Functional Testing: Ensuring The Software Runs SmoothlyThere are many different steps involved in the development of software, and testing is one big step. From the beginning of the development to the finished project, there are different tests constantly being performed. Functional testing is one test that is very important to the software. The results of functional testing are even more important to the software and its success. Functional testing is very similar to what its name implies. It determines how well the system operates with the software and if it executes the functions and commands as it's supposed to execute them. This involves any number of commands such as data manipulation, user screens, search engines as well as any other integration the software requires. Functional testing takes care of more than just the obvious functions that are apparent to the user. It also covers the functions that we can't visibly see such as security measures or how the system is affected by upgrades or downloads. Many times a system will work well until an upgrade is installed, then it will malfunction. One example is if there is an older system and you are trying to transfer the data to the new system. Many functional tests need to be performed to make sure that all the data went where it should have gone in the system. The tests, if run correctly, will pinpoint any problem and what it needs to have done to correct the problem. Functional testing is usually done towards the final stages of development. Many software-testing engineers believe it should be done much early-as early as possible. The entire system can only have functional testing performed on it at a certain point in the development, but there are different individual parts of the system that can be tested much earlier. They also believe that because of the constant updates, the functional testing should be done during the entire life cycle of the application. Many confuse performance testing with functional testing. Although they are similar, they each have different functions that are equally important to the overall performance of the software. Performance testing can best be described as checking to see how well the system as a whole performs. Functional testing, however, is checking to make sure that every individual function works, as they should. All the functions together are what make the system perform correctly. A better way to describe this is with a television set. A performance test will be run to determine if the television turns on when you push the power button and if the channels change when you execute that command on the remote control. Functional testing is to make sure that each of the individual functions on the television work such as volume, color, contrast, etc. The same applies with functional testing on software. |