Boundary Software Testing

https://www.testbytes.net/blog/boundary-value-analysis

This past week we began understanding and practicing boundary value testing using simple programs and, of course, simple tests. This blog post discusses that same topic, and gives multiple real life-scenarios and dives deep into the subject. Although it is not a super difficult subject to grasp (in my opinion), I feel this is a good way to reinforce those ideas we learned in class.

This blog by testbytes gives all the information one would need to give them a solid starting ground for boundary value testing. It first explains the concept of the testing model and why it would be done, such as explaining how testers hope to identify errors more proficiently. An example is given, using discount percentages that apply ONLY when purchase totals reach a certain threshold. The lower boundary of the first discount is given, testing if the total is less than $10 (which should mean a 0% discount). Then, the upper boundary of the first discount is checked, with a $10 order receiving an expected 5% discount, so on and so forth. 

Later the blog discusses the different types of boundary value testing as well as their distinctions and the disadvantages and advantages of this type of testing. 

I selected this resource because it gives a quick definition of boundary value testing but then goes into further detail on the subject with good examples and explanations. It is a well thought out post that gave me a more concrete understanding of boundary value testing and edge cases. 

Testbytes on its own is a reliable source for this specific information since it is an entire company dedicated to software testing and quality assurance. Through checking out their other posts, I see they have a variety of testing area blogs including mobile apps, web apps, games, automation, security, and more. 

Overall, this resource is great to refer back to due to its consistent information and easy to understand descriptions. 

As previously mentioned, the content in this blog post by Testbytes is a really solid basis for a good understanding of boundary value testing. I can’t say that it is the highest quality and in-depth education on the subject one can receive, but it’s useful for someone like me who is just getting started. 

Personally, I really enjoyed the material, especially the example given at the start. Although I wasn’t struggling with what we were learning in class, there were times where I had a moment of confusion. This is a quick bit of information that instilled some more confidence in me about this topic. One main thing I learned through this blog is a big disadvantage of BVA is truly how many test cases it may require to check all boundaries/edges, which can lead to a lot of effort on the system and more power/time consumption. I expect to use such advantages and disadvantages when creating test cases for my future individual and work projects.