25/03/2023
Functional Testing & Techniques
Functional testing is a type of software testing that verifies whether the software application being tested performs its intended functions correctly. The primary goal of functional testing is to ensure that the software works as expected and meets the functional requirements specified by the stakeholders.
Functional testing involves testing the software system's functionality by providing input to the system and verifying that the output produced by the system is as expected. This includes testing the user interface, data manipulation, calculations, data processing, and other functional aspects of the software.
Functional testing is usually performed manually by testers, but it can also be automated using various software testing tools. The testing is typically performed after unit testing and integration testing and is followed by system testing and acceptance testing.
Functional testing is an important part of the software testing process and helps to identify defects and ensure that the software meets the user's requirements.
There are several techniques that can be used for functional testing. Here are some commonly used ones:
Black Box Testing: In this technique, the tester tests the software without knowledge of its internal structure or code. The tester focuses on the inputs and outputs of the software and tests its functionality based on the requirements and specifications.
Boundary Value Analysis: This technique involves testing the software by selecting test cases that are on the boundaries of the input domain. For example, if the software requires a value between 1 and 100, the tester would test values such as 1, 100, and values near those boundaries.
Equivalence Partitioning: This technique involves dividing the input domain into equivalent classes and selecting test cases from each class. For example, if the input domain is age, the tester would divide it into classes such as 0-17, 18-64, and 65 and above, and select test cases from each class.
Decision Table Testing: This technique involves creating a table that lists all possible combinations of inputs and their corresponding outputs. The tester then selects test cases that cover all the combinations in the decision table.
State Transition Testing: This technique is used to test software that has different states. The tester creates a state transition diagram that shows the different states and the transitions between them. The tester then selects test cases that cover all the transitions in the diagram.
