Introduction to Software Testing

This course is part of the Software Testing and Automation Specialization

4.3
stars
215 ratings

Sanjai Rayadurgam +1 more instructor

28,615 already enrolled

Offered By

Software Testing and Automation SpecializationUniversity of Minnesota

About this Course

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After completing this course, you will have an understanding of the fundamental principles and processes of software testing. You will have actively created test cases and run them using an automated testing tool. You will being writing and recognizing good test cases, including input data and expected outcomes.
After completing this course, you will be able to…
- Describe the difference between verification and validation.
- Explain the goal of testing.
- Use appropriate test terminology in communication; specifically: test fixture, logical test case, concrete test case, test script, test oracle, and fault.
- Describe the motivations for white and black box testing.
- Compare and contrast test-first and test-last development techniques.
- Measure test adequacy using statement and branch coverage.
- Reason about the causes and acceptability of and poor coverage
- Assess the fault-finding effectiveness of a functional test suite using mutation testing.
- Critique black-box and white-box testing, describing the benefits and use of each within the greater development effort.
- Distinguish among the expected-value (true), heuristic, consistency (as used in A/B regression), and probability test oracles and select the one best-suited to the testing objective.
- Craft unit and integration test cases to detect defects within code and automate these tests using JUnit.  To achieve this, students will employ test doubles to support their tests, including stubs (for state verification) and mocks (for behavioral verification) (https://martinfowler.com/articles/mocksArentStubs.html).

This course is primarily aimed at those learners interested in any of the following roles: Software Engineer, Software Engineer in Test, Test Automation Engineer, DevOps Engineer, Software Developer, Programmer, Computer Enthusiast. We expect that you should have an understanding of the Java programming language (or any similar object-oriented language and the ability to pick up Java syntax quickly) and some knowledge of the Software Development Lifecycle.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 1 of 4 in the

Software Testing and Automation Specialization

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Intermediate Level

Experience with an object-oriented programming language (preferably Java). Ability to install and run an IDE (Eclipse recommended).

Approx. 30 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Italian, Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, Spanish

What you will learn

You will gain an understanding of the theory of testing.

You will practice writing tests for a variety of quality intent, including code coverage, defect finding, and statistical testing.

You will develop test plans to guide the testing stage of the software development lifecycle.

You will create defect reports to provide transparency and understanding to supervisors, colleagues, and users.

Skills you will gain

Writing Test PlansWriting Defect ReportsUnderstanding of Testing TheoryWriting TestsTesting Vocabulary

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 1 of 4 in the

Software Testing and Automation Specialization

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Intermediate Level

Experience with an object-oriented programming language (preferably Java). Ability to install and run an IDE (Eclipse recommended).

Approx. 30 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Italian, Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, Spanish

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.3/5 (73 Ratings)

Sanjai Rayadurgam

Director

University of Minnesota Software Engineering Center

29,366 Learners

2 Courses

Kevin Wendt

Director of Graduate Studies, Software Engineering

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

73,108 Learners

6 Courses

Offered by

University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation’s most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating94%(2,353 ratings)

Week

Week 1

7 hours to complete

Introduction

In this module, you will be introduced to the basics of testing, especially the variety of terminology to be used through the rest of the course.

7 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 66 min), 1 reading, 6 quizzes

Week

Week 2

5 hours to complete

Testing Foundations

In this module, you will investigate a variety of testing principles, models of testing, and types of systematic testing strategies.

5 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 57 min)

8 videos

Dependability Definitions15m

Testing Principles5m

Testing Principles: Where12m

Testing Principles: How8m

The "V Model" of Software Development4m

Validation and Verification in the "V Model"3m

Structural Testing3m

Mutation Testing3m

8 practice exercises

Dependability Quiz30m

Testing Principles: Where30m

Testing Principles: How30m

The V-Model Quiz8m

Validation and Verification in the "V-Model" Quiz30m

Structural Testing30m

Mutation Testing30m

On Basic Testing Terminology, Dependability, and Testing Principles30m

Week

Week 3

8 hours to complete

Testing in the Software Development Lifecycle

In this module, you will learn about the social aspects of testing. We will learn about test plans, testing status reports, and defect reporting.

8 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 49 min)

10 videos

What is a test plan?4m

Importance of a Good Test Plan5m

Stages of Software Testing Process2m

Test (Status) Reports3m

Risk-based Test Planning5m

Software Defect Reports2m

Software Defect Reports: Analysis3m

Software Defect Reports: Reporting3m

Software Defect Reports: Report Content15m

Software Defect Reports: Track, Retest, and Close3m

10 practice exercises

What is a Test Plan?30m

Importance of a Good Test Plan30m

Stages of Software Testing Process30m

Test (Status) Reports

Risk Based Test Planning

Software Defect Reports30m

Software Defect Reports: Analysis30m

Software Defect Reports: Reporting30m

Software Defect Reports: Report Content30m

Software Defect Reports: Track, Retest, and Close30m

Week

Week 4

10 hours to complete

Writing Good Unit Tests

In this module, you will learn about writing unit tests and gain practice in writing these tests through three coding assignments, each with additional testing sophistication.

10 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 77 min)

Reviews

4.3

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TOP REVIEWS FROM INTRODUCTION TO SOFTWARE TESTING

by JSSep 12, 2020

The course is great, a lot of general information and examples to work with. The test reviews are automated so little to none feedback is received to actually improve your grade.

by AHAug 26, 2020

I love this course, the explanation is great, the assignments are very challenging. I learned many things from software testing. Thanks, Prof. Mike Whalen and Mr. Kevin Wendt

by WMJan 2, 2021

Expected knowledge of programming and use of Eclipse is more than I expect for this course. I cannot find where I can donwload the sources mentioned in the week 4 videos.

by JRFeb 5, 2021

The Instructors were wonderful and all the concepts were clearly explained and the corresponding assignments were useful to understand and implement the learnt concepts

View all reviews

About the Software Testing and Automation Specialization

This Specialization is intented for beginning to intermediate software developers seeking to develop knowledge and skill in implementing testing techniques and tools in the development of their projects. Through four courses, you will cover black-box and white-box testing, automated testing, web & mobile testing, and formal testing theory and techniques, which will prepare to you to plan and perform effective testing of your software.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Course?
This Course doesn't carry university credit, but some universities may choose to accept Course Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more. Online Degrees and Mastertrack™ Certificates on Coursera provide the opportunity to earn university credit.

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Introduction to Software Testing