This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Sophie Lane
Software quality depends on how thoroughly it is tested. Even when a team has a robust test suite, some areas of the code may remain untested, introducing hidden risks. Code coverage is a key metric that helps teams visualize which parts of the code are exercised by tests—but knowing the coverage percentage alone isn’t enough. To truly improve software quality, QA teams need to identify untested code paths and take corrective action.
Why Untested Code Paths Are Risky?
Untested code paths are segments of the application that never get executed during testing. These gaps can lead to:
Hidden bugs: Unexecuted code may contain errors that surface in production.
Unverified logic branches: Complex conditional logic may never be tested.
Technical debt accumulation: Untested code becomes harder to maintain over time.
**Reduced confidence in releases: **Teams may assume their tests are sufficient when critical paths are actually missed.
Understanding and addressing these untested areas is crucial for maintaining high-quality software.
How Code Coverage Helps Identify Untested Paths?
Code coverage tools provide detailed information about which lines, branches, and functions are exercised during testing. Common types of coverage include:
Line coverage: Shows whether each line of code was executed.
Branch coverage: Ensures that all decision points (e.g., if-else) are tested.
Function or method coverage: Indicates whether all functions have at least one test execution.
By analyzing these metrics, teams can pinpoint which parts of the code remain untested and prioritize adding tests for them.
Steps to Identify Untested Code Paths
1. Generate Detailed Coverage Reports
Start by running your tests with a coverage tool such as JaCoCo, Istanbul, or Coverage.py. Generate reports that highlight executed versus unexecuted code lines.
Focus on both line and branch coverage for a comprehensive view.
Include all types of tests: unit, integration, and API tests.
Coverage reports provide the baseline for understanding gaps in testing.
2. Map Coverage to Critical Functionality
Not all untested code is equally important. Map coverage data to core business functions, critical modules, or security-sensitive areas.
Prioritize tests for code paths that affect users or core logic.
Identify branches that are rarely executed but critical for functionality.
This approach ensures that high-risk areas are tested first.
3. Analyze Conditional and Edge Cases
Branch coverage often reveals untested conditions. Look for:
Uncovered if-else branches
Rarely triggered loops
Exception handling paths
Adding tests for these cases prevents unexpected runtime errors and increases confidence in the code.
4. Use Automated Test Generation Where Possible
Manual test creation for untested paths can be time-consuming. Tools like Keploy can automatically generate API tests and help cover missed scenarios, reducing manual effort while improving coverage.
Automatically identify untested paths in your APIs and backend logic.
Generate tests for edge cases and uncommon execution paths.
Automation accelerates coverage improvement and reduces human error.
5. Continuously Monitor and Improve Coverage
Untested paths can reappear as the code evolves. Adopt a continuous monitoring approach:
Integrate coverage analysis into CI/CD pipelines.
Fail builds or raise alerts if critical paths are untested.
Regularly review coverage reports to identify gaps introduced by new code.
Continuous monitoring ensures that code coverage remains meaningful over time.
Benefits of Identifying Untested Code Paths
Improved software reliability: Reduces hidden bugs and unexpected failures.
**Better resource allocation: **Focuses testing effort on high-impact areas.
Higher confidence in releases: Teams can trust that critical paths are tested.
Reduced technical debt: Ensures maintainable and well-tested code.
Platforms like Keploy can streamline this process by automatically generating and maintaining tests for untested paths, making QA more efficient.
Conclusion
Simply achieving a high code coverage percentage isn’t enough. Teams need to go deeper and identify untested code paths to ensure software reliability and reduce risks. By generating detailed coverage reports, mapping coverage to critical functionality, analyzing conditional branches, and leveraging automated test generation tools like Keploy, QA teams can systematically reduce gaps in their testing.
Focusing on untested paths not only improves quality but also accelerates feedback, reduces technical debt, and builds confidence in every release. With a proactive approach to code coverage, teams can move from simply measuring tests to ensuring meaningful, effective testing across the entire application.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Sophie Lane
Sophie Lane | Sciencx (2025-10-27T12:42:53+00:00) How to Use Code Coverage to Identify Untested Code Paths?. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/10/27/how-to-use-code-coverage-to-identify-untested-code-paths/
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