What are the differences between black box and white box testing software processes?

Differences between black box and white box testing software process: For every tester, it is essential to know about these two software processes to run an application without any error.

Do you expect a software application to run slowly or show an error message when the users use a particular feature of it? The answer must be a big no. Here, the role of the software testing process comes which ensures that the software application is running without bugs. When you want your users to get a flawless experience with your software, you must invest in effective software testing processes. The software testing process can be categorized in two different ways and those are i. black box and ii. white box testing process. Let us know about the two different software testing processes in brief before getting into the details of the differences between black box and white box testing. 

Black box testing process:

The Black box testing process is checking the overall functionality of the software application without diving into its detailed internal design. So the testing team needs not go through the details of the internal design of the application before starting their work. In simple words, black box testing means comparing the output value with the input value.

The result of the black box testing process gives you detailed information about the comprehensive testing of different application functionality. This testing team will mainly check the software application’s behavior. So, the tester needs not to have knowledge of the programming language and the details of how the software application is created. 

White box testing process:

Contrary to the black box testing process, the white box testing process can be performed by testers who have detailed programming knowledge. Whitebox testing ensures that the flow of data from input to output is accurate. Detail testing process includes checking the internal coding, structure, and design. 

The purpose of the White box testing process is to improve the application’s security, design, and usability. This is code-based testing that the developers do carefully before taking the application to the next step. 

White box testing covers different types of bug-quashing tools to make the software application secure and robust. Granularity is an effective way of eliminating bugs. This is a transparent testing process that shows you all the possible data that the application may generate theoretically. Through this testing process, the testers can find out the hidden error in the software application.

Mainly white box testing is conducted to check the most complicated component of the software application. This is because the nature of white box testing is resource intensive in nature. The in-depth research process by the developers ensures the performance of each code to run a software application successfully. 

Differences between black box and white box testing

So, white box and black box testing purposes must be clear to you now. The basic differences between black box and white box testing are in the areas of testing the software. In simple words, white box testing includes code details, structure, and internal design of the application and black box testing is checking the behavioral response of the web or mobile application. But apart from this basic difference, there are some other points that you need to keep in mind. 

1. Knowledge of the tester

In the case of black box testing, the testers have no need for in-depth knowledge about programming and the internal technical details of the software application. The tester can check how the application is responding as per the given input without knowing the programming language. Conducting this application testing is important to ensure that the users of the application will get a pleasant experience. 

On the other hand, white box application testing is applicable for in-depth code testing. The developers of the application can perform the white box testing using their coding, internal designing, and structural knowledge. 

2. Testing purpose 

The purpose of conducting black box testing is limited to checking the performance of its different features as per the given inputs. The testers can check whether the users of the application will get the right output depending on their input on the application or not. The behavior response is the only thing to test with the help of the black box testing. 

On the other hand, the testing purpose of the white box testing process is about the performance of the tough component of the software application. It includes the application structure, programming code flow, and more. Checking the internal design details of a software application is the main thing to remember.

3. Test cases 

The software testing processes should disclose the information in detail and the improvement of the application is made depending on that report. In black box software testing processes, the report includes the conditions of the inputs, different steps, testing information, and expected result. Depending on this report the application can be developed in a more user-friendly manner. 

On the other hand, if you look into the report of the white box software testing processes you will get to know about the details of the code, technical concepts, and detailed design. The technical details found in the software testing processes are found in the report. 

4. Detection of errors

In the black software testing processes detecting the error is possible only when the codes are developed. But in the case of white box software testing processes, early detection of errors in codes is possible. So, rectification becomes easy as well. 

Conclusion 

The testers can use the trial-and-error method in the black box software testing processes. On the other hand, the testers should have deep knowledge of coding and internal designing to note the details of the technical errors in the flow of codes.

Though there are plenty of differences between black box and white box testing, for overall development each of these software testing processes becomes essential. There is no chance to skip this step of testing before sending the application for deployment. Testers should have the ability to find the error and review the task to suggest the best for application improvement. Depending on their report further development of the application is conducted before deployment.