Functional Testing vs Integration Testing: A Quick Comparison

Before we dive into the main topic which is “Functional Testing vs Integration Testing”, let’s talk a bit about testing. The phrase “Test what you code before it goes live” has exploded in popularity and is now absolutely necessary to preserve a company’s good name and keep users for the long haul. After all, failing to perform proper software testing or giving it inadequate attention can have a significant negative impact on your company. Successful businesses have always put a significant amount of resources into testing their software in order to provide their customers with a flawless experience. For instance, SoundCloud has enhanced its testing infrastructure and developed a test pyramid that is well-balanced in order to address issues such as test flakiness and pipeline waiting times. They avoided losing resources such as time, money, and reputation as a result of it.

It should come as no surprise that top-tier development teams always adhere to a tried-and-true testing cycle in order to forestall any potential software issues. However, there is not a single approach that can be taken to ensure quality across the board. Because of this, it is extremely important to select the methodology and approach to software testing that is best suited for your product and development team. Functional testing and integration testing are typically the most important types of testing carried out during the software development cycle. However, other types of testing may also be carried out. However, due to erroneous definitions provided for each of these testing methods on numerous developer forums, both of these are frequently confused with other types of testing methods such as system testing, performance testing, and security testing. The timing, rationale, and approach taken during functional and integration testing are three key areas that differentiate them significantly from one another.

What’s the Difference?

There are some significant differences between functional testing vs integration testing, despite the fact that functional testing and integration testing share some similarities. Testing the software in accordance with its functional requirements is referred to as functional testing, whereas testing the integration between modules is referred to as integration testing. You will gain a better understanding of the key differences between the two with the help of the comparison chart that is provided below.

Also read:

Difference Between Structural Testing and Functional Testing

Comparison between Functional Testing vs Integration Testing

	Functional Test	Integration Test
Purpose	In order to ensure that the software is performing as it should in a real-world setting while simultaneously satisfying the needs and expectations of the user	To evaluate the performance of a collection of distinct modules and to gain an understanding of the ways in which they collaborate with one another
Executed by	QA Testers, Test Engineers, and Business users	QA Testers, Test Engineers, and Developers
Testing scope	User requirements	Modules interface
Testing technique	Black-box testing	Gray-box testing
Advantages	Ensure flawless software performance Consistently meet user and business requirements. Keep the software free of errors and flaws. create a realistic end-user environment	Make sure the modules work together seamlessly. Permit group testing for component bugs Different employees can run integration tests. can be carried out using a variety of techniques to find the one that works best for your process.

Also read:

Difference Between Regression Testing and Functional Testing

Typical Steps of Functional Testing

A functional testing plan usually follows the below sequence:

Determine the testing objectives

The goals of functional testing are the features that the software is anticipated to possess in accordance with the requirements of the project. Validating that the application functions as it was designed to, as well as ensuring that it responds appropriately to errors and unforeseen circumstances, are both important testing goals.

Construct test scenarios.

Create a list of all of the possible test scenarios (or at least all of the most important ones) for the function that is being evaluated. Test scenarios are used to describe the various functions that will be performed by the feature. For example, the test cases for a module that processes payments might include the processing of multiple currencies, the handling of invalid or expired card numbers, and the production of a notification upon the successful completion of a transaction.

Create Test Data

Construct test data that, based on the test scenarios you identified, simulates normal use conditions. You have the option of entering test data manually (for example, from a spreadsheet created in Microsoft Excel or a printout) or automatically through the use of a script or testing tool that reads and inputs the data from a database, flat file, XML, or spreadsheet. Each collection of data that is used as an input should also have associated data that provides a description of the expected result that the data will produce.

Test Cases for Design

Develop test cases by basing them on the various outcomes and inputs that you want the test to produce. For instance, the application ought to present a clear and informative error message in the event that the user enters an incorrect credit card number.

Run the test cases.

Execute the test cases using the application, and then examine the difference between the actual results and the expected results. The feature is considered to have failed the test and a defect should be recorded if the actual outputs and expected outputs do not match.

Deliberate On, Track and Resolve Defects

After a flaw has been located, its details should be entered into a formal tracking system that every member of the project team has access to using. Before a defect is marked as resolved and closed, the necessary changes should be made to the application, and the test case should be run once more.

Why automate functional testing

The final step before releasing a product is to perform quality assurance on the software. Because of this, accelerating the process is essential for generating revenue and gaining a competitive advantage; however, the quality of the software must not be sacrificed in any way. Test automation is the only way to maintain confidence in quality while satisfying the tight release schedule, as the market constantly demands faster release of more complex software. This is because the market constantly demands faster release of more complex software.

Error costs can also be significantly cut down through the use of automation. Teams that adopt test automation are able to test earlier, fail faster, and have a reduced risk of discovering a bug when it is significantly further along in the development process. Increasing productivity, collaboration, and visibility among stakeholders and quality engineers can be accomplished through the use of test automation for functional testing. All parties involved are kept up to date on the product’s most recent status through the utilisation of a software quality management platform that automatically generates reports, dashboards, and notifications and integrates with tools for project management. This makes it possible for quick decisions to be made based on the collected data. Quality engineers have more time to develop more insightful test scenarios, thoroughly test the product inside and out, and examine the product under edge cases and exploratory testing now that time-consuming and repetitive test cases have been automated.

How do Automated Functional Testing Tools Work?

Tools for functional test automation have the capability of interacting with the user interface of the application that is being tested. They are able to recognise objects on the screen, such as list boxes, text boxes, and buttons, and they are able to select items from the list, enter data, and press the buttons. A recorder is a component of many functional test automation tools. This component “watches” the user as they interact with an application and the objects it displays on the screen. It also records the data that the user enters into the system as well as the actions that the user takes, such as pressing buttons or selecting menu items. After the recording is complete, the user’s actions can be replicated by playing back these actions using the objects, data, and actions that were captured during the recording. The outcomes of these actions are recorded by the testing tool, which then compares them to the outcomes that were anticipated by the automation engineer in order to determine whether or not the test was successful. Engineers who specialise in functional test automation can construct their tests in a step-by-step manner by making use of the objects that are recognised by the tool, or they can start with a recording, personalising the steps and parameterizing the data in order to generalise it and make it possible for tests to run on a variety of environments, including different browsers and mobile devices.

Functional Testing Tools with Artificial Intelligence

The most cutting-edge test automation tools available today incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, which make use of cutting-edge methods like machine learning, computer vision, neural networks, and natural language processing. This helps to identify on-screen objects in the same way that a human would, interact with and manipulate objects in a natural way, and enables tests to be written using plain English. It has been demonstrated that AI-based functional test automation can shorten the amount of time needed to create tests, improve test coverage, raise the resilience of testing assets, and reduce the amount of effort required for test maintenance.

What are Functional Testing Best Practices?

Create Test Cases Early

You shouldn’t start creating test cases until the coding for the application or module has been finished, so don’t do that. The most up-to-date information regarding the needs of the users will be gathered during the beginning stages of the project. You are free to make any necessary changes to the test cases at a later time.

Automate

Functional testing can be a laborious process that requires a lot of repetition and takes up a lot of time. When you automate more of your testing processes, you can verify functionality more quickly, find and fix bugs more easily, and reduce the amount of time and money spent on testing. Even if it is not possible to automate all test cases or even if it is not desirable to do so, automating the most important test cases can significantly improve the return on investment (ROI) of your testing efforts.

Recognize how the user thinks

It is essential for functional testers to have a comprehensive understanding of the thought process of the end user. For each application, there are frequently a variety of different types of users (buyers, sellers, administrators, data entry clerks, supervisors, etc.). When developing a test plan, it is necessary to take into account the various categories of users as well as the typical routes those users take through the application.

Prioritize

Testers have a finite amount of time and resources at their disposal. Not all features can be tested in their entirety. Some of the application’s functions have a higher testing priority than others, and as a result, they have to be tested before features with a lower priority.

What Is Integration Testing?

Integration testing is the name given to the stage of the software testing process that comes immediately after the unit testing phase. Integration testing is a type of software testing that involves checking the individual components or units of a software project for flaws and issues to ensure that they function correctly together as intended. The typical software project is made up of a large number of software modules, the majority of which are developed by a variety of different programmers. Integration testing demonstrates to the team how well these seemingly unrelated parts function as a whole. After all, each component might work faultlessly on its own, but the crucial question is whether or not they can be combined into a single system and continue to function normally.

Integration testing is the method by which we determine whether or not the various components of a software application can coexist peacefully with one another.

Why Perform Integration Testing?

Integration testing is recommended for software developers for many and variety of reasons, not the least of which is the undeniable fact that developers must first test each and every software application they create before making it available to the general public.

• Errors can be brought on by incompatibility between software modules.
• The ability of each software module to communicate with the database must be verified by developers.Developers must confirm that every software module can interact with the database
• Thanks to customer feedback, requirements change. But perhaps those new specifications need to be thoroughly tested since they haven’t yet been.
• Every software developer has their own conceptual framework and coding logic. Integrity testing guarantees that these various units work together seamlessly.
• Compatibility issues with the hardware could arise.
• Integration testing is necessary to ensure that the data these tools accept is accurate because modules frequently interact with third-party APIs or tools.

Advantages of Integration Testing

• Every integrated module is tested to ensure proper operation.
• Interface flaws are found through integration testing.
• Once a module is finished and ready for testing, testers can start integration testing without having to wait for another module to finish and be ready for testing.
• Bugs, flaws, and security issues can all be found by testers.
• Integration testing gives testers a thorough analysis of the entire system, greatly lowering the possibility of serious connectivity problems.

Integration testing difficulties

Unfortunately, there are some challenges with integration testing as well.

• There will be concerns about how these components will affect and interact with each other if testing involves working with two different systems made by two different vendors.
• Several testing efforts and potential changes are required for the integration of new and legacy systems.
• Integration testing gets complicated because there are so many different components (e.g., platforms, environments, databases)
• Integration testing adds another level of complexity to the process by requiring testing of both the environment and the integration links.

Best Practices for Integration Testing

The following best practises should be kept in mind before you start integration testing.

Launch integration testing as soon as you can

Developers are now able to perform integration testing much earlier on in the project thanks to the Agile methodology that is used today. Because of this, they are able to find errors and problems with integration sooner, which results in a quicker release to the general public.

Choose the testing strategy you want to employ.

Certain types of development projects lend themselves more successfully to particular testing strategies. Make your choice based on what you’ve learned from your past experiences.

Examine the application’s architecture to find the key modules.

Priority must be given to crucial components.

Make sure you have mock data at hand

Before testing, mock data should be prepared. When running test cases, avoid selecting test data.

Make and maintain notes. Log extensively

Keeping a log of your test results is the only way to discover any issues that may have arisen during the testing process. Everything ought to be documented, making it possible for developers to consult the records and determine what went wrong.

Summary

In a nutshell, the software testing process is an essential component of the process of developing software that satisfies the needs of both users and businesses. You can improve and refine the overall quality of your software by conducting a wide range of different types of tests. The purpose of a functional test is to determine whether or not the software is behaving in the expected manner while simulating a real-life scenario from the perspective of an end-user. One subcategory of functional testing is known as an integration test, and what it does is analyse how several distinct modules interact with one another as a whole.

References

https://www.practitest.com/qa-learningcenter/resources/functional-test-vs-integration-test

https://www.microfocus.com/en-us/what-is/functional-testing

https://katalon.com/resources-center/blog/functional-testing

https://www.simplilearn.com/what-is-integration-testing-examples-challenges-approaches-article

Functional Testing vs Integration Testing: A Detailed Guide on the Differences