For any software development project, testing is a crucial stage that ensures the functionality and reliability of your application. Often, project management tools like Jira are used to handle this process effectively. In this blog post, we will be focusing on how to write test cases in Jira.
What is a Test Case in Jira?
A test case in Jira is essentially a list of steps that must be followed in order to test a particular feature or functionality of your application. Usually, a test case includes steps to execute, input data, expected results, and actual results.
Writing Test Cases in Jira
Jira does not support test case creation out of the box. However, it provides a flexible framework that enables the creation of a custom issue type for test cases. Alternatively, you can use a Jira add-on like Zephyr or Test Management for Jira (TM4J) to have a dedicated framework for managing test cases. Here, we will explain how to create a test case using the custom issue type method.
Step 1: Create a New Issue Type
Go to Jira Administration > Issues > Issue Types. Click on the Add Issue Type button and create a new issue type dedicated to Test Cases.
Step 2: Create Custom Fields
Now, we need to create custom fields for our test case. Go to Jira Administration > Issues > Custom Fields. Click on the Add Custom Field button, and create fields like Test Steps, Expected Result, Actual Result, etc.
Step 3: Add the Custom Fields to Screens
After creating the custom fields, we must add them to the screens that use our Test Case issue type. Go to Jira Administration > Issues > Screens. Edit the screens associated with the Test Case issue type and add your custom fields.
Step 4: Finalize and Use Your Test Case
With this, we have successfully set up a custom issue type for Test Cases. Now, while creating a new issue, you can choose the Test Case issue type and fill in your test steps, expected result & actual result.
Sample Test Case
Here is a sample test case format.
Issue Type: Test Case
Summary: Test login functionality
Description: This tests the login functionality with valid credentials
Test Steps:
1. Navigate to login page
2. Enter Username and Password
3. Click on Login button
Expected Result: User should be logged in successfully and should be redirected to the home page.
With this setup, you can now easily manage your test cases within Jira. Remember, the key to effective testing is a well-written, clear, and concise test case.
Conclusion
Jira, being a versatile project management tool, provides an efficient way to manage your test cases. With the ability to customize your issue types and fields, you can create a robust framework for writing and managing test cases. This not only helps in maintaining a structured approach to testing but also significantly improves the quality of your software delivery.
