software developers, QA engineers, and software testers

Taught by experts Arie van Deursen and Maurício Aniche, both academics and active in the software industry

Emphasizes the importance of software testing and provides strategies for successful testing

Covers current state-of-the-art software testing techniques

Provides hands-on experience through various testing techniques

Helps learners develop testable architectures and maintainable test code

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability with these activities:

Review the Concept of Unit Testing

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Recall and reinforce the core principles of unit testing to establish a foundation for effective testing practices.

Browse courses on Unit Testing

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Read an article on unit testing basics and principles.
Watch a video tutorial on the fundamentals of unit testing.
Create a small example project and write unit tests for it.

Review testing principles and vocabulary

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Refresh your understanding of the fundamental principles and vocabulary of software testing.

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Review the course materials on testing principles and vocabulary.
Take practice quizzes or exercises to test your understanding.

Simulate Black-Box Testing Scenarios

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Develop hands-on experience in designing and executing black-box testing scenarios to verify software functionality.

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Identify a piece of software or a specific feature to test.
Create a set of test cases that cover different scenarios.
Execute the test cases and document the results.

14 other activities

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Review 'Thinking in Java'

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Review key concepts in object-oriented programming and Java programming to strengthen understanding of testing concepts.

View Atomic Kotlin on Amazon

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Read Chapter 10 on Unit Testing.
Summarize the main concepts presented in the chapter.
Apply the concepts in a practice project.

Learn about different testing techniques

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Deepen your understanding of different testing techniques by exploring tutorials and articles online.

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Identify different testing techniques.
Find tutorials and articles on these techniques.
Review the materials and take notes.
Apply the techniques to your own testing projects.

Write additional test cases

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Write additional test cases to ensure that your software is thoroughly tested and meets all requirements.

Browse courses on Test Cases

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Identify additional use cases and scenarios.
Develop test cases for each use case and scenario.
Execute the test cases.
Review the test results and identify any defects.

Write a Test Plan

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Develop a comprehensive test plan to outline the testing strategy and ensure thorough testing of a system.

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Identify the scope and objectives of the testing project.
Define the testing approach and methodologies to be used.
Create a test schedule and resource plan.
Obtain approval on the test plan.

Discuss testing strategies with peers

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Engage in discussions with peers to exchange knowledge and perspectives on testing strategies.

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Join a study group or online forum.
Participate in discussions on testing strategies.
Share your own experiences and insights.

Devise Unit Tests

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Create unit tests for various programs to apply testing vocabulary and concepts.

Browse courses on JUnit

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Devise at least 5 test cases for a given Java method.
Write JUnit tests to test the method.
Explain the purpose of each test case and how it tests a different aspect of the method.

Code Review with Peers

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Participate in peer code review sessions to exchange feedback and improve test code quality.

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Find a study partner or group.
Share test code for review.
Provide feedback on the code and suggest improvements.
Implement the suggested improvements.

Follow Mockito Tutorials

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Follow tutorials to gain practical experience in using Mockito for unit testing.

Browse courses on Mockito

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Choose a Mockito tutorial.
Follow the tutorial and complete the exercises.
Apply Mockito to test a simple Java program.

Test Code Coverage and Adequacy

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Practice applying techniques to measure test coverage and assess the effectiveness of test suites.

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Use a code coverage tool to analyze the coverage of your test suite.
Use different coverage criteria, such as statement coverage and branch coverage.
Identify areas of your code that are not covered by your tests.
Write additional tests to improve the coverage of your code.

Build a personal testing project

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Solidify your understanding of testing by building a personal project that involves writing and executing test cases.

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Identify a project idea.
Design and implement the project.
Write and execute test cases.
Review the test results and identify any defects.
Refactor the project based on the test results.

Design a Testable Architecture

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Develop a testable architecture for a system to improve its maintainability and testability.

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Identify the key components of a system and their interactions.
Apply architectural design patterns to enhance testability.
Create a testability plan that outlines how to test the system.
Implement the testable architecture and test the system.

Contribute to open-source testing frameworks

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Gain hands-on experience with testing frameworks by contributing to open-source projects.

Browse courses on Software Testing

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Identify an open-source testing framework.
Find a bug or feature request that you can work on.
Submit a pull request to the project.

Write a blog post on a testing topic

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Share your knowledge and insights by writing a blog post on a testing topic of your choice.

Browse courses on Software Testing

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Choose a testing topic that you are passionate about.
Research the topic and gather information.
Write a well-structured blog post.
Publish the blog post on a relevant platform.

Enhance Test Code Quality

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Learn and apply best practices to maintain high-quality test code for reliability and maintainability.

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Follow a tutorial on best practices for writing clean and maintainable test code.
Learn about common pitfalls and anti-patterns in test code.
Refactor your test code to improve its quality.

Career center

Learners who complete Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Quality Assurance Manager

The course 'Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability' is a valuable resource for Quality Assurance Managers, as it provides a deep understanding of the principles and practices of software testing. The course covers the different types of testing, as well as the tools and techniques used to test software.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Manager

Software Tester

The course 'Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability' provides a comprehensive overview of software testing techniques, which are essential for a career as a Software Tester. The course covers the different types of testing, as well as the tools and techniques used to test software.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Tester

Software Development Engineer in Test

The course 'Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability' is a valuable resource for Software Development Engineers in Test, as it provides a deep understanding of the principles and practices of software testing. The course covers the different types of testing, as well as the tools and techniques used to test software.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Development Engineer in Test

Test Analyst

The course 'Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability' is a valuable resource for Test Analysts, as it provides a deep understanding of the principles and practices of software testing. The course covers the different types of testing, as well as the tools and techniques used to test software.

See salaries and explore the career path for Test Analyst

Software Test Lead

The course 'Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability' is a valuable resource for Software Test Leads, as it provides a deep understanding of the principles and practices of software testing. The course covers the different types of testing, as well as the tools and techniques used to test software.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Test Lead

Test Automation Engineer

The course 'Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability' is highly relevant to a career as a Test Automation Engineer. The course covers the principles and practices of software testing, as well as the tools and techniques used to automate testing.

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QA Engineer

The course 'Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability' is highly relevant to a career as a QA Engineer. The course covers the principles and practices of software testing, which are essential for ensuring the quality of software products.

See salaries and explore the career path for QA Engineer

Software Quality Assurance Engineer

The course 'Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability' is highly relevant to a career as a Software Quality Assurance Engineer. The course covers the principles and practices of software testing, which are essential for ensuring the quality of software products.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Quality Assurance Engineer

Software Test Engineer

The course 'Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability' provides a solid foundation for a career as a Software Test Engineer. The course covers the fundamentals of software testing, including unit testing, coverage criteria, and design for testability.

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Software Developer

The course 'Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability' provides a solid foundation for a career as a Software Developer. The course covers the fundamentals of software testing, including unit testing, coverage criteria, and design for testability.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Developer

Software Project Manager

The course 'Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability' may be helpful for Software Project Managers, as it provides a deep understanding of the principles and practices of software testing. This knowledge can be useful for planning and managing software projects that deliver high-quality software.

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Product Manager

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Technical Writer

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Software Architect

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Business Analyst

The course 'Automated Software Testing: Unit Testing, Coverage Criteria and Design for Testability' may be helpful for Business Analysts, as it provides a deep understanding of the principles and practices of software testing. This knowledge can be useful for eliciting and documenting user requirements, and for ensuring that software products meet the needs of the business.

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