What is the main distinction between static testing and dynamic testing?

The distinction between static testing and dynamic testing lies in their fundamental approaches and what they analyze during the testing process. Static testing refers to methodologies that review and examine requirements, design documents, source code, and other artifacts without running the code. This method is particularly valuable for identifying flaws such as syntax errors, logical inconsistencies, or issues in requirements before any execution takes place.

On the other hand, dynamic testing involves executing the code while it is running and observing its behavior and outputs in a runtime environment. This approach is essential for identifying issues that occur when the software is in operation, such as runtime errors, performance problems, or integration issues.

The correct choice highlights this essential difference: static testing focuses on documentation and code review without execution, whereas dynamic testing requires the actual running of the code to evaluate its effectiveness and performance under specific conditions.