5 Different Types of Software Testing You Need to Know

Software testing is a process that assesses whether a product or system performs as anticipated and is error-free. For instance, if you are developing a ticketing application, you would like to ensure that users can search for tickets, enter their details, and buy them without any issues. If users encounter difficulties during this process, they may look for alternatives, making software testing vital for the success of your business. 

This guide will cover five common types of software testing, outlining each type's purpose, benefits, and possible drawbacks. Let's see which testing type you could use for a flawless app!

Different types of software testing

Software testing is a crucial aspect of the software development process. It aims to verify a product or system's functionality, performance, and quality. It can be broadly classified into two main categories: functional testing and non-functional testing. Additionally, manual testing and automated testing are two approaches that can be applied to either category.

In our Ultimate guide to software testing, you can find detailed descriptions of each testing type. But, in the sections below, we'll cover some you might have overlooked!

1. Localization Testing

Localization testing ensures that your product works as expected in global markets. This type of testing evaluates an application when it is customized or presented in a different language, verifying its accuracy and performance.

Localization testing typically focuses on three key areas:

• Linguistic: Ensures translations and language usage are accurate and context-appropriate, including idiomatic expressions, colloquialisms, and cultural nuances.
• Cosmetic: Checks for alignment and spacing issues in the user interface, including date and time formats, number formats, and currency symbols.
• Functional: Confirms regional preferences and requirements, such as local legal and regulatory compliance, are met.
  

Example of Localization Testing

If you are developing a mobile banking app for users in the United States and France, localization testing would involve:

• Verifying that all text, buttons, and messages in the app are accurately translated for the French market. Also, checking for proper language usage, including grammar, idioms, and context.
• The app should display dates and times in a format that aligns with local conventions. In France, this means using the day-month-year format instead of the month-day-year format commonly used in the United States.
• Correctly displaying currency symbols (€ for euros) and number formats (e.g., using commas as thousands separators and periods as decimal points in France) according to regional standards.
• Testers would assess the app's adherence to cultural norms and sensitivities, such as appropriate imagery, colors, and symbols.
• The app should support French keyboard layouts and input methods. Special characters, such as accents, should be adequately recognized and handled.
• The app must comply with regional regulations, such as data privacy laws.

Pro Tip

For effective localization testing, it is important to collaborate with language specialists and native speakers from the target regions. This will help ensure the product connects with the local audience and delivers a smooth user experience.

At Global App Testing, we have a network of over 90,000 testers from more than 190 countries to ensure that your product is fully prepared for international markets.

If you want to learn more about the importance of localization and global growth, join our free Alignment webinar by clicking below!

Benefits of Localization Testing

• Expands your market reach by ensuring your application works across global markets.
• Provides critical local insights from real-world testers.
• Helps avoid costly errors that could harm your brand or impede global expansion.

Potential drawbacks

• Requires expert knowledge of local culture, linguistics, and preferences.
• Coordination can be challenging due to location and time differences.
• May increase development time and costs.

Best practices for Localization Testing

• Involve native speakers and localization experts early in the development process.
• Conduct continuous testing throughout the product lifecycle.
• Maintain a glossary of terms and style guides to ensure consistency across languages and regions.

2. Regression Testing

Regression testing is a method of verification used to confirm that updates, bug fixes, or code changes have not adversely affected existing features. This involves re-executing test cases to ensure functionality remains intact and no new bugs are introduced.

Example of Regression Testing

An e-commerce website has a new feature, a product wishlist, that has just been added. Here's how regression testing would be applied:

• Selection of test cases that cover critical areas of the website, including the shopping cart, checkout process, and user account management. These test cases should include scenarios that could potentially be affected by the new wishlist feature.
• Re-execution of test cases to ensure that the existing functionalities of the website, such as adding items to the cart and completing purchases, still work as expected after the addition of the wishlist feature.
• Testers would pay particular attention to areas of the code that interact with the new feature, watching for any unexpected behavior or errors that could arise due to the changes.
• Automated testing tools can quickly re-run regression test suites, which is especially useful for large and complex systems.
• Once the development team has addressed any issues found during regression testing, the testers should re-run the affected test cases to confirm that the problems have been resolved without introducing new issues.

Regression testing can be applied in different scenarios, including:

• Smoke Testing: A quick set of tests to determine whether the software is stable enough for further testing.
• Sanity Testing: A focused test on specific functionalities to ensure they work after code changes.
• Full Regression Testing: Comprehensive testing of the entire application to confirm that all aspects of the software work as intended.

Benefits of Regression Testing

• Maintains and improves product quality.
• Can be automated for efficiency.
• Detects side effects of updates before customers encounter them.

Potential drawbacks

• Manual regression testing can be time-consuming.
• Setting up automated regression tests can be costly.
• May require a significant amount of test cases to cover all potential scenarios.

Best practices for Regression Testing

• Prioritize test cases based on the risk and impact of changes.
• Automate regression testing whenever possible to save time and resources.
• Keep test cases up-to-date with changes in the application.

3. Automated Testing

Automated testing uses an automation tool to execute pre-scripted test cases, enabling the rapid execution of thousands of tests and increasing the speed of test cycles. This approach is ideal for repetitive tasks, such as testing login processes or registration forms.

Example of Automated Testing

Let's take the development of an online project management web application and how to execute testing using automation:

• Create test scripts using frameworks like Selenium or Cypress. These scripts define test scenarios and expected outcomes, targeting different aspects of the web application, such as navigation, data input, and form submissions.
• Automated tests require environments that closely mirror production, like configuring data, platforms, and settings for the tests.
• Once the scripts are ready, testers execute them using automation tools. Tests can be run repeatedly and rapidly, providing quick feedback on the application's functionality and performance.
• Automation tools generate detailed results, including passed or failed tests and any observed discrepancies. Testers then review these results to identify and address issues.
• If tests fail, testers collaborate with developers to investigate and resolve the problems. Test scripts may need adjustments and re-runs to verify that fixes are successful.
• Automated testing is especially useful for regression testing, enabling the rapid re-execution of a large suite of tests when code changes occur. This ensures new code doesn't disrupt existing functionality.

Automated testing can be particularly effective for the following types of tests:

• Unit Testing: Tests individual components or units of the application for correctness.
• Integration Testing: Tests the interaction between different modules or systems.
• Performance Testing: Measures the application's response time, scalability, and resource usage under various conditions.

Benefits of Automated Testing

• Increases productivity and reduces testing time for most apps and websites.
• Saves money in the long term despite high initial setup costs.
• Eliminates human error, depending on the quality of test cases.

Potential drawbacks

• Not suitable for certain test scenarios, such as user interface, documentation, installation, compatibility, and recovery.
• Some manual testing will always be necessary.
• Requires expertise in scripting and test automation tools.

Best Practices for Automated Testing

• Choose the right automation tool and framework for your application.
• Write clear, concise, and reusable test scripts.
• Integrate automated testing into the development and deployment processes.

4. Crowdsourced Testing

Crowdsourced testing uses a crowd of expert testers to conduct manual tests. The collective expertise of multiple testers provides diverse perspectives, leading to uncovering a wide range of bugs and issues.

Example of Crowdsourced Testing

The company wants to use crowdsourced testing to ensure the game is thoroughly tested across different devices and user scenarios. Here's how crowdsourced testing would be applied:

• The company outlines specific test scenarios or areas of focus for the crowdtesters, such as gameplay mechanics, graphics, performance, or user interface. Testers are encouraged to explore the game freely and report any issues they find.
• Assigning testers to the project based on their skills and experience. Testers may come from different regions and use a variety of devices, operating systems, and network conditions.
• Testers play the game and evaluate it according to the test scenarios provided. They also explore the game independently, looking for bugs, usability issues, and other potential problems.
• Reporting findings, including bugs, unexpected behavior, and feedback on user experience. They may include screenshots, videos, or detailed descriptions to help the development team understand the issues.
• The development team reviews the testers' reports and prioritizes issues for investigation and resolution. They may also use the feedback to improve the game's design and functionality.
• Based on the feedback received, the company may conduct additional rounds of crowdtesting to verify fixes and gather further feedback.

Crowdsourced testing is beneficial for:

• User Experience Testing: Understanding how users interact with the application and identifying areas for improvement.
• Compatibility Testing: Verifying the application works on different devices, operating systems, and browser versions.
• Localization Testing: Leveraging a global crowd of testers to ensure the application is appropriately localized.

Benefits of Crowdsourced Testing

• Cost-effective compared to in-house QA.
• Scalable as your company grows.
• High-quality results from vetted testers.
• Offers a broader range of perspectives, leading to better results.

Potential drawbacks

• Less efficient for repetitive tests like regression testing.
• May require coordination with different testers.
• Potential for communication issues due to language and cultural differences.

Best practices for Crowdsourced Testing

• Clearly define testing goals and expectations.
• Provide detailed instructions and test scenarios.
• Maintain open communication with testers to ensure accurate and timely feedback.

5. Exploratory Testing

Exploratory testing allows testers the freedom to test an application as they see fit, using simultaneous test design and execution to explore an app and uncover potential bugs. While planned, this type of testing is not scripted, allowing for flexibility and adaptability.

Example of Exploratory Testing

If you are developing a social networking app that allows users to create profiles, post content, and interact with others - here's how you can apply exploratory testing:

• Before starting, the testers identify the areas they want to focus on, such as user interface, navigation, or specific features like posting content or commenting.
• Testers interact with the app without predefined test scripts, exploring the functionality and discovering unexpected behavior. They might follow common user flows or branch out to test less common scenarios, paying attention to how the app behaves.
• As testers navigate the app, they note their findings, including bugs, usability issues, or unexpected results. They may also identify additional areas to test in more detail.
• When a tester encounters a bug or unexpected behavior, they try to reproduce the issue and document the steps involved. This helps the development team investigate and resolve the issue.
• Exploratory testing can identify new test scenarios that existing scripted tests may not have covered. These scenarios can then be added to the test suite for future testing.

Exploratory testing can involve the following techniques:

• Session-Based Testing: Testers divide their time into focused sessions and document their findings at the end of each session.
• Pair Testing: Two testers work together, one controlling the app and the other observing and taking notes.
• Charter-Based Testing: Testers create charters or testing missions to guide their exploratory testing efforts.

Benefits of Exploratory Testing

• Flexibility and adaptability in testing.
• Helpful in finding unique bugs and verifying functionality.
• Particularly beneficial for complex testing situations.

Potential drawbacks

• Relies heavily on the skills and mindset of testers.
• Finding skilled exploratory testers can be challenging.
• It may not provide comprehensive coverage compared to scripted tests.

Best practices for Exploratory Testing

• Provide clear goals and charters to guide testing efforts.
• Encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing among testers.
• Document findings thoroughly to aid developers in addressing issues.

Conclusion

Choosing the right software testing method depends on your product's unique needs and goals. A blend of testing techniques often leads to the best results, allowing you to deliver a high-quality product to your customers.

Global App Testing offers a range of software testing services to help businesses ensure their applications meet quality standards and customer expectations:

• Functional Testing: Ensures software meets functional requirements and specifications across user interfaces, databases, APIs, and more.
• Localization Testing: Verifies software is culturally and linguistically appropriate for different regions, checking translations, formats, and regional preferences.
• Exploratory Testing: Skilled testers use experience and creativity to uncover unexpected issues and edge cases that scripted tests might miss.
• Crowdsourced Testing: Connects clients with a global community of over 90,000 expert testers in more than 190 countries, providing diverse testing across devices, operating systems, and networks.
• Regression Testing: Ensures updates, bug fixes, and code changes don't negatively impact existing features and functionality.
• Test Case Management: Streamlines and organizes testing processes, including writing, maintaining, and executing test cases.
• Test Automation: Supports writing automated test scripts, setting up environments, and integrating tests into CI/CD pipelines for speed and efficiency.
• Usability Testing: Evaluates software from a user's perspective to ensure it is intuitive and meets user needs.
• Performance Testing: Assesses software behavior under different loads to maintain performance and handle expected traffic.
• Bug reporting and Management: Offers comprehensive bug reporting and management services to help clients track, prioritize, and resolve issues.
• Test coverage analysis: Helps assess test coverage to ensure all components and functionalities are tested thoroughly.

For expert guidance on determining the best testing strategy for your business, reach out to us today!

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