Software Testing – Beginner's Guide
What Is Software Testing?
Let's say you're working on a coding project. You've been writing a set of code and staying up late at night to fix errors. All this is part of the process before this software product is released.
You will then check your code to check that it actually performs what has been programmed to do. This is where the software testing comes in.
This article will discuss the different software testing categories and different types of test developers most commonly used. You'll see that some tests have been named after their functions. Therefore, when I say API testing, I refer to tests that have been done on spent APIs in your source code.
But before we move forward, let's make sure we know what we mean by testing programs.
In simple terms, testing the program is the process of checking the different aspects of the program product to validate the software specifications and make sure they are ready for use.
Software Testing Objectives
From a one-line code to a code block, to a final product, you can test the program to:
- Check for defects and make sure the product works as specified
- Make sure the product meets market standards
- Solve any gaps in the production phase
- Prevent future product failures
Software Testing Properties
When you test your program, you want to make sure that your tests:
- practical
- Reliable
- Authentic
- Able to detect errors
- Able to verify the validity of your program
When Should You Test Your Program?
When you test your program, it will depend on the test you want to take.
You can test your software during the software development phase — that is, when you type the source code, such as unit testing, API testing, etc.
You can also test after developing the software as in the user interface test (UI).
When Should The Test Stop?
You can stop testing your program when:
- All the necessary tests have been carried out efficiently
- Bugs in the source codes have been reduced to the barest minimum or eradicated
- Testers are done testing
- The product is fully secured against threats
- The product is released
Software Testing Methods
Now that I know what software testing means, how exactly is it done?
Programs are tested based on two main methods:
- Functional Testing
- Non-functional Testing
The main difference between these categories of software testing is that functional testing tests the functionality of the software product while non-functional testing focuses on the performance of the software product.
1. Functional Testing
Functional testing is a software testing process to verify their usefulness in terms of their specifications.
In simple terms, it consists of various tests that are performed on the program in general to verify its functions.
Functional Testing helps the program team see if the program is working properly. Keep in mind that functional testing does not mean testing functions or modules.
Examples of Functional Testing
Unit Testing
In unit testing, you test individual units or source code functions for your program. The unit test can be performed automatically or manually.
The automatic unit test is performed with human assistance while the manual unit testing is actively performed by humans.
The difference between these two methods is that the first is automated while the second requires constant encryption.
The purpose of the unit testing is to ensure that each unit component works as expected.
The API is a link between your program and an external source. Therefore, if you want your program to do more than just write code, you can use the features of another program as well. That's what APIs consumption is about.
For example, let's say I want my app to have a map feature. Instead of encoding one from the beginning, I can save some time and tension using one of the easily available map APIs.
However, the use of APIs, especially from external sources, comes with its pros and cons. I bet you want to minimize the negatives as much as possible. Well, that's why you need to test the API before releasing the product.
When you consume a public or private API, while developing your software, you should check the reliability, security, and effectiveness of the API in your product before releasing it.
UI (User interface) Testing
The user interface is the communication channel between the user and the program.
Each software product has been developed with certain user interface specifications. This means that the way the user interacts with the app is predetermined before developing the product.
To make sure these specifications are met according to the design, you can perform tests on the user interface - this is known as user interface testing.
The user interface test includes things like checking whether the registration page accepts input correctly, checking to see if the transmission button works, and a host of other user interface features.
Putting components in test groups is known as integration testing. The integration testing involves verifying how each separate component works together to achieve the common goal of the product.
For example, in the e-commerce app, integration tests can check how the home page is connected to the shopping cart page when you click the shopping cart menu.
The purpose of the integration testing is to make sure that the components work simultaneously - that is, component A works well with component B.
Regression Testing
Software development includes redundancy, which is often caused by errors in the source code.
After correcting your code, updating the program, or making any further changes to your code, you must test this program to validate its functions. This test is called regression testing.
Examples of regression testing are corrective regression testing, selective regression testing, progressive regression testing, etc.
2. Non-Functional or Performance Testing
Non-functional testing refers to the different tests that are performed on the product to verify its market readiness. Non-functional testing goes further to ensure the usefulness and value of the product.
Examples of Non-Functional Testing
Volume Testing
The strength of each product lies in its ability to handle different databases. Some programs may not work with a large database. To avoid this break, you can perform volume tests.
The volume testing includes feeding a large database of the program to verify its functions based on the large volume of data. Testing your product on different volume data shows that your product can withstand more or fewer data at a given time.
In today's world, security is an important and much-discussed topic. Concerns about physical security range from cyberspace - and everyone wants to ensure security when they're online.
One of the problems you want to avoid as a software developer is the threats to your app. You can take security testing on your software product to check its vulnerability.
Security testing includes authentication, authorization confidentiality, and other measures required to protect your program from risks and threats.
Where To Put Test Files In a Program Folder
Your test files must be together in a test folder within the root folder of your project. This is for easy mobility and integration into your project.
Bottom Line
Now that you know the importance of testing in software development, you should make sure you type a code free of errors and errors when testing.
This will reduce the time you waste fixing errors and in turn make the product release date more achievable.
Finally, be sure to place test files in the same folder, especially for tests other than unit testing.
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