Understanding Functional & Non-Functional Testing

‍Introduction

"Testing" is done almost daily on different scales, even in your personal life. The other name that may ring a bell is "double-check". When you leave the house, you double-check if you have your keys,d phone, and wallet. When you launch a software system, you double-check to see if it's ready to get on the market. However, testing software isn't as simple as looking in your purse or patting your jeans pocket. There is a lot more to look for! Two main types of testing methods can be used to contribute to the success of your software, app, or website launch.

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Why do businesses need to properly test their software system?

The greatest measure of success for a software product is how much end-users love using it. Hence why testing, both functional and non-functional testing, is extremely important to your success. By testing your software, you can ensure that it is safe, secure, easy to use, and easy to maintain and update. Without testing, you will be at risk for a major software malfunction that can disrupt your business or, in extreme cases, shut it down completely. Nissan famously had to recall over 1 million cars in the market due to software failure in sensory airbag detectors, and Starbucks had to close up 60% of their shops due to a sudden outage of their POS (Point of Sale) systems. With proper testing, your business can eliminate this risk entirely.

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What is functional testing?

Functional testing verifies that all of the functions in the software program work correctly. The functional testing also ensures that all client's requirements are met, including every unique function requested. The performance of these functions will be assessed thoroughly to check if it can handle more than usually expected. Take, for example, a login function: a business may want to test if 10,000 people can log in at once if they expect to be successful!

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Types of functional testing

Many types of functional testing are done for different purposes. 

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Unit testing: This test is often done by developers who write scripts to test each individual component. Usually, the test will call methods in each unit and validate them when they return the correct values. In unit testing, code coverage - a white-box testing technique - is mandatory with three types of coverages: line, code path, and method.

Smoke testing & Sanity testing: Smoke testing is done after the release of each build to ensure the software stability is intact. Sanity testing is often done after smoke testing to verify that every major functionality is working perfectly, both independently and together with other elements.

Regression testing: This is done to ensure changes to the codebase - adding new code, debugging strategies, etc. - do not disrupt the existing functions or trigger instability.

Integration testing: As the name suggests, integration testing checks if individual modules can perform smoothly and efficiently when integrated. 

Beta/Usability testing: This is the final stage of functional testing, when the actual end-users test the product in a production environment. You will receive the most realistic feedback to understand their feelings towar the usability of the software.

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What is non-functional testing?

Non-functional testing is often done after functional testing to verify the performance of each function in a software application. It determines how well the software can perform these functions and can show developers and clients which part needs improvement. Non-functional testing requires extensive knowledge beyond the source code as the testing parameters are more complex compared to functional testing. Non-functional testing is important because it is used to make the application more reliable and user-friendly.

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Types of non-functional testing

There are lots of non-functional testing types too!

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Accessibility testing: This testing is used to determine how accessible and easy to use the software is for a wide range of users, specifically those with disabilities.

Responsiveness testing: With dozens of different resolutions used by hundreds of different devices, it is important to make sure your app, software, or website is displayed correctly to users. That is why testers will use real devices or virtual machines to check if your product is responsive on all main platforms.

Compliance testing: This ensures that the software complies with the industry guideline or law before being launched to the public.

Security testing: Like its name, this testing checks for security measures inside this software by looking at how vulnerable it is to cyberattacks and what is implemented to enhance layers of protection.

Endurance testing: This is done to check for the software's endurance and how it reacts under pressure. Endurance testing is important because it directly affects the end user's experience. An example could be testing all of the functions at once to see how well it performs.

Internationalization testing: To make sure that the text and layout are consistent in every language, internationalization testing is done with software that works with more than one language. An example is checking if texts overlap and don't show up.

Performance testing: This final testing is the ultimate test to see how fast and well it responds to users' input.

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Functional testing vs. Non-functional testing

The difference between functional testing and non-functional testing is simple: it lies in what they test. Functional testing ensures that an application's functions and features work properly, while non-functional testing examines the performance and other aspects of how well the application works. Both are important to the success of a software application. 

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Conclusion

Functional and non-functional testing both help your software launch in different ways. It is an essential component of the software development cycle. Using the right tools, methods, and procedures can ensure that your product is well-rounded and ready for your audience. Whether you are rolling out the software application for consumers or businesses, make sure that the development company you hire has thorough testing with strong quality assurance procedures so that it can perform better than what you've imagined.

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‍Dirox is a software development firm located in Vietnam, with a strong QA/QC team ready to take on your project and deliver it with flying colors. Please contact our expert consultants to learn more!

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