Static vs. dynamic testing

Static vs. dynamic testing

There are many approaches to software testing. Reviews, walkthroughs or inspections are considered as static testing, whereas actually executing programmed code with a given set of test cases is referred to as dynamic testing. The former can be, (and unfortunately in practice often is) omitted, whereas the latter takes place when programs begin to be used for the first time - which is normally considered the beginning of the testing stage. This may actually begin before the program is 100% complete in order to test particular sections of code (modules or discrete functions). For example, Spreadsheet programs are, by their very nature, tested to a large extent "on the fly" during the build process as the result of some calculation or text manipulation is shown interactively immediately after each formula is entered.










1: Static testing is about prevention dynamic testing is about cure.2: The static tools offer greater marginal benefits.3: Static testing is many times more cost-effective than dynamic testing.4: Static testing achieves 100 statement coverage in a relatively short time while dynamic testing often often achieves less than 50 statement coverage because dynamic testing finds bugs only in parts of the code that are actually executed.5: Dynamic testing usually takes longer than static testing. Dynamic testing may involve running several test cases each of which may take longer than compilation.6: Static testing can be done before compilation while dynamic testing can take place only after compilation and linking.7: Static testing can find all of the followings that dynamic testing cannot find: syntax errors code that is hard to maintain code that is hard to test code that does not conform to coding standards and ANSI violations.

Static Testing : Testing the application when it's not being executed
Ex : GUI Testing Data Base Testing.

Dynamic Testing : Testing the application when it's being executed
Ex : Functionality of application.