Reading software books can be a valuable investment for software testers, helping them to improve their knowledge and skills, enhance their career prospects, and become more effective and valuable members of a software development team.
Here are the Top 10 Software books which every tester needs to read
The Art of Software Testing
The Art of Software Testing is a classic book on software testing written by Glenford J. Myers, one of the pioneers of software engineering.
The book was first published in 1979 and has since been updated and revised to reflect changes in the field of software testing.
The book provides a comprehensive overview of software testing, including the theory and practice of testing, the various types of testing, and techniques for designing and executing test cases.
It also covers topics such as test planning, test automation, and test metrics.
One of the key themes of the book is that software testing is an art that requires creativity and skill, rather than just a mechanical process of checking code against specifications.
Software Testing Techniques
The book is aimed at software developers, testers, and managers, and covers a wide range of topics related to software testing.
The book covers both the theoretical and practical aspects of software testing, including the different types of testing, testing strategies and methodologies, test case design techniques, and test automation. In addition, it covers more advanced topics such as reliability testing, security testing, and performance testing.
One of the key strengths of the book is its coverage of the different levels of testing, including unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and acceptance testing.
It also provides detailed guidance on how to design effective test cases, including techniques such as boundary value analysis, equivalence partitioning, and decision tables.
Agile Testing: A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams is a book written by Lisa Crispin and Janet Gregory that provides practical guidance on how to implement effective testing in an Agile software development environment.
The book was first published in 2009 and has since become a widely read and influential book in the Agile testing community.
It covers a wide range of topics related to Agile testing, including the principles and practices of Agile development, the role of testing in Agile development, and techniques for designing and executing effective tests in an Agile context.
The book also covers topics such as test automation, continuous integration, and the use of metrics in Agile testing. One of the key strengths of the book is its focus on the role of testing in an Agile development process. The authors emphasize the importance of collaboration between testers, developers, and other stakeholders, and provide practical guidance on how to ensure that testing is integrated into the Agile development process.
The Software Test Engineer's Handbook
The Software Test Engineer's Handbook is a book written by Graham Bath and Judy McKay that provides practical guidance and advice on software testing.
The book is aimed at software test engineers, managers, and developers, and covers a wide range of topics related to software testing.
The Software Test Engineer's Handbook covers both the theoretical and practical aspects of software testing, including the different types of testing, test planning and management, test automation, and test reporting and analysis.
It also covers topics such as risk management, test-driven development, and the use of metrics in software testing. One of the key strengths of the book is its focus on the practical aspects of software testing. The authors provide detailed guidance on how to design and execute effective test cases, how to manage test teams and projects, and how to use tools and techniques to automate testing and improve efficiency.
Testing Computer Software
Testing Computer Software is a book co-authored by Cem Kaner, Jack Falk, and Hung Q. Nguyen that provides a comprehensive guide to software testing.
The book was first published in 1993 and has since become a classic in the field of software testing.
It covers a wide range of topics related to software testing, including the different types of testing, test planning and management, test case design, and test automation.
It also covers more advanced topics such as performance testing, security testing, and the use of metrics in software testing.
One of the key strengths of the book is its emphasis on practical testing techniques. The authors provide detailed guidance on how to design and execute effective test cases, how to identify and report bugs, and how to use tools and techniques to automate testing and improve efficiency.
How to Break Software: A Practical Guide to Testing
How to Break Software: A Practical Guide to Testing" is a book written by James A. Whittaker that provides practical guidance on how to test software effectively by intentionally trying to break it.
The book was first published in 2002 and has since become a popular resource for software testers. The book covers a wide range of topics related to software testing, including the different types of testing, test planning and management, test case design, and test automation.
However, the main focus of the book is on the art of "breaking" software, which involves intentionally trying to find defects and vulnerabilities in software. One of the key strengths of the book is its emphasis on creativity and exploratory testing. The author provides practical guidance on how to use a variety of techniques, such as boundary value analysis, negative testing, and stress testing.
Lessons Learned in Software Testing: A Context-Driven Approach
Lessons Learned in Software Testing: A Context-Driven Approach is a book co-authored by Cem Kaner, James Bach, and Bret Pettichord that presents a context-driven approach to software testing.
The book was first published in 2002 and has since become a popular resource for software testers and covers a wide range of topics related to software testing,
including the different types of testing, test planning and management, test case design, and test automation.
The main focus of the book is on the context-driven approach to software testing, which emphasizes the importance of considering the specific context in which software testing is performed. One of the key strengths of the book is its practical approach to software testing. The authors provide numerous real-world examples and case studies to illustrate the context-driven approach to testing and how it can be applied in practice.
Effective Software Testing: 50 Specific Ways to Improve Your Testing
Effective Software Testing: 50 Specific Ways to Improve Your Testing is a book written by Elfriede Dustin, Thom Garrett, and Bernie Gauf that provides 50 practical tips and techniques for improving software testing.
The book was first published in 2002 and has since become a popular resource for software testers.
The book covers a wide range of topics related to software testing, including test planning, test case design, test automation, and test management.
Each of the 50 tips presented in the book is accompanied by a detailed explanation of how to apply it in practice, along with real-world examples and case studies. One of the key strengths of the book is its focus on practicality. The authors provide numerous concrete examples and suggestions for how to implement each of the 50 tips, making it easy for readers to apply the advice in their own work.
Exploratory Software Testing: Tips, Tricks, Tours, and Techniques to Guide Test Design
Exploratory Software Testing: Tips, Tricks, Tours, and Techniques to Guide Test Design is a book written by James A. Whittaker that provides practical guidance on how to use exploratory testing to design and execute effective software tests.
The book was first published in 2009 and has since become a popular resource for software testers,
and covers a wide range of topics related to exploratory testing, including the different types of tours and techniques that can be used to guide test design,
the role of heuristics and oracles in exploratory testing, and the benefits and limitations of using exploratory testing in software testing. One of the key strengths of the book is its practical approach to exploratory testing.
The author provides numerous real-world examples and case studies to illustrate how exploratory testing can be used to uncover defects and vulnerabilities in software that might not be found by traditional testing methods.
The Art of Unit Testing: With Examples in C#
The Art of Unit Testing: With Examples in C#" is a book written by Roy Osherove that provides a comprehensive guide to unit testing in software development.
The book was first published in 2009 and has since become a popular resource for developers interested in improving the quality of their code.
The book covers a wide range of topics related to unit testing, including the benefits and limitations of unit testing, how to write effective unit tests, and how to use unit testing frameworks such as NUnit and MSTest.
In addition, it includes numerous examples in C# that illustrate the concepts and techniques presented in the book. One of the key strengths of the book is its practical approach to unit testing. The author provides numerous real-world examples and case studies to illustrate how unit testing can be used to improve the quality and maintainability of code.
Conclusion
There are many valuable software books that every tester should read to improve their knowledge and skills in software testing. These books cover a wide range of topics related to software testing. By reading these books, testers can gain a deeper understanding of software testing and learn practical tips and techniques for improving their testing skills. Overall, these books are an essential resource for anyone working in the field of software testing, and I highly recommend them to anyone looking to improve their testing knowledge and skills.