Software testing can be quite expensive and time-consuming. More than often, testers find themselves in a time crunch to finish software testing within schedule.
In such cases, if the software build they start testing fails to perform the main functionalities, all their effort to set up and test that build gets wasted.
This is where build verification testing comes in. BVT is a set of tests that are run on each new software build to verify that the build is stable & ready to be handed over to the test team.
Builds that fail BVT are rejected from further testing. Additionally, BVT makes sure all the major functionalities are working properly and prevents the test team from testing an unusable build.
If you want to learn about build verification testing too, follow along with us.
We’ve discussed everything from BVT principles, test case writing, the testing process, and a handy checklist that’ll amp up your chances of success at build verification testing.
- What Is Build Verification Testing?
- Why Build Verification Test?
- The Principles Of Build Verification Testing (BVT)
- The Process of Build Verification Testing
- Key Points To Consider While Writing BVT Test Cases
- BVT Testing Strategy
- Tips For Selecting Build Verification Tests
- Why Did BVT Or Build Fail?
- Build Verification Testing Checklist
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Wrapping Up
What Is Build Verification Testing?
Build verification testing is a software testing method where every new build is tested to confirm that it functions as expected before delivering it to the test team for in-depth testing.
BVT is also known as smoke test or build acceptance test. It is essentially a measure of build stability and integrity. BVT is a must, especially when a new build includes the integration of numerous other modules.
You will have to confirm both build verification and build acceptance in this testing. You must not spend more than 30 to 60 minutes to complete the build verification test. Typically, BVT is automated to save time and effort.
BVT is done after developers complete coding and before sending the build to the test team. It includes a subset of the core functionality test cases. Testing the core software functionalities ensures that the application is stable and can sustain further testing.
Why Build Verification Test?
Planning tests and setting up a test environment takes a lot of time. Hence, if the build being tested ends up not being stable enough to test, tons of time and effort get wasted.
Build verification testing checks if the main functionalities of the software work properly using a subset of core functionality test cases.
Therefore, when a software build fails BVT, it means the major functionalities of this build don’t work properly. So, no point in performing further tests on it.
The main reason for performing BVT is to assess the health of the initial build as well as perform basic checks like making sure all file formats are accurate and all new and modified files have been included in the build.
Additionally, BVT prevents wastage of the testing team’s resources and time by identifying faulty builds early.
To ensure BVT is successful, you have to design and perform BVT tests with extreme precision. Furthermore, you can ensure build integrity and confirm whether all the software modules are integrated properly.
The Principles Of Build Verification Testing (BVT)
The primary principle of performing build verification testing is that only stable and complete modules should be part of the final build.
When developers complete coding and integrating a build, you have to test to make sure all the included components work properly and are testable.
Another principle of BVT is to verify build health. It checks to ensure all included files are of the required format, version, and language, as well as detecting missing files.
Also, modules included in the build should have test cases with known expected results. Incomplete or completely untested modules shouldn’t be included in BVT.
Moreover, as BVT uses a subset of the core functionality test cases, it should ideally be automated. Automated build verification testing is an integral part of the CI/CD pipeline.
The Process of Build Verification Testing
The process of build build verification testing is pretty straight forward. This testing mainly includes repetitive and predefined tests. Therefore, it is preferred to perform the BVT process using automated tools.
Testers can automate the BVT test cases and run them as part of the CI/CD. The typical BVT testing process includes the following:
- First of all, some BVT test cases are selected from already defined test cases.
- These test cases are then executed as part of the CI/CD pipeline.
- Analyze the test results after each run.
- If any test case fails BVT, reject the build, log the results, and report them to the developer team.
- When the developer team gets the defect report, they analyze it, and fix bugs if any actually occurred.
- After all the problems are resolved, a new software build is created.
- The selected test cases are run again on the new build.
- If the build passes, it gets handed over to the UAT team; otherwise, it gets returned to the developers.
For successful build verification testing, follow the above mentioned process step by step.
Some Benefits Of BVT
- Ensures the build includes all the old and updated files
- Verifies all major functionalities work efficiently
- Performing BVT detects bugs even before actual testing starts
- Reduces risk of the build failing mid test
- Major bugs can be identified super early
- Saves time and effort of test team
- Helps to make the testing process efficient and short
- Most BVT are automated, so less manual effort required
Key Points To Consider While Writing BVT Test Cases
It can be challenging to write or pick test cases for BVT. The test cases you decide to include have a significant impact on the outcome of your build verification test.
Here are some key points for choosing BVT test cases:
- Only test cases that check the core, critical, and major functionalities should be included.
- All included test cases must have a well-defined expected outcome.
- Keep the test cases straight forward & short as BVT verifies build integrity not the entire function.
- Engage the project manager, the domain expert, and the developers to produce more effective test cases.
- Test cases for checking unstable or incomplete features should not be included.
- Ensure that the included test cases can sufficiently cover all the major functionalities.
BVT Testing Strategy
Following these strategies will increase your chances of success while performing build verification testing.
- Do not hurry while writing the BVT test. Spend enough time and do the necessary analysis before writing the build verification tests.
- All of the core features of the software should be covered by the build verification test cases.
- BVT should be stable. Performing the same test on the same build should always bring the same results.
- Take both valid and invalid input data into account during BVT design.
- BVT tests should be automated as much as possible, as this increases both efficiency and accessibility.
- Every new build should have BVT done, and the results should be reported.
- PM and TL must review the report to see if there are any issues with the build.
- If defects are discovered, they must be investigated to determine the root cause of the problem and reported to the developers.
- BVT test cases should be re-run to ensure that the defects have been fixed.
Tips For Selecting Build Verification Tests
Here are some useful tips for choosing build verification tests:
- All the major functionalities in the scope of testing should be checked in BVT.
- Version details about build under test should be accurate.
- The build to be tested should be properly installed.
- All the required modules should be integrated properly.
- BVT tests should be short and complete under 30 minutes.
- All of the BVT test cases should be completely automated.
- BVT tests must be part of the CI process.
- Establish strict test entry criteria and only include tests that match those criteria.
- BVT tests should be performed with new additions and modification of functionalities.
Why Did BVT Or Build Fail?
Build verification testing or the build may fail due to various reasons. Developers aren’t always at fault. Hardware or infrastructure issues can cause the BVT test suite to fail.
- It may also fail as a result of:
- Test environment errors
- Improper selection of test cases
- Coding errors in the test cases
- Incorrect prediction for test cases
- Automation tool errors
So, you must properly troubleshoot the reason behind BVT failure and take necessary measures to fix the problems.
Build Verification Testing Checklist
Now you have a better insight into build verification testing. However, it’s always better to maintain a checklist of BVT essentials so that you don’t miss any crucial steps.
- Make sure test cases for testing all critical and core functionalities have been added.
- Make sure the test cases included are sufficient for build verification.
- Set test entry and pass standards and follow them strictly.
- Automate the selected test cases with care.
- Make sure automated scripts are maintained and modified regularly.
- Remove any test case that doesn’t have known expected results.
- Remove any modules that are not yet stable.
- Record as many details as you can about the outcomes of the BVT test. These details will make it easier for developers to debug and identify the root of the problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Build Verification Testing Fall Under Functional Testing Or Non-functional Testing?
Build verification testing checks the major functionalities of the system build. It doesn’t test any of the performance issues like non-functional testing. Hence, it falls under functional testing.
Why Automation Is Essential For Build Verification Testing?
Build verification testing involves repeated execution of predefined test cases on each new build. Hence, it’s not only time consuming but also exhausting.
If you manually perform BVT testing, you can miss out on crucial facts. Automation reduces the human effort and makes BVT testing faster & efficient.
What Are The Cons Of BVT testing?
Critical problems can occasionally come out during additional testing even after thorough BVT testing. System testing may result in a build that passes BVT failing.
Additionally, if the software build is not stable in the first place, BVT testing may end up being a waste of time and resources.
Wrapping Up
Build verification testing is essentially a set of tests performed on each new build to check whether the build is testable or not. It is crucial for ensuring the integrity and stability of new software builds.
To make sure your testing team isn’t wasting their efforts on an unusable build, you must perform BVT testing on each software build before extensive testing.
BVT testing requires more focus and caution than other tests. You have to use test cases that ensure maximum test coverage for critical functionalities. But also make sure you are not spending way too much time on BVT testing.
Hopefully, you have received a clear insight into how to do BVT from our article. To achieve the best results, go through the BVT checklist to ensure you have made all necessary preparations.
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