What characterizes white box testing?

White box testing is characterized by the tester's knowledge of the internal structure and workings of the software being tested. This approach allows the tester to create test cases that directly examine the internal logic, data flow, and control flow of individual components or functions within the application. By having insight into the code, white box testing can effectively verify the correctness of algorithms, data handling, and interactions among different parts of the software.

This method provides the advantage of uncovering edge cases and hidden errors that may not be detected through external testing methods. It allows for targeted testing of specific code paths and facilitates a more thorough examination of the internal workings of the system. In contrast, other approaches, such as black box testing, focus solely on the external behavior of the application without considering how it operates internally.