What is Software Testing?
Software testing is a crucial part of any of the application or software development due to the vital role it plays in identifying and reducing the bugs during the development cycle. This not just reduces the efforts needed to create an app but also works on the robustness of the app or software too.
Who is a Software Tester?
Software testers are the players who represent this process and perform the operations required to diminishing the effects of bugs and arising errors during the development phases. They play a very important role in the entire application development process. They can broadly be classified as the quality assurance experts or the QAs who perform the relative applications’ test for identifying the root causes of the bugs, their poor performances and any other malfunctioning interface issues. For successful performance of such tests, an expert software tester implements various tests types such as – stress, functional, performance, user acceptance and scalability tests– during the various phases of the software development life cycle.
Software testing makes a significant part of defining the quality and usability standards of the finally achieved product, thus, bringing in the software testers during the planning and design phase becomes highly important all through with the help of post-release support.
Prerequisites for Becoming a Software Tester
If one is willing to pursue their career in the domain of software testing, there are certainly certain prerequisites ranging from a certain set of educational, technical, and basic to the certifications skills.
Mentioned below is a broadly defined classification of the same-
Educational Skills
- Even though there is no specific expert structure for becoming a test expert, yet most employers favour the software testing candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, maths or even engineering.
- In case of enough work experience reflecting a highly stable work history, your recommendation letters or references is good enough to help you earn a well-stipulated job even in absence of a college degree.
- For an intermediate-level job position, basically 3-6 years of work experience in software testing domain along with a slight combination of education can make wonders.
Technical Skills
The software testing domain doesn’t need an expert programming or technically driven computer guru to begin your career in the software testing field, it requires your attitude to learn these technical skills.
- Basic to Intermediary level knowledge of Database/SQL is a mandatory
Software Systems require large scale storage of data and thus comes the need to be aware of the basic to intermediary level knowledge of databases such as-Oracle, MySQL, in order to perform operations relative to this using the different SQL queries.
- Basic to Intermediary level knowledge of Linux command
Linux knowledge is vital as mostly the applications such as- Application Servers, Databases and Web-Services work on the Linux machines.
- Practical Experience and Knowledge of Automation tools
A hands-on experience of the below mentioned tools for Automation testing is an added requirement
- Selenium
- QTP UFT
- Certain Performance testing tools such as- Jmeter, Loadrunner, etc.
- Certain ETL testing tools such as- Ab Initio, Informatica, etc.
Basic Skills
- Ability to create and documenting automated and manual testing plans and processes, test execution, performing result analysis and report generation on bugs and anomalies
- Ability to perform software tests during the different design-develop-test-release-maintain phases during the software development life cycle
- Understanding different development methodologies of Agile, Scrum, and other test platforms or environments
- Must have in-depth knowledge of different testing tools
- Well acquainted with UNIX, Linux and/or Windows scripting and language commands
- Should be a multi-task operator with excellent communication (both written and verbal) skills
- Should have familiarity with different programming languages like- Java, C#, JavaScript, C++, Python, SQL, Ruby on Rails and PHP
Software Testing Certifications
Certain software testing certifications are not a necessity for a job in software testing but having the same tends to hold a preferable position of the candidate over others with a regular a software testing abilities.
- ISTQB Certified Tester
This American Software Testing Qualifications Board (ASTQB) offered ISTQB Certification adds to the credentials of the tester at both the Foundation and Expert levels. It also offers certifications as an Advanced Test Analyst, Agile Tester, Advanced Technical Test Analyst certifications and Advanced Security Tester.
- Certified Software Tester (CSTE)
The International Software Certification Board (ISCB) offers the issue of almost eight certifications for quality assurance, software testing, and also business analysis.
Who Can Learn Software Testing?
Learning doesn’t have restrictions and thus, anyone willing to become a software test engineer can move forward towards learning it with-
- An academic background in Computer Science
- A degree of B.Tech/ B.E, BCA, MCA, BSc – Computers
- An individual who does not have the above degree can undergo such training and earn a software testing certification of- ISTQB and CSTE that further helps in learning the Software Development/ Test Life Cycle and other relative manual and automated testing methodologies.
Best Software Testing Online Training Institute
QEdge Technologies is one of those names that are well recognized in offering software testing courses for becoming a professional software tester. Despite the educational background, they have a well-defined course structure for training even the non-IT background students turning into the best test professionals as per the industry needs.
For complementing the needs of different type of students and professionals seeking a career growth in testing field, they offer both- Online Training & Classroom Training in Hyderabad.
Mentioned below are the courses as offered by them-
- Software QA Testing
- Manual Testing
- Selenium with Java, C#, Cucumber
- Loadrunner
- JMeter
- ETL Testing
- Mobile Application Testing with Appium
- Database Testing
- Testing Live Projects Testing
If you wish to pursue your career in the field of software testing, all you’re got to do is have a desire and dedication to do so and follow the related path!
