5 Key Types of Software Testing Services

Software testing or QA is the process of testing a software product or application in order to find bugs, issues and any other form of defects that may come in the way of optimum performance of the product or application. Today, the introduction of automation has changed the approach towards QA, making the process more efficient, with less effort and time required on the part of the QA team. While there is an initial investment involved when it comes to implementation of automation, leading providers of software testing services, including The Digital Group, Capgemini and Oxagile say that more and more organizations today are switching to automation just to ensure their products meet the highest quality standards.

Talking about software testing services, one should be aware of the fact that it comprises several different forms. Every type focuses on a different aspect of the software product and here are the 5 key types of software QA services.

1] Unit Testing

• Involves testing individual components or units of the software, often using sample inputs.
• Most basic of all types.
• Falls under white box testing.
• Easiest to automate and also inexpensive.
• Can be easily run using a continuous integration (CI) server.

Example: Verifying if a loop or function is working as expected.

2] Integration Testing

• Involves testing how different components or modules of the application integrate & work together.
• May fall under white box or black box testing.
• More expensive than most other types.
• Needs to have multiple modules of the software running together.
• Has different approaches – top-down, bottom-up and sandwich.

Example: Verifying seamless interaction between the hardware & software components.

3] Performance Testing

• Involves testing the system behavior under specific loads.
• Focuses on factors such as reliability, scalability, speed & effectiveness and other non-functional aspects.
• Uses performance requirements as the benchmark.
• Falls under black box testing.
• Can be highly expensive to execute.
• Helps the QA team understand how modifications will affect system performance.
• Consists of many sub-types.

Example: Observing the system run times with increased load.

4] Smoke Testing

• Involves a quick test of the basic application functionality and stability.
• Ensures all the key features are working as expected.
• Execution is inexpensive.
• Gives an idea about whether there’s a need to conduct more detailed and hence expensive tests.
• Recommended after deployment or after a new build is made.

Example: Picking out a single module and verifying if its working fine before moving on to other modules.

5] Functional Testing

• Involves testing the output of the application from a business point of view.
• Uses design and requirement documents as the benchmark.
• Falls under black box testing.
• Similar to integration testing as both require multiple components working at the same time.

Example: Verifying if the data stored in the database is correct.

In addition to the types of software testing services mentioned above, there are many other forms that software testing service providers can offer to QA teams. At the end of the day, every product is different, with a different set of goals. Hence, the best bet is to opt for customized services that cater to individual requirements.