Table of contents
1.
Introduction
2.
Software Testing Interview Questions for Freshers
2.1.
1. What is Software testing?
2.2.
2. What are the different types of testing?
2.3.
3. What are the principles of software testing?
2.4.
4. What type of input is required from the end-user in order to begin proper testing?
2.5.
5. Briefly describe the workbench concept.
2.6.
6. What do you understand by defect Cascading?
2.7.
7. Name the different strategies that can be used to rollout to end-user.
2.8.
8. Explain the process through which we can find a broken link in a page using Selenium WebDriver.
2.9.
9. Which technique should we use in the script "if there is neither frame id nor frame name"?
2.10.
10. Is it possible to take a screenshot in Selenium WebDriver? If yes, then how?
3.
Software Testing Interview Questions For Experienced
3.1.
11. What process will be followed if you have to log in to any site if it shows an authentication popup for username and password?
3.2.
12. How can we skip a method or a code block in TestNG?
3.3.
13. Can you describe what the below code snippet indicates?
3.4.
14. What is the key difference between regression testing and retesting?
3.5.
15. What is the key difference between system testing and integration testing?
3.6.
16. What is the difference between QA and testing?
3.7.
17. What is meant by bug severity and bug priority?
3.8.
18. What are the steps involved in performing sanity testing?
3.9.
19. How would you design a test strategy for a large-scale, mission-critical system with multiple integrated components?
3.10.
20. Explain how you would approach performance testing for a high-traffic web application, including tools you might use and key metrics to measure.
4.
Software Testing MCQ
4.1.
1. What is the main purpose of software testing?
4.2.
2. What is a test scenario?
4.3.
3. Which type of testing is conducted to verify the software’s compatibility with other systems?
4.4.
4. What does the acronym “SDLC” stand for?
4.5.
5. What is a test stub?
4.6.
6. What is the primary focus of performance testing?
4.7.
7. What does the acronym “API” stand for in the context of software testing?
4.8.
8. What is regression testing?
4.9.
9. What is a test plan?
4.10.
10. What does “GUI” stand for in software testing?
5.
Conclusion
Last Updated: Sep 1, 2024
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Software Testing Interview Questions

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Introduction

Software testing is defined as a technique to check whether the final software or the product matches the expected requirements of the customer and to ensure that the product is defect-free. It uses manual or automated tools to evaluate the properties of interest in the software. Software testing aims at identifying errors or any missing requirement in contrast to actual requirements specified by the customer. It can be stated that software testing means verification of the application under test. It is important to perform software testing so that any bugs or errors in the software can be identified and rectified before the final product is delivered.

Software Testing Interview Questions

When preparing for a software testing interview, one should go through the previously asked software testing interview questions as many questions are repeated. This blog will answer some of the important software testing interview questions that an interviewer is likelier to ask. 

Software Testing Interview Questions for Freshers

Some of the important software testing interview questions for freshers are:

1. What is Software testing?

Software testing is a systematic process of evaluating a software application or system to:

  1. Identify defects, bugs, or errors
  2. Verify that the software meets specified requirements
  3. Validate that the software functions as expected
  4. Ensure the quality and reliability of the software

It involves executing a program or application with the intent of finding software bugs, and verifying that the software product is fit for use. Software testing is an integral part of the software development lifecycle and aims to improve the overall quality of the software, reduce development costs, and enhance user satisfaction.

2. What are the different types of testing?

There are numerous types of software testing, which can be broadly categorized as follows:

  1. Functional Testing:
    • Unit Testing
    • Integration Testing
    • System Testing
    • Acceptance Testing (User Acceptance Testing - UAT)
  2. Non-Functional Testing:
    • Performance Testing
    • Load Testing
    • Stress Testing
    • Security Testing
    • Usability Testing
    • Compatibility Testing
    • Reliability Testing
  3. Manual vs. Automated Testing
  4. Black Box, White Box, and Grey Box Testing
  5. Static vs. Dynamic Testing
  6. Regression Testing
  7. Smoke Testing
  8. Sanity Testing
  9. Exploratory Testing
  10. Ad-hoc Testing
  11. Alpha and Beta Testing
  12. Accessibility Testing

Each type of testing serves a specific purpose and is typically performed at different stages of the software development lifecycle.

3. What are the principles of software testing?

The seven key principles of software testing, as defined by the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB), are:

  1. Testing shows the presence of defects, not their absence: Testing can prove the existence of bugs but cannot prove that there are no bugs.
  2. Exhaustive testing is impossible: Testing everything is not feasible due to time and resource constraints. Risk analysis and priorities should guide testing efforts.
  3. Early testing: Start testing as early as possible in the development lifecycle to find and fix defects early when they are less expensive to resolve.
  4. Defect clustering: A small number of modules usually contain most of the defects. Identify these critical modules and focus testing efforts accordingly.
  5. Pesticide paradox: Repeating the same tests over time will not find new bugs. Regularly review and revise test cases to potentially find new defects.
  6. Testing is context dependent: Different types of software and systems require different testing approaches. The testing approach should be tailored to the specific context.
  7. Absence-of-errors fallacy: Finding and fixing defects does not help if the system is unusable or does not fulfill the users' needs and expectations.

These principles guide testers in their approach to software testing, helping to ensure effective and efficient testing practices.

4. What type of input is required from the end-user in order to begin proper testing?

The end-user is one of the most important people as they are the ones who have to use the product and have a keen interest in the product. The below diagram shows all are the inputs that are essential from the end-user


5. Briefly describe the workbench concept.

Workbench is described as a way of documenting how a task is to be performed. It is often referred to as phases, steps, and tasks. 

Mainly there are five tasks of a workbench, which are:

  • Input
  • Execute
  • Check
  • Production output
  • Rework


6. What do you understand by defect Cascading?

When an interviewer asks the above question as a part of software testing interview questions, the answer should be that defect cascading is a defect that is caused by another defect. In other words, when a defect triggers another defect. This happens when a defect is present in any stage but does not get identified and, as a result, gets passed to other phases without getting noticed. This increases the number of defects.

While answering such types of questions when asked in a software testing interview questions, try giving examples like:

If we are to design the login module of a webpage.

  • In Phase 1: We will be designing the Register User Module for Login, and we need to make sure that the mobile number is mandatory, but we intentionally leave it blank to create a bug that gets unnoticed.
  • In Phase 2: We will be designing the login form having a username as well as a password, the password is the OTP which will be sent to the User's registered mobile number entered before.

Now, as the Register Module has a bug that mobile number can be left blank, which will lead to Login failure or some sort of system error or crash if the null mobile number is not handled. Such a thing is known as defect cascading.


7. Name the different strategies that can be used to rollout to end-user.

The different strategies that should be mentioned when asked as a part of software testing interview questions are:

  • Pilot
  • Gradual Implementation
  • Phased implementation
  • Parallel implementation


8. Explain the process through which we can find a broken link in a page using Selenium WebDriver.

This is a tricky question that is present in almost every set of software testing interview questions. In such a question, the interviewer can provide you with 20 links on a web page and asks you to verify which of them are working and which aren't. As we need to verify whether a link is working, the main workaround is to send HTTP requests to all of the links on the web page and then analyze the response. When we use a driver.get() method to navigate a URL, it responds with a status of 200-OK. This depicts that the particular link is working fine, whereas any other status indicates that the link is broken.

To perform the above task, all we have to do is use the anchor tags <a> to determine the different links on the web page, that is, for every <a> tag, we use the href attribute to obtain the hyperlinks and then analyze the response we receive when the driver.get() method is used.


9. Which technique should we use in the script "if there is neither frame id nor frame name"?

Frame by index should be used if neither the frame id nor the frame name is available. For instance, if there are 4 frames on a web page and none of them have a frame name and frame id, we can still select those frames by using the zero-based frame index attribute, that is, the first frame would be at index 0, the second frame at index 1 and so on.


10. Is it possible to take a screenshot in Selenium WebDriver? If yes, then how?

It is very commonly asked in software testing interview questions, the answer to this shouled be Yes, by using the TakeScreenshot function. The TakeScreenshot function allows the user to take a screenshot, and the getScreenshotAs() function helps the user to save the screenshot.

Example, File ssFile = ((TakeScreenshot)driver).getScreenshotAs(outputType.FILE);

Software Testing Interview Questions For Experienced

11. What process will be followed if you have to log in to any site if it shows an authentication popup for username and password?

In such cases where there is a popup for logging in, we have to use the explicit command and verify whether there is an alert actually present or not. The code below will help you understand the use of the explicit wait command.

WebDriverWait wait = new WebDriverWait(driver, 10);
Alert alert = wait.until(ExpectedConditions.alertIsPresent());
alert.authenticateUsing(new UserAndPassword(**username**,**password**)); 

12. How can we skip a method or a code block in TestNG?

Such short questions, when asked in any software testing interview questions should be answered by stating that if we want to skip a method or a code block in TestNG er can simply set the 'enable' parameter in the test annotation to false: @Test(enabled=false)

13. Can you describe what the below code snippet indicates?

WebElement example = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//*[]contains(text(),'content')));


The above snippet defines a variable example of WebElement type and uses an XPath search to initialize it with reference to an element that contains the text value "content"

14. What is the key difference between regression testing and retesting?

The key difference between regression testing and retesting is one of the interviewer's favorite questions, which is very common in all software testing interview questions. Regression testing is done to make sure that the new changes or modifications to a module do not have any adverse effects on the previous releases. Whereas the retesting is just running the same tests again. 

15. What is the key difference between system testing and integration testing?

The main difference between system testing and integration testing is that in system testing, the entire system as a whole is tested or checked, whereas, in integrated testing, only the interaction between the individual modules is tested.

16. What is the difference between QA and testing?

The purpose of performing QA and testing are very different as the purpose of QA is to prevent errors in the application, whereas the purpose of testing is to find errors.

17. What is meant by bug severity and bug priority?

Bug severity refers to the level of impact that a bug has on the application, while bug priority refers to the level of urgency in the need for a fix.

18. What are the steps involved in performing sanity testing?

Sanity testing is similar to smoke testing, it is the initial testing of an application done to ensure that it's functioning at the most basic level and is stable enough to continue more detailed testing.

19. How would you design a test strategy for a large-scale, mission-critical system with multiple integrated components?

Designing a test strategy for a large-scale, mission-critical system requires a comprehensive approach:

  1. Risk Analysis:
    • Identify critical components and high-risk areas
    • Prioritize testing efforts based on risk assessment
  2. Test Levels:
    • Unit Testing: For individual components
    • Integration Testing: For component interactions
    • System Testing: For end-to-end functionality
    • Acceptance Testing: For stakeholder validation
  3. Non-Functional Testing:
    • Performance Testing: To ensure system meets performance requirements
    • Security Testing: To identify vulnerabilities
    • Reliability Testing: To ensure system stability under various conditions
  4. Test Environment:
    • Set up multiple environments (Development, QA, Staging, Production)
    • Ensure environments closely mirror production
  5. Test Data Management:
    • Create comprehensive test data sets
    • Manage sensitive data in compliance with regulations
  6. Automation Strategy:
    • Implement automation for repetitive tests
    • Focus on regression testing and performance testing
  7. Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD):
    • Integrate testing into the CI/CD pipeline
  8. Monitoring and Logging:
    • Implement robust monitoring and logging for easier defect identification
  9. Disaster Recovery Testing:
    • Plan and execute disaster recovery scenarios
  10. Stakeholder Communication:
    • Regular reporting and dashboards for stakeholders
  11. Test Metrics:
    • Define and track relevant metrics (defect density, test coverage, etc.)

This strategy ensures comprehensive coverage, addresses critical risks, and maintains the quality of the system throughout its lifecycle.

20. Explain how you would approach performance testing for a high-traffic web application, including tools you might use and key metrics to measure.

Approaching performance testing for a high-traffic web application involves several steps:

  1. Identify Performance Criteria:
    • Define acceptable response times, throughput, and resource utilization
  2. Test Environment Setup:
    • Create an environment that mimics production as closely as possible
  3. Test Design:
    • Create scenarios that simulate expected and peak load conditions
    • Include common user journeys and critical transactions
  4. Load Generation:
    • Use tools like Apache JMeter, Gatling, or LoadRunner to simulate user load
  5. Execute Tests:
    • Perform tests under various conditions:
      • Normal load
      • Peak load
      • Stress testing (beyond expected peak)
      • Endurance testing (sustained load over time)
  6. Monitor and Collect Data:
    • Use application performance monitoring (APM) tools like New Relic or Dynatrace
    • Monitor server resources (CPU, memory, disk I/O, network)
  7. Analyze Results:
    • Identify bottlenecks and performance issues
    • Compare results against defined criteria
  8. Optimize and Retest:
    • Make necessary optimizations based on findings
    • Rerun tests to verify improvements

Key Metrics to Measure:

  1. Response Time: Time taken to complete a request
  2. Throughput: Number of requests processed per unit of time
  3. Error Rate: Percentage of requests resulting in errors
  4. Concurrent Users: Number of active users at a given time
  5. CPU Utilization: Percentage of CPU being used
  6. Memory Usage: Amount of memory consumed
  7. Database Performance: Query execution times, connection pool usage
  8. Network Utilization: Bandwidth usage

Tools:

  1. Load Testing: Apache JMeter, Gatling, LoadRunner
  2. APM: New Relic, Dynatrace, AppDynamics
  3. Monitoring: Prometheus, Grafana
  4. Profiling: YourKit, VisualVM

Software Testing MCQ

1. What is the main purpose of software testing?

a) To find as many defects as possible
b) To verify if the software meets the specified requirements
c) To speed up the development process
d) To reduce the number of software features

Answer: b) To verify if the software meets the specified requirements

2. What is a test scenario?

a) A detailed description of a specific test case
b) A high-level description of what to test
c) A list of all possible test cases
d) A step-by-step procedure to test the software

Answer: b) A high-level description of what to test

3. Which type of testing is conducted to verify the software’s compatibility with other systems?

a) Compatibility Testing
b) Usability Testing
c) Regression Testing
d) Security Testing

Answer: a) Compatibility Testing

4. What does the acronym “SDLC” stand for?

a) Software Development Life Cycle
b) Software Development Lifecycle
c) System Development Life Cycle
d) System Development Lifecycle

Answer: a) Software Development Life Cycle

5. What is a test stub?

a) A piece of code used to simulate the behavior of modules that are not yet developed
b) A document detailing the test strategy
c) A tool used to track defects
d) A detailed report of the test execution results

Answer: a) A piece of code used to simulate the behavior of modules that are not yet developed

6. What is the primary focus of performance testing?

a) To verify the functionality of the application
b) To assess how the application performs under load
c) To ensure the application is user-friendly
d) To validate the data integrity

Answer: b) To assess how the application performs under load

7. What does the acronym “API” stand for in the context of software testing?

a) Application Programming Interface
b) Automated Performance Indicator
c) Advanced Protocol Integration
d) Application Program Interface

Answer: a) Application Programming Interface

8. What is regression testing?

a) Testing that focuses on the integration of different modules
b) Testing performed to ensure that previously fixed defects do not reappear
c) Testing performed to check the usability of the software
d) Testing conducted to find new bugs in the application

Answer: b) Testing performed to ensure that previously fixed defects do not reappear

9. What is a test plan?

a) A document outlining the testing strategy and objectives
b) A list of all test cases to be executed
c) A tool used to automate tests
d) A report detailing the defects found during testing

Answer: a) A document outlining the testing strategy and objectives

10. What does “GUI” stand for in software testing?

a) Graphical User Interface
b) General User Interface
c) Graphical Uniform Interface
d) General Uniform Interface

Answer: a) Graphical User Interface

Must Read Sanity Testing vs Smoke Testing

Conclusion

In this article, we have extensively discussed some of the most frequently asked software testing interview questions with answers.

After reading about the software testing interview questions, are you not feeling excited to read/explore more articles on interview-related questions? Don't worry; Coding Ninjas has you covered. To learn how to crack top product-based companies, how to crack technical interviews, and how to practice for technical mock interviews.

Recommended Readings:

If you wish to enhance your skills in Data Structures and AlgorithmsCompetitive ProgrammingJavaScript, etc., you should check out our Guided path column at Code studio. We at Coding Ninjas Studio organize many contests in which you can participate. You can also prepare for the contests and test your coding skills by giving the mock test series available. In case you have just started the learning process, and your dream is to crack major tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, etc., then you should check out the most frequently asked problems and the interview experiences of your seniors that will surely help you in landing a job in your dream company. 

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