Technology has become the norm in the fast-paced world as every business sector leverages it. It is essential for a business to keep developing software to get an edge over the competition. With continuous development, the security threat has increased, and that’s where testing comes into the picture to mitigate the potential vulnerabilities. Software testing helps businesses in a smooth software development process, and integration testing is one of the aspects of software testing that ensures the products’ quality, functionality, and reliability. However, testing can be performed manually and automatically. This blog will explore the overview and when to perform the integration testing.

Overview of Integration Testing

Integration testing is one of the essential phases in the software development process. During the software development process, two software modules are integrated, and it ensures the integration is working correctly. It is performed once all the modules are tested separately. However, the separate testing of modules is also known as unit testing. If there is any bug present in the modules, it can increase the risk and can be costly later on. Integration testing is performed module by module, following a proper sequence, so all the modules are tested and all the bugs are identified.

How Integration Testing Streamlines End-toEnd Software Development?

End-to-End Testing Functionality

During software development, developers integrate various modules, and the flow of operation, like data between them, is essential. Integration testing validates the flow of operation, improving software quality. It ensures that the system works as intended.

Improves System Reliability

When the integration modules are done, there is a chance that data can misbehave due to the fault in integration. Integration testing finds the integration-related issue and fixes the potential problems that can arise due to poor integration, preventing system failure. Performing it solves this problem, enhancing the stability that makes the system more reliable.

Early Fault Detection

The time of fault detection is crucial in a software development cycle. As time grows, cost increases. Performing integration testing on your system helps you identify potential problems in the initial stage of the software development cycle. It aids developers to fix their defects and prevent the cascading effects.

Component Compatibility

A business uses various software to streamline its day-to-day operations, and their integration is essential to work seamlessly and in a compatible manner without misbehaving. Integration testing ensures that data flow between software is seamless by identifying potential issues, like mismatched data formats. However, performing it manually might not offer the best ROI. A zero code automation tool like Opkey automates integration testing to improve the system’s performance, increasing ROI.

Improving Tolerance Level

The resilience of software against fault should be greater to function better. When developers perform integration testing between components, it helps them discover the potential threat, so they can handle the error and start the recovery mechanism. It improves the tolerance level of the system to face the unexpected failure.

Manage Complex System

With time, the demands of customers have changed, as does the software systems’ complexity, as numerous components might be interconnected. Performing the integration testing ensures that interaction between them is smooth by finding the integration-related issue.

When to Perform Integration Testing?

Integration testing is one of the crucial tests done after performing the unit testing. However, the exact time of conducting the test might vary according to the software development process. Here are some common scenarios that ensure the exact timing of conducting tests.

Component Completion

Since integration testing is conducted to find the integration-related issue, it can only be performed when many modules are integrated and are not tested yet. Conducting the integration testing in the early stages detects the potential threat and ensures the system is well-maintained.

Dependency Resolution

When modules are integrated, they become dependent on each other. If any module faces a problem, other modules will also face them. That’s why it is performed when dependency is resolved.

Incremental Development

As the development progresses, integration testing can be performed on the newly integrated modules or modified modulus to vary their smooth integration.

Opkey: A Tool that Helps Smoothen Overall Integration Testing Process

Integration testing is one of the essential parts of software testing to ensure smooth integration between the software system components and modules. It detects the potential threat due to poor interaction, ensuring system compatibility. However, you can streamline your system development process using the automation tool.

Opkey is a no-code tool that allows organizations to automate the testing process. With the help of Opkey, organizations can reduce their testing effort and time and ensure the quality of the software.