Ad Hoc Testing is a software testing technique where the tester performs testing in an unstructured and informal manner without following any predefined test plan or test case. The term “ad hoc” means “for a specific purpose” or “improvised,” and therefore, ad hoc testing is also known as improvisational testing or exploratory testing.
Ad hoc testing is usually performed when the tester has limited time to test and needs to quickly identify defects or issues in the software. The tester performs testing based on their own knowledge and experience with the software, and there is no formal documentation or procedure involved in this type of testing.
Some of the advantages of ad hoc testing are that it is flexible, efficient, and can quickly identify defects or issues that may be missed in formal testing. However, ad hoc testing can also be risky, as it may not cover all aspects of the software and may lead to overlooking important defects.
Therefore, ad hoc testing should be used in conjunction with other testing techniques and should not be relied upon as the sole means of testing the software. Ad hoc testing can be useful in identifying defects early in the development cycle and can help to improve the overall quality of the software.
Here are some common types of ad hoc testing:
- Random Testing: In this type of ad hoc testing, the tester randomly selects test cases to execute and does not follow any specific order or sequence.
- Error Guessing: In this type of ad hoc testing, the tester uses their intuition and experience to guess where errors might be located and then designs test cases to uncover these errors.
- Exploratory Testing: In this type of ad hoc testing, the tester explores the software system to find defects or issues that were not identified in formal testing. The tester performs testing based on their own knowledge and experience with the software.
- Pair Testing: In this type of ad hoc testing, two testers work together to test the software. One tester writes test cases while the other executes them. The testers switch roles periodically to ensure that both are actively involved in testing.
- Monkey Testing: In this type of ad hoc testing, the tester performs random actions on the software system to see how it reacts. The goal is to identify defects or issues that may not be uncovered through formal testing.
- Scenario Testing: In this type of ad hoc testing, the tester creates scenarios that simulate real-world use cases of the software. The tester then performs testing to ensure that the software meets the requirements of these scenarios.