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Blog AuthorHarsha
PublishedOct 09, 2024
Views2,101
Read Time5 mins
Table of Content
If you are a millennial, then you must have observed how digitalisation has transformed industries, and these changes are possible with the introduction of advanced software. No matter what the industry is, software simplifies the work, increases work efficiency, and delivers the utmost output. You must be aware that developing software is not an easy task; it's the responsibility of a team to ensure that the desired result meets the needs of end-users.
If you have observed closely about software development, then you might have noticed that it comprises several processes. In each process, various tests are performed so that bugs can be removed at an early stage, and this is what we call component testing in software testing.
In this process, a section of software is individually tested to ensure that it is free from bugs and other technical glitches, and once integrated into other modules, then it can give the desired result. Being a tester and having years of experience in this domain, I thought to present some insights about component testing so that it will help you shape your career in the software testing industry more smartly.
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If you are wondering about what is component testing, then worry not because, in this guide, you will get to know everything about this topic. Now, coming to the point, component testing is a process of examining the functionality of each component independently. This process is done to find the bugs and fix them before integrating them into other components.
Instead of handling inconvenient testing and delaying the testing process, it’s better to perform component testing in software testing.
Hope you are clear with what is component testing, then it’s time to see the component testing types.
There are two types of component testing based on its approach, i.e., Component testing in small and component testing in large. Now, let’s comprehensively see them.
CTIS: CTIS, commonly known as Component Testing In Small, is a testing type in which an individual component is tested without involving any other components. For your better understanding, let us understand this concept with a component testing example by considering a sports website that has several web pages for different sports, including cricket, football, NBA, tennis, and more.
So, for testing a cricket web page, the developer will not include any other components, such as a football or tennis web page. Likewise, each web page is developed and tested by a developer without depending on other sports web pages.
CTIL: CTIL means Component Testing In Large, and in this testing method, a component is dependable on other components to increase the test efficiency, and for that, dummy codes are applied.
Now, as far as my testing experience, I can further state that component testing is divided into several parts based on the testing process.
Unit Testing: Component is a combination of units, so the first stage of testing starts with unit testing. It is performed with the aim of fixing the bugs and ensuring that each unit works smoothly. Once a developer or a QA member in a team is satisfied with the test result, then he/she moves to another stage.
Integration Testing: After completing the unit testing, then it becomes important to analyze the behavior of integration units. An integration unit is a combination of units, and while performing integration testing a developer focuses on the flow of data. He/she ensures that data is flowing from one unit to another effectively.
Interface Testing: Interface testing is a process of keeping the interface point free from any bugs or technical glitches. When I was doing interface testing, where I had to test and analyze different components of software. My main aim was to ensure that the interface components were working smoothly. So when you perform interface testing, then make sure that data is transmitted smoothly and there should not be any data loss.
While stepping into software testing, you must be aware of the importance of component testing in software testing, as the same will help you to know its value and the reasons behind its popularity.
So far, you have read that component testing simplifies the process of software testing. It helps to fix bugs in an early stage and thus reduces the complexities of fixing those issues at the later stage of development. This is one of the best advantages that I noticed when I was in the role of a tester.
Another importance of component testing in software testing that I noticed is it encourages team efficiency between developers and testers. The coordination between these two teams gives quality results in no time, and for the growth of any IT company, such coordination is a must. In addition, component testing plays a key role in fetching quality applications as each component is tested, which minimizes the chance of any bugs.
As per my experience in this field, and based on several component testing examples, I can say that this method is cost-efficient. The reason behind this theory is that any changes that need to be done at the later stage of development are very expensive and time-consuming. But component testing reduces this gap and helps testers to fix the issues in an early stage and thus saves a lot of money.
Component testing in software testing plays a key role in the development phases of software. It helps the developers and testers to make any necessary changes that are essential for its functionality. For testing a component, a few strategies are essential that need to be practiced. For instance, when I was in the role of a tester, my prime focus was on the test environment. It enabled me to understand the application’s behavior so that I could analyze whether a component would run on a suitable platform or not. So, choosing the right platform for a component is essential.
Another effective strategy that needs to be applied by a tester for component testing is the knowledge and application of automated testing tools like selenium and techniques. There are two popular techniques for them, i.e., White-Box testing and Black-Box testing. Now, let’s see them.
White Box testing is a method that gives testers an upper hand in testing components as they have access to coding. This testing method helps them to analyze the codes more effectively and ensure that the flow of data across a component is smooth. So, you can say that it’s a core testing process where you will get access to source code data and you will have to fix the code error and logical errors in a component.
This method is completely different from white-box testing, as here you don’t have to play with codes. When I was a tester, I analysed the behaviour of components based on the white-box method and further performed tests on inputs and outputs. So, when you perform black-box testing, you won’t get access to internal codes but will have to analyse the behaviour of the input and output of the software.
The key strategy for component testing in software testing is a team effort and proper guidance. Under the guidance of a proficient tester or a project manager, the team members can enhance their analytical skills, and the same can help them to diagnose and fix the bugs in no time.
You have gone through the advantages section of component testing in software testing. Now, it’s time to look for the limitations or challenges of component testing. So, let’s see the challenges in component testing, and knowing them will help you perform the testing process effectively.
The component testing process assures that each component is functioning properly, but testing the complete software is not possible with this method. So, this is the biggest challenge in component testing, which fails to check the functionality of an entire software.
You must be aware that software comprises several components that rely on APIs and third-party databases, so managing the test data of each component is a tough task. When I was doing a tester job, I faced several problems while managing the test data, and it was also time-consuming, which slowed down the software development process.
As stated earlier, the source of components depends on APIs, or third-party databases, which are dynamic as their availabilities are uncertain. If it is available, then managing piles of huge databases is a tedious task.
Changes are part of life, and they happen over a period of time and the same principle is applicable to software; with time, it also needs changes. So, making changes in an entire software means performing changes in components, and this is not an easy task; it needs a lot of time and effort.
Component testing in software testing gives the results on the functionality of a component, but it does not work on the non-functional components, including security and others. So, the lack in this section means component testing will not detect any bugs in non-functional programs.
To know the best practices in component testing, you should know the process of component testing. Well, it is very simple: when I was a tester, I had to rely on a developer because he only provided me with a build based on the unit testing. My task was to check the functionality of a component and to ensure that it was free from bugs. Now, you may be familiar with the basic process of component testing in software testing, and it will be easy for you to know the best practices that can be followed while testing.
Analytical skills are very important in software development projects because, as a tester, you need to analyze the user’s requirements and, based on that, work on the component. As this is the base of the software development process, so make sure that you understand the user's requirements properly.
Planning is a must in component testing as it helps you to execute the testing process based on the client’s requirements. Once you have understood them, then it will be easy for you to complete the testing task.
In the software field, testing starts during an initial phase and goes on till the end result is delivered. Here, you need to try some modern testing approaches by introducing some automated testing tools, as they reduce the work effort and provide better results. In addition, automated testing tools simplify the process by offering unit testing frameworks, integrated component testing tools, and others.
In the software development cycle, there are some important components that play a crucial role in the functionality of software. So, you must identify those components and then use automated testing tools to ensure that they are bug-free and that data flow is in a proper manner.
While developing software, it’s essential to test each component’s functionality so as to ensure that codes and branches in each component are working properly. However, if there is any glitch in the functionality of any component, then it should be resolved in the primary stage.
A test oracle is a source that gives a clear picture of the actual output and also determines whether it matches the desired output or not. This technique is applied in component testing to verify that the actual output matches the expected one. So, with the execution of this theory, you can make changes on time to get quality software.
Component testing in software testing is very important as it helps the tester to identify bugs in an early stage to get the desired result. In this process, automated testing tools are applied to simplify the work. So, if you want to step into an IT company for a bright future, then an automation testing course is ideal for you. This course and automation testing training will pave the path for your dream career. In addition, giant tech companies are looking for automation testing certification geeks, as they have in-depth knowledge of these tools and know where to apply them while testing software.
So certifications from reliable institutes can help you understand the ins and outs of automation testing and be beneficial with your placements.
Also Read: What is Automation Testing?
Component testing in software testing works on stages, or, you can say, levels, and each level has certain objectives. So, the four levels of component testing are listed below.
Unit Testing
Integration Testing
System Testing
Component testing is done to ensure that each component is working properly, and this process is done by testing each component individually. However, in software testing, the entire software is tested to check all the elements are working effectively. In addition, component testing is the base of software development, whereas software testing is done at the later stage of software development.
Component testing includes some parameters that are followed by testers to ensure the functionality of the component, and they are provided below.
Component Test Strategy
Project Component Test Plan
Component Test Plan
Component Test Specification
Component Test Report
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