Since most businesses are turning themselves into SAAS or PAAS, the demand for robust and user-friendly software has risen exponentially. To build software that not only serves but also never fails, the majority of them make their way through a complete software testing life cycle.

Table of contents: 

• Introduction
• What is STLC?
• The Phases of STLC
• How Different Is STLC From SDLC?
• Perks & Role of STLC
• Conclusion

Software testing is the technique of examining a piece of software to find failures and errors to make sure it is suitable for usage. It can be carried out either manually, where testers apply their knowledge, ability, and intuition, or automatically, where a test script directs the tester’s actions. 

This can be considered in the form of the cycle, which is a series of phases of particular tasks carried out throughout the testing process to guarantee that software quality objectives are accomplished. It includes both validation and verification steps. Software testing does not include just testing, contrary to popular belief. It comprises a sequence of steps taken methodically to support the certification of your software application.
In this article, we will be giving you a quick guide to STLC! Keep reading to know more!

What is STLC?

The aim of the iterative, cyclical software testing life cycle is to guard against software faults. It consists of test analysis, setup, planning, execution, designing, and test closure. It is hard to ensure that a product will be error-free if only one test is carried out because of the complexity of the software. As a result, each STLC phase is subjected to numerous tests.

Various test kinds can be used concurrently or independently at any point during the life cycle. Usability testing, exploratory testing, regression testing, and sanity testing are a few examples; there are other subcategories for each of these diverse types. Each category has a unique function and will change depending on the situation.

The STLC’s crucial phases are listed below – 

• Requirement Analysis
• Test Planning
• Test Case Development
• Test Environment Setup
• Test Execution
• Test Closure

The Phases of STLC

To make better choices about how to test your software, it’s critical to comprehend the stages of software testing. Selecting the appropriate testing phase for your product is a crucial component of the testing lifecycle. Identifying whether you need to test your product or not is the first stage in this procedure.

There will be fewer requirements for testing if your product is an app that gathers data as opposed to a banking website that conducts financial transactions. While some items might go through every stage of testing, others might just get a partial test. For instance, other than usability tests, a website that only serves as a marketing tool might not require any extra testing.

Testing can occur at any moment, and before going on to the next phase, each one should be completed at least once. You can complete just one phase if necessary because each one is independent of the others.

As seen above, the following steps make up a typical software testing life cycle; let’s take a closer look at each one.

1. Requirement Analysis

The first stage of the software testing life cycle is requirement analysis (STLC). The quality assurance team is aware of the requirements, such as what will be tested, throughout this phase. The quality assurance team interacts with the stakeholders to better comprehend the requirements in depth if anything is missing or not clear. 

2. Test Planning

The most productive stage of the software testing life cycle is test planning, where all test strategies are laid out. The testing team manager calculates the projected cost and effort for the testing activity during this phase. Once the requirement gathering phase is over, this phase begins. 

3. Test Case Development

After the test planning step is over, the test case development phase begins. The testing team records specific test cases during this phase. The testing team also prepares the necessary test data. The quality assurance team reviews the test cases after they have been designed.

4. Test Environment Setup

This crucial step in the STLC is called test environment setup. In essence, the test environment establishes the parameters in which software is tested. The creation of test cases might be started concurrently with this autonomous activity. This process is not being conducted by the testing team. The testing environment is created by either the developer or the client.

5. Test Execution

The test execution phase begins with post-test case development and test environment setup phases. In this phase, the testing team begins running test cases that were prepared in the preceding phase.

6. Test Closure

This stage of the STLC is the last one in which the testing process is examined.
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How Different Is STLC From SDLC?

STLC	SDLC
The main focus is on product testing.	The main focus is on developing a product.
It aids in generating the software defects-free.	It aids in developing good quality software.
Recognizing the needs for the product’s creation and ensuring that it operates as intended.	Identifying user needs and developing a product that meets those demands.
The QA team analyses functional and non-functional documents as part of the STLC and develops a system test plan.	The business analyst compiles the requirements and develops a Development Plan during the SDLC.
The test analyst develops the Integration test plan in STLC.	The development team produces high- and low-level design plans during the SDLC.
The STLC is in charge of developing tests that are tailored to the requirements gathered and confirming that features adhere to those criteria.	The SDLC is in charge of gathering requirements and developing features.
The STLC stages start once the SDLC phases are finished.	The stages of the SDLC have been finished before testing.
Finding product bugs and reporting them to the development team so that they can be fixed is the ultimate objective.	Delivering a superior product that users can use is the ultimate objective.

Perks & Role of STLC

Perks of STLC 

• Shifts left testing in the development cycle and ensure that the design of test cases is meaningful and feature specs are clear.
• The systematic approach to testing ensures a faster testing process and allows teams to detect and resolve bugs more quickly.
• Testing is performed well with phases and goals, making project progress tracking easier.

Role of STLC

The role of STLC is to help the teams with: 

• The agile testing process is being redefined.
• Improving Consistency and Effectiveness
• Clearly defining project objectives and expectations
• Project testing under time constraints

• Before adding extra features, ensure that each function/feature has been thoroughly tested and passed.
• Ensure that the project requirements are met.

In essence, it is a step-by-step procedure that can be followed to ensure high-quality software. During the early stages of the Software Testing Life Cycle, primarily when developers are developing the product, the tester is in charge of analyzing and defining the scope of testing. Additionally, testers focus on the entry and exit criteria of tests and develop some test cases to reduce the overall life cycle while maintaining quality.

Identifying faults at the end of an SDLC is no longer an effective strategy. During the testing process, a sequence of specific actions, or STLC, is necessary to ensure that testing is prioritized properly by moving from one phase to the next. STLC also provides an overview of how quality is achieved for various tests and their cases. A business must also focus on a variety of other daily tasks. Spending an inordinate amount of time testing and fixing bugs can stifle productivity. After all, producing less output will take longer.

To make the testing process run more smoothly, it is critical to make efficient use of time and resources. Following a thorough STLC allows you to fix bugs immediately and improves the quality of your work. We hope this article has given you an all-around idea about STLC. So until the next time, keep testing!