While many industries were affected by the pandemic and suffered losses, the software applications and information technology industry was at its peak and kept growing. Today, the trends like artificial intelligence, machine learning, the internet of things, cloud computing, and many others swamped the software development market and created a huge impact globally. In the production of software applications, also known as the software development life cycle (SDLC), software testing is one of the most important steps. Software testing is a diverse task to find defects or errors in software. It is a process of examining a software’s performance, behavior, and value under test by validation and verification.
There are various types of software testing, and each type has its own features, advantages, and disadvantages. And based on the requirement, a tester selects the type of software testing to be used. The types of software testing are a long list and have more than 20 types of testing. To make it simpler, the types of software testing can be divided into two parts, manual and automation testing. The manual testing takes the box approach of testing, including white, black, and grey box testing, and further, the black box includes functional and non-functional testing.
The Box Approach of Software Testing
There are various software testing methods, and traditionally the in box approach is divided into three types, white-box, black-box, and grey-box testing. The white-box and black-box testing take the approach of describing a tester’s point of view when designing the test cases. And grey-box testing is a hybrid approach that develops tests from specific design elements.
White-box testing is inspecting every line of code before the tests even start. It verifies the internal structures or working of a program as opposed to the functionality and is also known as clear box testing, glass box testing, transparent box testing, or structural testing. The source code and programming skills are used in white-box testing to design test cases. These test cases involve verifying the product’s underlying structure, architecture, and code to validate input-output flow. Generally, white-box testing is applied at the unit level but can also be applied to integration and system levels of software testing types.
Black-box testing (aka functional testing) is a manual testing technique where testers in software engineering analyze the requirements of the software, look for defects or bugs, and decide to send it back to the development level for rectification. In this approach, the software is treated as a black box, and the examination is done without any knowledge of the source code. The testing includes methods like equivalence partitioning, boundary value analysis, decision table testing, fuzz testing, and use case testing. Black-box testing is categorized into functional and non-functional testing, which is then divided into different types of software testing that are discussed below. Additionally, black-box testing can be applied to all levels of software testing, including unit, integration, system, and acceptance.
Grey-box testing is a type of testing in software engineering that tests the software or application with partial knowledge of the internal structure of the software. The testing uses reverse engineering to determine the errors. The goal of grey-box testing is to find and identify defects resulting from improper code structure and irregular use of the software. Grey-box testing determines intelligent test scenarios from the provided software’s limited information that are applied to data type handling, exception handling, and more.
List of Types of Software Testing
Here the list consists of the main levels of software testing after functional and non-functional software testing. The first four types, unit, integration, system, and acceptance testing, come under functional testing. And the rest types, security, performance, usability, and compatibility, are under non-functional testing.
1. Unit Testing
Unit testing is the first level of functional testing in software testing, performed on an individual unit or component to test for correction. It is called unit testing because the tester examines the software module independently or tests all the module functionality. Testers often use test automation tools like NUnit, Xunit, and JUnit to execute unit testing, and each unit is viewed as a method, function, procedure, or object. The objective is to validate the performance of unit components. Unit testing is a curial part of types of testing in SDLC as most defects can be identified at the unit test level.
2. Integration Testing
Among software testing types, interaction testing is where two or more modules of an application or software are logically grouped and tested altogether. This testing is the second level of functional testing that focuses on the defect of an interface, communication, and data flow between modules. The objective of the testing is to test the statement’s accuracy between each module. Integrating testing is further divided into two parts, incremental and non-incremental, comprising four different types of software testing: top-down, bottom-up, sandwich, and big-bang testing. Top-down and bottom-up incremental integration testing works by adding the modules incrementally at each step and then test the data flow between the modules. And the difference between the two is that the modules added in the top-down must be the child of the earlier module, and in the bottom-down, the module must be the parent of the earlier one. When the data flow gets complex and difficult to classify a module as parent and child, non-incremental integration is applied.
3. System Testing
System testing is the third level of functional testing, also known as end-to-end testing, in which the test cases are operated while the test environment and production environment are parallel. In system testing, each attribute of the software goes under test for the working of end features based on the business requirements, and then the software product is analyzed as a complete system. Various software testing types are performed under system testing, including end-to-end, smoke, sanity, monkey, and so on.
4. Acceptance Testing
Acceptance testing (aka user acceptance testing) is a type of testing in software engineering where the client or business tests the software with real-time business scenarios. This is the fourth and final level of functional testing, after clearing the test, the software goes into production. The testing is a quality assurance process determining the degree of success of meeting the clients’ requirements and getting thier approval. Several methods can be used in acceptance testing, such as Alpha testing, Beta testing, and operational acceptance testing (OAT).
5. Security Testing
Security testing is a non-functional type of software testing intended to reveal defects in the security mechanism of an information system protecting the data and maintaining functionality. The testing includes checking how the software or application is secure from internal and external threats and how much software is secure from malicious programs and viruses. The tests check to provide maximum security if any cyber attack happens, going on with how software behaves under a hacker attack and how secure and strong is the authorization. A few security testing methods are penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and risk assessment.
6. Performance Testing
Performance testing tests a software’s stability and response time by applying load in the software. Testers focus on four things in performance testing: response time, load, scalability, and stability of the software. The goal of performance testing is to identify, rectify, and eliminate the performance bottlenecks in software. The testing consists of different types of testing, including load testing, stress testing, scalability testing, stability testing, volume testing, endurance testing, and spike testing, and each test serves one or more focus points. Performance testing is done with tools like Loader.IO, JMeter, LoadRunner, etc.
7. Usability Testing
Usability testing is another non-functional type of testing in software engineering which works from the users’ point of view to check the user-friendliness of the software application. A user-friendly software has two aspects: the application must be easily understood and look appealing and feel good for working on it. The purpose of usability testing is for the application to look appealing and showcase information at a glance. Some of the testing methods in usability testing are exploratory testing, cross-browser testing, and accessibility testing. Additionally, four questions help guide the usability testing process: screening questions, pre-test questions, in-test questions, and post-test questions.
8. Compatibility Testing
Compatibility testing is a non-functional type of testing that validates how software application behaves and runs in various environments, web servers, hardware, and network environments. The goal of the testing is to ensure that software is capable of working on different configurations, databases, browsers, and their versions. There are two types of compatibility testing, backward or downward and forward compatibility testing.
Wakati viwanda vingi viliathiriwa na janga hilo na kuathiriwa na hasara, programu za programu na tasnia ya teknolojia ya habari ilikuwa kwenye kilele chake na iliendelea kukua. Leo, mwenendo kama akili bandia, kujifunza mashine, mtandao wa vitu, kompyuta ya wingu, na wengine wengi wamefurika soko la maendeleo ya programu na kuunda athari kubwa ulimwenguni. Katika uzalishaji wa programu, pia inajulikana kama mzunguko wa maisha ya maendeleo ya programu (SDLC), majaribio ya programu ni moja ya hatua muhimu zaidi. Majaribio ya programu ni kazi mbalimbali ya kupata kasoro au makosa katika programu. Ni mchakato wa kuchunguza utendaji wa programu, tabia, na thamani chini ya mtihani kwa uthibitisho na uthibitisho. Kuna aina mbalimbali za upimaji wa programu, na kila aina ina sifa zake mwenyewe, faida, na hasara. Na kulingana na mahitaji, tester huchagua aina ya majaribio ya programu kutumika. Aina ya majaribio ya programu ni orodha ndefu na ina zaidi ya aina 20 za majaribio. Ili kufanya hivyo rahisi, aina ya majaribio ya programu inaweza kugawanywa katika sehemu mbili, majaribio ya mwongozo na automatisering. Kwa mfano, mtihani wa sanduku ni mtihani wa sanduku nyeupe, nyeusi, na kijivu, na mtihani wa sanduku nyeusi ni mtihani wa kazi na usio wa kazi. Kwa mfano, kuna mbinu za majaribio ya programu, na kwa kawaida mbinu ya majaribio ya sanduku imegawanywa katika aina tatu: White-Box, Black-Box, na Grey-Box. White-sanduku na nyeusi-sanduku kupima kuchukua mbinu ya kuelezea mtihani's mtazamo wakati wa kubuni kesi za mtihani. Grey-box ni mbinu ya kipekee ya majaribio ambayo hutumia vipimo vya msingi vya muundo. White-sanduku kupima ni kukagua kila mstari wa kificho kabla ya vipimo hata kuanza. Ni mtihani wa ndani ya programu, na pia inajulikana kama mtihani wa sanduku la kioo, mtihani wa sanduku la kioo, mtihani wa sanduku la uwazi, au mtihani wa muundo. Msimbo wa chanzo na ujuzi wa programu hutumiwa katika upimaji wa sanduku jeupe kubuni kesi za mtihani. Kesi hizi za mtihani zinahusisha kuthibitisha muundo wa msingi wa bidhaa, usanifu, na nambari ili kuthibitisha mtiririko wa pembejeo-toleo. Kwa ujumla, white-sanduku kupima ni kutumika katika kiwango cha kitengo lakini pia inaweza kutumika kwa ushirikiano na ngazi ya mfumo wa aina ya kupima programu. Blackbox Testing (aka Functional Testing) ni mbinu ya majaribio ya mikono ambapo watazamaji katika uhandisi wa programu huchambua mahitaji ya programu, kuangalia kasoro au makosa, na kuamua kuipeleka nyuma kwa kiwango cha maendeleo kwa marekebisho. Katika mbinu hii, programu ni kutibiwa kama sanduku nyeusi, na uchunguzi ni kufanyika bila maarifa yoyote ya chanzo code. Upimaji ni pamoja na mbinu kama vile usawa partitioning, mipaka thamani uchambuzi, uamuzi meza kupima, fuzz kupima, na matumizi ya kesi ya kupima. Blackbox kupima ni kugawanywa katika kazi na zisizo za kazi kupima, ambayo ni kisha kugawanywa katika aina tofauti ya programu kupima kwamba ni kujadiliwa hapa chini. Aidha, majaribio ya black-sanduku inaweza kutumika kwa ngazi zote za majaribio ya programu, ikiwa ni pamoja na kitengo, ushirikiano, mfumo, na kukubalika. Grey-box ni aina ya majaribio katika uhandisi wa programu ambayo hupima programu au programu na maarifa ya sehemu ya muundo wa ndani wa programu. Upimaji hutumia uhandisi wa nyuma kuamua makosa. Lengo la majaribio ya sanduku kijivu ni kupata na kutambua kasoro zinazotokana na muundo usiofaa wa nambari na matumizi yasiyo ya kawaida ya programu. Grey-sanduku majaribio huamua akili majaribio matukio kutoka programu zinazotolewa's habari mdogo ambayo ni kutumika kwa aina ya data utunzaji, kutofautiana utunzaji, na zaidi. Aina ya Software Testing: Hapa orodha inajumuisha ngazi kuu za majaribio ya programu baada ya majaribio ya programu ya kazi na yasiyo ya kazi. Aina nne za kwanza, kitengo, ushirikiano, mfumo, na kukubalika kupima, kuja chini ya kupima kazi. Na aina za mapumziko, usalama, utendaji, usability, na utangamano, ni chini ya majaribio yasiyo ya kazi. 1. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Unit Testing ni kiwango cha kwanza cha majaribio ya kazi katika majaribio ya programu, kufanyika juu ya kitengo binafsi au sehemu ya mtihani kwa ajili ya marekebisho. Ni kuitwa kitengo cha kupima kwa sababu tester inachunguza moduli ya programu kwa kujitegemea au vipimo wote moduli utendaji. Kwa mfano, katika JUnit, XUnit, na NUnit, kila kitengo kinaonekana kama utaratibu, kazi, utaratibu, au kitu. Lengo ni kuthibitisha utendaji wa vipengele vya kitengo. Unit kupima ni sehemu ya curia ya aina ya kupima katika SDLC kama mapungufu zaidi inaweza kutambuliwa katika kiwango cha kitengo cha mtihani. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Mtihani wa ushirikiano ni aina ya majaribio ya programu ambapo moduli mbili au zaidi za programu au programu zimeunganishwa kwa mantiki na kupimwa kwa pamoja. Hii ni kiwango cha pili cha majaribio ya kazi ambayo inazingatia kasoro ya interface, mawasiliano, na mtiririko wa data kati ya modules. Lengo la kupima ni kupima usahihi wa taarifa kati ya kila moduli. Mtihani wa kuunganisha umegawanywa katika sehemu mbili, kuongezeka na isiyo ya kuongezeka, inayojumuisha aina nne tofauti za upimaji wa programu: juu-chini, chini-juu, sandwich, na upimaji wa big-bang. Up-down na chini-up incremental ushirikiano upimaji kazi kwa kuongeza modules incremental katika kila hatua na kisha mtihani mtiririko wa data kati ya modules. Tofauti kati ya hizi mbili ni kwamba moduli zilizoongezwa juu-chini lazima ziwe mtoto wa moduli ya awali, na chini-chini, moduli lazima iwe mzazi wa moja ya awali. Wakati mtiririko wa data anapata tata na vigumu kuainisha moduli kama mzazi na mtoto, ushirika non-incremental ni kutumika. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Mtihani wa mfumo ni kiwango cha tatu cha majaribio ya kazi, inayojulikana pia kama majaribio ya mwisho hadi mwisho, ambayo kesi za mtihani zinaendeshwa wakati mazingira ya majaribio na mazingira ya uzalishaji ni sambamba. Katika mtihani wa mfumo, kila sifa ya programu huenda chini ya mtihani kwa ajili ya kazi ya mwisho makala kulingana na mahitaji ya biashara, na kisha bidhaa ya programu ni kuchambuliwa kama mfumo kamili. Aina mbalimbali za majaribio ya programu ni kufanyika chini ya majaribio ya mfumo, ikiwa ni pamoja na mwisho-kwa-mwisho, moshi, akili, nyani, na kadhalika. 4. Uwe na uhakika Uvumilivu wa kupima (aka upimaji wa kukubalika kwa mtumiaji) ni aina ya majaribio katika uhandisi wa programu ambapo mteja au biashara hupima programu na hali za biashara za wakati halisi. Hii ni ngazi ya nne na ya mwisho ya majaribio ya kazi, baada ya kusafisha mtihani, programu huenda katika uzalishaji. Upimaji ni mchakato wa kuhakikisha ubora kuamua kiwango cha mafanikio ya kukidhi mahitaji ya wateja na kupata idhini yao. Mbinu kadhaa zinaweza kutumika katika kupima kukubalika, kama vile kupima Alpha, kupima Beta, na kupima kukubalika uendeshaji (OAT). 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. Utafiti wa usalama ni aina isiyo ya kazi ya majaribio ya programu ambayo inakusudia kufunua kasoro katika utaratibu wa usalama wa mfumo wa habari, kulinda data na kudumisha utendaji. Mtihani ni pamoja na kuangalia jinsi programu au maombi ni salama kutoka vitisho vya ndani na nje na jinsi programu ni salama kutoka programu mbaya na virusi. Mtihani huu unahakikisha usalama wa kiwango cha juu ikiwa shambulio lolote la mtandao litatokea, ukiendelea na jinsi programu inavyojiendesha chini ya shambulio la hacker na jinsi salama na nguvu ni idhini. Mbinu chache za kupima usalama ni kupima kupenya, skanning ya udhaifu, na tathmini ya hatari. 6. Uwe na uhakika Utafiti wa utendaji Utafiti wa utendaji hupima utulivu wa programu na wakati wa kujibu kwa kutumia mzigo katika programu. Watazamaji kuzingatia mambo manne katika upimaji wa utendaji: muda wa majibu, mzigo, scalability, na utulivu wa programu. Lengo la upimaji wa utendaji ni kutambua, kurekebisha, na kuondoa bottlenecks utendaji katika programu. Mtihani unajumuisha aina tofauti za majaribio, ikiwa ni pamoja na majaribio ya mzigo, majaribio ya mkazo, majaribio ya uimarishaji, majaribio ya utulivu, majaribio ya kiasi, majaribio ya uvumilivu, na majaribio ya spike, na kila mtihani hutumikia hatua moja au zaidi ya kuzingatia. Utafiti wa utendaji unafanywa na zana kama Loader.io, JMeter, LoadRunner, nk. 7. Uwe na mtazamo gani? Usability Testing ni aina nyingine ya majaribio katika uhandisi wa programu ambayo inafanya kazi kutoka kwa mtazamo wa watumiaji kuangalia urafiki wa mtumiaji wa programu. Programu ya mtumiaji-kirafiki ina mambo mawili: maombi lazima iwe rahisi kuelewa na kuangalia kuvutia na kujisikia vizuri kwa kufanya kazi juu yake. Kusudi la upimaji wa matumizi ni kwa ajili ya maombi kuangalia kuvutia na kuonyesha habari kwa mtazamo mmoja. Baadhi ya mbinu za kupima katika kupima usability ni kupima upelelezi, kupima msalaba-browser, na kupima upatikanaji. Kwa kuongezea, maswali manne husaidia kuongoza mchakato wa kupima matumizi: maswali ya uchunguzi, maswali ya kabla ya mtihani, maswali ya ndani ya mtihani, na maswali ya baada ya mtihani. 8. Uwe na mtazamo gani? Uvumilivu ni aina ya majaribio yasiyo ya kazi ambayo inathibitisha jinsi programu ya programu inavyojiendesha na kuendesha katika mazingira mbalimbali, seva za wavuti, vifaa, na mazingira ya mtandao. Lengo la majaribio ni kuhakikisha kwamba programu ni uwezo wa kufanya kazi juu ya miundo tofauti, hifadhidata, browsers, na matoleo yao. Kuna aina mbili za upatanisho wa majaribio, nyuma au chini na mbele upatanishi majaribio.