Integration testing is a software testing methodology used to test individual software components or units of code to verify interaction between various software components and detect interface defects. Components are tested as a single group or organized in an iterative manner. After the integration testing services has been performed on the components, they are readily available for system testing.
Below are the few steps to be followed for integration test cases:
- Identify unit testing: The developer of each program unit identifies and documents the unit’s interfaces for the following unit operations:
- Responding to queries from terminals for information
- Managing transaction data entered for processing
- Obtaining, updating, or creating transactions on computer files
- Passing or receiving information from other logical processing units
- Sending messages to terminals
- Providing the results of processing to some output device or unit
- Reconcile Interfaces for Completeness: The information needed for the integration test template is collected for all program units in the software being tested. Whenever one unit interfaces with another, those interfaces are reconciled. For example, if program unit A transmits data to program unit B, program unit B should indicate that it has received that input from program unit A. Interfaces not reconciled are examined before integration tests are executed.
- Create Integration Test Conditions: One or more test conditions are prepared for integrating each program unit. After the condition is created, the number of the test condition is documented in the test template.
- Evaluate the Completeness of Integration Test Conditions: The final step is to evaluate integration test conditions are completed or not. This could be clarifying by having proper answers of each and every question regarding integration testing template.
Integration is a key software development life cycle (SDLC) strategy. It is one of renowned software product testing methodology. Generally, small software systems are integrated and tested in a single phase, whereas larger systems involve several integration phases to build a complete system, such as integrating modules into low-level subsystems for integration with larger subsystems. Integration testing encompasses all aspects of a software system’s performance, functionality and reliability which ensures QA services to organization.
