Software testing is performed to make sure that the software product/application that is going to be released in the marketplace is fully functional and is of high quality. There are a few key software testing types that play a prominent role in the software development process to improve the overall efficiency and performance of the software product.
Of these software testing types, Unit testing, Integration testing, Smoke testing and regression testing are considered to be important types of software testing. In this article, you will get a brief idea about unit testing, integration testing, smoke testing and regression testing.
What is unit testing?
It is a testing method where individual components or units of a software application are tested. Each unit of the software code needs to be validated and ensure that the code performs as expected. A unit can be an object, module, procedure, method or individual function. It is performed during the coding phase of an application.
Advantages of Unit testing:
- The code can be refactored by a programmer at a later date and ensures that the module works correctly
- Parts of the project can be tested, without waiting for other parts to be completed
- The codebase can be understood by developers and testers quickly, which in turn helps them to find defects faster
What is Integration testing?
Individual software modules work fine, but, when they are integrated with more modules chances are they might not work as expected. This is where integration testing comes in and tests the integrated modules and thus makes sure that the software is running smoothly. The data communication is checked amongst these modules. Integration testing method is performed after unit testing and before validation testing.
Advantages of Integration testing:
- It makes sure that the integrated modules work as expected
- Errors related to the interface between modules are detected
- A large volume of the system is covered
- The test coverage is increased and the reliability of tests is improved.
What is Smoke testing?
It is a testing method that is performed to ascertain whether a deployed software build is stable or not. QA team gets a confirmation that they can continue with further rounds of testing. On each build, a minimal set of tests are run to test software functionalities. A build includes all engineered components, reusable modules, libraries, data files etc., that are required to implement one or more product functions. It is also known as “Build Verification Testing.”
Advantages of Smoke testing:
- Defects are identified in the early stages of development
- Crucial errors can be easily detected and corrected
- Integration risks are minimized
- The quality of the system is enhanced
- It is easier to access software progress.
It is a testing method that makes sure that the modifications and updates done to the code do not alter or modify the existing functionalities of the software application. These code changes could include updating a current feature, fixing bugs, adding new features etc. The existing functionalities are properly tested to make sure that the code changes have not altered the existing functionalities.
Already executed test cases that are partially or fully selected are re-executed to make sure that the existing functionalities are working just fine. It is a black-box testing technique. It is considered to be a crucial part of software maintenance.
Advantages of Regression testing:
- The product’s quality is enhanced
- The issues that have been fixed will not occur again
- It mitigates risks during the testing process
- It is easy to understand, analyze and learn.
Conclusion: If you are looking forward to implementing unit testing, integration testing, smoke testing or regression testing for your specific project, then do get connected with a top-notch software testing services company that will provide your feasible testing strategies and professional support in line with your project specific requirements.
About the author: I am a technical content writer focused on writing technology specific articles. I strive to provide well-researched information on the leading market savvy technologies.
