STLC: Getting Started with Software Testing

To build a market-fit software, you need a professional approach to software testing. You need a clear plan, a smooth execution, and a thorough evaluation. You need the software testing lifecycle methodologies by your side, or STLC for short.

In this article, you’ll learn what the STLC is, why it’s important, how to run it, and much more, so that you can implement it right off the bat for your projects.

The STLC is a systematic and structured approach to testing software applications, from start to finish. It helps you to spot and fix any bugs or issues in your software as early as possible, saving you time, money, and reputation.

STLCs usually follow a linear or sequential model called the waterfall testing lifecycle model, meaning that each phase of the testing cycle is complete before you move on to the next one.

However, depending on the type, requirements, and size of a software project, the STLC can also follow an iterative or agile testing lifecycle model, meaning that the phases can be repeated or modified as needed.

The STLC consists of several stages or software testing phases that mainly focus on objectives, results, and deliverables.

Let’s dissect these three important components:

• Objectives are the goals or aims of each phase in the STLC. They define what you want as a tester or a QA analyst, to achieve or accomplish in a specific testing phase.
• Results are the outcomes or consequences of each phase in the STLC. They show what you have achieved or accomplished in a specific phase. 
• Deliverables are the outputs or products of each phase in the STLC. They are the tangible or intangible items that you produce or deliver in that phase as a tester.

STLC verifies and validates the software against the specified requirements and specifications. It helps you identify and resolve any defects or errors that may affect your software's functionality, performance, security, usability, and so on.

The STLC is important for several reasons. Let’s quickly cover some main ones:

• It ensures your software quality and reliability, leading to customer satisfaction, loyalty, and business success.
• It reduces your software development and maintenance cost and time, by detecting and fixing defects early and preventing them from reoccurring.
• It improves your testing efficiency and effectiveness, by providing a clear and consistent framework, guidelines, and standards for testing activities and tasks.
• It enhances your testing skills and knowledge, by utilizing the best tools, techniques, and practices for testing software applications.
• It mitigates your software development and testing risks and challenges, such as changing requirements, complex technologies, tight deadlines, and limited resources.

Entry criteria are the preconditions for starting a software testing phase. They initiate an STLC phase. Exit criteria are the outcomes of ending a software testing phase. They validate a successful test phase.

Here are some entry and exit strategies for STLC:

Entry Criteria for STLC

• Your software requirements and specifications are clear and complete.
• Your test plan and test cases are ready and reviewed.
• Your test environment and test data are set up and verified.
• Your software build is stable and delivered to the testing team.

Exit Criteria for STLC

• Your test objectives and coverage are achieved and verified.
• Your test results and defects are reported and resolved.
• Your test deliverables and documents are completed and approved.
• Your test closure and lessons learned are conducted and documented.

Now that you have understood the entry and exit criteria, let’s go through the steps or software testing phases in STLC. Here’s how to do it:

Phase 1: Requirement Analysis

• Analyze and review your software requirements and specifications, and determine the scope, objectives, and criteria for testing in this phase.
• Identify the types, levels, and techniques of testing to be performed and the resources, tools, and methods to be used by you and your team.

Phase 2: Test Planning

• Plan and prepare the overall strategy and approach for testing your software application.
• Estimate the time, cost, and effort required for testing and allocate the roles and responsibilities of your team.
• Define your testing standards, policies, and procedures to be followed, and the testing deliverables and reports to be produced.

Phase 3: Test Case Development

• Design and develop your test cases, test scripts, test data, and test scenarios based on the test plan and the requirements.
• Review and verify your test cases, test scripts, test data, and test scenarios for completeness, accuracy, and validity.

Phase 4: Test Environment Setup

• Set up and configure your test environment, the hardware, software, network, and other components required to test the software application.
• Verify and validate your test environment for functionality, compatibility, and stability.

Read More: Top 24 Chrome Extensions for Software Testers in 2024

Phase 5: Test Execution and Bug Reporting

• Execute your test cases, test scripts, test data, and test scenarios on the test environment, and compare the actual results with your expected results.
• Record and report your test results, and log and track the defects or issues found during testing.
• Re-test the defects or issues after they are fixed by your development team, and confirm that they are resolved.

Phase 6: Test closure

• Evaluate and analyze your testing process and the testing outcomes, and determine whether the testing objectives and criteria are met.
• Document and communicate your testing results, findings, and recommendations to the development team, the customers, and the stakeholders.
• Archive and retain your testing artifacts and deliverables for future reference or reuse.

BetterBugs is a free and lightweight Chrome extension that can help you with the STLC by making your bug-reporting workflows easier, faster, and more productive. With BetterBugs, you can create and share context-rich and detailed bug reports with visual proofs.

BetterBugs enables easier and faster bug reporting for accelerated bug resolution and better bug management.

With BetterBugs, you can:

• Capture and share instant screenshots of issues that can be annotated, added details to, and shared easily in a few clicks in the form of context-rich, data-filled bug reports.
• Record videos of the issues in action to provide a better visual context of issues.
• Auto-attach dev tools details like console logs, network info, and system info to every bug report enabling better issue reproduction and faster bug fixes.
• Integrate with tools like Jira, ClickUp, Linear, Slack, and many more for quick sharing of context-rich bug reports on such platforms.
• Collaborate better and cut back on to-and-fro communication for bug reporting and following up on issues.
• Save time on bug reporting and help resolve errors on a fast track with improved productivity throughout the STLC.

Agile testing lifecycle is a way to test your software with the principles of agile methodology. It means that your testing is not a separate phase, but it happens continuously and iteratively along with your SDLC (Software Development Lifecycle).

Agile testing adapts your testing process to the changing needs of the software.

Here are the stages of an agile testing lifecycle and the ways you can implement it for your projects.

Stage 1: Test Planning

Collaborate with your team members and stakeholders to plan and identify the testable features, the testing methods (such as unit testing, integration testing, etc.), the testing criteria (such as acceptance criteria, defect severity, etc.), and the testing tools (such as bug reporting tools, automation tools, test management tools, etc.). 

Stage 2: Scrum Meetings

Monitor the progress of your testing process, identify any issues or blockers, and plan the next day’s tasks. Provide updates to the designated Scrum Master for the project regularly.

Stage 3: Test Agility Review

Present the test results, the defect reports, and the test coverage for each feature. Get feedback, suggestions, and validation for the testing process from the stakeholders and business analysts. 

Stage 4: Test Release Readiness

Ensure that the feature meets your acceptance criteria, the quality standards, and the user expectations.

Stage 5: Impact Assessment

Evaluate the impact of the feature on the end-users and the business value. Assess and analyze the feedback from the end-users, the product owner, and the market. Start your next sprint based on the progress and feedback.

The software testing life cycle (STLC) serves as the backbone to ensure that your product is bug-free and release-ready for the market. From requirement analysis to test execution and closure, STLC provides a systematic approach to delivering quality software.