Unit Testing

What is a Unit Test Plan?


This document describes the Test Plan in other words how the tests will be carried out.

This will typically include the list of things to be Tested, Roles and Responsibilities, prerequisites to begin Testing, Test Environment, Assumptions, what to do after a test is successfully carried out, what to do if test fails, Glossary and so on

What is a Test Case?

Simply put, a Test Case describes exactly how the test should be carried out.

For example the test case may describe a test as follows:
Step 1: Type 10 characters in the Name Field

Step 2: Click on Submit


Test Cases clubbed together form a Test Suite

Test Case Sample


Test Case Test Case Input Expected Result Actual Result Pass/Fail Remarks
ID Description Data

Additionally the following information may also be captured:

a) Unit Name and Version Being tested
b) Tested By

c) Date
d) Test Iteration (One or more iterations of unit testing may be performed)

Steps to Effective Unit Testing:


1) Documentation: Early on document all the Test Cases needed to test your code. A lot of times this task is not given due importance. Document the Test Cases, actual Results when executing the Test Cases, Response Time of the code for each test case. There are several important advantages if the test cases and the actual execution of test cases are well documented.

a. Documenting Test Cases prevents oversight.
b. Documentation clearly indicates the quality of test cases

c. If the code needs to be retested we can be sure that we did not miss anything
d. It provides a level of transparency of what was really tested during unit testing. This is one of the most important aspects.

e. It helps in knowledge transfer in case of employee attrition
f. Sometimes Unit Test Cases can be used to develop test cases for other levels of testing

2) What should be tested when Unit Testing: A lot depends on the type of program or unit that is being created. It could be a screen or a component or a web service. Broadly the following aspects should be considered:

a. For a UI screen include test cases to verify all the screen elements that need to appear on the screens
b. For a UI screen include Test cases to verify the spelling/font/size of all the “labels” or text that appears on the screen

c. Create Test Cases such that every line of code in the unit is tested at least once in a test cycle
d. Create Test Cases such that every condition in case of “conditional statements” is tested once

e. Create Test Cases to test the minimum/maximum range of data that can be entered. For example what is the maximum “amount” that can be entered or the max length of string that can be entered or passed in as a parameter

f. Create Test Cases to verify how various errors are handled
g. Create Test Cases to verify if all the validations are being performed

3) Automate where Necessary: Time pressures/Pressure to get the job done may result in developers cutting corners in unit testing. Sometimes it helps to write scripts, which automate a part of unit testing. This may help ensure that the necessary tests were done and may result in saving time required to perform the tests.