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Tof startf off,f If wouldf sayf thef termf testingf isf whenf youf testf outf af programf tof seef iff everythingf isf
functioningf properlyf andf thatf there’sf nof error.f Notf justf testingf programsf butf alsof buildingf af
computerf orf car.f Af levelf off softwaref testingf isf af processf wheref everyf unitf orf componentf off af
softwaref orf systemf isf tested.f Thef mainf reasonf forf implementingf thef levelsf off testingf isf tof
makef thef softwaref testingf processf efficientf andf easyf tof findf allf possiblef testf casesf atf af specificf
level.f Theref aref differentf kindsf off levelsf off testingf suchf asf unit,f integration,f andf acceptance.f
Acceptancef testingf isf allf aboutf verifyingf whetherf thef wholef systemf worksf asf intended.f
Integrationf isf whenf you’ref ensuringf thatf softwaref componentsf orf functionsf operatef together.
f Lastly,f unitf testingf isf validatingf thatf eachf softwaref unitf performsf asf expected.f Af unitf isf thef
smallestf testablef componentf off anf application.f Allf thef levelsf off testingf aref compulsoryf andf
mustf bef finishedf beforef thef application/softwaref isf launchedf saysf (Katara,f 2021).f (Katara,f
2021)f alsof statesf thatf tof checkf thef mostf importantf facts,f youf mayf wantf tof checkf outf thef typesf
off softwaref testing.f Iff youf don’tf checkf whatf kindf off testingf thatf you’ref doingf forf thef programf
then,f youf canf endf upf makingf mistakes.f Oncef allf thef testingf off thef programf isf donef andf
everythingf goesf successful,f thenf youf canf startf tof launchf thef programf tof thef client.f Testingf isf af
veryf importantf partf off softwaref development.f Asf af developer,f youf canf writef af programf thatf isf
100%f whatf thef requestf askedf for,f butf testingf canf uncoverf manyf issues.f Notf onlyf justf run-of-
the-millf bugs,f butf usersf usef systemsf differently.f If havef beenf af partf off testingf thatf uncoveredf af
majorf bugf becausef off anf addedf keystroke.f Itf wasf af flukef thing,f butf thef testingf uncoveredf it.f
Thef 1
st
f piecef off testingf isf integrationf testing.f Yourf programf hasf tof workf withf anyf otherf
systemf inf use.f Thef 2
nd
f testingf itemf isf performancef testing.f Thisf isf wheref youf wantf peoplef tof
logf inf andf usef thef system.f Doesf everythingf workf thef wayf it'sf supposedf to?f Youf canf alsof getf
asf manyf usersf tof logf inf atf thef samef timef andf seef iff theref aref anyf slowf processesf orf couldf theref
bef issuesf associatedf withf havingf af lotf off peoplef loggedf inf atf thef samef time.
Acceptancef testingf isf thef 3
rd
f piece.f Thisf isf prettyf muchf doesf itf satisfyf thef businessf
requirements?f Evenf iff theref aref bugs,f canf itf work?.f Testingf duringf softwaref developmentf
playsf anf importantf rolef inf gettingf tof thef deploymentf stagef off af softwaref system.f Iff testingf isf
notf conductedf theref canf bef af varietyf off unanticipatedf issuesf thatf occurf inf thef livef system.f
Testingf canf makef allf thef differencef notf onlyf inf thef software'sf integrityf butf maintainingf one'sf
reputationf inf softwaref development.f Inf orderf tof attemptf tof findf asf manyf bugsf orf issuesf inf af
systemf duringf developmentf itf isf extremelyf importantf tof employf moref thanf onef levelf off
testing.f Testingf atf differentf levelsf allowsf forf moref issuesf orf bugsf tof bef foundf priorf tof go-live.f
Somef formsf off testingf includef unitf testing,f integrationf testing,f componentf interfacef testing,f
systemf testing,f andf acceptancef testing.f
Unitf testingf allowsf youf tof lookf atf af chunkf off codef earlyf inf thef process.f Thisf isf onef wayf tof
findf bugsf earlier,f ratherf thanf laterf whichf couldf bef costly.f Integrationf testingf allowsf forf testingf
anyf newf codef withf existingf code.f Asf partf off integrationf testing,f regressionf testingf canf bef usedf
tof testf functionalityf tof seef iff anythingf brokef orf regressedf whenf thef newf codef wasf introduced.f
Componentf interfacef testingf allowsf onef tof testf thef interactionsf betweenf components.f Systemf
testingf isf testingf thef systemf asf af wholef fromf beginningf tof end.f Finally,f acceptancef testingf isf
usedf tof makef suref thef client'sf requirementsf aref metf andf thef softwaref functionsf mostlyf asf itf
should.f Testingf shouldf takef placef throughoutf thef developmentf processf andf shouldf notf waitf
untilf thef systemf isf fullyf developed.f Off course,f anyf testingf approachf wouldf needf tof bef tailoredf
tof thef type,f size,f andf complexityf off thef softwaref asf wellf asf timelinesf orf milestonesf thatf aref
notf flexible.f
Testingf isf af fundamentalf partf off thef softwaref developmentf lifef cyclef becausef itf isf neededf forf
qualityf control.f Testingf thef codef atf eachf stagef isf easierf forf developerf teamsf tof catchf errorf andf
fixf bugsf inf af smallerf modulef thanf inf af bigf system.f Thef fourf levelsf off softwaref testingf include:f
unitf testingf forf eachf componentf off thef codef tof correctf anyf existingf bugs,f integrationf testingf tof
makef suref thatf thef interconnectedf unitsf workf whenf combinedf withf allf thef codef modules,f
systemf testingf tof makef suref thef overallf systemf isf functional,f andf acceptancef testingf tof makef
suref thatf businessf goalsf aref met.f Doingf thef testf activitiesf earlierf inf thef cyclef helpsf keepf thef
testingf effortf atf thef forefrontf ratherf thanf asf anf afterthoughtf tof development.Thef testingf
activitiesf shouldf bef donef asf manyf timesf asf neededf untilf thef softwaref productf meetsf thef
customer’sf expectations.f There’sf nof limitf tof howf manyf timesf thef testingf shouldf bef done.f
Importantf activitiesf tof validatef thef softwaref beforef releasingf thef softwaref shouldf include:f a)f
thef testf planningf thatf includesf thef schedulef off testsf fromf implementationf tof evaluation;f b)f thef
testf implementationf thatf includesf designf /f identifyf testf andf testf environmentf andf thef
implementation;f andf c)f lastf butf notf leastf f thef testf evaluating/f verifyingf phasef thatf includesf
allf thef stepsf forf evaluating,f adjusting,f thenf verifyf thatf thef plannedf deliverablesf aref met,f andf
allf issuesf foundf aref addressedf andf resolved.f Itf isf necessaryf tof havef testingf atf differentf stagesf
throughf outf thef developmentf cycle.f Thatf wayf youf canf catchf thef bugsf earlyf andf fixf themf
beforef theyf causef evenf biggerf problems.f Iff youf waitf tof thef endf tof dof testingf andf findf af bugf
youf mayf havef tof refactorf af lotf moref off thef programf tof getf itf functioningf correctly.Theref needsf
tof bef testingf activitiesf atf eachf stagef off thef program’sf developmentf cyclef tof catchf bugsf andf
otherf anomaliesf beforef theyf makef itf tof thef nextf stagef off thef program’sf development.f Thef
threef typesf off testsf aref thef following.f Firstf testf isf thef unitf testingf tof testf eachf partf off thef
programf asf af stand-alonef part.f Thef secondf testf isf thef integrationf off thef programf withf otherf
softwaref thef programf needsf tof talkf tof getf dataf from.f Thenf thef lastf testf itf thef fullf testf wheref thef
programf isf usedf justf likef iff itf weref inf thef fieldf bef usedf byf thef customer.f Thef customerf shouldf
sendf somef peoplef tof thef testf tof usef thef programf tof getf af real-worldf test.f Itf isf vitalf forf softwaref
thatf isf beingf developedf tof bef testedf inf severalf areasf andf asf af wholef duef tof qualityf assurancef
andf tof ensuref successfulf implementationf overall.f Thef moref complexf thef softwaref thatf isf
beingf developedf forf thef customerf thef moref testingf isf necessaryf tof ensuref overallf compliantf
protocolf andf givef af successfulf passf forf installation.f Forf example,f iff youf havef af mortgagef
applicationf thatf takesf thef applicationf off buyingf orf refinancingf af homef fromf beginningf tof endf
inf allf thef stages,f itf isf approximatelyf 9f tof 10f stagesf off thatf applicationf processf alongf withf sub-
stagesf inf eachf one.f Eachf sectionf andf sub-sectionsf havef tof bef testedf tof ensuref thatf thef
applicationf processf runsf smoothlyf andf ensuref thatf theref isf nothingf inf onef sectionf thatf mayf
havef af bugf thatf affectsf thef nextf sectionf orf somef otherf intricatef partf off thef processf alongf thef
road.f f Dependingf onf thef sectionf thatf isf beingf tested,f inf mostf casesf theref canf bef threef tof 12f orf
moref typesf off scenarios,f youf mustf testf forf thef scenariosf andf thenf thef differentf combinationsf
off thef scenario.f Forf example,f youf mayf havef af conventionalf mortgagef thatf isf af purchase,f butf
thef borrowerf doesn'tf havef enoughf tof buy,f sof thef bankf isf givingf af simultaneousf 2ndf tof offsetf
thef differencef whichf changesf thef scenario.f Sof havingf differentf typesf off testingf activitiesf isf
necessaryf andf mustf bef consideredf dependingf onf thef programsf thatf thef mortgagef orf bankingf
institutionf offersf tof theirf customers.f Thisf isf whyf it'sf sof importantf forf softwaref companiesf tof
havef manyf stagesf off testingf off thef softwaref theyf createf forf theirf companiesf tof ensuref everyf
typef off scenariof isf consideredf andf testedf forf customerf experiencef andf clientf satisfaction.f
Testingf isf veryf importantf partf off softwaref developmentf becausef itf ensuresf thatf thef softwaref
functionsf asf intended.f Havingf differentf levelsf off testingf isf importantf tof ensuref compatibility,f
performance,f andf security.f Unitf testingf focusesf onf specificf componentsf off thef software.f Thenf
itf isf testedf themf againstf allf circumstancesf tof seef whatf couldf happenf inf af realf timef scenario.f
Integrationf testingf combinesf thef componentsf tof seef iff theyf workf inf harmonyf asf af group.f
Systemf testingf testf thef systemf asf af wholef fromf beginningf tof end.f Thisf isf tof ensuref thatf allf
systemf requirementsf weref met.
Acceptancef checksf tof makef suref thef businessf goalsf weref metf andf approvedf byf thef endf user.f
Howf muchf testingf isf donef beforef thef softwaref isf releasef shouldf dependf onf thef user’sf
satisfactionf withf thef software.f Somef importantf testingf activitiesf aref planningf andf analysisf
whichf involvesf testingf fromf implementationf tof evaluation,f designf andf implementationf whichf
usesf af testf environmentf tof designf andf testf thef software,f andf evaluationf andf reportf whichf
evaluatesf whatf hasf beenf completedf andf checkf tof seef iff anyf furtherf tweakingf aref neededf tof
improvef thef software.f Oncef allf thef deliverablesf aref metf andf reportedf issuesf aref resolved,f thef
softwaref canf bef implementedf intof production.f Inf softwaref developmentf testing,f thef mainf goalf
isf tof ensuref thatf thef softwaref worksf properlyf andf fulfillsf itsf intendedf purpose.f Thef lastf thingf
youf wantf isf forf end-usersf tof resentf thef finishedf project.f Softwaref testingf canf bef donef
manuallyf orf itf canf bef automatedf usingf tools.f Automatedf testingf ensuresf thatf yourf softwaref isf
freef off defectsf andf meetsf qualityf standardsf beforef itf isf releasedf tof production.
Inf general,f mostf companiesf havef af dedicatedf QAf departmentf thatf isf responsiblef forf
performingf differentf typesf off testingf suchf asf functionalf testing,f regressionf testing,f
performancef testing,f securityf testing,f etc.f However,f manyf companiesf alsof havef af separatef testf
teamf thatf hasf thef responsibilityf off performingf end-to-endf testingf off thef software.f Companiesf
withf agilef methodologiesf tendf tof havef separatef testf teamsf forf eachf developmentf sprintf andf
release,f asf opposedf tof dedicatedf QAf departments.
Beforef releasingf softwaref tof af clientf If wouldf firstf performf variousf testsf tof ensuref thatf itf isf
bug-freef andf thatf thef requirementsf havef beenf met.f Thef percentagef off testingf dependsf onf thef
sizef andf complexityf off thef project.f Forf smallf projects,f itf isf usuallyf sufficientf tof dof onlyf unitf
testingf asf thef codef isf quitef simplef andf onlyf af fewf featuresf aref beingf tested.f Forf largef andf
complexf projectsf wef usuallyf followf af hybridf approachf wheref wef dof unitf testingf asf wellf asf
end-to-endf testingf whichf involvesf checkingf thef applicationf inf variousf stagesf off itsf
developmentf lifef cycle.f Differentf levelsf off testingf activitiesf includef unitf testing,f integrationf
testing,f systemf testing,f andf acceptancef testing.
f
f
Reference:
Lakhmanf Kataraf (2021)f Levelsf off Testingf inf Softwaref Testing.f Retrievedf fromf
https://qacraft.com/levels-of-testing-in-software-testing/
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