Millions of applications are present in the Android Play Store and the iOS App Store. They enable users to perform actions like playing games, editing photos, improving the battery performance of their phones, or streaming their favorite shows with Spectrum internet. What we do not know is that before releasing these applications, app creators also test them. They do so in order to remove any bugs or defects from the app. To keep these issues from reoccurring, it is important to download app updates regularly.
Before releasing an app to the market, it is tested for quality, functionality, cost-effectiveness, and performance. Different types of tests include functional testing, non-functional testing, manual testing, automated testing, and system testing, etc. Read about them in detail in the following passages.
Principles of Testing:
- Customer Requirements: All tests must align with the customer’s needs and expectations.
- Third-Party Testing: Software testing should be conducted by an impartial third party.
- Risk-Based Testing: Testing efforts should be optimized based on the risk assessment of the application.
- Planned Testing: All tests should be meticulously planned before implementation.
- Pareto Rule: Adhering to the 80/20 rule, where 80% of errors stem from 20% of program components.
- Incremental Testing: Start testing with small components and gradually expand to larger ones.
10 Types of Software Testing:
- Unit Testing
- Integration Testing
- System Testing
- Functional Testing
- Acceptance Testing
- Smoke Testing
- Regression Testing
- Performance Testing
- Security Testing
- User Acceptance Testing
Functional Testing
All the functions of an app must do what they are programmed to do. To check if all the functions are working properly and there is no hindrance in executing them, testers conduct functional testing. Functional testing checks if actions on the app result in desired outcomes in the requirements manuals or not. This type of quality assurance testing allows testers to figure out areas of improvement to enhance the functionality of the software app. They can find out all the issues and share them with the developers so that they can take corrective actions. There are many types of functional testing. They are as follows:
Unit Testing
Unit testing is a preliminary testing component that developers conduct. It checks the validity of even the smallest component of the software. Not only that, but it also checks the functional capabilities of the unit. By doing so, testers can have an understanding of how the app is behaving as a whole to certain conditions. If the results are not good, then testers return the app for more development purposes to the developers.
Smoke Testing
Some testing is conducted by testers to check if an app is stable enough or not. Testers determine if the build is safe or susceptible to cyberattacks or malware. Following this phase, the app is ready for launch if it is stable. Do note that educated users only accept apps only when they are reliable and trustworthy.
Smoke Testing
Smoke testing allows users to test the functionalities of the app before functional or regression tests. As soon as some amount of code is ready, the QA team conducts this test.
Non-functional Testing
Functional testing is very closely related to an app since it is about its very functions. However, an app may have to deal with various external conditions as well. It is necessary to test app behavior in response to non-functional activities. Software tests such as load testing, stress testing, security testing, and compatibility testing are a part of non-functional testing.
Manual Testing
When humans conduct testing themselves, then it is referred to as manual testing. The reason for conducting tests manually is to check the software’s reliability against exclusive test cases. Testers in the QA team write these test cases and note the behavior of the app in response to them. They grade each test with fail or pass status. When it comes to manual testing, there are many types. Smoke testing, functional testing, and sanity testing are all part of manual testing.
Automated Testing
Due to the development in technology during recent years, many components of overall testing are now automated. Automated testing, as the name implies, is automatic in nature. After the input of a single trigger, automated testing tools test software apps and find out the underlying bugs and defects. These can be later on corrected with the help of bug removal apps and tools. Automated testing helps to test many test scripts in no time at all. Apart from this, they also help in logging all software bugs in bug management software.
System Testing
This quality assurance test utilizes many different testing methodologies to evaluate every aspect of the software completely. Many underlying operations verify the validity of a software w.r.t to software, hardware, and networking capabilities. The scope of system testing is quite large. It usually tests integrated software products. System testing verifies if the app as a whole is complying with the initial software requirements or not.
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