What is the KEY difference between preventative and reactive approaches to testing?

Question

Options

• APreventative tests and reactive tests are designed as early as possible.
• BPreventative tests are designed early; reactive tests are designed after the software has been
• CPreventative testing is always analytical; reactive testing is always heuristic.
• DPreventative tests are designed after the software has been produced; reactive tests are

• A
  3% (1)
• B
  75% (27)
• C
  14% (5)
• D
  8% (3)

Explanation

Option B is correct because it captures the defining temporal distinction: preventative testing integrates test design early in the development lifecycle (e.g., during requirements or design phases) to catch defects before they're built in, while reactive testing designs tests after the software exists, responding to what was actually produced.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A is wrong because it incorrectly claims both approaches design tests early - that removes the distinction entirely.
• C is wrong because the analytical/heuristic split is not a reliable or defining characteristic of either approach; both can use analytical or heuristic techniques.
• D is wrong because it reverses the correct description - it assigns the "after production" timing to reactive tests but attributes "early" to neither, and the wording is incomplete/inverted.

Memory tip: Think P = Prevention = Prior (before the code exists) and R = Reactive = Response (after the code exists). Just like in medicine - preventative care happens before you get sick, reactive treatment happens after.

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