Types of Software Testing: A Comprehensive Guide

 

Types of Software Testing: A Comprehensive Guide

Let’s Explore the Different Types of Software Testing,

Software testing is a critical phase in the software development lifecycle that helps ensure a software product's quality, reliability, and functionality.

Several types of software testing serve different purposes in identifying defects and ensuring that the software meets its requirements. Here are some of the most common types of software testing like Functional Testing, Non-Functional Testing, Automation Testing, Agile Testing, and their sub-types, etc.

Each type of testing has its features, advantages, and disadvantages. Here we have covered mostly every type of software testing we usually use in our day-to-day testing life.

Types of Software Testing:

1. Manual Testing

2. Automation Testing

1. Manual Testing :

What is Manual Testing?

Testing any software or an application according to requirements without using any automation tool is known as Manual testing.

We can also say that it is a procedure of verification and validation.

Classification of Manual Testing:

Manual testing is further classified into three different types of testing, which are as follows:

• White Box Testing
• Black Box Testing
• Grey Box Testing

a) White Box Testing: 

the code is noticeable for developers throughout testing; this process is known as White Box Testing.

The purpose of implementing white box testing is to emphasise the flow of inputs and outputs over the software and enhance the security of an application

. White box testing is also known as open box testing, glass box testing,  structural testing, clear box testing, and transparent box testing.   b) Black Box Testing: Black box testing is a process of checking the functionality of an application  as per the customer’s requirement. The source code is not visible in this  testing that's why it is known as black-box testing. Types of Black Box Testing Black box testing is further categorizes into two parts : Functional Testing Non-function Testing  Functional Testing : The test engineer will check all the components systematically against  requirement specifications, known as functional testing. Functional testing  is also known as Component testing. Types of Functional Testing :Just like another type of testing is divided into  several parts, functional testing is also classified into various categories: Unit Testing Integration testing System Testing   1. Unit Testing Unit testing is the first level of functional testing to test any software. In this,  the test engineer will test the module of an application independently or test  all the module functionality, called unit testing. The primary objective of executing the unit testing is to confirm the unit  components’ performance. A unit is defined as a single testable function of  software or an application. 2. Integration Testing Once we successfully implement the unit testing, we will go through  Integration testing It is the second level of functional testing, where we test  the data flow between dependent modules or interfaces between two features, is called integration testing. Types of Integration Testing Integration testing is also further divided into the following parts: Incremental Testing Non-Incremental Testing Incremental Integration Testing incrementally adding up the modules and testing the data flow between the  modules is known as Incremental integration testing. Types of Incremental Integration Testing: Incremental integration testing can further classify into two parts, which are  as follows: Top-down Incremental Integration Testing Bottom-up Incremental Integration Testing 1. Top-down Incremental Integration Testing In this approach, we will add the modules step by step or incrementally and  test the data flow between them. We must ensure that the modules we add are  the child of the earlier ones. 2. Bottom-up Incremental Integration Testing In the bottom-up approach, we will add the modules incrementally and check  the data flow between modules. And also, ensure that the module we add is  the parent of the earlier ones. Non-Incremental Integration Testing/ Big Bang Method Whenever the data flow is complex and very difficult to classify a parent and  a child, we will use the non-incremental integration approach. The  non-incremental method is also known as the Big Bang method. 3. System Testing We can proceed with the system testing whenever we are done with the unit  and integration testing. In system testing, the test environment is parallel to the production  environment. It is also known as end-to-end testing. In this type of testing, we will undergo each attribute of the software and test  if the end feature works according to the business requirement. And analysis  of the software product as a complete system. Non-function Testing : The next part of black-box testing is non-functional testing. It provides  detailed information on software product performance and used technologies. Non-functional testing will help us minimise the risk of production and related  software costs. Non-functional testing is a combination of performance, load, stress,  usability and compatibility testing. Types of Non-functional Testing Non-functional testing categorized into different parts of testing, which we  are going to discuss further: Performance Testing Usability Testing Compatibility Testing   1. Performance Testing In performance testing, the test engineer will test the working of an  application by applying some load. In this type of non-functional testing, the test engineer will only focus on  several aspects, such as Response time, Load, scalability, and Stability of  the software or an application.   Classification of Performance Testing Performance testing includes the various types of testing, which are as follows: Load Testing Stress Testing Scalability Testing Stability Testing   Load Testing While executing the performance testing, we will apply some load on the  particular application to check the application's performance, known as load  testing. Here, the load could be less than or equal to the desired load. Stress Testing It is used to analyse the user-friendliness and robustness of the software  beyond the typical functional limits. Stress testing is primarily used for critical software, but it can also be used for  all software applications. Scalability Testing To analyse, the application's performance by enhancing or reducing the load  in particular balances is known as scalability testing.In scalability testing, we  can also check the system, processes, or database's ability to meet an  upward need. And in this, the Test Cases are designed and implemented  efficiently. Stability Testing Stability testing is a procedure where we evaluate the application's  performance by applying the load for a precise time. 2. Usability Testing : Another type of non-functional testing is usability testing. In usability  testing, we will analyse the user-friendliness of an application and detect the  bugs in the software's end-user interface. 3. Compatibility Testing In compatibility testing, we will check the functionality of an application in  specific hardware and software environments. Once the application is  functionally stable, we only go for compatibility testing. Here, software means we can test the application on different operating  systems and other browsers, and hardware means we can test the application  on different sizes. c) Grey Box Testing : Another part of manual testing is Grey box testing. It is a collaboration  of black-box and white-box testing. Since the grey box testing includes access to internal coding for designing  test cases. Grey box testing is performed by a person who knows coding  and testing. In other words, we can say that if a single-person team does both  white box and black-box testing, it is considered grey-box testing. 2) Automation Testing : Automation testing involves using specialised  software tools or scripts to automate the   execution of test cases and compare actual  outcomes with expected results. It's beneficial  for repetitive tasks, regression testing, and  performance testing. Automation testing is the best way to enhance  the efficiency, productivity, and coverage of Software testing. It is used to re-run the test scenarios, executed manually, quickly, and  repeatedly. We will go for automation testing when various releases or several regression cycles go on the application or software. We must understand the programming language in order to write the test script or perform automation  testing. Some other types of Software Testing In software testing, we also have other types of testing that are not part of any  above-discussed testing, but those tests are required while testing any  software or an application. Smoke Testing                                   Exploratory Testing Sanity Testing                                    Adhoc Testing Regression Testing                            Security Testing User Acceptance Testing                  Globalization Testing                                                                                                                                                          Let's understand those types of testing one by one: Smoke Testing Smoke testing, also known as build  verification testing, is a preliminary  round of testing to ensure that the  most critical functionalities of the  software work after a new build or  release. It's a quick check to determine if the build is stable enough for further  testing. Sanity Testing It is used to ensure that all the bugs have been fixed and that no added issues  exist due to these changes. Sanity testing is unscripted, which means we  cannot document it. It checks the correctness of the newly added features and  components. Regression Testing Regression testing involves re-running tests on the software after changes  have been made to ensure that new updates or features have not introduced  new defects or broken existing functionality. Automated tests are often used  for regression testing to validate the system's behaviour against previously   established benchmarks quickly. User Acceptance Testing UAT involves testing the software from the end user’s perspective to ensure  that it meets their needs and expectations. This phase often occurs towards the  end of the development cycle and involves actual users testing the software   in their real-world scenarios. Exploratory Testing Exploratory testing involves testers exploring the software without predefined  test cases. Testers use their intuition and creativity to identify defects and   issues that scripted tests might not cover. Adhoc Testing Ad-hoc testing is performed without any formal test plan or documentation.  Testers randomly test the software based on their understanding of the  application, which helps identify unexpected issues. Security Testing Security testing is conducted to identify software vulnerabilities and potential  security breaches. This includes testing for data leaks, unauthorised access,   and potential exploits. Globalisation Testing Globalisation testing focuses on ensuring that a software application can  function seamlessly across different cultures, languages, and regions.  Globalisation testing aims to identify and rectify any issues related to  internationalisation, which is designing and developing software that can  adapt to various cultural and linguistic contexts without requiring code  changes.

Conclusion :

A combination of manual and automation testing often provides the best results. While automation can handle repetitive tasks and provide quick feedback, manual testing brings human intuition and adaptability to the process, identifying complex issues that automated scripts might miss. The choice between manual and automation testing depends on the project's nature, scope, budget, and timeline.