Decision Testing and Coverage are related concepts in software testing used to measure the thoroughness of testing at the code level. As a test engineer, here's what you need to know about Decision Testing and Coverage:
Definition: Decision Testing is a white-box test technique that focuses on testing the decision points in the source code of a program. Decision Coverage is a measure of the percentage of decision points in the source code executed during testing.
Objective: The main aim of Decision Testing and Coverage is to ensure that all decision points in the source code of a program are executed at least once during testing to identify errors or defects that occur due to incorrect or incomplete implementation of the program.
Process: The Decision Testing and Coverage process involves creating test cases to execute each decision point in the source code of a program at least once and then measuring the percentage of decision points completed during testing. This can be done manually or using automated testing tools.
Advantages: Decision Testing and Coverage can help identify errors and defects that occur due to incorrect or incomplete implementation of decision points in the source code of a program. It can also help ensure that the program behaves correctly and consistently for all possible input values.
Limitations: Decision Testing and Coverage may not be effective for programs that have complex control structures or logic that cannot be easily represented as individual decision points. It may also not be effective if the program has redundant or unreachable decision points that do not contribute to the program's functionality.
Examples: Examples of Decision Testing and Coverage include testing a program that evaluates the eligibility of a loan applicant based on their credit score and income, testing a program that calculates the shipping cost of a package based on its weight and destination, and testing a program that determines the optimal route for a delivery driver based on traffic and road conditions.
In conclusion, Decision Testing and Coverage are useful to test techniques that can help test engineers ensure that all decision points in the source code of a program are executed at least once during testing to identify errors or defects that occur due to incorrect or incomplete implementation of the program. It is important to understand their advantages and limitations and to use them appropriately depending on the specific requirements and context of the testing project.