Software is literally carrying our modern world. They are so deeply entrenched in our life that a single bug is enough to cause rippling damage across industries. Without software testing, the Y2K event might have happened and caused damage in the billions of dollar.
Luckily, we are not living in that timeline. Kudos to software testers of the 90s.
To the general public, software testing is a lesser-known part of the tech industry. However, without QA teams, bugs would have destroyed the applications we use on a daily basis. In this article, we'll shed light on the software testing field, how you can do software testing, and the most effective tools to do it.
Software testing is the process of checking if the quality, functionality, and performance of a software meets expectations and works as expected.
To test a software, testers execute it under controlled conditions, across a wide range of scenarios, environments, and user interactions to see if there are any defects arise during the process.
The road of software development is bumpy, and products can always be vulnerable to bugs and defects. It is necessary to ensure that software works as expected before being released to the market. Here are several reasons why software testing is essential:
The first goal of testing is to uncover bugs and defects.
As modern software is built from highly interconnected components that must work together seamlessly to deliver the intended functionality, one single broken component is enough to create a ripple effect that breaks the app.
The sooner the broken code is fixed, the smaller the impact. A good testing process in place ensures that a higher quality and more reliable product is always delivered on time.
When we talk about quality, we’re referring to features and performance that not only meet but surpass customer expectations. A high-quality application doesn’t just function as intended—it consistently delivers a superior user experience.
In this light, software testing becomes the foundation of quality for several reasons:
Thorough software testing is the secret sauce to earning your customers’ trust. Sure, we all know that no software is ever completely bug-free—but that’s not the point. What really matters is delivering a product that’s stable, reliable, and consistently hits the mark when it comes to user needs. Over time, this builds a lasting positive experience that keeps users coming back.
By embracing software quality management best practices, you're sending a clear message to stakeholders and customers: this product has been tested, refined, and is ready to perform, no matter what. It’s about showing them they can count on your software, again and again
Financial, medical, legal, and other YMYL (Your Money Your Life) software handle sensitive, high-stakes information. For applications in these fields, there’s zero room for crashes, data corruption, or system failures—even on a small scale—because people's lives and well-being are on the line. A single error in these systems could lead to irreversible damage, not to mention putting the company at risk for costly litigation.
That’s where software testing comes in, acting as the safety net that protects companies from these risks. It ensures that these critical systems perform flawlessly, safeguarding both the users and the business.
Different types of software testing can be classified into multiple categories based on test objectives, test strategy, and deliverables. Currently, there are two major software testing types that Quality Assurance professionals frequently use, including:
These umbrella terms encompass a wide range of testing types, each serving only a specific purpose. These are the main types of functional testing:
Similarly, under Non-functional Testing, there are also many common testing types, each with different objectives and strategies:
The decision to use which of these types of software tests depends on the test scenarios, resource availability, and business requirements.
Learn more: What is Functional Testing? Definition, Tools, Best Practices You Should Know
Testers have two approaches to software testing: manual testing vs automation testing. Each approach carries its own set of advantages and disadvantages that they must carefully consider to optimize the use of resources.
When starting any software testing project, the testing team and development team must sit together and develop a test plan, outlining which areas to test manually and which areas to leverage automation testing. A hybrid approach should give testers the benefits of both types, as shown in the comparison table below:
|
Aspect |
Manual Testing |
Automation Testing |
|
Definition |
Testing conducted manually by a human without the use of scripts or tools. |
Testing conducted using automated tools and scripts to execute test cases. |
|
Execution Speed |
Slower, as it relies on human effort. |
Faster, as tests are executed by automated tools. |
|
Initial Investment |
Low, as it primarily requires human resources. |
High, due to the cost of tools and the time required to write scripts. |
|
Accuracy |
Prone to human error, especially in repetitive tasks. |
More accurate, as it eliminates human error in repetitive tasks. |
|
Test Coverage |
Limited by human ability to perform extensive and repetitive tests. |
Extensive, as automated tests can run repeatedly with large data sets. |
|
Usability Testing |
Effective, as it relies on human judgment and feedback. |
Ineffective, as tools cannot judge user experience and intuitiveness. |
|
Exploratory Testing |
Highly effective, as humans can explore the application creatively. |
Ineffective, as it requires human intuition and exploratory skills. |
|
Regression Testing |
Time-consuming and labor-intensive. |
Highly efficient, as tests can be rerun automatically with each code change. |
|
Maintenance |
Lower, but can become tedious with frequent changes. |
Requires significant maintenance to update scripts with application changes. |
|
Initial Setup Time |
Minimal, as it does not require scripting or tool setup. |
High, due to the need to develop test scripts and set up tools. |
|
Skill Requirement |
Requires knowledge of the application and testing principles. |
Requires programming skills and knowledge of automation tools. |
|
Cost Efficiency |
More cost-effective for small-scale or short-term projects. |
More cost-effective for large-scale or long-term projects with repetitive tests. |
|
Reusability of Tests |
Limited, as manual tests need to be recreated each time. |
High, as automated tests can be reused across different projects. |
|
Feedback Loop |
Slower, as results depend on human observation and reporting. |
Faster, as tools provide immediate feedback on test results. |
|
Integration with CI/CD |
Challenging, as it requires manual intervention. |
Seamless, as it integrates well with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment pipelines. |
|
Scalability |
Limited, as it depends on the availability of human testers. |
Highly scalable, as automated tests can run on multiple machines simultaneously. |
Read More: Automated Testing vs Manual Testing: A Detailed Comparison
Many software testing initiatives follow a process commonly known as Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC). The STLC consists of 6 key activities to ensure that all software quality goals are met, as shown below:
In this stage, software testers work with stakeholders involved in the development process to identify and understand test requirements. The insights from this discussion, consolidated into the Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM) document, will be the foundation to build the test strategy.
There are 3 main people (the tres amigos) involved in the process:
To ensure the highest level of understanding between stakeholders, QA teams can employ BDD testing, an Agile approach to software testing where simplicity is valued. Ensuring testability is crucial during the design phase to avoid ambiguous requirements that can lead to invalid software tests.
After that, testers and developers have to collaborate to understand the feasibility of implementing business requirements. If these requirements can not be met within the given constraints, limitations, or resources, they will need to discuss with the business side (either the Business Analyst, Project Manager, and/or the client) to make adjustments or seek alternative solutions.
After thorough analysis, a test plan is created. Test planning involves aligning with relevant stakeholders on the test strategy:
For a greater degree of control over the project, software testers can add a Contingency plan to adjust the variables in case the project moves in an unexpected direction.
Read more: How to write a test plan? A detailed guide
After defining the scenarios and functionalities to be tested, we'll start writing the test cases.
Here's what a basic test case looks like:
|
Component |
Details |
|
Test Case ID |
TC001 |
|
Description |
Verify Login with Valid Credentials |
|
Preconditions |
User is on the Etsy login popup |
|
Test Steps |
1. Enter a valid email address. 2. Enter the corresponding valid password. 3. Click the "Sign In" button. |
|
Test Data |
Email: validuser@example.com Password: validpassword123 |
|
Expected Result |
Users should be successfully logged in and redirected to the homepage or the previously intended page. |
|
Actual Result |
(To be filled in after execution) |
|
Postconditions |
User is logged in and the session is active |
|
Pass/Fail Criteria |
Pass: Test passes if the user is logged in and redirected correctly. Fail: Test fails if an error message is displayed or the user is not logged in. |
|
Comments |
Ensure the test environment has network access and the server is operational. |
Can you guess what's the test case about? That's right, a test case to check the login functionality of Etsy. When writing a test case, make sure to include the components as shown in the table. That should give you (and your teammates) a good idea of what's being tested, what to expect, and what to troubleshoot when a bug is actually found.
Test case development is closely tied up with test case management. Even if you're just using a spreadsheet to note your test case, you're still doing test case management (only in the most primitive sense).
For manual test cases, test management tools like Xray can be used to note down details of what was performed, the results, findings, and suggestions for developers to reproduce those bugs. For automated tests, intuitive UIs provided by tools like Katalon, Ranorex, or TestComplete are available. Open-source options like Selenium, Cypress, and Playwright are also popular for building custom frameworks.
The actual number of test cases to be executed depends a lot on the complexity of the system under test. A good tester is one who can think of creative ways to break a system, so when developing your test cases, try to put yourself in the mindset of someone who has absolutely no idea how that system works and find as many ways to go wrong with it as possible.
This step can be done in parallel with Test Case Development. A test environment is the software and hardware configurations under which the application is tested, including a database server, front-end running environment, browser, network, hardware, etc.
Let's say you want to test a mobile app. You'll need:
With clear objectives in mind, the QA team writes test cases, test scripts, and prepares necessary test data for execution. Tests can be executed manually or automatically. After the tests are executed, any defects found are tracked and reported to the development team, who promptly resolve them.
During execution, the test case goes through the following stages:
Read More: A Guide To Understand Test Execution
Before we get to the polished test report, we first have the test log—essentially a chronological record of every testing activity in a session. Think of it as the rough draft of a test report. While it provides key data, it’s still pretty basic. QA teams use this raw information to create a more structured and detailed test report.
Take this test log screenshot, for example. It does a solid job at keeping testers in the loop about their project's current state. Let’s break it down:
A test log is great for day-to-day tracking, but a test report takes it to the next level. You need more than just raw data—you need insights, visuals, and analysis. So, what makes a good test report?
Software testers will gather to analyze the report, evaluate the effectiveness, and document key takeaways for future reference.
The evolution of the testing model has been in parallel with the evolution of software development methodologies.
In the past, QA teams had to wait until the final development stage to start testing. Test quality was usually poor, and developers could not troubleshoot in time for product release.
The V-model solves that problem by engaging testers in every phase of development. Each development phase is assigned a corresponding testing phase. This model works well with the nearly obsolete Waterfall testing method.
On one side, there is “Verification”. On the other side, there is “Validation”.
As technology advances, the Waterfall model gradually gives way to the widely used Agile testing methods. Consequently, the V-model also evolved to the Test Pyramid model, which visually represents a 3-part testing strategy.
Most of the tests are unit tests, aiming to validate only the individual components. Next, testers group those components and test them as a unified entity to see how they interact. Automation testing can be leveraged at these stages for optimal efficiency.
Finally, at the UI testing stage, testers focus on the UX and UI of the application.
The Honeycomb model is a modern approach to software testing in which Integration testing is a primary focus, while Unit Testing (Implementation Details) and UI Testing (Integrated) receive less attention. This software testing model reflects an API-focused system architecture as organizations move towards cloud infrastructure.
Automated testing takes software testing to the next level, enabling QA teams to test faster and more efficiently. So is it making manual testing a thing of the past?
The short-term answer is “No”.
The long-term answer is “Maybe”.
Manual testing still has its place in the software testing world. We need humans to evaluate the application’s UX, supervise automation testing, and intervene when necessary. However, AI technology is gradually changing the landscape. Smart testing features have been added to many automated software testing tools to drastically reduce the need for human intervention.
In the future, we can expect to reach Autonomous Testing, where machines completely take control and perform all testing activities. There will be absolutely no need for humans except for the development of testing algorithms. Many software testing tools have leveraged LLMs to bring us closer to this autonomous testing future.
The Katalon Platform allows QA teams to author web, mobile, and desktop apps and UI and API automated tests, execute those tests on preconfigured cloud environments and maintain them, all in one unified platform, without any additional third-party tools. The Katalon Platform is among the best commercial automation tools for functional software testing on the market.
Download Katalon and Witness its Power in Action
Check out a video from Daniel Knott - one of the top influencers in the software testing field - talking about the capabilities of Katalon, and especially its innovative AI features:
Selenium simplifies testing by reducing manual effort and providing an intuitive interface for creating automated tests. Testers can use scripting languages like Java, C#, Ruby, and Python to interact with the web application. Key features of Selenium include:
Website: Selenium
GitHub: SeleniumHQ
Appium is an open-source automation testing tool specifically designed for mobile applications. It enables users to create automated UI tests for native, web-based, and hybrid mobile apps on Android and iOS platforms using the mobile JSON wire protocol. Key features include:
Appium simplifies mobile app testing by providing a comprehensive solution for automating UI tests across different platforms and devices.
Website: Appium Documentation
Ultimately, the goal of software testing is to deliver applications that meet and exceed user expectations. A comprehensive testing strategy is one that combines the best of manual and automation testing.