An Empirical Study of SQA Topics in Tester Discussions on Stack Exchange

Abstract

Software quality assurance (SQA) is becoming more and more well-known all over the world since it is crucial to the reliable and efficient implementation of mobile and web applications. Software test engineers can obtain SQA tools and frameworks like Selenium, Automation, Selenium-web driver, and manual-testing etc. Because of the popularity of SQA, software test engineers routinely discuss SQA related application difficulties on social media platforms such as Stack Exchange (SE). This study attempts to identify challenges encountered by software test engineers during the creation of SQA based apps utilizing the SE data set. Understanding software test engineers talks on SE can provide insights into the amount of time, difficulty, and popularity of SQA based difficulties. Throughout this paper, we gathered 10,593 SE postings discussing SQA difficulties. Topics are identified and arranged into categories and subcategories based on their relationships. Each topic's difficulty and popularity have been examined. Our study showed various findings. Software test engineers highlight five SQA related questions on SE: Testing Techniques, SQA Communication and Collaboration, Software Testing, UI Automation Strategies and Best Practices and Defect Management. Secondly, the topic of Test Coverage Analysis of Test Methodology (Fused_Popularity=4.50) is the most popular in the Testing Techniques topic, followed by Cross Browser and Control Handling in Database Design Testing topic (Fused_Popularity=2.57) within the Software Testing category. Thirdly, SQA based issues across all topics are rapidly expanding on SE, with new queries submitted everyday about testing tools, testing challenges, and acceptance. Fourth, Framework support, Test Automation ,and Selenium Python Web driver Best Practices are the most common categories for 'how' questions. However, many searches in other categories start with 'What'. Fifthly, SE most popular SQA topics are Software Testing (Fused_Popularity=10.8) and UI Automation Strategies and Best Practices (Fused_Popularity=7.0). Sixth, the questions for Testing Technique (Fused_Difficulty = 11.06) and Software Testing (Fused_Difficulty = 4.4) are particularly difficult than the other classification. Our empirical findings could benefit the number of those who are involved: software test engineers, and SQA researchers. Software Test Engineers and researchers can expand their understanding of new ways and create unique techniques for making difficult SQA issues easier to understand