Differences between Testing and Debugging
Testing: Testing is the process of verifying and validating that a software or application is bug free, meets the technical requirements as guided by its design and development and meets the user requirements effectively and efficiently with handling all the exceptional and boundary cases. Debugging: Debugging is the process of fixing a bug in the software. It can defined as the identifying, analyzing and removing errors. This activity begins after the software fails to execute properly and concludes by solving the problem and successfully testing the software. It is considered to be an extremely complex and tedious task because errors need to be resolved at all stages of debugging. Below is the difference between testing and debugging:
| Testing | Debugging |
|---|---|
| Testing is the process to find bugs and errors. | Debugging is the process to correct the bugs found during testing. |
| It is the process to identify the failure of implemented code. | It is the process to give the absolution to code failure. |
| Testing is the display of errors. | Debugging is a deductive process. |
| Testing is done by the tester. | Debugging is done by either programmer or developer. |
| There is no need of design knowledge in the testing process. | Debugging can’t be done without proper design knowledge. |
| Testing can be done by insider as well as outsider. | Debugging is done only by insider. Outsider can’t do debugging. |
| Testing can be manual or automated. | Debugging is always manual. Debugging can’t be automated. |
| It is based on different testing levels i.e. unit testing, integration testing, system testing etc. | Debugging is based on different types of bugs. |
| Testing is a stage of software development life cycle (SDLC). | Debugging is not an aspect of software development life cycle, it occurs as a consequence of testing. |
| Testing is composed of validation and verification of software. | While debugging process seeks to match symptom with cause, by that it leads to the error correction. |
| Testing is initiated after the code is written. | Debugging commences with the execution of a test case. |
| Testing process based on various levels of testing-system testing, integration testing, unit testing, etc. | Debugging process based on various types of bugs is present in a system. |
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