Introduction
In the world of software development, ensuring a product's quality and usability is essential. In this case, functional testing is helpful. Functional testing, a crucial step in the software testing process, assesses how well the program behaves and functions in relation to predefined requirements. In this post, we'll look at the principles of functional testing, when and how to begin it, and some of the best functional testing tools available.
What Is Functional Testing?
Software functionality is evaluated by contrasting every feature and component of the application with pre-established benchmarks. We call this procedure "functional testing." The aim is to make sure the program runs as intended and accurately performs its intended functions. This process comprises running various test cases, looking over the output, and comparing the results to expectations. Functional testing checks the software's behavior for mistakes, contradictions, and inconsistencies to ensure a perfect user experience.
When Is the Ideal Moment to Start Functional Testing?
The functional testing procedure typically entails the following steps:
Requirement analysis:
It's imperative to understand the product's features, specifications, and user needs. This lays the foundation for creating effective test scenarios.
Using test case design, create comprehensive test cases that encompass a variety of scenarios and functionalities. Test cases can be designed using use cases, user stories, and functional requirements.
Conducting Tests:
Go through the prepared test cases with the software. Inputs are provided, and outputs are examined, to ensure that the software functions as intended.
Reporting Inaccuracies:
Any deviations or anomalies discovered throughout the test execution process are documented as faults. These issues are reported to the development team so they can be resolved.
Testing for regression:
Ensuring that alterations or new features don't interfere with existing functionality is crucial. This verification is aided by regression testing, which retests characteristics that have already been evaluated.
Test Termination:
When every test case has been completed and every error has been corrected, the testing phase is ended. A comprehensive test report is generated in order to give a summary of the testing process and outcomes.
When Is It Time to Start Functional Testing?
Functional testing can start at many stages of the software development lifecycle:
Testing units:
is the initial software testing phase, where individual program units are tested independently. It ensures that each software component performs as expected before integrating them all.
Integrity Checking:
After unit testing is finished, the components are put together and tested as a whole to ensure everything functions as intended.
Testing the System:
At this step, the software program is tested holistically to ensure that each component works together to meet the criteria.
Acceptance Testing:
After system testing is completed successfully, acceptance testing is conducted to see whether the application meets user demands and is ready for deployment.
Best Sources for Functional Testing
Mineral Selenium
a well-liked open-source tool for web application automation. It is adaptable for web application testing as it works with a variety of browsers and programming languages.
Using JUnit for TestNG:
These popular testing frameworks provide a structured way to write and run tests for Java applications.
Cucumber:
Test cases can be created in plain English using Cucumber, a tool well-known for its behavior-driven development (BDD) methodology. This makes it easier for stakeholders who are not technical to understand.
Postman:
The primary application for Postman is API testing; it offers a user-friendly interface for developing and executing API tests.
JIRA:
Even when functional testing is not being done exclusively through Selenium platform Automation testing with selenium , JIRA is often utilized for issue tracking, including defect reporting and management.
In summary
Functional testing is an essential step in the Selenium automation testing process that ensures applications work as intended and meet requirements. Development teams that know what functional testing is, when to begin it, and which tools are best for the job can increase user satisfaction and business success by enhancing the quality and stability of their product.
