1. What is Unit Testing?
2. Why Unit Testing is important to perform?
3. 5 Use Cases of AI in Wealth Management
4. What are the types of Unit Testing?
5. How to do Unit Testing?
6. What are Unit Testing best practices?
7. What are some important Unit Test frameworks?
8. Unit Testing Vs Integration Testing
9. Conclusion

What is Unit Testing?

Unit testing is one of the software testing types which includes the initial testing phase where the smallest components or the modules of a software are tested individually. With this method of testing, both testers and developers can isolate each module, identify and fix the system defects at a very early stage of the software development lifecycle (SDLC). Primarily, a unit test verifies different behavioral aspects of the system under test and can be broadly classified into state-based and interaction-based unit testing.

A typical unit test consists of three phases which include the first initialization phase where it initializes a small piece of an application it wants to test. The second phase is the addition phase where it adds a stimulus to the system under test and finally, the third phase is the result phase where it observes the resulting application behavior. Evidently, if the observed behavior is consistent with expectations, then the unit test passes else it fails. This indicates there is a problem somewhere in the system under test. These three test phases are named as Arrange, Act and Assert or commonly known as AAA.

Why Unit Testing is important to perform?

Unit Testing is the software testing technique where a group of software program components or modules are tested individually. This technique effectively helps in validating the accuracy of a section of code by considering stubs, mock objects, drivers, and unit testing frameworks. Since it is practiced at the initial testing phase, this testing technique assures to identify and fix the bugs at the early stage of SDLC even before they become expensive for the enterprises to fix when identified at a later stage.

Some developers may attempt to save time by performing minimal unit testing, or when unit testing is skipped, it obviously leads to higher defect fixing costs during system testing, integration testing, and even beta testing when the application is completed.

Moreover, in addition to these, unit testing helps the development teams to understand the code base, validate the correctness of the developed code, reuse the code, and to make the changes faster in the code.

With a proper unit testing practice in place, the developers and testers can help to save time as bugs can be identified early in the process as it is the initial phase of testing. And, skipping or limiting the practice of unit testing can adversely increase the defects and it becomes complex to fix them at a later stage. Hence, it is essential to practice unit testing at the initial stage of the oftware testing process before planning for the integration testing.

What are the benefits of Unit Testing?

– Helps in identifying and fixing the bugs at the early stage of the SDLC process

– Assures to reduce the cost as bugs are resolved at the earliest

– Helps the developers to improve the design by allowing refactoring of the code

– Assures in simplifying the debugging process

– With the proper unit testing practice, components that are integrated after the build can assure in achieving a quality product

What are the types of Unit Testing?

White Box Testing

This testing practice is also known as transparent testing or glass box testing. In this unit testing type, the functional behavior of the software is tested by the developers in order to validate their execution.

Black-box Testing

In this unit testing type, the unit testers are not aware of the internal functionality of the system and are allowed for testing the structure of the function, i.e. the user interface, input, and output.

Gray Box Testing

Gray box testing is popularly known for being the combination of both black-box and white-box testing. In this method, the tester is partially aware of the system functionality and uses this approach for testing various test methods, for executing test suites, and to perform the risk assessment. Also, this unit testing type is known as semi-transparent testing.

Who performs Unit Testing?

Unit testing is the first software testing phase in SDLC and it is usually taken up during the development of the application. These unit test cases are written and executed by software developers. However, in certain exceptional scenarios where developers take a back off to this process, this white-box testing technique is performed by QA engineers.

How to do Unit Testing?

Unit testing can be performed in two methods, i.e. by manual testing and automated testing.

In order to practice unit testing with the manual testing method, it is essential for the unit testers to get a step-by-step instructional document. However, considering the efforts needed for manual testing, automated unit testing is often preferred by most enterprises.

The workflow of unit testing is performed in 4 stages:

1. Creating test cases

2. Reviewing test cases

3. Baselining test cases

4. Executing test cases

Unit Testing process involves:

– The code is then isolated by the developers to validate the dependencies between the code and other units. This way of isolating the code helps in identifying and eliminating the dependencies.

– Developers significantly make use of Unit test frameworks or unit testing tools for developing automated test cases.

– While executing the test cases, the unit test frameworks help to flag and report the failed test cases. Also, based on the failures in the test cases, the unit test frameworks help to stop the related testing.

What are Unit Testing best practices?

1. Ensure Unit Tests are independent of each other:

While performing unit testing, make sure that all the unit tests are independent. If having any dependencies, then unit tests can get affected when there are any changes or enhancements. Also, it can result in complexities for the test cases to run and debug. Hence, always make sure that unit test cases are independent.

2. Always stick to one code unit at once:

When testing a unit of code, though it relates to multiple use cases, unit testers have to test each use case in different test cases. This will effectively simplify the teams to do code changes or refactoring.

3. Make use of AAA for readability:

AAA stands for Arrange, Act, and Assert. This pattern helps in separating what is being tested from the “arrange” and “assert” steps; thus reduces the inter-mix of the assertions with the help of the “Act”. Thus, the test cases are more readable.

4. Fix the bugs before moving for Integration Testing:

Unit testing is the first testing phase and it is practiced before moving to the phase of integration testing. Hence, before moving for the next testing level, make sure to fix all the identified bugs in the unit testing phase.

5. Ensure to have proper variable naming:

In unit testing, one of the important and best practices is to have proper naming of the variables. Therefore, avoid using magic strings, and also follow clear and consistent naming conventions.

6. Always separate test code and production code:

While performing unit testing, make sure that the test code is not deployed with the source code in your build script.

What are some important Unit Test frameworks?

JUnit:

This is an open-source unit testing framework that works effectively for test-driven development. It is explicitly designed to support Java language. This tool is well-known for providing an easy approach for writing code.

NUnit:

This unit testing framework is completely written in C# and this belongs to the xUnit family. It is an open-source tool and is capable of supporting all .NET languages and serves the same purpose as JUnit.

TestNG:

This is an open-source test automation framework exclusively developed for Java programming language. This framework specifically resembles Junit & NUnit and supports concurrent testing along with support for annotation.

Jtest:

This is an IDE plugin with effective open-source frameworks. The effective feature that can be achieved with this plugin is one-click action for creating, scaling, and maintaining unit tests.

PHPUnit:

This testing tool is designed to support PHP language. The beneficial feature of this tool is that it uses pre-defined assertion methods to make the system behave in a specific manner.

HtmlUnit:

This is an open-source unit testing framework to support JavaScript. It offers many great features for the teams such as open-source Java library, support for protocols, proxy servers, cookies, etc.

Unit Testing Vs Integration Testing

Integration testing is the second software testing phase conducted after unit testing. In Integration testing, the small modules that are individually tested in the unit testing are integrated or combined to test the functionality of the modules when they are together. However, to understand these two testing phases more easily, their major differences have been listed below.

Conclusion:

Businesses can be ensured of bug-free and quality software if software testing is performed effectively from the initial stage of product development. Software testing has to be taken up from the very first stage, i.e. from the code level itself; and this can be achieved when software developers perform the unit testing.

Unit testing is the earliest testing practice that focuses on the code. With this testing approach, small modules of the program are tested individually. This approach benefits the teams in many ways such as early bug detection, fixing the code before they become expensive to resolve in the SDLC. Hence, practicing unit testing is essential for businesses to ensure that the developed software is bug-free and quality is assured from the initial stage of SDLC. Leverage unit testing services from independent QA testing services provider to make your software get high-quality. Talk to us

The post Unit Testing – What is Its Importance in Software Testing? first appeared on TestingXperts.

1. What is a Testing Pyramid?
2. Why is Testing Pyramid Important for Agile Teams?
3. Testing Pyramid Implementation Challenges
4. Testing Pyramid Implementation Best Practices
5. Summary
6. Why Choose Tx for Quality Assurance Services?

Does your testing team have to wait long for their test suite to finish running? Do they have to re-execute test suites after failing continuously? If the answer is yes, then chances are their test suites do not fulfill testing pyramid criteria.

An efficient testing process is necessary in software development, especially under agile methodologies. Agile teams, known for their adaptability and speed, require testing methods to cope with development cycles. A testing pyramid is a strategic framework that allows agile teams to reshape the software QA approach. Also, the testing pyramid seamlessly integrates with continuous integration and delivery processes. It enhances the speed and reliability of the deployment process, necessary for agile teams to deliver high-quality software consistently.

What is a Testing Pyramid?

Testing or test automation pyramid is a framework to help developers and QA teams create high-quality software. Following a testing pyramid allows developers to minimize the time required to determine whether the new update affects their code. It also helps in creating robust test cases.

As the name suggests, the testing pyramid describes the test types that QA and development teams need to integrate in an automated test suite. It also defines the order and frequency of each test type. The main goal of the testing pyramid is to provide rapid feedback and ensure the new code changes don’t affect existing functionalities.

Levels of Test Automation Pyramid

Why is it necessary to distinguish between test types in the codebase? Let’s answer this question by breaking the test automation pyramid into different levels. It operates at three levels:

Unit Tests

These tests are the base of the testing pyramid. Unit testing ensures that the isolated code units perform as determined. These tests are responsible for assessing every single variable and do not rely on any dependencies (external). Unit tests are fast to execute and run consistently in the software development lifecycle. It allows developers and testers to identify and fix bugs early, thus maintaining high code quality standards.

Integration Tests

Integration test cases lie in the middle layer of the test automation pyramid, which is fewer in number compared to unit tests. The goal is to verify the integration between different parts or modules of the application. It includes integration with databases, external systems, APIs, etc. Although integration tests are complex and run slowly compared to unit tests, they are critical for ensuring software parts work in sync. QA teams execute these tests at key stages during the development cycle after implementing new features or updates.

End-to-end Tests

The top layer of the pyramid is the end-to-end test, which is very complex and has the longest execution time. It involves testing the entire application from start to finish based on the end user’s perspective. E2E testing includes evaluating UI, APIs, databases, etc. These tests are necessary to ensure the system works properly in real-world scenarios. This type of testing is sensitive and has unreliable external dependencies compared to integration tests.

Why is Testing Pyramid Important for Agile Teams?

Agile software development focuses on rapid and iterative progress. Maintaining the software quality is the main challenge in such a fast-paced environment. With the testing pyramid, Agile teams will get a comprehensive framework for effective software testing. It allows them to balance speed with quality, a key concern in SDLC. A testing pyramid is necessary to guide the agile teams in efficiently structuring testing processes. The importance of the testing pyramid in software development depends on a systematic approach to offer various benefits, such as:

Early Bug Detection

With unit testing as the foundation, the testing pyramid allows early detection of errors, bugs, or other vulnerabilities. QA teams must address such issues regularly and prevent them from escalating into bigger problems later. Early bug detection also maintains a high standard of code quality in the entire SDLC.

Cost-saving

The test automation pyramid approach is cost-efficient as it helps reduce the overall testing expenses by catching bugs early during unit testing. It is easy and cheaper to fix them early, which is beneficial for an Agile environment where resource allocation is critical.

Balanced Testing Strategy

The pyramid helps balance testing efforts across different levels – unit, integration, and E2E tests. It helps avoid over-reliance on one test type and ensures every aspect of the application is equally evaluated.

Improved QA process

A comprehensive coverage of test cases from the component level to the entire system helps elevate the QA process level. The pyramid ensures that every app component works as intended without skipping or compromising any step in the QA process.

Enhanced Speed and Agility

The testing pyramid works according to Agile principles of flexibility and speed. Gaining rapid feedback from unit tests, combined with integration and E2E testing, allows development teams to maintain a constant speed while maintaining software quality.

CI/CD Integration

The testing pyramid seamlessly integrates with CI and CD to make the QA process an integral and automated part of the SDLC. It supports the rapid development and deployment cycles in an Agile environment.

Testing Pyramid Implementation Challenges

Although the test automation pyramid is a powerful asset in Agile SDLC, the implementation process has some challenges. Understanding these obstacles is crucial for teams looking forward to effectively leveraging the pyramid. Let’s take a look at some of the testing pyramid implementation challenges:

• The first challenge is integrating unit, integration, and E2E tests effectively. Each level has a special approach requiring different tools, making integration a complex and time-consuming task.

• Achieving the right balance of tests at each pyramid level is difficult. Teams struggle to determine the required number of tests at each level, leading to inefficiencies.

• Allocating resources along with time and tools is complex. E2E tests are resource-intensive, sometimes overshadowing the frequent but less resource-heavy unit tests.

• Maintaining test case quality at each level is difficult. A poorly drafted test case could cause false positives. It decreases the effectiveness of the testing process.

• Agile projects are dynamic, as there are frequent changes and updates. Designing and adapting the test cases quickly to support these changes is challenging, especially for larger projects.

• Testing pyramid implementation requires certain technical expertise, especially when selecting and using varying testing tools. It becomes a barrier for teams with limited technical resources.

• Automating tests at the unit and integration levels is difficult due to the increase in complexity of maintaining the automated tests and ensuring their effectiveness in the long run.

• QA strategy requires continuous monitoring and updating to stay effective. It becomes resource-intensive and hampers other development activities.

Testing Pyramid Implementation Best Practices

Test automation pyramid implementation in Agile SDLC is a strategic step that requires following best practices to make it more effective. This ensures test cases are structured, aligned, and efficient with the project goals. Here are some practices that businesses should consider when implementing the testing pyramid in their development cycle:

• Develop robust unit test suites as they are the base of the test automation pyramid. Ask developers to write unit tests as they code, promoting a test-driven development approach.

• Integration tests must validate the sync between multiple components. Check whether these test cases cover every integration and can identify issues missed by unit tests.

• Plan to utilize service virtualization for the missing components in the test environment for integration testing.

• Plan E2E tests carefully as they are complex. Give extra attention to the user journey and important functionalities of the software. It will avoid over-testing and will save resources.

• Automate tests at unit and integration levels to enhance QA process efficiency and accuracy. Choose the right automation tools that align with the project technology stack and team skills.

• Regularly audit and review the test cases distributed across the pyramid. The number of simple and quick unit tests should be higher than complex E2E tests.

• Continuously evaluate and adapt the testing strategy to sync it with the rapid changes in the project scope and technology.

• Give a proper understanding of the purpose and structure of the testing pyramid to QA and development teams. It will support a collaborative environment where QA engineers, developers, and other stakeholders work together in the SDLC process.

• Invest time in drafting effective test cases to assess software functionality accurately without unnecessary code complexities.

• Regularly monitor the testing performance at each level. Optimize them for effectiveness and speed to add value to the development project without slowing it down.

Summary

The test automation pyramid is critical to the Agile software development process. It allows Agile teams to be efficient and deliver high-quality software. Testing pyramid is a transformative approach that restructures QA and aligns it with the Agile development environment. Early bug detection, cost-effectiveness, and a balanced testing strategy perfectly aligns with Agile methodology and ensures speed and adaptability. The pyramid’s integration with CI/CD processes is a crucial enabler for rapid and reliable software deployment. However, navigating its implementation comes with challenges that require careful planning, technical expertise, and continuous adaptation. By adhering to best practices, Agile teams can effectively overcome these challenges, unlocking the full potential of the testing pyramid.

Why Choose Tx for Quality Assurance Services?

The testing pyramid is a strategy that suggests the right balance of different types of tests (unit tests, integration tests, and UI/end-to-end tests) for effective and efficient quality assurance. Tx’s commitment to this approach ensures a comprehensive testing strategy that scales across various levels of the software development process. Renowned as a global leader in Digital Assurance and Quality Engineering, our extensive suite of QA services and broad industry expertise make us a reliable option for varying software testing requirements. Let’s look at why Tx is the top choice:

• We offer QA/test advisory and functional and non-functional testing tailored for next-gen technologies like AI, RPA, and IoT testing.

• Our process-oriented, proactive quality assurance and control strategy reflects the integration of testing pyramid principles.

• We have expertise serving various sectors, including healthcare, telecom, banking and finance, retail, and eCommerce.

• With offices and labs in multiple locations, we offer seamless and efficient services internationally.

• Featured in the Gartner® Market Guide and recognized as a NelsonHall’s NEAT Chart leader.

• We use our in-house accelerators to provide high-quality QA services.

• Our services cover everything from unit testing to complex E2E testing, echoing the testing pyramid approach and ensuring comprehensive support throughout the development cycle.

The post How does Testing Pyramid Benefit the Agile Team? first appeared on TestingXperts.

]]> https://www.testingxperts.com/blog/unit-testing-vs-integration-testing/ca-en?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=blog-unit-testing-vs-integration-testing-ca-en Thu, 01 Dec 2022 15:00:51 +0000 http://18.219.80.225/blog-unit-testing-vs-integration-testing-ca-en/ Unit and integration tests are critical to ensuring a seamless software application. Each of them reveals coding weaknesses that the other missed. This blog discusses unit testing vs integration testing, its benefits, processes, and more. Read this blog for complete information.

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Table of Contents

1. Unit Testing Overview
2. Why Should One Opt For Unit Testing?
3. What Is Integration Testing?
4. What Is The Process Of Integration Testing?
5. Techniques Of Integration Testing?
6. Unit Testing vs Integration Testing
7. When Should Unit Testing Or Integration Testing Be Preferred?
8. Consequences Of Not Performing Unit And Integration Tests
9. Conclusion

Software testing techniques are performed to validate the application under test (AUT) against the functional or non-functional requirements. Each type of testing, such as regression testing, performance testing, security testing, software automated testing, etc., ensures that testers identify specific types of defects. Hence, multiple testing techniques are performed to ensure the application meets acceptable quality standards.

Unit Testing Overview

It is a testing method where the smallest testable element of code, known as a unit, is tested. A unit can be a method, function, subroutine, object, procedure, etc. These individual elements, known as a unit, are tested to ensure they are functioning as expected. Developers are involved in unit tests, and thus early identification of bugs and issues occurs. It is known as White box testing.

Developers use stubs, mock objects, unit testing frameworks, and drivers to perform unit testing. Evidently, the code readability is increased, and code can be reused through the effective conduction of unit testing, which also improves Deployment velocity.

Why Should One Opt For Unit Testing?

The following are four key reasons for performing unit testing in software development:

Enables quick and easy integrations:

Unit testing enables upgrading the entire system libraries and refactoring the application code. The code changes that may not go well with the application’s design can be deciphered, leading to better code maintenance. When bugs are detected in existing functionality, unit testing ensures these bugs are perfectly addressed. When each application unit is thoroughly evaluated and tested, the units integrated later in the software development life cycle become even more accessible.

Reduces development costs significantly:

Unit testing ensures that the time, expense, and other resources used for development are decreased considerably. When the code of a function is written, the bugs are detected and fixed instantly. The time and cost to detect and fix bugs are reduced by correctly applying the unit test method.

Provides effective documentation:

Product findings and implementation process are effectively documented through the unit test methodology. Suppose the team members want to learn about what functionality is provided by one module or another. In that case, the team members can refer to the specific documents to understand the system and the module’s logic. Indicators are represented by unit test cases that carry information about the inappropriate or appropriate use of a software component. Thus, the unit test cases provide perfect documentation for these indicators.

Code coverage is enhanced:

Some developers believe that 100 percent of the code must be covered, while others believe there must be a complete code coverage policy. This scenario depends upon the organization and the project stakeholders. Many tools support unit tests in determining the total percentage for covering the project, function, or separate modules. Knowing whether a particular line will be executed while writing code is essential. Using unit testing coverage metrics, developers can decide whether a code line is necessary.

What Is Integration Testing?

It is the second testing phase of the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) process and is performed after unit testing. It is a testing method where individual components or units of the application are tested in a group. Then the application behaviour is verified in terms of performance when integrated. This testing method ensures that defects are exposed during the interaction between units or integrated components.

What Is The Process Of Integration Testing?

Choose the module:

The suitable component or module need to be selected and tested based on the strategy

Perform unit testing:

Unit testing is performed on all the features of the component or module that has been selected

Deploy the module:

Deployment of the chosen components or modules to the required initial fixes is done to get the integration testing running

Perform Functional testing:

All the use cases for the components that have been chosen are tested

Perform Structural testing:

The chosen components are tested by conducting structural testing

Analyze the results:

The results of the testing mentioned above activities are recorded, and the above steps are repeated until the product, application, or system is thoroughly tested.

Techniques Of Integration Testing?

Top-down Integration testing:

It is a testing method where integration testing takes place from top to bottom, based on the software system’s control flow. The testing of higher-level modules takes place first, and then the lower-level modules are tested and integrated to check the software functionality.

Bottom-up Integration testing:

In this testing method, lower-level modules are tested first, and then the testing of higher-level modules is facilitated. The testing process continues until all the top-level modules are tested.

Sandwich/Hybrid Integration testing:

It is a testing method where both the top-level and lower-level modules are tested simultaneously. It combines the functionalities of both top-down integration testing and bottom-up integration testing methods.

Big bang testing:

All the modules are integrated at once in this testing type. After integration, the system is verified to ascertain whether it is working as expected. If the wholly integrated module is identified with a defect, knowing which module caused the issue becomes a cumbersome process. Even if the fault is detected, fixing the same would cost relatively high because the bug was identified later.

Unit Testing vs Integration Testing

Both unit testing and integration testing are forms of functional testing that require coding and testers. Additionally, both types of testing use similar or even the same types of tools. Here are the key differences between unit testing vs integration testing:

Unit Testing	Integration Testing
Tests the single component of the whole system, i.e., tests a unit in isolation	Tests the system components working together, i.e., test the collaboration of multiple units
Unit tests are faster to execute	Integration tests may run slow
There is no external dependency, and all external dependencies are stubbed out	Integration testing requires interaction with external dependencies such as database and hardware
It is a simple process	It is a relatively complex process
Generally performed by developers	Performed by QA team engineers
It is a type of white box testing	It is a type of black box testing
Carried out at the initial testing phase; may be performed anytime later	Integration testing takes place after unit testing and before system testing
Maintenance is cost-effective	Maintenance is relatively expensive
Begins with the module specification	Begins with the interface specification
Unit testing has a narrow scope as it just checks if each small unit or segment of the code is performing as per the expectations	Integration testing has a broader scope as it covers the entire application
Unit testing leads to the detailed visibility of the code	Integration testing leads to the clear visibility of the integration structure
Unit tests only help uncover the issues within the functionality of individual modules and do not validate the integration errors or system-wide problems.	Integration tests help uncover the bugs that arise when a number of modules interact with each other

When Should Unit Testing Or Integration Testing Be Preferred?

Unit testing

It should be performed during the application development cycle. Ideally, the unit test should be written simultaneously while writing the code. Unit tests method before writing production code. If a unit test fails, testers know precisely which part of the code is not working correctly. This kind of feedback can help testers report the bugs to the Dev team, which fixes the bugs immediately instead of returning later to debug and find the bug in the code.

Integration Testing

It is usually performed during the earlier stage of the software development cycle. Selenium testing allows continuous testing of each daily build automatically. It is recommended that the integration tests are run when needed to ensure the units’ performance, reliability, and function.

Consequences Of Not Performing Unit And Integration Tests

Every strategic approach to ensuring seamless apps needs to embed the fundamental testing processes and should give allocate resources to facilitate bug-free execution. Every test approach has a crucial area to cover, and any negligence may pull down the overall quality of the application.

Without unit testing, it is likely that most of the bugs will remain undetected and will be revealed after the development stage. In such cases, QA engineers will look for the bugs and create tickets, after which the Dev team will fix those bugs and close the tickets. This leads to spending a lot of precious time and effort taken to fix bugs that could have been detected and fixed earlier to prevent code redeployment.

Likewise, integration testing is necessary to ensure that third-party applications and internal modules of an application perform well when the combination is tested together. In the absence of integration testing, the application will not undergo critical user-based scenarios and will fail to reveal the integration bottlenecks of the application.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that unit and integration tests successfully lead to developing a seamless software application without conducting both. However, when you compare unit testing vs integration testing both of them can reveal coding weaknesses that the other missed. It can also offer developers the necessary safety net needed to move forward with other automated tests that measure different levels of their application’s functionality and ensure that there are no back-end issues with the application’s infrastructure.

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