Tips

Tips

• Evaluate proprietary vs. open source testing tools

  Cost, complexity and support levels are key items when teams consider proprietary or open source functional testing tools for their development environments.  Continue Reading

• 6 key phases of the software testing lifecycle

  For QA teams, a successful software testing process starts long before the actual test occurs.  Continue Reading

• Identify and fix broken builds with CI/CD pipelines

  Experiencing broken builds in your CI/CD pipeline? These best practices related to credentials, flaky tests and alerts can boost productivity and confidence.  Continue Reading

• Implement reliability testing methods, tools for better dev

  Reliability testing can play an integral role in software development. Here are some methods and tools to incorporate into your app development lifecycle.  Continue Reading

• The ins and outs of low-code application testing

  When teams use low-code for application development, it can save time and money. But don't neglect testing for potential issues just to deploy the app sooner.  Continue Reading

• Smoke testing vs. sanity testing explainer on key differences

  While smoke and sanity testing are both techniques QA professionals use to quickly identify feature defects, they differ when it comes to scope, automation requirements and timing.  Continue Reading

• How to scale Scrum with Scrum of Scrums meetings

  Enterprise-scale software development can be difficult to coordinate across multiple teams. For Agile-adhering IT organizations, Scrum of Scrums is one way to stay organized.  Continue Reading

• How software testing affects a successful multi-cloud strategy

  Here's how QA professionals working with multi-cloud can deal with the increased complexity associated with the strategy, plus the risks and workflow factors.  Continue Reading

• Breakdown of 4 common mobile testing platform options

  Mobile app testers, here is how four mobile testing platform options compare. Also, learn when testing frameworks, simulators and emulators become relevant factors.  Continue Reading

• Choose a software testing model by weighing these 5 factors

  Software development teams have options for their preferred software testing methodology. Consider these five key metrics before choosing a testing model for your team.  Continue Reading

• The fundamentals of writing effective acceptance criteria

  Acceptance criteria plays a key role in shaping an application from the user standpoint. We review some of the basic things to remember when it comes to acceptance criteria.  Continue Reading

• 6 ways to perform microservices load testing

  While it's not easy to conduct load testing in hectic microservices environments, certain best practices can help testing teams ensure fair and equal distribution of workloads.  Continue Reading

• Developer vs. DevOps engineer similarities and differences

  What does a DevOps engineer do? What does a developer do? The two roles sound alike, but their roles, skills and tools are quite different and require unique expertise.  Continue Reading

• How to develop a dependable regression testing strategy

  Haphazard code changes can quickly break any application. Learn what a successful regression testing strategy entails, including the necessary scope and test suite requirements.  Continue Reading

• Why a successful software tester's skillset is more than just technical

  How can you become a good software tester? It requires more than just technical expertise. Here are some important personality traits QA pros need to have.  Continue Reading

• Understanding code smells and how refactoring can help

  Code smells can be the canary in the coal mine for poor coding. And poor coding is a sign that refactoring is called for. Let's explore how to look at and deodorize code smells.  Continue Reading

• 3 important considerations before outsourcing Agile

  To successfully outsource an Agile development practice, organizations must prioritize communication and provide ample onboarding resources.  Continue Reading

• Where requirements-based tests fit in software testing

  Requirements-based testing has its upsides and downsides, and it's not right for every software project. But certain dev teams should still adopt the method. Learn which ones.  Continue Reading

• The crucial role of test scenarios, especially in automation

  Test scenarios are often touted as a key part of effective software testing strategies. But what exactly do they do and how can teams ensure the ones they develop are effective?  Continue Reading

• AI/ML in software testing, cross-platform testing benefits

  AI-powered cross-platform and cross-browser testing has both benefits and complications. Learn more about the role machine learning technologies can play in these QA processes.  Continue Reading

• 6 strategies for better software project portfolio management

  When implemented correctly, software portfolio management can help enhance communication across multiple IT teams for better product delivery. Here are six ways to do it right.  Continue Reading

• Why and how to hold a sprint retrospective meeting

  Software development teams can learn from past mistakes to streamline and improve processes. Retrospectives help them do just that.  Continue Reading

• What regression testing types make sense for your applications

  Craft an in-depth regression testing plan that uses multiple types to test all facets of an application's functionality and ultimately lead to cleaner development.  Continue Reading

• Testing automated Kubernetes deployments, a GitOps benefit

  GitOps and GitOps tooling may be your answer to the tricky, taxing problem that is testing Kubernetes environments. Explore why, how and what's necessary to perform GitOps testing.  Continue Reading

• How to manage and reduce technical debt in Agile

  Don't let technical debt snowball. Here's how to monitor, maintain and reduce this problematic element of Agile and continue application development projects.  Continue Reading

• What unit test coverage percentage should teams aim for?

  Unit testing is frequently needed, but what amount? Learn how to determine the amount of unit test coverage you need, what code to focus on, how to measure coverage and more.  Continue Reading

• Static and dynamic code analysis: Complementary techniques

  While every programmer wants to deliver high-performing, secure, bug-free and compliant code on the first try, that's not possible. Effective code analysis techniques will help.  Continue Reading

• Continuous integration principles and standards to implement

  Development and DevOps teams, abide by these best practices and standards to make your IT organization's continuous integration processes as effective as they can possibly be.  Continue Reading

• Quality engineering vs. quality assurance: Know the differences

  Any dev team serious about improving software quality should study the quality engineering vs. quality assurance debate. Let's review the two practices' differences and overlap.  Continue Reading

• Don't fall victim to these 5 Scrum anti-patterns

  Scrum is meant to adapt and change to different scenarios. Here are five common anti-patterns that can arise in Scrum when teams get complacent or comfortable with their old ways.  Continue Reading

• Use cases of various types of test doubles for unit testing

  Test doubles run the gamut from mocks, to stubs, to fakes and spies. Let's examine the ups and downs of using various test double types with unit testing.  Continue Reading

• Follow these database testing basics for better data

  Data is typically a company's most valuable asset. The data should be treated as such, with vigorous, almost constant testing, regardless of its location.  Continue Reading

• Are you really doing Scrum? Follow these guidelines to be sure

  Let's examine how the proper implementation of Scrum elements like timeboxing, the product owner and Scrum Master ensure a team will actually benefit from the Agile framework.  Continue Reading

• An introduction to TDD benefits, risks and examples

  Programmers, looking to implement -- or improve -- your team's TDD practices? Review the fundamentals and examples below to remember how TDD can be a benefit and not a burden.  Continue Reading

• How to write a test report for software testing

  Test report writers, here we will overview how to write your summary, what details to include in it, how to keep your audience in mind and other important considerations.  Continue Reading

• What productive backlog grooming sessions entail

  Backlog grooming is essential for smooth Agile software development. Here's what it takes to get user stories straight and organize a grooming session that yields results.  Continue Reading

• Choosing the right chaos engineering tools

  Chaos engineering tool options include the original (Chaos Monkey), open source projects like Chaos Toolkit and Chaos Mesh and Gremlin. Weigh these factors when choosing your tool.  Continue Reading

• How Agile team culture can help improve software quality

  Any Agile team that wants its team's culture to be squarely centered on improving software quality, should consider the following incentives and tactics.  Continue Reading

• How to manage and maintain automated UI tests

  Examine how teams can navigate the obstacles associated with automated UI tests -- including maintenance, debugging, change management and business logic challenges.  Continue Reading

• Basics of SaaS testing, challenges and strategies

  With the software-as-a-service model, QA professionals must address particular test challenges and criteria. Let's look at those SaaS issues and the strategies to navigate them.  Continue Reading

• An introductory guide to mobile app security testing

  Secure mobile apps by engineering security right into the software and with thorough mobile app security testing. Here's what risks to look for, processes to use and tools to adopt.  Continue Reading

• Condensed Agile sprint timeline pros and cons

  Is a condensed Agile sprint possible for your dev team? Here's how to shave off some sprint time and what perils to look out for in a smaller Agile sprint window.  Continue Reading

• Who is responsible for integration testing?

  It's not always clear who is responsible for the integration testing of those new application components. Let's sort through the confusion.  Continue Reading

• How to implement mock objects for simpler testing

  Test mocking can serve as a valuable asset in a developer's toolbelt. Here's how to implement mock objects within testing processes and some potential pitfalls to be aware of.  Continue Reading

• What are an SDET's roles and responsibilities?

  A QA professional remains essential to the creation of quality software, while a software development engineer in test adds a different layer to the process.  Continue Reading

• How to build a CI/CD pipeline with Azure and GitHub

  Some organizations need to build and deploy apps to specific cloud platforms. This walkthrough shows you step by step how to create a CI/CD pipeline using GitHub and Azure DevOps.  Continue Reading

• 10 Scrum benefits and how to realize them

  Scrum can be difficult to implement and manage, but the effort is usually rewarded. When run correctly, Scrum delivers valuable benefits for the business and the development team.  Continue Reading

• SAST vs. DAST vs. IAST: Security testing tool comparison

  Before your team decides upon a security testing tool, take into account both the methods and limitations of SAST, DAST and IAST. Consider what each approach brings to the table.  Continue Reading

• 5 ways to write maintainable automation code

  Development teams can ensure the automation code they write is maintainable if they're careful about their tooling and the processes they adhere to. Consider the five rules below.  Continue Reading

• 4 UX analysis methods that ensure optimal user experiences

  UX analysis ensures users will have smooth experiences. Use these four methods to analyze a UX. Learn what each method entails, when to deploy them and who performs each analysis.  Continue Reading

• Mobile app security best practices for 4 vulnerability types

  Adequate mobile app security must assess various dimensions of software, including each OS's best practices, traffic and API calls, data storage and source code.  Continue Reading

• How to use mind maps for software testing

  Mind mapping is a visual way to brainstorm test ideas. Learn how to create and use mind maps to improve software quality.  Continue Reading

• How to address 5 common CI/CD implementation challenges

  CI/CD removes the manual steps involved when you create and install application code. Address these CI/CD challenges and ease the flow of your software pipeline.  Continue Reading

• 6 ways to harness test automation in a CI/CD pipeline

  Effective automated checks in CI/CD help minimize and mitigate bugs and keep software builds and deployments running on time. Try these practical tips in your pipeline.  Continue Reading

• Flow efficiency is one of the trickiest DevOps metrics

  Let's take a look at what it takes to measure flow efficiency, how it can help DevOps teams improve development practices and why it's not an easy metric to track.  Continue Reading

• How software testing certifications can boost your career

  How can software testing certifications give QA professionals a leg up in their careers? Learn how in this overview, as well as what certification types testers should consider.  Continue Reading

• Compare design thinking vs. Agile for QA

  Design thinking helps a team figure out what problems to solve, while Agile is a framework that helps a dev team build better software faster. Let's compare the two approaches.  Continue Reading

• A Selenium IDE vs. WebDriver comparison

  Selenium IDE and WebDriver play their own roles in test automation. It's important to know how the two tools differ and how they complement each other.  Continue Reading

• Will codeless test automation work for you?

  Simple and repeatable -- that's the appeal of codeless test automation. But just how useful is it? Find out in which circumstances the method can be most effective.  Continue Reading

• The 3 essential Scrum team roles

  Every successful Scrum team needs a product owner, a Scrum Master and developers. Here's why each role is essential and how effective collaboration between the three happens.  Continue Reading

• A production readiness checklist for software development

  To achieve a smooth release cycle that can uncover potential glitches, an enterprise needs software release criteria that involve members of the dev, ops and business teams.  Continue Reading

• Overview of the problems automatic code generation can solve

  Explore the ins and outs, pros and cons, and dos and don'ts of automatic code generation.  Continue Reading

• A closer look at 6 popular low-code development platforms

  Low-code development tools help organizations accomplish tasks from simple forms and web sites to app integrations and BPM. Here's a closer look at six of the top low-code tools.  Continue Reading

• How to write a good user story for cleaner code

  A good user story isn't always easy to write. Answer key questions in easily understandable language to get development teams on the same page.  Continue Reading

• Clear up CI vs. CD confusion for DevOps practices

  How do CI and CD differ? And how should development shops distinguish between the two? Learn more about the processes and how they've valuable in a DevOps environment.  Continue Reading

• Review these 9 low-code use cases and industry examples

  Don't get hung up on the basics of low-code and your development teams' makeup. Evaluate the following use cases to see if low-code makes sense for your project goals.  Continue Reading

• How low-code development accelerates digital transformation

  Enterprises that don't embrace digital transformation invite competitors to carve up their business. Here's how low-code development can help a business become digitally adept.  Continue Reading

• A practical take on low-code vs. traditional development

  Sometimes the lines blur between low-code versus traditional development. Compare the pros and cons of each approach to judge which makes sense for your application needs.  Continue Reading

• How to test connected car applications

  When software testers deal with automobile-connected applications, they should think like a driver. Evaluate safety, connectivity and usability concerns to develop a strong app.  Continue Reading

• How to write test cases for both manual and automated tests

  Immerse yourself in the basics -- and particulars -- of writing test cases for both manual and automated tests, and learn the components crucial to each approach.  Continue Reading

• 9 techniques for fixing bugs in production

  Some companies defend against bugs with a strong offense of rapid iterations and feature flags. Others find the best defense is thorough test coverage. Here's what works and why.  Continue Reading

• The main types of database testing explained

  Most software testers know about ACID for database testing. But the importance of databases means software teams should perform functional and nonfunctional testing in addition to verifying ACID adherence.  Continue Reading

• How to plan unit test coverage

  Explore what an effective unit testing strategy looks like, whether it's wise to aim for a certain percentage of test coverage and how much unit testing is enough.  Continue Reading

• How to performance test big data applications

  When it comes to testing big data applications, there's a lot to consider and potentially be overwhelmed by. Here's how testers can keep their heads above water.  Continue Reading

• How to handle root cause analysis of software defects

  Root cause analysis plays a major role in how software teams can fix their defects. Here's how to employ root cause analysis and how teams can get the most out of the process.  Continue Reading

• Checklist for mobile app testing: 15 gaps to look for

  Makers of iOS and Android apps chronically fail to test these 15 aspects of mobile apps. But to release quality mobile software, development teams must start testing -- here's how.  Continue Reading

• Waterfall or Agile? Predictive vs. adaptive SDLC explained

  Waterfall and Agile epitomize the differences between predictive and adaptive SDLCs. Here are some considerations that a dev team should know before it chooses a methodology.  Continue Reading

• 5 examples of ethical issues in software development

  As software becomes entrenched in every aspect of the human experience, developers have an ethical responsibility to their customers.  Continue Reading

• Report testing checklist: Perform QA on data analysis reports

  To incorporate data analysis features into software, fully test the reports they generate. Use this checklist to cover these reports' requirements, the test environment, APIs and test data.  Continue Reading

• Inside 5 types of test doubles

  Spies, fakes and other nefarious-sounding test objects are actually beneficial to development teams. Learn about the five primary types of test doubles and when to use them.  Continue Reading

• How to make remote pair programming work

  Two heads are better than one when you're writing software code. Learn how to get those two developers working together from separate locations in a remote pair programming session.  Continue Reading

• Cypress vs. Selenium: Compare test automation frameworks

  Testing a complex application front end? What about a web app written in Ruby? Pick a test automation framework -- Selenium or Cypress -- that fits the project.  Continue Reading

• How to test micro apps

  Micro apps are limited in functionality, but they still require a full slate of tests. Learn how micro apps and microservices differ, the benefits driving micro app adoption, and how to test them.  Continue Reading

• Basics of the pairwise, or all-pairs, testing technique

  Pairwise testing can improve test coverage without increasing wait times. Consider the QA technique's benefits, challenges and role within a test suite.  Continue Reading

• 4 innovations in software development and testing to watch

  These methods and technologies change the way developers and testers do their jobs -- or even what their duties are. Explore innovations related to AI, the flow of work and more.  Continue Reading

• Harness these three types of developer collaboration tools

  More than ever, developers must work as a team to achieve business goals. Here are three types of collaboration tools to help developers work with ease.  Continue Reading

• Waterfall vs. Agile vs. iterative development explained

  Componentized software architectures gave way to new forms of software development. Learn when to implement simple iterative development versus wholesale changes with Agile.  Continue Reading

• How to hold Three Amigos meetings in Agile development

  Three Amigos is an Agile development strategy to keep projects on track with specifications, timeline expectations and more. Here's how to host the meetings, and who should join in.  Continue Reading

• How and why to do parallel testing

  Parallel testing can be a boon to test coverage and test execution times. But while the practice is quite adoptable, testers still need a well-thought-out implementation strategy.  Continue Reading

• How static and dynamic code analysis boost app security

  Catch security vulnerabilities before they catch up to you. Here's how static and dynamic source code analysis help address application concerns, and the difference between the approaches.  Continue Reading

• Learn what to test in a mobile application

  A lot goes into making sure an end user can interact with a mobile app seamlessly. Here are five ways to make sure a mobile app functions properly, without code or device challenges.  Continue Reading

• Learn how to perform TDD with a simple example

  Fizz, buzz -- no, it isn't cocktail hour, although we don't mind if you pour one. It's time to learn test-driven development with a simple example.  Continue Reading

• Software accessibility testing: Standards, strategy and tools

  Assistive technology ensures that all customers can access software easily. Don't overlook this important element of software quality. Here's how to test software accessibility.  Continue Reading

• 3 dramatic ways to increase developer productivity

  Developers work best when distractions are at a minimum, yet most organizations simply aren't doing their part to reduce them. Be brave and try these three aggressive methods.  Continue Reading

• 4 alternatives to end-to-end testing microservices

  Microservices architectures deserve better than end-to-end testing. See how methods like contract testing, subsystem testing and more can fill the end-to-end test void.  Continue Reading

• How to approach Agile team organization

  Should an Agile team have an architect? Does cross-functional mean constantly changing? How do teams set velocity and quality? Get the answers to set up and lead Agile teams.  Continue Reading

• How to calculate project completion times

  Good project managers deliver on schedule, despite the challenges they encounter. Become a time and resource management pro and deliver on the expected completion date.  Continue Reading

• Why development team membership should change regularly

  Static development teams might be hurting your company. But too much reorganization can cause chaos. Here's how to strike a balance that keeps teams engaged and innovative.  Continue Reading

• Common functional testing types explained, with examples

  Not sure what to check during an integration test, or whether to combine regression and user acceptance testing? Learn what these functional test types cover, and when to do them.  Continue Reading

• How Lean value stream mapping cuts delay, boosts efficiency

  You have a backlog, work in short sprints, and track metrics on test coverage and defect rates -- so why does it still take so long to move code to production? Try visualizing it.  Continue Reading