Different Types of Software Testing

What is Software Testing?

1. Software testing is the process of finding errors in a product, whether it be a mobile or web application. Errors include bugs in the code, missing requirements, glitches, and more. Software testing can also determine whether the outcome when engaging with the application differs from the expectation.

2. While testing should ideally be done at every stage of development, testing is ultimately the final step before the application is released to production. It is important for software testers to utilize both manual and automated testing to ensure the final product is the best it can be.

3. Software testing is the process of ensuring that software applications are functional, reliable, and of high quality. This process involves finding errors and vulnerabilities to ensure the software application meets the user’s expectations before going live.

Software Testing Approaches :

Manual Testing :

• Manual testing is one of the types of software testing that involves the evaluation of software or application quality through manual methods without relying on automated testing tools or the execution of test scripts. Here, the manual method means that the human testers execute test cases to find any bug or issue in the software application.

• Testers engage with the software application like an end user, aiming to uncover bugs, defects, and issues that may impede the overall user experience. Similarly, developers engage in manual testing when they personally run their applications and experiment with the coded features. This form of testing is particularly suitable for small-scale assessments of personal projects due to its specific nature.

Following are the types of software testing on the basis of the tester’s knowledge.

1. White box testing: White box testing, also known as clear-box testing or structural testing, is a testing method that focuses on the internal code being tested. Testers performing white box testing possess knowledge of the code’s internal workings, including the programming language, algorithms, and data structures.

2.  Black box testing: Black box testing involves evaluating software applications without prior knowledge of their internal workings, focusing solely on the external behavior of the code. Testers input data and observe the output generated by the system under test to understand how it responds to expected and unexpected user actions, along with evaluating response time, usability, and reliability issues.

3. Grey box testing: Grey box testing, a technique that combines elements of both black box and white box testing, is used to evaluate software applications from a developer’s perspective. The focus is on testing some of the system’s internal workings without a comprehensive understanding.

   
   

Automated Testing :

• Automation testing involves using software tools to execute pre-scripted tests on a software application before it is released into production. This process helps in identifying bugs, ensuring software quality, and reducing manual testing efforts, making it a key component in continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines.

• Automation testing proves cost-effective in the long run, where manual testing struggles with repetitive tasks, such as regression testing, causing increased pressure on manual testers as software expands. Despite the initial effort, automation testing is more efficient, reducing errors, speeding up test completion, cutting costs, and improving software quality. In simpler terms, it refers to using software testing tools and scripts to automate test execution in software development and quality assurance processes. 

Continuous Testing :

• Another type of testing that plays a vital role in the Software Development Life Cycle and complements both manual and automated testing is continuous testing. While manual testing allows for exploratory and user-centric evaluation, and automated testing ensures quick and repetitive test execution, continuous testing seamlessly integrates into the DevOps pipeline.

• Continuous testing is the software testing process of continuously ensuring the quality of the product at every stage of development. An integrated part of the continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) process, continuous testing methodology enables early detection of issues, reduces developer feedback times, improves visibility of product quality, and accelerates the goto market. It provides organizations with a more automated and secure way to ensure that applications remain secure and effective in a complex, fast-paced environment.

  
  

Continuous testing proves especially beneficial in situations such as:

• Environments with Agile and DevOps practices, emphasizing continuous integration and deployment.

• Projects requiring frequent software updates and iterative development.

• Complex systems that necessitate ongoing quality assurance.

  
  

What Are the Different Types of Testing?

Functional Testing :

Functional testing is the process of validating the functionality of a software application. Pass or fail is the result of a functional test, because either a feature works as designed or it does not.

The purpose of functional testing is to validate that the requirements of the software application have been met. It is important because functional testing assesses an application’s fitness to be released to end users. While software engineering has evolved in the past decade, functional testing remains a core part of quality testing.

The Types of Functional Testing :

1 . Unit Testing

This type of testing involves testing individual software units to ensure that each block of code/unit performs as intended. Developers (the ones who have written the unit code) usually execute the test. It also provides additional assurance for functional tests by identifying the components that could cause an app outage.

As software development progresses, it becomes harder to identify failed tests. Thus, developers often write unit tests to ensure individual units function correctly before integrating them with other parts of the code. Testing early during the software development process allows you to deliver your product faster with better software quality.

Unit testing includes two types of testing, which are:

White-Box Testing.

Gorilla Testing.

2. Integration Testing

This type of testing involves combining and testing different components of software applications to ensure they work effectively. It connects modules as expected, allowing operational commands and data to act as a whole system rather than individual components. Integration testing aims to uncover faults in the interaction between integrated units. Both developers and testers can execute integration testing.

3.System Testing

This type of testing is a crucial process where a complete and integrated software system is tested to ensure it meets specified requirements. It is conducted within a System Requirement Specification (SRS) framework and a Functional Requirement Specification (FRS).It verifies whether the overall system design and behavior align with the end user’s needs. As a result, it helps understand how end users will interact with the software applications and anticipate potential issues they might encounter.

System testing involves various other testing types, including:

• End-to-End (E2E) Testing

• Black-Box Testing

• Smoke Testing

• Sanity Testing

• Regression Testing

4.User Acceptance Testing

As your product nears completion, it’s time to consider real user feedback. This is where acceptance testing plays a role, aiming to evaluate whether the software application is ready for real-world use. Acceptance testing ensures the software meets the defined acceptance criteria and is prepared for deployment. It is typically executed in the final testing phase after unit, integration, and system testing.

Non-Functional Testing :

Non-functional testing verifies how applications work against specific requirements by examining things like performance and accessibility. Non-functional testing refers to testing properties that do not impact the application functionality, but contribute to the overall application user experience.

The Types of Non-Functional Testing :

1. Accessibility testing — Tests how usable the app is to users with disabilities, such as vision impairment.

2. Availability testing — Tests how often the app is accessible and readily available for use.

3. Compliance testing — Tests whether an app meets specified requirements or regulations.

4. Configuration testing — Tests an app against software and hardware variations.

5. Disaster recovery testing — Tests recovery of business-critical applications in emergency situations.

6. Endurance testing — Tests an app under a heavy load over an extended period of time.

7. Failover testing — Tests an app’s backup system in the event of a system failure.

8. Geolocation testing — Tests location-based scenarios on an app.

9. Internationalization testing — Tests if an app can adapt to regional languages and other factors based on location.

10. Load testing — Tests an app’s performance under peak conditions.

11. Maintainability testing — Tests the app’s ability to update.

12. Performance testing — Tests the speed and responsiveness of an app under various conditions.

13. Portability testing — Tests how an app transfers from one software or operational environment to another.

14. Resilience testing — Tests an app’s ability to perform under stressed conditions.

15. Security testing — Tests an app’s security mechanisms to reveal vulnerabilities.

16. Scalability testing — Tests an app’s ability to scale up or down as user requests vary.

17. Stress testing — Tests an app’s stability under heavy loads or extreme conditions.

18. Usability testing — Tests an app’s ease of use.