When developing an app, it’s of the utmost importance to make sure to properly test all of your systems and features to ensure they work properly and in a way your users desire. Without actual comprehensive functional testing, there’s a chance your app won’t work as intended, much to the dismay of any potential users. Actually testing the app and all of its features is known as functional testing, although there are about four different main aspects that are completely different from one another that need to be tested in their own specific ways.
Without further ado, let’s get down to how proper functional testing is done:
UI Tests
The UI test involves actually using the app and making sure the handheld experience is seamless and functional. Testing requires seeing if there’s any way to “break” the app by choosing options in every order possible to stress test the UI. Some services for bugs like an inability to navigate to useful pages or the lack of helpful information showing up at the right times are often diagnosed during this stage.
End to End Tests
The end to end test is to ensure that all communication between the app and central servers is flawless. Everything, from proper login to ensuring the server properly organizes user demands, is part of the end to end test. Essentially, everything, from logging in to using specific services on the application to logout, is tested during the end to end testing. For this reason, it’s one of the hallmarks of comprehensive functional testing. Without the end to end test, you can’t confidently say your application works as it should.
Integration Tests
Now, this kind of testing can extend beyond what the app itself is capable of, and is more concerned with how the application communicates with distinct parts of itself. Think of an application like a human body. Integration tests will first properly ensure that an “arm” can move and function properly, then ensure that the “brain” can actually communicate with the arm to relay commands, so the “arm” can complete a stated goal or function. Integration testing ensures that all discrete parts of the overall machine mesh well together.
Unit Tests
A unit test is on an even smaller scale than an integration test. Most commonly, this type of testing is to ensure that small parts within the smaller systems tested during the integration test are all coded properly. While integration tests check entire systems, unit tests go for the smallest possible “thing” to be tested. Seeing if a line of code properly displays new information to users upon login is a good example of a unit test, as that code can’t be simplified further into constituent parts.
Conclusion
If you read between the lines carefully, all aspects of functional testing focus on something different. UI testing is great for seeing how well users can “drive” their experience on the application, end to end tests ensures that the entire system works as it should, integration tests make sure smaller parts of the overall machine blend well together, while unit tests focus on the smallest pieces possible. If an application passes each functional test, then there are no vulnerabilities in the application, allowing the creators to know they’ve made something worthy of putting their names behind.