Given how much we rely on digital products, there’s nothing more frustrating than when they fail us. Software testing is designed to prevent this from happening, ensuring that a software product meets expectations and delivers functional performance.

As is the case with any digital product or process, software testing is constantly evolving. Continue reading to learn a little more about the process of software testing and the trends the experienced digital team at Newpath Web, a leading web development company in Melbourne, has noticed impacting this industry in 2022.

What is software testing?

IBM — arguably the world’s leading software development company — defines software testing as:

‘…the process of evaluating and verifying that a software product or application does what it is supposed to. The benefits of testing include preventing bugs, reducing development costs and improving performance.’

Software testing is an umbrella term that refers to a number of different processes, each with different objectives. Common types of software testing a development team might implement include:

• Unit testing: Unit testing is fairly self-explanatory; it involves testing the small unit of code in a system that can be logically isolated. Testing on this level enables you to identify small issues early in the development cycle before it becomes too difficult to make changes.
• Integration testing: Integration testing can be thought of as the next phase in the testing cycle and involves combining individual software modules to ensure they work correctly when connected.
• Functional testing: Integration testing and functional testing are often confused. While the former involves confirming that individual software modules can be combined to perform tasks cohesively, the latter tests the behaviour of the entire application to ensure it meets expectations.
• End-to-end testing: As the name suggests, end-to-end testing involves testing an application’s workflow from beginning to end by replicating real user scenarios.
• Performance testing: The aim of a performance test is to measure how a system performs under a particular workload. The performance of an application can be judged against reliability, speed, scalability, and responsiveness.

It should be noted that these tests do not need to be performed manually (although they can be). There are a number of programs that will automate the testing process, saving significant time and resources — which brings us to our top software testing trends of 2022!

Software testing trends

• Automation: In years gone by, all testing had to be completed manually. Not only did this take time and manpower, it increased the likelihood that errors were simply glossed over. Automated testing has completely revolutionised the QA and software industry and will continue to do so in the years to come, thanks to innovative AI technology.
• IoT testing: The Internet of Things is rapidly encroaching on all aspects of our lives. While IoT devices have the potential to significantly streamline daily activities, software that doesn’t work as expected — for example, your air conditioning that doesn’t recognise your voice commands — has the exact opposite effect. Testing of IoT devices for reliability and security is essential and will only grow the software testing market in 2022.
• Testing for security: Cybersecurity is an on-going problem in 2022 and needs to be a consideration at every stage of the software development cycle. By following testing protocols that allow for the identification of security issues early in the development process you will be protecting your clients and streamlining your quality assurance procedures.

Newpath Web’s proven approach to software testing

As a leading web development company in Melbourne, Newpath Web follows a highly honed software testing process. We understand what our clients require and have developed a reputation for continually delivering on expectations.

We apply our quality assurance processes to every project we work on, whether big or small. Every milestone of a website, app, or custom software project is tested thoroughly for bugs and against expected user requirements.

Our software testing process involves assessing apps, websites, and projects across two staging test labs, enabling us to efficiently identify potential issues before your product goes live. We are recognised as a leading software testing team in Melbourne and are confident our services will lead to digital success.

For more information about our approach to software testing and the trends, we expect to see continuing to make an impact going into 2023 and beyond, contact the experienced team at Newpath Web today.