Differences between Static Testing and Dynamic Testing are listed and explained below:
| Criteria | Static Testing | Dynamic Testing |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Static Testing is a method of testing whereby work products are reviewed without executing them. | Dynamic Testing is a method of testing whereby the behavior of work products is evaluated by executing them. |
| Objective | Static Testing ‘prevents’ bugs in the software. | Dynamic Testing ‘detects’ bugs in the software. |
| Work Products |
Work products like Requirements (Business / Software), Architecture & Design, Mockups, Code, Test Artifacts and User Guides are evaluated. | Executable code / program is tested. |
| Automation |
Usually, static testing is conducted manually though code reviews can be tool-assisted. | Dynamic testing can be either manual or automated. |
| Types |
Reviews, walkthroughs and inspections are the three types of Static Testing. | Dynamic Testing comprises of two major groups of testing (Functional Testing and Non-Functional Testing) each of which have many types. |
| Levels |
Static Testing is conducted throughout the life cycle of the software. | Dynamic Testing is conducted at four distinct levels: Unit, Integration, System and Acceptance. |
| Responsibility | Depending on the work product, all members of the team may be involved at one time or the other. | Generally, Unit Testing is conducted by software developers, Integration and System Testing by software testers, and Acceptance Testing by clients. |
| Earliness |
Static Testing can be conducted right from the beginning of the project — as soon as Requirements Specification is ready. | Dynamic Testing can be conducted only after executable code is ready. |
| Assistance | Normally, checklists are used to assist in testing. | Normally, test cases are used to assist in testing. |
| Cost | The cost of finding and fixing defects during Static Testing is low. | The cost of finding and fixing defects during Dynamic Testing is high. |
| VvsV | Static Testing is a part of Verification. | Dynamic Testing is a part of Validation. |
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Last Updated on September 16, 2020 by STF