What Developers Wish Testers Understood About Their Codebase

As a Testing and Test Automation expert, I’ve seen it all: from mysteriously absent documentation to surprise errors that show up just when you think you’re in the clear. Developers, bless their hearts, tend to send us testers on quite the wild goose chase when features are handed over for testing. So, in the spirit of full transparency (because, let’s face it, we need it), here are 10 things developers might hide from testers before sending their shiny new features for testing.

1. The Feature They “Just Finished” 5 Minutes Ago

Ah, the classic: “I was up all night coding this and just finished it five minutes before the handoff. But don’t worry, it’s ready for testing!” Developers sometimes underestimate the amount of testing needed for a brand-new feature. It’s like handing over a half-baked cake to someone and saying, “Just trust me, it’ll taste amazing!” No, we need to check for bugs in that batter, buddy.

Tip for testers: Don’t take the developer’s word for it! Thoroughly check that feature before assuming it’s perfect.

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2. The Secret Workaround They Hope You Won’t Find

There’s always that one hidden bug that developers are aware of, but they’ve somehow convinced themselves it’s “no big deal.” They will absolutely not mention it. Why? Because they believe you’ll never notice. Spoiler alert: We always notice.

Tip for testers: Be on the lookout for any unusual behavior, odd workflows, or “special cases” that might be hidden from plain sight. Dig deep!

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3. The Missing Edge Case Scenarios

Developers tend to focus on the happy path. They’ll test the feature in their favorite browser, on their laptop, during the most ideal conditions, and then, voilà—done. But wait… what about the edge cases? What happens when the user is on a flaky internet connection or entering unexpected data? This is where the fun begins.

Tip for testers: If a feature seems too perfect, it probably is. Try breaking it with edge cases, slow networks, or weird input combinations. I promise you, it won’t disappoint!

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4. The “Just Ignore This Tiny Warning Message”

You know that small, inconspicuous warning message in the console? The one the developer quickly dismisses with a casual, “Oh, it’s nothing”? Yeah, it’s something. It could be a sign of a memory leak, a deprecated API, or an impending disaster waiting to happen. But hey, if they don’t think it’s important, we won’t either… right?

Tip for testers: Always take a second look at those ignored warning messages. Sometimes they’re like those pop-up ads that just won’t go away—except, you know, way worse.

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5. The “No Docs Needed, It’s Self-Explanatory” Feature

Ah, the mysterious new feature with zero documentation. We all love a good surprise, don’t we? The developer believes their code is so well-written that it doesn’t need any context. But when you get that bug report that says, “It’s broken,” and no one knows what “it” is, that’s when the fun begins.

Tip for testers: When you encounter a feature without documentation, it’s time to channel your inner detective. Explore, experiment, and ask questions. And don’t be afraid to push back and demand clarity (because clarity is king, right?).

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6. The Missing Configuration File (That They Forgot to Send)

Sometimes, developers forget to send configuration files that are critical to the feature’s functionality. It’s like being handed a jigsaw puzzle, and the pieces that would make it complete are just missing. The feature may seem like it’s not working on your side, but in reality, it’s because you’re lacking that one file that’s absolutely necessary to make the feature run smoothly.

Tip for testers: If things aren’t working as expected, double-check with the developers. It’s always worth asking, “Are all the config files included? Did you remember to include the secret sauce?”

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7. The “Unfinished” Feature They’re “Just About to Complete”

We’ve all had that moment where a developer says, “I’ll finish the feature in an hour and send it to you.” Spoiler alert: It’s usually “done” in 3 days, and when it arrives, it’s still a half-baked concept. But by then, you’ve already cleared your calendar for testing and are mentally preparing for a marathon.

Tip for testers: Don’t assume a feature is ready just because it’s “almost done.” Keep an eye on the commit logs and check if any parts are incomplete.

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8. The “Test It in the Browser I Prefer” Request

Developers, in their infinite wisdom, sometimes ask you to test their feature on their preferred browser (which, surprise, is almost never the one your QA team uses). They’ve only tested the feature on Chrome, Firefox, or Edge—pick your poison—but you can bet that users might be accessing it on Safari or a mobile app.

Tip for testers: Test across different browsers and devices, even if the developer swears it’ll work just fine. Because… spoilers: It might not.

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9. The Missing Error Handling (Oops)

Sometimes, developers forget to handle errors gracefully, and when you finally hit that bug, you get a cryptic error message like, “Something went wrong!” or “Uh-oh, it broke.” This is the equivalent of a developer throwing their hands up and saying, “I tried, okay?”

Tip for testers: Try to break things, and when you hit errors, ensure they’re informative. A “404 Not Found” is better than “Whoops, something happened.”

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10. The “It’s Just a Simple Update, Nothing Fancy”

This one’s a classic. Developers love to downplay a feature update by calling it “simple” or “minor.” But, as we all know, a “simple” update could very well be a complete overhaul of the database or the UI—complete with new bugs, crashes, and unexpected results. It’s never simple, my friend.

Tip for testers: The moment you hear “simple” or “minor,” brace yourself. We both know that’s code for “you’re about to find something really interesting.”

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Wrapping It Up (And Buckling Up for Testing)

There you have it—the 10 things developers might hide from you before sending their features to the testing team. It’s all part of the game. But don’t worry, we testers are experts at uncovering the truth behind the code. After all, without us, who would uncover the bugs, write the bug reports, and save the day before release?

Remember, testing isn’t just about finding bugs—it’s about finding those little “features” that developers hope we’ll miss. Keep your eyes sharp, your tools ready, and your senses intact. Because if you can’t laugh through the chaos of testing, you might as well join the developer team.

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