Different Types Of Software Testing: A Brief Summary For 2024

As a fundamental part of software development life cycle, or SDLC for short, software testing practices are to ensure the software are well-functioned as expected to meet all the quality standards before being released. In particular, it is done to eliminate any available bug and to enhance the performance, security and user experience of the software. Throughout this article, we will dig deeper into most common types of software testing, for what they test and when project teams utilize each type. 

Also Read: Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

When it comes to software testing, there are two major categories - Functional Testing and Non-functional testing. 

Functional Testing

The practice of functional testing involves testing the functionality of a software application, helping validate that the features being developed are working as expected. This type of test can be performed manually or automatically with tools such as Micro Focus Unified Functional Testing (UFT), JUnit, soapUI, Watir or Selenium, using the following methods: 

Unit Testing

Unit testing involves checking portions of code or individual units in isolation to ensure that each part operates efficiently on their own, which is considered to be one of the core functional testing types that provides the foundation for verifying software behavior. 

Integration Testing

After integrating the software modules, integration testing is implemented to test whether the connections between units are working and verify that the integrated system meets the requirements. This testing is taken in order to identify any issue that might come up when multiple components work together and ensure that individual code units can work as a whole cohesively.

System Testing

System testing is to assist in the process of evaluating the entire system and checking the system’s compliance with functional, performance, security, and other non-functional requirements and software development standards as well. 

To verify this, this software testing method gives prominence to the processes of end-to-end business and workflows to validate and confirm the expected functionality of the system. 

System testing can be broadly divided into 3 major types, including end-to-end testing, monkey testing, and smoke testing. 

Acceptance Testing

Acceptance testing verifies if software meets all necessary requirements for acceptance and is ready for distribution. This process is usually completed by end users or other stakeholders to ensure that the software meets their needs and is suitable for the intended purpose.

Three further categories into which acceptance testing might be separated are regulatory acceptance testing, business acceptance testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT). Unlike other types of functional testing, acceptance testing is usually conducted in a production-like environment to thoroughly examine if the program meets all validation requirements and is ready for deployment.

Non-functional Testing

Every software needs non-functional testing just as much as functional testing because these tests aid in the assessment of features including dependability, performance, security, and usability.

The four non-functional testing kinds listed below are the most crucial ones that any software tester should be aware of.

Performance Testing

Performance testing helps to check how fast the software performs under various conditions by examining the overall responsiveness, stability, resource usage, and even scalability under both - normal & peak - conditions. 

This type also has subtypes that must be performed to evaluate the software as follows:

• Load testing – Checks system behavior under increasing normal load.
• Stress testing – Subjects the system to peak loads and evaluates robustness.
• Spike testing – Simulates sudden large spikes in user load.
• Endurance testing – Validates system performance over time under sustained usage.
• Scalability testing – Tests performance with data volumes scaled up.

Usability Testing 

Since usability testing primarily focuses on assessing how user-friendly an application interface is for end users, it is more accessible to most software testers.

To put it another way, the purpose of usability testing is to determine whether any problems with your software application's general visual design, navigation, or controls could have a detrimental effect on the user experience.

You must develop the capacity to watch as representative consumers use your software program to complete tasks if you want to conduct effective usability studies. This will assist you in identifying their problems and areas where your software's UI design may be improved.

Compatibility Testing

Compatibility testing is an essential component of any software testing plan. Its purpose is to ensure that your software functions correctly across a variety of operating systems, web browsers, devices, and software versions. 

Put simply, it verifies that your software adapts and displays properly on different platforms and configurations. Mastering compatibility testing is crucial for software testers as it guarantees a consistent user experience across diverse environments, making it a valuable skill to develop in your testing toolkit.

Suggested read: Most common types of software testing

FAQs on Software Testing

Q: How does automated testing differ from manual testing?

A: To conduct manual testing, a human tester is involved to interact with the software to detect bugs. For automated testing, scripts or tools are required to automate repetitive test cases. 

Q: Apart from main types - functional and non-functional testing, what are the other prominent types of software testing? 

A: A few others that are worth mentioning, can be listed as follows: Ad-hoc testing, back-end testing, backward compatibility testing, and maintenance & regression testing. 

Q: What are the benefits of software testing?

A: Software testing is a critical element that ensures software systems seamless functionality and robustness. These testing methods not only identifies discrepancies between modules but also paves the way for delivering high-quality software that meets user expectations and withstands the complexities of real-world applications.

Wrap-up

Hopefully this article will serve as a useful initial step as you delve into determining which software testing methodology best suits your requirements. Adopting Axalize for your software testing requirements entails entering a realm where precision, rapidity, and effectiveness are not mere aspirations but actualities. It's about guaranteeing that every component of your software architecture aligns seamlessly, culminating in an impeccable and uninterrupted user journey. Discover Axalize’s services today and initiate your journey towards seamless, efficient, and impactful software testing.