Back to Back Testing with Definition, Example and Steps

Back to Back Testing is a type of Software Testing in which two or more variants of a component are always tested with similar inputs and their corresponding outputs are compared and examine in case of any discrepancies that may exists in future. Back to Back Testing is a testing process in which events that are associated with it are defined and examined properly.

This testing always involves cross-comparison of entire responses that are always obtained from functionally equivalent software components. In this testing whenever a difference is determined/observed it is measured and if essential a correction is applied too.

Definition

Somerville 1998 defined Back to Back Testing in his own way because he said this testing is always used when several/various versions of a system/application exist for testing. According to him in this testing all versions are tested with similar set of tests and then the results are always compared for some system/application problems if any issue exists.

Example of Back to Back Testing

Best example for doing this testing is to always test two versions of a component with similar inputs and then comparing the outputs. And further outputs are examined if there are any sort of discrepancies occurs. For example software that exists in ATM centers their outputs should be same with same inputs without bothering how the data is examined at the back end.

Steps for doing Back to Back Testing

Below is given some steps that may carry out during Back to Back Testing.

1. First step is that in which specific purpose set of test cases is always prepared.

2. Now using these test cases we can run the different system/application versions and store the results in different files.

3. Final step of this testing is to perform the automatic comparison of the results stored in different files and then generate the Difference Report.

Some people do not know about Difference Report means what it is all about, so below is given the definition of Difference Report which clears its definition.

Difference Report is that which always indicates the system/application problem that may exists among the different system versions.

Note

Please keep one thing in mind that this very famous testing technique can be very cost effective for new application/system especially for those application which has undergone some major modifications.

Conclusion

This is all I know about Back to Back Testing and if you know some more better points in this testing than you can definitely discuss your thoughts in below comments section so that others can make benefit from your points. And your feedback are always welcomed regarding this post.