Carrying out testing is a key part of the software development process, ensuring that problems are ironed out before systems are handed over to the end user.

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Thanks to automated software testing services, ensuring that programs and apps meet quality standards is easier than ever before; however, there are still some key factors to consider to ensure that the process is carried out properly and delivers good results.

Testing stages

It is easy to think that testing is something that only happens at the end of the development process; in fact, it needs to be considered at every stage of the cycle. The modular nature of much of today’s software means that testing can be carried out on the components of a program as they move through development.

Testing usually moves through a series of stages. These start with unit testing, which checks components of the software for errors. This is followed by integration testing to ensure that all the modules work properly together. Next comes system testing, which checks that the whole program is working and interacting correctly with the system hardware. Finally, acceptance testing ensures that the software not only works but also meets the client’s specification.

Types of test

Within these stages, automated software testing services such as those provided by my testers will carry out various types of test. These may include ‘black box’ tests, which assume no knowledge of the program’s internal logic, and ‘white box’ tests, where the tester has knowledge of the code in order to identify the sections causing problems.

Testers will also be looking for various things. One of the main concerns of today’s tests is security − ensuring that the software does not have any vulnerabilities and that unauthorised access cannot be gained to the code. Stress testing is used to determine how the code behaves under extreme conditions, such as heavy traffic, to check the stability of the system.

Compatibility tests ensure that there are no problems working with the hardware platform and operating system. This may require tests to be run on a range of devices and different versions of the OS. Usability testing is used to determine how easy it is for the end user to access the functions of the program and carry out the tasks they need to perform.