Test Case vs Test Scenario – Title changed, Please change URL

The article focuses on discussing the difference between test cases and test scenarios. Before proceeding with the difference let’s first discuss each term in detail.

What is Test Case?

Test cases are set of actions that are executed to verify particular features or functionality of software applications. It consists of test data, test steps, preconditions, and postconditions that are developed for specific test scenarios to verify any requirement.

• Test cases are mostly derived from test scenarios.
• It helps in the exhaustive testing of software.
• Test cases include test steps, data, and expected outcomes for testing.
• These are low-level actions and require more time and resources for execution.

Purpose of Test Case

• Verification of compliance: Test cases help in the verification of compliance with guidelines and client needs.
• Improved data flow coverage: Test cases helps to improve control, logic, and data flow coverage.
• Exposes flaws: Test cases helps to uncover flaws and defects in the software.
• Testing will be structured: The test engineer’s job will be more convenient, simple, and, structured when test cases are developed.
• Validates customer expectations: Test cases help to validate customer requirements and expectations.
• Helps to simulate real user scenarios: Test cases help to simulate real end user’s scenarios. 

Example of Test Case

Below are some examples of test cases:

1. Check the behaviour of the system when an invalid user id and invalid password are entered.
2. Check the behaviour of the system when a valid user id and valid password are entered.
3. Check the behaviour of the system when a valid user id and invalid password are entered.
4. Check the behaviour of the system when an invalid user id and valid password are entered.
5. Check the system behaviour when ‘Keep me signed in’ is selected. 

Best Practices for Test Cases

• Clear: Test cases should be clear, transparent, and easy to understand.
• Avoid repetition: Design test cases to avoid repetition.
• Never make assumptions: When writing test cases, it is considered a best practice to never make assumptions about the features of the software.
• Easily distinguishable: Test cases must be designed in such a way they are easily distinguishable.
• Check all software requirements: Write test cases to check all software requirements mentioned in the specification document.

What is Test Scenario?

A test scenario is a collective set of test cases that helps the testing team to determine the positive and negative features of the project.

• It provides a high-level description of what has to be tested.
• It is defined as a linear statement.
• It is a detailed document that covers end to end functionality of a software application.
• It is a useful exercise for saving time.
• It is simple to maintain as adding and modifying test cases is simple.

Purpose of Test Scenario

• Verify complete functionality: Test scenarios help to verify the complete functionality of the software application under test.
• The business process according to functional requirements: Test scenarios help to ensure that the business flows and processes are as per the functional requirements of the application.
• Organize workforce: Test scenarios help to determine testing work effort, and create a proposal for the client, thus helping to organize the workforce.
• Determine end-to-end critical applications: Test scenarios help to determine end-to-end critical software applications.

Example of Test Scenario

• Check the payment functionality.
• Check the login functionality.
• Check whether authentication works properly.
• Check whether the demo works as expected.
• Check the search functionality.
• Check shopping cart functionality.

Best Practices for Test Scenario

• Single-lined statements: Test scenarios should be single-lined statements stating what should be tested.
• Simple description: The test scenario description should be simple and easy to understand.
• Reusable: It is considered a best practice to create reusable test scenarios.

Test Case vs Test Scenario

Below are the differences between test cases and test scenarios:

• Test cases are the set of actions to execute and test particular feature of the application on the other hand test scenarios is any functionality that can be tested.
• Test cases are derived from test scenarios whereas test scenarios are derived from SRS, BRS, etc.
• Test cases help in the exhaustive testing of the application and test scenarios help in the agile way of testing the application.
• Test cases are focussed on how to test and what to test on the other hand test scenarios are focussed on what to test.
• Test cases require more time and resources as compared to test scenarios.
• Test cases are low-level actions and test scenarios are high-level actions.

Below table summarizes the difference between test case and test scenario: