Software tests are an important step in software development to ensure that the software works as intended and meets the needs of the end users. There are many different types of tests that developers can use, but the three tests mentioned in this article are considered to be essential.
This article will teach you about three tests that are critical to your workflow. It’ll go over what each test does, why it’s important, and how to implement it. This information will assist you as a developer in improving the quality of your software and ensuring that it functions properly for users.
If you are a developer or are interested in software development, this article is a must-read. “Software Tests: 3 Must-Know Bulletproof Tests for Every Successful Software Developer” provides important information and insights for both new and experienced developers.
May you also be interested in Step-by-Step Guide on Connecting Your Django App to a Custom Domain Name
Introduction
Software development is a complicated process that involves multiple steps to ensure that the end product meets the needs of the users and functions properly. Software tests are an important step in software development as it helps to identify and fix any bugs or issues before the software is released to the market. With ever-increasing software demands, it’s critical for developers to stay up to date on the latest testing techniques and tools to ensure the quality of their software. The purpose of this article, “Software Tests: 3 Must-Know Bulletproof Tests for Every Successful Software Developer” is to provide developers with useful information on three important tests that they should be familiar with.
Manual Testing Vs Automated Testing
At a higher level software tests are classified into two main categories which are manual tests and automated tests. Let me explain!
Manual software tests entail a tester manually executing test cases. This method is useful for checking the overall user experience and testing the software application for unexpected bugs or issues. Manual testing is also beneficial for exploratory testing, which allows the tester to explore the software application in an unstructured manner. Manual testing can be time-consuming, prone to human error, and difficult to repeat.
Automated software tests involve the use of software tools to execute test cases. This is useful for repetitive tasks in which test cases must be executed several times. Automated testing is also useful for regression testing, which involves testing the software application after each change. Automated testing speeds up the testing process, eliminates manual labour, and ensures software quality. Automated testing can also be referred to as Test Driven Development (TDD).
Developers must be familiar with both manual and automated software tests. The choice between manual and automated testing is determined by the specific needs of the software project, and developers must use a combination of both methods to ensure effective software testing. You can ensure that your software is of high quality and meets the needs of your target users by using both manual and automated testing. But earlier on, I promised we shall look at the three essential software tests every developer should know about. Let’s dive in!
3 Software tests you should surely need to know about.
These three types of software tests that you should know about to be a successful software developer are;-
- Unit tests
- Integration tests
- End-to-End tests
I’ll break them down below for you to better understand each of them.
1. Unit Tests
Unit software tests are an important part of software development because they ensure the quality and reliability of software systems. Unit testing is about inspecting individual components of a program to ensure that they work properly. This type of testing assists in identifying and addressing any issues with the code, as well as ensuring the system’s integrity by detecting unexpected behaviours that may cause problems in the future.
Unit tests are an important part of the software development process that should not be overlooked. They provide valuable insight into the code’s functionality and enable developers to quickly identify and resolve any problems that may arise. Unit tests contribute to the reliability and stability of the software, ultimately improving the user experience.
There are numerous advantages to incorporating unit tests into your software development process. It encourages a proactive approach to software development by detecting problems early in the development cycle and reducing the risk of defects and bugs later on. Unit tests also aid in software maintenance by laying the groundwork for regression testing and ensuring that changes to the code do not introduce new issues.
Below is an example of how a unit test for the cart feature developed in JavaScript to calculate the total price and total quantity using the Jest testing library may appear.
describe('Cart feature', () => {
it('calculates the total price correctly', () => {
const cart = [{ name: 'item1', price: 10, quantity: 2 },{ name: 'item2', price: 5, quantity: 1 }];
const totalPrice = calculateTotalPrice(cart);
expect(totalPrice).toBe(25);
});
it('calculates the total quantity correctly', () => {
const cart = [{ name: 'item1', price: 10, quantity: 2 },{ name: 'item2', price: 5, quantity: 1 }];
const totalQuantity = calculateTotalQuantity(cart);
expect(totalQuantity).toBe(3);
});
});
function calculateTotalPrice(cart) {
return cart.reduce((acc, item) => acc + item.price * item.quantity, 0);
}
function calculateTotalQuantity(cart) {
return cart.reduce((acc, item) => acc + item.quantity, 0);
}The describe the function generates a block that describes the cart feature that is being tested. Individual test cases are defined by it functions to validate the total price and total quantity calculations. The expect function is used to ensure that the expected and actual results are the same. If the test passes, the code is working as expected, and if the test fails, the code needs to be fixed.
So, Unit Tests are an important part of software development and should be given proper attention. You can improve the quality and reliability of your software systems, reduce the risk of defects and bugs, and ultimately deliver better software to your users by performing Unit Tests.
2. Integration Tests
Integration software tests are an important part of software development because they ensure the reliability and stability of software systems. The goal of integration tests is to ensure that the interactions between different components of a software system are working as expected. Integration tests are usually performed after the individual components have been unit tested, and they are regarded as an important part of the software development process.
Integration tests provide valuable insight into the overall behaviour of the system and aid in the identification of any issues that may arise from the interactions of the components. This type of testing helps to validate the software’s end-to-end functionality and ensures that the system behaves as expected. Integration tests also aid in identifying any potential performance or scalability issues, allowing developers to address these issues before they become larger issues.
Conducting integration tests entails combining various components and testing them as a group. This enables developers to quickly identify and resolve any issues that may arise as a result of the interactions between the components. Automation of integration tests provides significant benefits in terms of time and efficiency. Automated integration tests can be run repeatedly, resulting in a consistent and reliable testing environment, and they can be easily integrated into the continuous integration and continuous delivery processes.
describe('Cart Integration Test', () => {
it('calculates the correct total price and quantity', () => {
const cart = [{ name: 'item 1', price: 10, quantity: 2 },{ name: 'item 2', price: 20, quantity: 3 },{ name: 'item 3', price: 5, quantity: 1 }];
const expectedTotalPrice = 70;
const expectedTotalQuantity = 6;
const totalPrice = calculateTotalPrice(cart);
const totalQuantity = calculateTotalQuantity(cart);
expect(totalPrice).toBe(expectedTotalPrice);
expect(totalQuantity).toBe(expectedTotalQuantity);
});
});We started by making a cart array with several items. Based on the items in the cart, we calculate the expected total price and total quantity. Finally, we use the calculateTotalPrice and calculateTotalQuantity functions to compute the actual total price and quantity, and we use the expect function to determine whether or not they match the expected values. If the values match, the test is successful. If they do not, the test fails, and the developer must debug and resolve any issues that arise. This integration test verifies that the total price and quantity calculation functions work properly with the cart data.
So, integration tests are an important part of software development because they ensure the quality and reliability of software systems. By running software tests, developers can validate the software’s end-to-end functionality, identify and resolve any issues, and ultimately provide better software to their users. Integration tests should be given adequate attention and resources, and they should be included as early in the software development process as possible.
3. End-to-End tests
End-to-end (E2E) software tests are a type of software testing that focuses on verifying the application’s entire flow, from beginning to end. The primary goal of E2E testing is to simulate real-world scenarios and ensure that the software performs as expected when used by its intended audience. E2E tests provide a comprehensive view of the software system and aid in the identification of any issues or bugs that may arise when the system’s various components are combined and used together.
E2E tests are run on the entire application, including the user interface, business logic, and APIs, to ensure that all components are working properly. This type of testing is essential for ensuring the overall quality and dependability of the software, as well as identifying any issues that may arise when the system is used in a real-world scenario. E2E tests are especially important for web applications and other systems that involve user interactions because they help to validate the application’s behaviour from the user’s point of view.
E2E testing typically entails developing a series of test cases that simulate real-world scenarios. These test cases are then run on the software system, and any issues discovered are reported to and addressed by the development team. E2E tests can be automated, resulting in significant time and efficiency savings. Automated E2E tests can be run repeatedly, resulting in a consistent and reliable testing environment, and they can be easily integrated into the continuous integration and continuous delivery processes.
describe('Cart End-to-End Test', () => {
it('calculates the correct total price and quantity', () => {
cy.visit('/cart');
cy.get('[data-test="add-item-1-button"]').click();
cy.get('[data-test="add-item-1-button"]').click();
cy.get('[data-test="add-item-2-button"]').click();
cy.get('[data-test="add-item-2-button"]').click();
cy.get('[data-test="add-item-2-button"]').click();
cy.get('[data-test="add-item-3-button"]').click();
cy.get('[data-test="total-price-value"]').should('have.text', '70');
cy.get('[data-test="total-quantity-value"]').should('have.text', '6');
});
});In this test, you use the Cypress test tool to simulate a user visiting the cart page, clicking buttons to add items to the cart, and examining the displayed total price and total quantity values. To visit the /cart page, use the cy.visit command, and the cy.get and .click commands to interact with the buttons to add items to the cart. To verify the displayed total price and total quantity values, use the cy.get and .should commands. The test passes if the values match the expected values. If they do not, the test fails, and the developer must debug and resolve any issues that arise. This end-to-end test ensures that the total price and quantity calculation functions are operational and properly integrated with the rest of the application.
So, E2E tests are an important part of software development because they ensure the quality and reliability of software systems. By running these software tests, developers can validate the software’s end-to-end functionality, identify and resolve any issues, and ultimately provide better software to their users. E2E tests should be given adequate attention and resources, and they should be incorporated as early as possible into the software development process.
Other important tests you may want to dig deeper into as a developer maybe.
Also read: 6 Projects you can build to improve your portfolio to win yourself an interview
1. Functional tests
Functional tests are software tests that validate the functionality of the software in accordance with its specifications. This type of testing ensures that the software performs as expected under a variety of scenarios and conditions. The goal of functional tests is to ensure that the software meets the needs of its intended audience and performs the tasks for which it was designed.
2. Performance tests
Performance tests are software tests that evaluate a software system’s behaviour and response times under various loads and conditions. This type of testing aids in the identification of bottlenecks or performance issues that may occur during normal usage, as well as providing insights into the system’s overall scalability and reliability. Performance tests are an important part of software development because they ensure that the software meets the performance requirements of its intended audience.
3. Security tests
Security tests are software tests that focus on assessing the security of a software system. This type of testing aids in the identification of potential security vulnerabilities, such as hacking attempts or data breaches, and provides recommendations for improving software security. Security tests are especially important for applications that handle sensitive information, such as financial data or personal information, and help to ensure the software system’s overall safety and privacy.
4. Compatibility tests
Compatibility tests are software tests that assess a software system’s compatibility with various operating systems, hardware configurations, and other technologies. This type of testing aids in the identification of any compatibility issues that may arise during normal usage and provides recommendations for resolving these issues. Compatibility tests are necessary to ensure that the software will function properly across a wide range of platforms and devices.
5. Usability tests
Usability tests are software tests that focus on evaluating a software system’s user experience. This type of testing aids in the identification of any usability issues that may arise during normal usage, as well as providing recommendations for improving the user experience. Usability testing is an important part of software development because it ensures that the software is simple to use and accessible to the intended audience.
Conclusion
To wrap up, you’ve learnt that software tests are an important part of the software development lifecycle. You should learn about software tests, especially automated testing, and use them in your software development workflow. This should help you spend less time building high-quality software that meets the requirements of your users. You should also find it easier to work in a team that has automated testing integrate into their workflow. Software test skills increase your demand among recruiters.
