6 Types of Functional Testing You Should Use

With the evolution of the internet, software products, and digitization globally, functional testing has become essential to ensuring that the best product reaches the customers. It assesses the functionality of a system or application.

There are different types of such testing to ensure that every function is operating perfectly in every aspect. Therefore, selecting the right type is crucial to achieving your goals. 

In this article, we will examine six types of functional testing that you should use for your software. By understanding these different types, you can choose the best approach according to your requirement. 

Types of Functional Testing You Should Use

Unit Testing

Unit testing is functional testing that tests individual units or components of the software in isolation. Developers typically do this type of testing during the development process. It ensures that each unit works as intended before integrating it into the larger system.

For example: A restaurant needs a system that works without a server. The mastermind behind the code would craft a thorough unit test to scrutinize the "add to order" feature. And not just that, but other solitary functions like "remove from order" or "submit order" would also undergo the rigorous process of unit testing.

Integration Testing

Integration testing is a type of testing that tests how different software units work together when integrated into a larger system. This type of testing helps identify the issues that may arise when different units interact.

For example: An online money transfer app does many transactions or other features like ticket booking, insurance, checking money online, etc. So, this type of app needs integration checking. This type of testing focuses on how the product performs under normal conditions when they work together.

Smoke Testing

Smoke testing is a crucial type of software testing to ensure that the basic functionality of the product works as expected. If a unit does not work well, testing other parts is unnecessary.

For example: A pharmacy company needs an app to ensure medicine availability and notify the pharmacist if the medicine is out of stock. So, this testing is for the app's feasibility and to check that all functionalities are working.

System Testing

Another type of software functional testing is system testing, which tests the entire system. It ensures the system meets all requirements and functions as intended. This type of testing is typically done after integration testing and before user acceptance testing.

For example: A fitness app built with many features like monthly fitness goals, wellness metrics, and building personalized exercise sessions, etc. This type of app needs a testing process that ensures the whole system performs perfectly. 

Regression Testing

Regression testing ensures that changes made to the software do not break the existing functionality. The ultimate aim of this process is to check the productivity and functionality of the software are stable after any new addition. 

For example: An online cosmetic shopping app adds a new free product to purchase. It needs a regression test to ensure the new functionality works smoothly and does not break the existing functionality.

User Acceptance Testing

Accessibility testing experiments whether the software can be used by differently abled people, such as visual impairments or motor disabilities. This testing ensures that everyone can use the software, regardless of their abilities.

For example: A banking app combines many features like online transactions, opening a savings account, tracking all transaction details, etc. Hence, the user has to go through different steps to achieve his goal. This user usability testing is very important because these apps are accessed by every kind of user, like old, young, abled, disabled, new users, or experts.

Conclusion 

Functional testing is essential during the software development process. By understanding the various types of such testing, you can choose the best approach for your project. It ensures that your software meets the highest quality standards. Remember always to prioritize accessibility and usability to ensure that everyone can use your software, regardless of their abilities.