Debugging and Testing :Definition and Difference
What is Debugging?
Debugging is a process to detect and remove existing and potential bugs in a software that can lead to failure. Debugging is used to find the issue and resolve it.
Development team receives defects identified by the testing team which they start debugging.
- The purpose of this phase is to locate the bug and rids the software of it.
For its effective outcome developer should:
- Set Bug Priority
- Reproduce the Bug
- Avoid assumptions
Debugging Process
To make the software programs or products defect-free, below process should be done before releasing them into the market. Below are steps involved in this process are,
- Identifying the error – It saves time and avoids the errors . Finding errors at an earlier stage helps to reduce the number of errors and wastage of time.
- Identifying the error location – The exact location of the error should be found to fix the defect faster and execute the code.
- Examine the error – To understand the type of defect and reduce the number of errors we need to analyze the error. Solving one bug may lead to another bug that stops the application process.
- Prove the analysis – Once the error has been analyzed, we need to prove the analysis. It uses a test automation process to write the test cases through the test framework.
- Cover the lateral damage – The bugs can be resolved by making the appropriate changes and move onto the next stages of the code or programs to fix the other errors.
- Fix and Validate – This is the final stage to check all the new errors, changes in the software or program and executes the application.
What is Testing?
- Testing is a process of checking the system under test is working as per requirements and find defects present in the software.
- Testing is done by the tester to identify the defects in the system (actual result of test case execution is not matching with expected result) and report the issues found to the developer team for debugging and fixing.
- Testing is the process of verifying a system with the purpose of identifying any errors, gaps or missing requirements versus the actual requirement.
A software test process consists of the activities listed below:
Difference between Debugging and Testing ( Debugging vs Testing)
| Parameters | Debugging | Testing |
| Purpose | Locate and correct bugs found during testing. | Find bugs and errors. |
| Person Responsible | Done by a programmer or developer. | Testing is done by the tester. |
| Nature of process | It is the process which cannot be forced. It is a deductive process. | Testing is the process which can be planned, designed and executed. |
| Automated | It cannot be automated. | Most of the test cases in testing can be automated. |
| Planned | It is the process which cannot be forced. | Testing is the process which can be planned, designed and executed. |
| Person Responsible | Debugging is done by a programmer or developer. | Testing is done by the tester. |
| Design Knowledge | Detailed design knowledge is required to perform debugging. | Most of the testing can be done without design knowledge. |
| Outsourcing Activity | Cannot be outsourced to outside teams. It must be done by the inside development team. | Testing can be outsourced. |