10 Bug Hunting Strategies: How to Think Like a Developer

Manual testers are often given the responsibility of finding the most hidden bugs in the software application. Most of the time, automation and general testing is not able to uncover such bugs. In order to find such bugs, having a developer mindset is extremely important. By thinking like a developer, testers can deep-dive into the functionality of the software and design test cases which can uncover those hideous bugs.

In this blog post, let us explore some actionable steps that will help you think like a “developer” and master your bug hunting skills!

1. Think Beyond the “Happy Path”

While testing, it is common for testers to miss the bugs as they focus on the happy path scenario. Most of the times, developers do write the code that handles the negative inputs. So it is essential for testers to explore what happens off this path.

1. Create a test strategy that involves edge cases, negative scenarios and inputs, and certain user actions that may cause the application to break. Observe the behavior of the application in such instances. It would be helpful to have the discussion with the developers/stakeholders before-hand to understand how the system would react to such inputs.
2. For examples in a phone number input field, try to type alphabets and see how the system reacts.

2. Ask ‘What If?’ Questions

Developers often design their code for specific use cases. Asking “What if?” questions can help unravel scenarios that testers might not have considered. Because most of the times, testers think from the business perspective and the user perspective, however the developers might have handled even more scenarios.

For example, you can try asking the below questions to the development team.

1. What if the user submits data without filling all required fields?
2. What if multiple users perform the same action simultaneously?
3. What if the internet connection is slow or intermittent?

3. Reflect on Past Bugs

Reflecting on past bugs is similar to how a developer thinks because here we are looking for patterns, understand the root cause and try to anticipate future problems. Even developers perform code reviews to learn from past mistakes. Adopting a similar mindset as a tester will aid you in preventing bugs.

Below are the action plans

1. You can maintain a bug repository categorized by type, root cause or module. You can use it as a guide during your exploratory testing session.
2. Alternatively, you can utilize JIRA filters to categorize bugs.

4. Leverage Debugging Tools

This is based on my personal experience. Mostly developers use debugging tools a lot to track down the root cause of a particular bug. So even testers can use them too.

For example:

1. Browser devtools for inspecting elements, network/api requests, session/cookie details and console logs.
2. Database query tools to check for database integrity
3. API testing tools like Postman to validate endpoints.
4. Testers need to sharpen their debugging skills by closely analyzing bugs, reading stack traces and system logs.

5. Collaborate with Developers

This is one of the most important thing that can help you as a tester. Developers can be your best allies in the bug hunting journey if approached in the correct manner.

Below are few steps using which you can collaborate with the developers effectively.

1. Build a good rapport/relationship with the developers to avoid the blame game.
2. Discuss your test strategy and scenarios with them so that they can relate with it and understand whether they have handled that logic in the code.
3. Share your bug findings, valid or invalid, to them and ask for honest feedback and areas to focus while testing.

6. Understand Common Pitfalls in Code

The better you can understand the code, the better a tester you can become. Certain coding practices give rise to bugs. Try to understand where exactly the developers are prone to making mistakes.

For example, below are certain areas where developers are most likely to make mistakes.

1. Errors in loops.
2. Hardcoded values.
3. Improper error or exception handling
4. Assumptions about input format or length.
5. Missing logic for negative scenarios & edge cases, browser navigation, sitemap links or keyboard navigation.

7. Think About Scalability and Performance

When QA are testing any functionality, they mostly focus on the functional and behavioral aspects of a feature. However, it is essential for QA to test for scalability and performance, at least at a high level, to understand the bottlenecks of the system.

Below are the common questions testers can ask to the dev team.

1. Can the system handle large number of users simultaneously?
2. How does the software behave under heavy data load?
3. Are there any expected delays in response time during peak hours of usage?

8. Refining Test Case Maintenance

Developers usually maintain and update their codebase on a regular basis. Same habit can be mirrored by the QA for their test cases to ensure that they align with the latest requirements or code changes. This process ensures that tests are up-to-date, which helps in catching bugs effectively.

Below are the ways to make this happen

1. Create versions of the test case document for each sprint.
2. After every sprint, create a new version the the document and add/remove the steps based on the changes done to the system in the new sprint.
3. Have it reviewed with the developers to get further feedback.

9. Focusing on User Experience (UX)

While chasing the functionality testing, we often miss to test how the elements are looking on the webpage. Whether they provide the best experience to the user and makes it easier for them to navigate and access on different kind of devices. That is where you need to think about user interface, usability, inconsistencies and performance lags. When you think about User Experience, you will be able to spot more meaningful defects in the long run.

1. Reflect on previous UX problems to cater to the needs of the end user.
2. Involve developers into such discussions so that they can understand and code it better.

10. Revisit Requirements and User Stories

Sometimes revisiting the requirements and user stories and reading them again can help you spot areas that you missed to test. You can make sure that no features have been missed or misinterpreted. Having strong knowledge of the feature while testing can ensure that you are testing the product thoroughly, thereby increasing the chances of finding valuable defects.

Following are the ways you can make sure this happens:

1. Involve developers in the meetings and have a feedback on the understanding of the user story.
2. Review the test cases mapped to requirements with the developers so that both of you are on the same page.

Conclusion

Thinking like a developer during the bug-hunting process helps testers improve their efficiency and effectiveness. By reflecting on past bugs, simulating real-world scenarios, maintaining collaboration, and refining their testing practices, testers can uncover issues faster, contribute to a smoother development cycle, and ensure the delivery of high-quality software.

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