How to write great test cases

Understand requirements

• Analyze functional and non-functional requirements: Before writing a test case, ensure you understand the user expectations, and performance requirements. This helps in identifying what needs to be tested and how to structure the test case.

• Clarify ambiguities: If there’s any uncertainty, clarify it with the developer, or product owner. Well-defined requirements lead to better test case quality. In Testiny, you can also link Requirements from other services like Jira to your test cases, out of the box we support over 15 integrations but you can add custom services too.

Keep test cases simple and clear

• Use clear and descriptive titles: Each test case should have a clear, concise title that describes the test's purpose. It should indicate what functionality is being tested.

• Use simple, easy-to-understand language: Test cases should be written in plain language that is easily understood by anyone, regardless of technical expertise.

• Avoid ambiguity: Use precise terms and avoid vague language to ensure the tester knows exactly what is expected.

Write test cases that are specific and test one thing

• Single focus per test: Each test case should verify one functionality or behavior. This makes it easier to identify the root cause of a failure and reduces complexity.

• Break down complex tests:If a feature has multiple facets, create separate test cases for each one instead of combining them into a single case.

Include both positive and negative scenarios

• Positive test cases: These test the system’s behavior with valid inputs to ensure it functions as expected (e.g., entering correct login details).

• Negative test cases: These test the system’s response to invalid or unexpected inputs (e.g., entering an incorrect password or leaving fields blank). Negative testing ensures the system is robust and can handle edge cases gracefully.

Ensure test case independence

• Avoid dependencies: Test cases should not depend on each other. Each test case should be executable independently, meaning it shouldn’t require the execution of other test cases to succeed.

• Isolated data setup: Ensure that the preconditions and test data are unique for each test case. This prevents one test case from interfering with others.

Be concise but detailed

• Conciseness: While it’s important to be thorough, avoid unnecessary details that may confuse or complicate the test. Keep your test steps direct and to the point. Structure test cases with templates.

• Detail in expected results: Ensure expected results are well-defined. This helps testers clearly differentiate between passing and failing conditions.

Make test cases reusable

• Modular design: Create test cases in a modular fashion so that they can be reused across different projects or test runs.

• Avoid hard-coded values: Use variables or test data inputs that can be modified easily for different scenarios rather than hard-coding specific values.

Prioritize test cases

• Critical vs. non-critical tests: Identify which test cases are crucial for the core functionalities of the application and prioritize them accordingly. Critical test cases should be run frequently or early in the testing process to catch high-impact issues sooner. Our test plan allows you to create test runs based on different criteria with dynamic filters, so you can catch all test cases with a “Critical” status.

• Use risk-based testing: Focus on areas that have the highest risk of failure, such as newly developed features, complex integrations, or known trouble spots.

Peer review and feedback

• Have others review your test cases: A second set of eyes can help catch gaps, unclear steps, or mistakes. Peer reviews also ensure the test cases align with the project’s objectives and standards. Testiny’s permission system and the modern architecture encourage and foster collaboration, you don’t have to worry about other people overwriting your changes.

• Incorporate feedback: Be open to feedback and update your test cases as needed to improve their quality and coverage.

Keep test cases up-to-date

• Update for changes in requirements: As the application evolves, ensure that your test cases are updated to reflect new functionalities, changes, or bug fixes. We have added the functionality to add comments to your test cases during execution to give feedback on the specific test case while you’re working on it.

• Remove obsolete test cases: Periodically review your test suite to identify and retire outdated or redundant test cases.

Automate when possible

• Identify candidates for automation: Not all test cases need to be automated, but frequently executed test cases, regression tests, and those with repetitive steps are ideal candidates for automation. Use our CLI tool to submit your automated test results to your Testiny instance.

• Maintain separate test cases for automation and manual testing: While automation is powerful, some scenarios (such as exploratory or UX/UI testing) are better suited for manual execution.