Functional testing is a type of software testing that ensures a system or application behaves according to its specified requirements.
What is Functional Testing?
Functional testing is a type of software testing that verifies that a program’s features work as expected. It checks what the software does rather than how it does it. The focus of the testing process is on the user experience.
In this type of testing, a system is treated as a “black box.” That means testers don’t look at the internal code. Instead, they test how the system responds to different inputs. For example, does the login button work? Does clicking a link take the user to the correct page?
Functional testing is necessary top make sure that the product meets the requirements and behaves correctly for users.
Typical Steps for Functional Testing
The functional testing process usually follows these steps:
- Understand Requirements: Start by reviewing functional specifications or user stories.
- Plan Test Cases: Write test cases based on expected software behavior.
- Prepare Test Data: Set up the data needed to run tests accurately.
- Execute Tests: Run the test cases manually or with automation tools.
- Check Results: Compare actual outputs with expected results.
- Log Issues: Report any failures or bugs.
- Retest Fixes: Run tests again once developers fix the problems.
This process helps make sure that each function of the software behaves as it should.
Key Features of Functional Testing
Functional testing includes several important characteristics:
- Black-box testing: Focuses on input and output, not internal code.
- User-focused: Tests real-world scenarios users will encounter.
- Based on requirements: Ensures features match business or user needs.
- Repeatable and scalable: Often automated for faster, consistent testing.
- Covers various levels: Can include unit, integration, system, and acceptance testing.
These features make functional testing a key part of quality assurance.
Functional Testing with Incredibuild
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FAQs about Functional Testing
How is functional testing different from unit testing?
Functional testing checks how features work for users, while unit testing checks small parts of the code, like individual functions.
Can functional tests be automated?
Yes. Tools like Selenium, TestComplete, and Postman are commonly used to automate functional testing.
What’s the main goal of functional testing?
Functional testing ensures each feature works as intended. It validates that the software meets its functional requirements.