What is the primary advantage of white-box testing over black-box testing?

The primary advantage of white-box testing is its ability to identify hidden errors in the code. This form of testing requires knowledge of the internal workings of the application, including its code structure, algorithms, and logic. By having access to the source code, testers can create tests that delve deeper than just the outward behavior of the application, allowing them to detect issues such as logic errors, incorrect conditions, or unhandled scenarios that might not be apparent through black-box testing. This thorough examination is crucial for ensuring code quality and reliability, as it targets the underlying implementation directly, making it possible to catch bugs that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Other approaches, like black-box testing, typically focus on the external functionalities and user interactions, which may leave essential parts of the code untested. Thus, white-box testing serves a vital role in comprehensive quality assurance efforts, particularly in complex systems where hidden errors could lead to critical failures.