Issue #178 : Software Testing Notes
How to Approach QA Testing for an Application You Know Nothing About
Hello there! 👋
Welcome to the 178th edition of Software Testing Notes, a weekly newsletter featuring must-read content on Software Testing. I hope this week has been good for you so far.
This week, we will explore:
An approach to Testing for an Application You Know Nothing About
AI in exploratory testing: from hype to practice
5 Must‐Know Concepts for testing Apache Kafka
100% of Test Coverage Is Not About the Amount of Tests
Compatibility Testing in Software: The Blind Spot in Load Testing
and more…
📚 Testing
AI in exploratory testing: from hype to practice by Beatriz Biscaia
Exploratory testing is known for its creativity and critical thinking, not something that AI can replace as of now. From Sérgio Freire’s webinar, the article explores how large language models can assist (but not replace) testers by summarizing sessions, generating test ideas, and even drafting bug reports.
How to Approach QA Testing for an Application You Know Nothing About by Pradip Baskota
Starting QA on a completely new application can feel overwhelming, Pradip Baskota explains how to go from zero knowledge to a confident testing strategy by combining exploratory testing, careful documentation, and test planning one step at a time.
Remote Working Software Testing Challenges by Daniel Knott
Working remote myself, this video by Daniel Knott was a great help. Working remotely has many benefits, but also comes with it’s own set of challenges. Daniel talks about these challenges and how to overcome them.
🔍 Curated Articles
⚙️ Automation
McDonald’s Automation Framework: Unlocking Efficient and Effective Test Automation Take a peak at how McDonald takes tackles end-to-end testing across markets and platforms (web, mobile, and API) with it’s own approach to testing all the while reducing flaky tests and better maintenance.
Testing Kafka Isn’t Like Testing APIs — 5 Must‐Know Concepts for Testers by Nirmal Nayak
Need to test Kafka apps? You don’t need to be a Kafka expert to test Kafka-powered applications. Nirmal Nayak shares a how focusing on just the essential concepts such as topics, partitions, records, and consumer groups, testers can add real business value without getting lost in infrastructure details.
Mocks vs. Spies in Mockito: What’s the Difference? by Anil Goyal
Mocks replace objects completely and are great when you need full control and isolation, while spies wrap real objects and let you selectively override behavior.
If Mockito’s mocks and spies have ever confused you, Anil Goyal clears it up with simple explanations and hands-on examples.
100% of Test Coverage Is Not About the Amount of Tests by Andrei T.
Test coverage can be a helpful guide, but chasing 100% isn’t the golden path to quality. Andrei T. argues that poor architecture leads to untestable logic, and no amount of coverage percentage can fix that. The solution lies in fewer, focused tests that provide long-term value rather than expensive test suites.
🔍 Test Automation
💨 Performance
Compatibility Testing in Software: The Blind Spot in Load Testing by Yam Shal-Bar
Blind load testing without considering external factors such as front-end, device constraints, and network variability can end in disaster and won’t prepare your app for the future. As Yam Shal-Bar puts it, “Integrating compatibility into load testing is the only way to uncover the real bottlenecks before your users do.”
🔍 Performance Testing
🛠️ Resources & Tools
DevSwiss — A Mac app that includes a set of offline tools designed to maximize productivity, including Base64 encode/decode, QR code generator, UUID/ULID generator, JSON formatter, code snippets library, hash generator, and more.
JSON Formatter — A simple online JSON formatting tool that lets you upload via file or URL then generate formatted, minified, or interactive tree-based output.
cursor.directory — A directory of categorized and searchable .cursorrules files to help you find the best cursor rules for your framework and language.
📝 List of Software Testers
Do you create content around Software Testing ? Submit yours blog details here and I will add it to the list.
🎁 Bonus Content
📌 OTHER INTERESTING STUFF
The New Skill in AI is Not Prompting, It's Context Engineering
How I Scanned all of GitHub’s “Oops Commits” for Leaked Secrets
⭐ LAST WEEK'S MOST READ
AI’s Impact on Software Testing: The Evolution of QA Engineers, SDETs, and Automation Architects by Lana Begunova
How to Integrate Cypress with FTP, SFTP, and S3 for End-to-End Testing? by Clark Ewerton
😂 And Finally,
When Vibe Coders fixes a Bug with AI 🤣
📨 Send Me Your Articles, Tutorials, Tools!
Wrote something? Send links via Direct Message on Twitter @TheTestingKit (details here). If you have any suggestions for improvement or corrections, feel free to reply to this email.
Thanks to everyone for subscribing and reading!
Happy Testing!
Pritesh(@priteshusdadiya)