rectangle-historyUsing Test Catalogs

Definition

For practical purposes, Test Catalogs are nearly identical to Test Checklists. They are lists of things to test. They can be more or less specific, optionally phrased as a question:

  • Less specific: What should happen if I interrupt the process?

  • More specific: Submit invalid input (empty field, "abc") into a required number field

Taxonomy

Test Catalogs can be categorized across different, often overlapping dimensions:

  • Testing type: there can be a Test Catalog for usability, as well as security, performance, functional, and more.

  • Technology or software layer: UI, Backend, API, Database, Microservices

  • Software type: Desktop, Browser, Mobile, Embedded, etc.

  • Any other, from specific to abstract: input fields, messaging queues, time & scheduling

As it may become obvious, one may wish to construct a cross-cutting "Security of API inputs" Test Catalog. As such, there can be no single perfect taxonomy or hierarchy.

Nevertheless, this page attempts to organize catalogs in a way meaningful to humans, notably testers and developers. The main top-level categories, found as subpages of this top-level page, are:

  1. UI

  2. APIs

  3. Backend and System

  4. Mobile

Additionally, see Cem Kaner's collection of 400 errors below.

References

  1. Cem Kaner's BBSTarrow-up-right - Appendix: Common Software Errorsarrow-up-right from the Book "Testing Computer Software, 2nd Edition"

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