Software Quality Assurance Practice Exam

What type of issue arises if all used files are not opened and closed properly after use?

1. Data declaration

2. Input/Output

3. Computation

4. Data reference

The correct answer is: Input/Output

The correct response focuses on the nature of issues that pertain to file handling in a software context. When files that are utilized in an application are not opened and closed properly, it leads to Input/Output issues. This is because input/output operations depend on the communication between the software and the file system, and improper handling can cause resources to remain held open, leading to potential memory leaks or file locks that prevent further access. Input/Output issues encompass various challenges associated with reading from and writing to files, such as ensuring data integrity, managing system resources, and avoiding exceptions due to files being unintentionally left open. When these operations are not managed adequately, it can result in degraded performance or application crashes, which are characteristic of input/output handling problems. In contrast to the other types of issues: data declaration pertains to how variables and data structures are defined; computation focuses on processing and calculations performed in the code; and data reference concerns how data elements are accessed and may relate to pointers or identifiers. These do not specifically address the consequences of file management failures as input/output does.