Static Testing
Examining software artifacts without executing code to find defects in requirements, design documents, and source code before execution.
What is Static Testing?
Static testing examines software artifacts without executing the code. Through reviews, inspections, and automated analysis, teams identify defects in requirements, design specifications, and source code before any code runs. This proactive approach enables early defect detection, significantly reducing the cost of fixing issues later in the development lifecycle while facilitating knowledge sharing across teams.
Static Testing Techniques
| Technique | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
|
Reviews
|
Structured examination of work products by peers or stakeholders to identify defects, verify compliance, and ensure quality standards are met. | COLLABORATIVE |
|
Walkthroughs
|
Author-led sessions where team members step through documents or code, discussing implementation details and identifying potential issues through group feedback. | AUTHOR-LED |
|
Inspections
|
Formal, highly structured technique using defined roles and checklists. Moderators lead systematic examination to detect defects based on established criteria. | FORMAL |
|
Static Analysis
|
Automated tools scan source code without execution, detecting coding standard violations, security vulnerabilities, complexity issues, and potential runtime errors. | AUTOMATED |
Static Testing Process
Planning
Define the scope of static testing, select appropriate techniques, assign roles, and establish review criteria and success metrics.
Preparation
Distribute work products to reviewers, allow time for individual review, and prepare checklists or automated analysis tools.
Examination
Conduct reviews, walkthroughs, or inspections. Reviewers identify defects, violations, and improvement opportunities using agreed criteria.
Reporting
Document all findings with severity levels, assign ownership, and track defects through resolution. Generate metrics for process improvement.
Follow-up
Verify that identified defects are corrected, conduct re-reviews if necessary, and capture lessons learned for future reviews.
Key Benefits
Lower Fix Costs
Defects found during requirements or design reviews cost 10-100 times less to fix than those discovered after code execution or in production.
Early Detection
Find issues in requirements and design documents before any code is written, preventing cascading defects throughout development.
Knowledge Sharing
Reviews facilitate team learning, ensure consistent understanding of requirements, and distribute architectural knowledge across the organization.
Based on ISTQB standards: Static testing methodologies are defined in the ISTQB Foundation Level syllabus and represent industry best practices for pre-execution quality assurance.
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