Dependency Testing

Dependency testing is a software testing technique where application requirements are pre-examined for initial states and existing software to achieve desired functionalities. The article focuses on discussing Dependency Testing in detail. The following topics of dependency testing will be discussed here:

Let’s start discussing each of these in detail.

What is a Dependency Testing?

Dependency testing is a testing method in which the initial states of an existing piece of software are evaluated to test the functionality.

When evaluating either new or existing functionality, the application’s impacted areas are also tested. The evaluation looks for two primary things: flaws and problems in the application. Software, like other apps or tools, has some influenced areas such as compatibility, user interface, and most crucially, no such vulnerability for information breach.

Types of Software Dependencies

Below are the different types of software dependencies:

• Logical dependency: Logical dependencies are related to the source-code files that are changed as a part of the modification request. Testers will evaluate such dependencies between the source code files by identifying the source code files that are modified mutually as part of software development. Dependencies that are not visible in syntactic dependencies are covered here while testing for logical dependencies. 
• Syntactic dependency: Syntactic dependencies can be the inflow/ outflow of data or functional dependencies. Such dependencies are evaluated between the source code files by spotting the data, method, or function references crossing every source code file’s periphery. 
• Work dependency: These dependencies are usually related to the workflow and are triggered by human and organizational factors on which the software’s failure proneness depends. These usually arise due to a lack of proper communication between developers, testers, and QAs which is why testers need to find them and fix them.
• Data dependency: Security tests have to check for data dependencies where the specific data structure gets modified by the function and is subsequently used in another function. 
• Functional dependency: Functional dependency refers to how the elements behave in relation to others especially when a change in one element affects the functionality of the other elements coupled to it. 

What is a Test Method?

The different tactics or strategies used to test an application to make sure it functions and appears as intended are known as software testing methodologies. These cover unit and system testing in addition to frontend and backend testing. A test procedure that is effectively written is significant. However, selecting a method to measure the appropriate feature or characteristic is much more crucial. Not all measures and tests are equally helpful; often, a test result is used to infer or forecast suitability for a certain purpose.

Testing a system aids in identifying gaps, mistakes, or missing requirements that differ from the actual requirements. The best practices employed by the testing team to assess the generated software about supplied requirements are known as testing procedures.

Importance of Dependency Testing

• Risk mitigation: It reduces unknown issues by identifying and addressing possible concerns with third-party dependence.
• Upgrades and Changes: It is crucial for guaranteeing compatibility, avoiding regressions and moving to newer dependencies.
• Security: Frequent testing minimizes vulnerabilities resulting from out-of-date dependencies by ensuring the use of secure versions.
• Performance optimization: It ensures optimal programme performance by identifying and resolving performance issues brought about by dependencies.
• Scalability: It assesses how dependencies affect scalability to make sure the programme can accommodate expansion.
• Maintainability: It helps determine whether to update or replace dependencies based on compatibility and support, which contributes to overall maintainability.

Activities During Dependency Testing

A capability used to ensure that all prerequisites for a given run-time scenario are present is dependency testing. Below are the activities during dependency testing:

• Software: Using software for dependency testing, it is possible to verify that all components are present on both the client and server sides. 
• Checking Tool: During arrangement, a dependency-checking tool is used to check that all necessary components have been added to enable the desired code execution. 
• Incorporating Dependencies: “Incorporate dependencies” can refer to device drivers, user interfaces, databases, OS features, building blocks, certificates, files, or other things.
• Issues: Two key issues are examined in the evaluation: application flaws and defects. Similar to other tools or programs, the product has several problematic areas. These areas include compatibility, user interface, and particularly any potential for data breaches.
• Checking Order: If one component depends on the next component for activity, dependencies could be checked in a pre-characterized order. This might make it clearer where the code would malfunction if it were executed.
• Resolving Dependencies: The integrated dependencies may be resolved automatically or manually if one or more of them have not been met. 
• Removal of Unnecessary segments: A few segments can be removed from the setup if it is determined that they are not necessary.

Single Test Method: Dependency Testing provides a single test method that is dependent on one or more other test methods. This is a critical feature because our application relies on test ordering. Before deploying code to an environment, a test method such as starting a web server must be executed.

Test Procedure: Before delivering code to an environment, a test procedure for launching a web server must be run. The dependent test methods, such as launch, must pass before the invoking Test method deployment is executed. If the launch of a web server fails, there is no server to test the program on. Our test report contains one failure and multiple skips due to dependency testing. Our test report gives a cascade failure due to the unsuccessful launch method in the absence of dependency testing. A cascade failure is comparable to a waterfall of failures; when one test method fails, the other tests follow suit. The cascade failure results in an inaccurate Test Report due to the deployment and other tests that were not run in the calling test procedure.

Following are the testing method and testing group used in dependency testing:

1. DependsonMethods() attribute: The @test annotation has an attribute called depends on methods. With the aid of TestNG, our software can declare an array that a Test function depends on.

public String[] dependsOnMethods() default{};

2. DependsonGroups: In cases where having many methods is advantageous and they are grouped, we may state that our test depends on other groups. Rather than providing a comprehensive list of all methods, we may just describe the group test that is dependent on it.

The group of methods previously defined is called tests. The pre-tests group determines the approaches. We also have cleanup procedures that are dependent on the testing group.

Benefits of Dependency Testing

• Desired Outcome: Dependency testing, enables the achievement of the desired functionality for an existing piece of software by first examining the application’s needs. 
• Testing Impacted components: When evaluating new or existing features, the impacted parts of the software are also tested.
• Addressing two key issues: The assessment addresses two key issues: application flaws and defects already present. 

Limitations of Dependency Testing

• Restriction: Sometimes dependencies put a limit on testing functionality.
• Incorporation of Dependency Checking Tool: There is the extra effort associated particularly in the form of dependency checking tools that might be added as modules to aid in the investigation.
• Resolve Dependencies: There is a need to resolve dependencies either manually or automatically in case they did not meet the purpose.

Conclusion

When viewed from above, dependency testing’s various angles provide a basic method for disclosing flaws or faults that work together to achieve quality goals. Fundamentally, dependency testing looks at the software’s existing application requirements.