What is state transition testing and how can you design test cases for it?

2 How to identify states and transitions?

To identify the states and transitions of a system, you need to analyze the requirements and specifications of the system, and understand the business logic and rules that govern its behavior. You can use diagrams, tables, or matrices to visualize and document the states and transitions. For example, you can use a state transition diagram (STD) to show the states as circles, the transitions as arrows, and the events or actions as labels on the arrows.

3 How to design test cases for state transition testing?

Designing test cases for state transition testing requires consideration of multiple aspects. You should aim to cover all possible states and transitions, including invalid or unexpected ones, and can use techniques like equivalence partitioning or boundary value analysis to reduce the number of test cases. Additionally, you should test the system in different sequences and orders of transitions and with the same transition repeated multiple times; decision tables or use cases can help define the scenarios and expected outcomes. Lastly, you should include different values and types of data and variables that affect the transitions, such as user inputs, system settings, or external factors; data-driven testing or pairwise testing can generate the required test data.

4 How to execute and report state transition testing?

To execute and report state transition testing, you need to use tools and methods that support the test design technique and the system under test. For example, you can use test automation tools that can simulate the events and actions that trigger the transitions, and verify the system's responses and outputs. You can also use test management tools that can track and document the test cases, the test execution, and the test results. You should report the state transition testing results in a clear and concise way, highlighting the defects, the root causes, and the recommendations for improvement.