Introduction
Any software that is to be used in a business must first go through testing methods, also known as software testing. Individual details and minute observations are essential in this. As a result, in order to synchronise and shape the testing and QA activities, a testing team must grasp the various types and methods of functional and specialist testing. To create bug-free and performance-rich software products, it’s all about understanding the timing and synergy while employing various methodologies such as sanity testing, acceptance testing, and so on.
The allocation of time and resources may be done smoothly after understanding the different functional testing types. Even when the team is equipped with automation tools, producing a high level of test coverage might be tough. As a result, functional testing types assist teams and organisations at all levels, from the developer to the overall system. A positive user experience can be delivered in a good and ongoing testing environment.
In addition, in order to strengthen their quality-focused organisation, stakeholders and management, in collaboration with test engineers, plan and execute strategies to deploy various testing techniques, including a mix of functional and non-functional testing types, centred on a specific platform. Oprimes, a unique SaaS and Crowdtesting platform, specialises in designing and delivering projects in a timely and efficient manner rather than following the standard stages. Frameworks, a combination of automation and manual testing, and adaptable testers are just a few examples.
Now we will discuss the meaning and importance of functional testing strategy and further discuss each testing type.
We’ll now go through the definition and necessity of functional testing strategy, as well as each testing kind.
Defining Functional and Non-functional Testing
Functional testing demonstrates how software features should function. Functional testing guarantees that a software’s modules and options work as expected and that the users’ expectations are met. It is an essential technique in the development process. When processes are followed correctly, it improves communication between developers, analysts, and testers.
The activities and processes include numerous sorts of functional testing, such as unit testing, component testing, smoke testing, and so on, and there is no set order in which they must be completed. It is entirely dependent on the software/nature application’s and requirements, as well as the organization’s.
System testing and acceptance testing, for example, cannot be done at the same time since it would introduce duplication; our selections between alpha, beta, and production testing are based on the application/stability, software’s the demands and scopes, and the impact anticipated by the businesses.
Non-functional testing focuses on the software/performance, application’s load and capacity handling, as well as the application reliability and scalability. The role of automation is the most significant distinction between functional and non-functional testing. Non-functional testing is heavily reliant on automation; otherwise, the procedure becomes tedious and time-consuming, whereas functional testing can be performed without it. Non-functional testing falls under customer expectations, while functional testing falls under customer requirements.
Requirements and Strategies of Functional Testing
When we consider the customer’s requirements, we examine a distinct set of rules under which their product should operate. Meeting those standards is now the most basic requirement for functional testing types. The testers and engineers spend the majority of their time reviewing the features and functionality of the programme, which is also essential to design market-specific software. However, as previously said, there is no certain order in which to strategize the testing kinds, at least not for every application. It will be totally determined by the type of software, the benefits and drawbacks of different types of functional testing, and the business requirements.
Understanding the Major Types of Functional Testing
There are a variety of functional testing methods, and we’ll go over a few of the most common ones below.
- Component testing: sometimes known as module testing, is a sort of testing that focuses on the individual components of an application. It is common practise to evaluate software components separately from the rest of the system. A component is something that accepts input and outputs something, and component testing is done to evaluate the usability and/or functioning of such a component, but it is not restricted to these. If we have a login component, for example, we must execute testing on the login module. It involves testing the user interface, page loading, and login functioning, among other things.
- Unit Testing: ensures that each portion of the application functions properly on its own. Individual testing is done in the same way as component testing.
- Integration Testing: is performed in conjunction with unit testing to ensure that the defined code works in conjunction with other related features and as a group. Self-contained and modern apps are built to conduct microservices and specialised activities, and these microservices must communicate with one another in order for the application’s objective to be completed. Facebook, for example, provides a distinct option for adding an account that is separate from the login module. Now the tester must run integration tests to confirm that the system remembers the existing user’s credentials in order to conduct the account creation operation.
- System Testing: is the process of testing software as a whole. System testing involves validating the entire software package as well as the desired outputs. For instance, we have a car, and all of its components have been extensively examined. The system testing now focuses on how the car as a whole performs when driving on the road.
- Acceptance Testing: entails analysing the feature-rich application’s flow and observing the end-to-end user experience while using it. Acceptance testing is a subset of beta testing. It includes the feedback and suggestions provided by the end user during the testing and review of the final product and its intended outcome.
- Smoke Testing: is another sort of acceptance testing that involves evaluating the finished application’s stability. If the software passes the smoke test, the tester can go on to other types of testing. Any failures during smoke testing result in further development labour.
- Regression Testing: is similar to examining a new feature that was added after some tests failed. It ensures that the software continues to work as expected even when new codes have been added to the product. If an application has activated a calling feature, for example, it should not cause a bottleneck when typing emojis.
- API Testing: as the name implies, is concerned with the API’s capacity to handle user rights and data. Because an API connects several systems, testers check that the connections and answers the API establishes are working effectively and as expected.
- Sanity Testing: is a sort of regression testing as well. It runs testing on a new version of a stable application, focusing mostly on the parts that have been changed.
At Oprimes, we believe that all of the testing types’ information should be integrated into the testers’ minds so that they don’t only test the application but establish a direct relationship with it. We must perform and conform to defined standards in this period of high expectations, but we must also develop.
