version control

Hi ,
Where and why is the version control used by a tester?I saw a posting in this site where and why a developer uses version control but I didnt understand why tester uses it.Please some body answer me.Thankyou in advance.

Hi,

The version controlling specifies the different versions of software released. Each and every incremented version will have certain updates made to the system. These updates or changes are forecasted already before the development. In the testers perspective the version control will help them to test the new changes of functionalities updated into the system. While testing they will test the new functionality added and the impact for functionality which already exists. The change of versioning will be identified by the incrementation of the version number. Versioning is done for the requirement changes and the system upgradation. For any changes made into the system it should be validated, and hence the testing plays in it.

Actually, version control is not used by the testing but while doing version control testing should be done in order to maintain the quality of the software.

Regards,
Ganesan

Thankyou ganeshan

Sorry ganeshan,I have a doubt,we will access the modified files from version control for testing purposes.This is what I understood from your answer.Is it right?I thought new build will be deployed to testing environment.please clarify me.
Thankyou

Yes, the new build should be deployed to the testing environment for the Testing team to be able to access the build and run the chosen test cases for the regression test suite (a.k.a. regression test set). I'm not sure how this process works in your shop, but over here, each time the code is deployed into the QA environment, it is given a "build number" which increments based on some internal rules of the Development team.

However, it does increment but the increment-process is affected based on the level of changes made to the code. So, yes, we will have to eventually access the modified files, or which I referred to as "build" previously, in order to test it against our already written scripts to see if the changes haven't brought new errors/bugs and also to see if the quality of already existing functionality hasn't been compromised. So yes, you are on the right track and this is also what sridharganesan was trying to imply (right ganesan?). The quality of the software should be maintained regardless of the changes made to the code and version control is ensure that the new version hasn't broken already existing functionality.

Thankyou Anshoo, I am sorry I still didnt get the picture why a tester has to use version control software like pvcs when the build is directly deployed into testing environment.Do a tester store his test plan and testcases in pvcs(even though they have test director)please give me some clarity here.Thankyou

I haven't used PVCS before, but I know other version control tools that our Development teams use. Basically, such software allow Tech Leads/Managers to know who worked on what module, made what kinds of changes and track the person who made these changes. I am not sure why the testing team in your shop needs such a tool other than for tracking changes made on the new build, as I have only known of Development teams being the primary users. We basically have the entire application to run our scripts on.

Are you sure you are not confusing the Developers' environment with the Testing environment? I can see why a tester wants to see what changes were made on a high-level to the previous build, and has nothing to do with code deployment.

Tools like TestDirector/QualityCenter on the other hand are oriented towards Test and Change Management as opposed to Version Control.

[QUOTE=Anshoo_Arora;25140]I haven't used PVCS before, but I know other version control tools that our Development teams use. Basically, such software allow Tech Leads/Managers to know who worked on what module, made what kinds of changes and track the person who made these changes. I am not sure why the testing team in your shop needs such a tool other than for tracking changes made on the new build, as I have only known of Development teams being the primary users. We basically have the entire application to run our scripts on.

Are you sure you are not confusing the Developers' environment with the Testing environment? I can see why a tester wants to see what changes were made on a high-level to the previous build, and has nothing to do with code deployment.

Tools like TestDirector/QualityCenter on the other hand are oriented towards Test and Change Management as opposed to Version Control.[/QUOTE]

Hi Kavitha,

I am also on the same track of what Anshoo have told. Only the Development team will use the version control to track the changes done on each and every version of the software and the testing team only use the Test management tool or defect tracking tools. The test management tools will have the requirement or functionality updated on each and every version and for those changes the corresponding the test cases and the execution results will be maintained.

Regards,
Ganesan

Hi Kavita,

I guess my perspecitve is slightly different from both Anshoo and Sridhar.

Completely agreeing on the point that tracking changes made on a build is maintained by Dev team and testing team would have nothing to do with Code versioning changes, I still beleive a Testing team would use a version control tool.

[U]Possible Reasons[/U]
It is quite possible that we would have to version our scripts / testcases. On a contradiction note, it is possible to say we could just change the existing cases or scripts/ But sometimes it becomes mandatory to create new cases as per version number. Based on the change History of your cases / scripts, we could always track back as to what changes occured in AUT version wise.

Also a testing team would need to maintain version control documents for Test Plans, Test Strategy and other Test deliverables. This could range from Test Data to Release certification note. We would have to consider kickoff projects as well when we talk of version control.

I still beleive this is kind of open to discussions, as we could use a Test Management tool to maintain all this but still we end up versioning in one way or anither.

I would conculde that a Testing team could defintely use a versioning control to a good extent and a just cause.

Sridhar / Anshoo, please add to the same. We might actually come out with something concrete on this Subject.

Cheers..

[QUOTE]On a contradiction note, it is possible to say we could just change the existing cases or scripts/ ... we could always track back as to what changes occured in AUT version wise.[/QUOTE]

I guess it bottles down to the company you are working at. But at our shop, we don’t really change our test cases, or our Test Plan/Deliverables related documents according to changes in version number. Our strategies change as response to changing requirements and modifications in business rules. Our regression test suite on our previous application contained nearly 1,200 test cases, which was left to be executed every night we got the build back from the Dev. team. We would adjust our test scripts as a response to the changes made to the application and report new features which are actually “bugs” back to the Dev. Lead. So, if we tie our efforts to version number, it would be just another case of incurring cost so [I]as long as the requirements aren’t changing[/I], our Test suite pretty much remains the same, because it is ultimately the client that needs the application at the end of the day and we need to ensure the Dev. follows guidelines.

[QUOTE]Also a testing team would need to maintain version control documents for Test Plans, Test Strategy and other Test deliverables... when we talk of version control.[/QUOTE]
As I mentioned, we don’t tie the test efforts pertaining to the version number, or the build number. The test strategy doesn’t change much as we start executing regression scripts and this is where the Test Plan reaches a more mature state. Alongside, during regression is also when we prepare for the System Tests as well as create the appropriate infrastructure for Performance Testing. This generally happens when we send the build back to the Dev. with new defects. It is generally a divided team effort to maintain test scripts and make appropriate changes to it.

Because I haven't been exposed to maintaining formal Test Strategy as changes in builds/versions occur, in my mind, I know if requirements change, we will have to modify a part of our effort to respond to those requirements. Honestly, there are times when I don't even know what build number is out. There are also times when we get a page worth of "documentation" to learn the changes made to the existing system. So instead of version control, our test effort is focussed mainly towards change in requirements.

[QUOTE=bizzzzzare;25156]Hi Kavita,

I guess my perspecitve is slightly different from both Anshoo and Sridhar.

Completely agreeing on the point that tracking changes made on a build is maintained by Dev team and testing team would have nothing to do with Code versioning changes, I still beleive a Testing team would use a version control tool.

[U]Possible Reasons[/U]
It is quite possible that we would have to version our scripts / testcases. On a contradiction note, it is possible to say we could just change the existing cases or scripts/ But sometimes it becomes mandatory to create new cases as per version number. Based on the change History of your cases / scripts, we could always track back as to what changes occured in AUT version wise.

Also a testing team would need to maintain version control documents for Test Plans, Test Strategy and other Test deliverables. This could range from Test Data to Release certification note. We would have to consider kickoff projects as well when we talk of version control.

I still beleive this is kind of open to discussions, as we could use a Test Management tool to maintain all this but still we end up versioning in one way or anither.

I would conculde that a Testing team could defintely use a versioning control to a good extent and a just cause.

Sridhar / Anshoo, please add to the same. We might actually come out with something concrete on this Subject.

Cheers..[/QUOTE]


Hi Umesh,

I too accept that the testing team use the versioning in terms of Test Plans, Test Strategy and other deliverables done by the testing team. But when it is regarding the versioning of the software or application under test, the test team will check only for version number of the build deployed. Yes we need the different versions of the test cases or scripts that are delivered on part of the particular version, but these things can be managed with Test Management tool itself. But anyhow, it depends on the organization whether to use version control tools or test management tools. We use Quality Center to maintain those different versions of test cases but for the test plan, strategy and reports we use folder structure pertaining to different builds.

More views on this regard are welcome which will expand ourself in the area of version control with respect to testing team!!!

Regards,
Ganesan

Hello Everyone,Thankyou so much for trying so hard to answer my questions.I am facing different interviews for qa tester position and in one job requirements they asked that person should have working knowledge of pvcs.They use testdirector to maintain testing documents.I wanted to know why they are asking for pvcs when they have testdirector.Thats why I posted the question.But I really appriciate each and everyone in this discussion.Thankyou guys

Questions like these do carry a good discussion; we enjoy them too. Thank you.

Can we do a Version Control of TC's in QC 9.2? If yes what would be the staps to do it?