---
description: In this tutorial you will learn, what is Static Testing? What is a Testing Review? Static Testing Techniques, types of reviews in software testing like Informal reviews, Walkthroughs, Technical review, Inspections and tools
title: What is Static Testing? Software Testing Techniques
image: https://www.guru99.com/images/what-is-static-testing.png
---

 

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**⚡ Smart Summary**

Static Testing is a software testing technique that checks an application for defects without executing the code, relying on reviews such as walkthroughs and inspections, plus automated analysis tools, to detect errors early and reduce development cost and time.

* 🔍 **Static Testing Defined:** Static testing examines code and documents without executing the application to catch defects early.
* 👁️ **Two Main Types:** Manual examinations (reviews) and automated analysis using static analysis tools.
* 📋 **Review Types:** Informal reviews, walkthroughs, technical reviews, and inspections identify defects in design and documents.
* 👥 **Review Roles:** Moderator, Author, Scribe, Reviewer, and Manager each have defined responsibilities in a review.
* 🛠️ **Common Tools:** Checkstyle, Soot, and SourceMeter automate static analysis of source code.
* 💡 **Key Benefit:** Early defect detection reduces testing cost, time, and rework later in development.

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![What is Static Testing and Testing Review](https://www.guru99.com/images/what-is-static-testing.png)

## What is Static Testing?

**Static Testing** is a software testing technique which is used to check defects in software application without executing the code. Static testing is done to avoid errors at an early stage of development as it is easier to identify the errors and solve the errors. It also helps finding errors that may not be found by Dynamic Testing.

Its counterpart is Dynamic Testing which checks an application when the code is run. Refer to this tutorial for a detailed difference between [static and dynamic testing](https://www.guru99.com/static-dynamic-testing.html).

The two main types of static testing techniques are

* **Manual examinations**: Manual examinations include analysis of code done manually, also known as **REVIEWS.**
* **Automated analysis using tools:** Automated analysis are basically static analysis which is done using tools.

## Static Testing Techniques

* Informal Reviews
* Walkthroughs
* Technical Reviews
* Inspections
* Static Analysis  
  * Data Flow
  * Control Flow

[](https://www.guru99.com/images/3-2016/Static-Testing.png)

## Tools used for Static Testing

Various tools used for Static Testing are as follow,

* [Checkstyle](https://checkstyle.sourceforge.io/)
* [Soot](https://github.com/soot-oss/soot)
* [SourceMeter](https://www.sourcemeter.com/)

## What is Testing Review?

A review in Static Testing is a process or meeting conducted to find the potential defects in the design of any program. Another significance of review is that all the team members get to know about the progress of the project and sometimes the diversity of thoughts may result in excellent suggestions. Documents are directly examined by people and discrepancies are sorted out.

Reviews can further be classified into four parts:

* Informal reviews
* Walkthroughs
* Technical review
* Inspections

During the Review process four types of participants that take part in testing are:

* **Moderator**: Performs entry check, follow up on rework, coaching team member, schedule the meeting.
* **Author**: Takes responsibility for fixing the defect found and improves the quality of the document
* **Scribe**: It does the logging of the defect during a review and attends the review meeting
* **Reviewer**: Check material for defects and inspects
* **Manager**: Decide on the execution of reviews and ensures the review process objectives are met.

Types of defects which can be easier to find during static testing are:

* Deviations from standards
* Non-maintainable code
* Design defects
* Missing requirements
* Inconsistent interface specifications

Usually, the defect discovered during static testing are due to security vulnerabilities, undeclared variables, boundary violations, syntax violations, inconsistent interface, etc.

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* [Differences Between Verification and Validation ](https://www.guru99.com/verification-v-s-validation-in-a-software-testing.html "Differences Between Verification and Validation")

## Tips for Successful Static Testing Process

Some useful tips to perform a static testing process in Software Engineering.

* Focus only on things that really count
* Explicitly plan and track review activities. A software walkthrough and inspection are generally composite into peer’s reviews
* Train participants with Examples
* Resolve people issues
* Keep process formal as the project culture
* Continuous Improvement – Process and Tools
* By removing the major delays in test execution, testing cost and time can be reduced

## Why Static Testing?

Static testing is performed due to the following reasons

* Early defect detection and correction
* Reduced development timescales
* Reduced testing cost and time
* For improvement of development productivity
* To get fewer defect at a later stage of testing

## What is Tested in Static Testing

In Static Testing, following things are tested

* Unit Test Cases
* Business Requirements Document (BRD)
* Use Cases
* System/Functional Requirements
* Prototype
* Prototype Specification Document
* DB Fields Dictionary Spreadsheet
* Test Data
* Traceability Matrix Document
* User Manual/Training Guides/Documentation
* Test Plan Strategy Document/Test Cases
* Automation/Performance Test Scripts

## How Static Testing is Performed

To perform Static Testing, it is done in the following ways,

* Carry out the inspection process to completely inspect the design of the application
* Use a checklist for each document under review to ensure all reviews are covered completely

The various activities for performing Static Testing are:

1. **Use Cases Requirements Validation:** It validates that all the end-user actions are identified, as well as any input and output associated with them. The more detailed and thorough the use cases are, the more accurate and comprehensive the test cases can be.
2. **Functional Requirements Validation**: It ensures that the Functional Requirements identify all necessary elements. It also looks at the database functionality, interface listings, and hardware, software, and network requirements.
3. **Architecture Review**: All business level process like server locations, network diagrams, protocol definitions, load balancing, database accessibility, test equipment, etc.
4. **Prototype/Screen Mockup Validation**: This stage includes validation of requirements and use cases.
5. **Field Dictionary Validation**: Every field in the UI is defined well enough to create field level validation test cases. Fields are check for min/max length, list values, error messages, etc.

## FAQs

⚖️ What is the difference between static and dynamic testing?

Static testing checks software without executing the code, using reviews and analysis of documents. Dynamic testing runs the code to verify behavior. Static testing finds defects earlier; dynamic testing finds runtime issues.

📝 What is the difference between a walkthrough and an inspection?

A walkthrough is an informal review led by the author to explain a document and gather feedback. An inspection is a formal, moderator-led review with defined roles and entry and exit criteria.

🤝 Is static testing manual or automated?

Static testing can be both. Manual static testing uses reviews such as walkthroughs and inspections, while automated static testing uses tools like Checkstyle, Soot, and SourceMeter to analyze code.

🤖 How is AI used in static testing?

AI enhances static testing by automatically detecting code smells, security vulnerabilities, and standard violations. Machine learning prioritizes likely defects and reduces false positives in static analysis tools.

🧠 Can AI perform automated code reviews?

Yes. AI-powered tools review code for bugs, style issues, and security risks, suggest fixes, and summarize changes. They assist human reviewers but do not fully replace expert judgment.

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