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Fundamental Limit of Testing

publish date: 2026/06/19 10:51:8.985021 UTC

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Which statement most accurately captures the fundamental limit of software testing?

Testing guarantees that the software is defect-free when all test cases pass

Testing proves software correctness when 100% branch coverage is achieved

Testing can only show the presence of errors in a program; it cannot show there are no remaining faults

Testing is only useful for functional requirements, not non-functional ones

Correct Answer

Testing can only show the presence of errors in a program; it cannot show there are no remaining faults

Explanation

As Dijkstra stated, testing can only show the presence of errors, not their absence. Even comprehensive testing cannot prove that all defects have been found. This fundamental limitation means testing must be supplemented with other quality assurance activities such as inspections and formal methods.

Reference

Software Engineering, Ian Sommerville, 10th edition

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