Difference Between Top-Down and Bottom-Up Integration Testing

 In this section, we are going to discuss the difference between Use case and Test case; and see a brief introduction of them.

In the software testing domain, the terms Use case and Test case are the most important and closely related but intensively different.

Now, let look into the definition and basic working of Use case and test case.

What is Use Case?

• In software testing, a use case is a graphic representation of business needs explaining how the end-user will cooperate with software or an application. And the use cases allow us all the possible techniques of how the end-user uses the application.
• In simple words, we can express that with the help of use cases; we can define how to use the system for executing a precise task.
• The use case is not a part of execution which means that it is only a graphic demonstration of a document that explains how to implement a particular task.
• With the help of the use case, we get to know how the product should work.

What is Test Case?

• A test case is defined as a group of conditions under a test engineer concludes whether a software application is working as per the customer's requirements or not.
• The test case designing includes preconditions, case name, input conditions, and expected result.
• These are derived from the test scenarios, and it is a first-level action.
• Mainly, test cases are used to validate the developed software by test engineers that the particular software is working as per requirement or not.
• A test Caseis described as a group of various testing activities like test inputs, execution conditions, and expected results that additionally lead to evolving a particular test objective.
• Writing test cases is a one-time attempt that can be used in the future at the time of regression testing.

The key difference between Use case and Test Case

The below facts explain the key differences between Use case and the test case.

• The use case cannot be implemented, which implies that it is only designed. And on the other hand, the test case is designed, and later we implemented them.
• The use case is obtained from the BRS (Business requirement specification) whereas the test case is derived from the use case.
• The use case is a graphic representation of client requirements, whereas the test case is not represented diagrammatically; it is only documented in an excel sheet.
• The use case is a document that always describes the flow of events of an application. In contrast, the test case is a document that always contains an action, event, and expected output of a particular feature of an application.
• The use case relies on the software requirements; on the other hand, the test case depends on the use case.
• The use case collects the requirements, and on the other hand, the test case will analyze those requirements.
• In use case, the results are not verified. On the contrary, the test case results are verified, which means that the test case checks if the result shows in use cases is functioning right.

Use case VS Test Case

We have discussed some significant comparisons between Use Case and Test Case in the below table.

S.NO.	Comparison Basis	Use case	Test case
1.	Definition	It is a graphical representation of the software and its multiple features.	It is an in-details document containing all possible inputs (positive and negative) and the navigation steps used for the test execution process.
2.	Manged by	The diagrams manage the use case.	The function tests manage the test case.
3.	Source	These are prepared on requirements.	These are prepared on Use cases.
4.	Required	Documents and research are required in order to create a use case.	It requires preconditions, case names, input conditions, and expected results in order to create test cases.
5.	User	The Business user executes the use case.	The test engineers execute test cases.
6.	Purpose	The primary purpose of the use case is to reach the last operation that follow all sequential processes.	The purpose of the test case is to validate the software is working fine or not.
7.	Completion	The Use case will complete all steps at once.	In a test case, the testing is performed again and again in order to end the process.
8.	Output	In the use case, the result is important, and all steps are to be implemented together.	In a test case, all steps are significant and may have a different result.
9.	Iteration	The use case supports the different paths.	The test case supports a single test case.
10.	Designed by	The business analyst designs the use case.	The test engineers design the test case.
11.	Interaction with	The use case interacts with the users.	The test case is depending on the results.
12.	Works by	The use case is the procedure of following the step-by-step function capability of the software.	The use case steps can be followed while designing the test cases.
13.	Advantages	Some of the significant advantages of using the use case technique while we are developing the product are as follows: The use case is the classification of steps that explain the connections between the user and its actions. It is used to take the functional needs of the system. It begins from an elementary view where the system is created first and primarily used for its users. It is used to control the complete analyses.	If we properly designed a test case, we will get the following advantages: We can utilize the organizational resources are more efficiently. The creation of a test case makes sure to developed and delivered a higher quality project. The identification of the bugs is easier and highly possible. The testing schedule and project budgets can be strictly followed.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have seen the major difference between the use case and the test case.

In the software industry, both Use cases and test cases are used interchangeably and have different meanings.

And after seeing all the differences between use case and test case, we can conclude that both use case and test case are equally important in the various phases of the Software development life cycle.

The Use cases are mainly used in the requirement and design phases of the SDLC, which lead the development in the precise direction. On the other hand, the test cases are mainly used in the testing phase of the SDLC where the precise execution is displayed, and failures in the software are distinguished.