Different Types of Testing in Software

There are many different types of testing in software. This blog will focus on types of software testing for web and mobile apps.

Consider this your guide to all testing types.

Read along or jump to the section that interests you most.

• What Are Different Types of Testing?
• 3 Ways to Test
• Types of Automation Testing
• Example: Continuous Testing
• Example: Regression Testing
• Example: Performance Testing

What Are the Different Types of Testing?

There are many different types of testing. Here is a quick breakdown of the most common testing types:

• Accessibility testing
• Acceptance testing
• Black box testing
• End-to-end testing
• Functional testing
• Interactive testing
• Integration testing
• Load testing
• Non functional testing
• Performance testing
• Regression testing
• Sanity testing
• Security testing
• Single user performance testing
• Smoke testing
• Stress testing
• Unit testing
• White box testing
• And many more...

Many of theses types of testing can be done manually — or they can be automated.

3 Ways to Test

There are 3 ways you can do testing. 

Manual testing is the most hands-on type of testing and is employed by every team at some point. Of course, in today’s fast-paced software development lifecycle, manual testing is tough to scale.

Automated testing uses test scripts and specialized tools to automate the process of software testing.

Continuous testing goes even further, applying the principles of automated testing in a scaled, continuous manner to achieve the most reliable test coverage for an enterprise. Keep reading to learn more about the differences between automated testing vs. manual testing and how continuous testing fits in.

Types of Automation Testing

There are several test automation types — and frameworks and tools to support them.

Considering automating tests? Find out:

• Why test automation is important.
• Which tests you should automate.
• How automated testing should work.

Example: Continuous Testing

Continuous testing is the process of reviewing and addressing software issues and risks at every stage of the development cycle.

The goal of continuous testing is to test early and often to minimize business risk and maximize the quality of application released to end users.

There are several steps to achieving continuous testing including:

• Stable automation.
• Full coverage.
• Scalability.

Learn more about the path to continuous testing.

Example: Regression Testing

Regression testing is a staple type of software testing.

Through regression testing, businesses can confirm that updates and changes to code do not have a negative impact on software features.

Today, regression testing is essential as applications and software are developed almost daily. This means code is changed regularly and testing must be performed just as consistently.

Learn more about regression testing and best practices for regression testing in Agile and DevOps.

Example: Performance Testing

Performance testing in Agile has changed dramatically in the last decade. The evolution of the software development lifecycle has elevated performance testing to more complex heights.

Performance testing can be divided into two practices:

• Single user performance testing.
• Multi-user load testing.

Single user performance testing encompasses all the factors impacting the end-user experience.

Multi-user load testing involves parallel execution of real devices on real networks to measure an authentic experience.

Learn more about exactly how the practice of performance testing has shifted. And find out how to continually evolve your performance testing with the pace of digital transformation.

Example: Non Functional Testing

Functional testing types include unit testing, integration testing, and more. It ensures that the app functions as it should.

On the other hand, there's non functional testing.

Non functional testing is a type of testing that focuses on how well the app works. While functional testing focuses on IF the app works, non functional testing analyzes other areas, like how usable and how reliable an app is.

Unfortunately, non functional testing is sometimes left to the end of the cycle. When it is overlooked or rushed, apps can be released with UX and performance issues. And that can put brands at risk.

Some types of non functional testing include accessibility testing, load testing, security testing, and usability testing.