- March 26, 2021
Choosing the correct strategy and approach is key when it comes to software testing. There is no one for all approach when it comes to software testing. Different software requires different testing approaches and methods to fully optimise your results. Use software methodologies to cover all your bases. As a result, they tend to incorporate multiple types of testing from unit testing to testing an entire system.
As software continues to increase in complexity, testing must keep up. The amount of integration and different devices that require testing ensures that testing methodologies are required to make sure products meet their requirements without being bugged beyond usability. Using in-depth methodologies will result in your products can perform in all anticipated environments.
Important data tech trends in 2022
Functional & Non-Functional Testing
Testing methodologies can be split into functional and non-functional testing. The main difference is functional testing includes testing the application against business requirements. The testing methods usually involve:
- Unit Testing
- Integration Testing
- System Testing
- Acceptance Testing
Non-functional testing involves the user experience aspects of the software. It is just as important as functional testing and includes:
- Performance testing
- Usability Testing
- Compatibility Testing
- Security Testing
Types of Functional Testing
Unit Testing
The first level of testing. It is usually completed by the developers due to it being the building blocks for the rest of the code. Unit testing is the process of testing individual components at the base level of code are all operating correctly. The tests for this are usually created before the code itself.
Integration Testing
A step up from unit testing. It involves testing multiple units together to examine if it integrates correctly to perform the designed functions. It is basically testing multiple units together.
System Testing
The next step in the testing process is system testing. Otherwise known as black-box testing it is testing end-to-end on the whole product. System testing is usually conducted by a separate testing team or you could even outsource this testing if you don’t have a separate testing team available. As a result of system testing, you will be able to move towards the launch of your project.
Acceptance Testing
The last part of functional testing. Acceptance testing is assessing the software to decide if it is up to standards for delivery. Both internal and external testing take place during this. External testing involves getting your actual users in some form of beta testing. Your testing team will also double-check everything to make sure it is ready.
Types of Non-Functional Testing
Performance Testing
The idea behind performance testing is to figure out how a build will react under various different conditions. Performance testing focuses on stability and responsiveness in real user situations. Load and stress testing are both types of performance testing. Furthermore, if your app doesn’t perform up to a high standard it will fail to retain users.
Usability Testing
The goal of usability testing is to measure the app’s ease-of-use. Similar to performance testing the focus is on the end-user. Your QA team will review separate parts of the system as well as the system as a whole to ensure it meets the workflow requirements. As a result, it improves the user’s experience as they go through your software pathing.
Compatibility Testing
The idea of compatibility testing is straightforward. It is testing how your software will work in different environments. Depending on your product there will be multiple different platforms or operating systems it will need to work with. The difficulty in compatibility testing is discovering why a bug may occur on one platform and not another. For example, compatibility testing for a website would involve ensuring your site performed correctly on different internet browsers and on different mobile devices.
Security Testing
A crucial aspect when it comes to any piece of software. Security testing focuses on the integrity and protection of your data. Ensuring the data is protected is the main goal. Depending on the type of software security testing could be the most important focus. Testers will try to break the software and find weaknesses to exploit in an attempt to get the data. As a result, these weaknesses are then drastically improved.