Different types of tests

Different types of tests

Automated tests are a great way to ensure that the application code does what its authors intend. This article covers unit tests, integration tests, and load tests.

Unit tests

A unit test is a test that exercises individual software components or methods, also known as a "unit of work." Unit tests should only test code within the developer's control. They don't test infrastructure concerns. Infrastructure concerns include interacting with databases, file systems, and network resources.

Integration tests

An integration test differs from a unit test in that it exercises two or more software components' ability to function together, also known as their "integration." These tests operate on a broader spectrum of the system under test, whereas unit tests focus on individual components. Often, integration tests do include infrastructure concerns.

Functional tests

They typically involve opening up the application and performing a series of steps that you (or someone else) must follow in order to validate the expected behavior. These steps might not always be known to the tester. They'll have to reach out to someone more knowledgeable in the area in order to carry out the test. Testing itself could take seconds for trivial changes, or minutes for larger changes. Lastly, this process must be repeated for every change that you make in the system!

Load tests

A load test aims to determine whether or not a system can handle a specified load. For example, the number of concurrent users using an application and the app's ability to handle interactions responsively.