Boundary analysis is a testing technique used in software engineering to identify and test the boundaries or limits of input parameters. The objective of boundary analysis is to ensure that the software being tested can handle all possible input values, including the highest and lowest possible values, without producing any unexpected results.
In boundary analysis, test cases are created with values that are on or near the boundary of valid input ranges. This can help identify potential issues such as buffer overflows, input validation errors, or other unexpected behaviors. By testing boundary conditions, developers can ensure that their software is robust and can handle edge cases that may not have been considered during the design phase.
Overall, boundary analysis is a valuable technique for ensuring that software functions correctly under a wide range of input values and conditions, and can help improve the overall quality and reliability of software systems.
Some of the techniques used in boundary analysis testing include:
- Boundary Value Analysis (BVA): This technique involves testing the application’s behavior at the boundary values of input parameters. For example, if an input field accepts values between 0 and 100, BVA would test the application’s behavior at 0, 1, 99, and 100.
- Equivalence Partitioning (EP): This technique involves dividing the input domain into equivalent classes and selecting one value from each class for testing. For example, if an input field accepts values between 1 and 10, EP would divide the input domain into three classes: values less than 1, values between 1 and 10, and values greater than 10.
- Worst-case Testing: This technique involves testing the application’s behavior with the worst possible input values. For example, if an input field accepts values between 0 and 100, worst-case testing would test the application’s behavior with values of 0 and 100.
- Robustness Testing: This technique involves testing the application’s behavior with invalid or unexpected input values. For example, if an input field accepts numeric values, robustness testing would test the application’s behavior with non-numeric input values such as special characters.