All PairsTesting: It is also known as Pairwise Testing Technique which is a combinatorial software testing method where, for each pair of input parameters to a system, all possible discrete combinations of those parameters are identified and tested.
In this method, a set of test cases is generated that covers all combinations of the selected test data values for each pair of variables. It's also referred as 2-way testing. It is also possible to do all triples or all quadruples testing, but the size of the higher order test sets grows very rapidly.
This technique normally begins by selecting values for the system's input variables. These individual values are often selected using domain partitioning. The values are then permuted to achive coverage of all the pairings.
The steps for using all pairs testing technique follows:
STEP 1: Analyze the given test inputs or requirements and list out the variables in the application to be tested. This can be listed in the form of a table where column headers represent the various variables to be tested.
Note: Equivalence class partitioning technique can also be used at this point to partition and group together variables.
STEP 2: List out the various possible values each of the variables can hold. These values can be put in rows just beneath the corresponding variables.
STEP 3: Create the "ALL Pairs" table by putting the variables in the top row and start by filling in the values for the variables in each column.
STEP 4: If a combination does not exist, then swap around with the values to see if the combination can be got.
STEP5: Else add a new row
In this method, a set of test cases is generated that covers all combinations of the selected test data values for each pair of variables. It's also referred as 2-way testing. It is also possible to do all triples or all quadruples testing, but the size of the higher order test sets grows very rapidly.
This technique normally begins by selecting values for the system's input variables. These individual values are often selected using domain partitioning. The values are then permuted to achive coverage of all the pairings.
The steps for using all pairs testing technique follows:
STEP 1: Analyze the given test inputs or requirements and list out the variables in the application to be tested. This can be listed in the form of a table where column headers represent the various variables to be tested.
Note: Equivalence class partitioning technique can also be used at this point to partition and group together variables.
STEP 2: List out the various possible values each of the variables can hold. These values can be put in rows just beneath the corresponding variables.
STEP 3: Create the "ALL Pairs" table by putting the variables in the top row and start by filling in the values for the variables in each column.
STEP 4: If a combination does not exist, then swap around with the values to see if the combination can be got.
STEP5: Else add a new row
Murugha,
ReplyDeleteThe fellow-tester in me wants to say: "Thank you for writing about an important topic in software testing." Pairwise testing is under-appreciated and under-valued. It is a wonderful way to make sets of tests highly varied and powerful.
The cynic in me wants to say: "That mechanical step-by-step explanation of strikes me a bit like trying to explain how to use an abacus in a world where your audience regularly uses Excel." I haven't seen anyone use an abacus in years except young children in school. I haven't seen anyone use mechanical step-by-step approaches to design actual software tests. Why would any tester actually do that? Powerful, easy-to-use tools like Hexawise can create tests extremely quickly with the push of a single button once you've identified your test inputs.
Justin Hunter
Founder of Hexawise
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