Non Functional Testing

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Non-Functional Testing in SDLC

In this article, I am going to discuss Non-Functional Testing in SDLC. Please read our previous article where we discussed Functional Testing. At the end of this article, you will understand the following important pointers which are related to Non-Functional Testing in SDLC.

1. What is Non-Functional Testing?
2. What are the Objectives of Non-Functional Testing?
3. What are the Characteristics of Non-Functional Testing?
4. Non-Functional Testing Techniques in SDLC
5. Which Parameters Needed to be Tested Under Non-Functional Testing?
6. Non-Functional Testing Tools
7. What are the Advantages of Non-Functional Testing?
8. What are the Disadvantages of Non-Functional Testing?

What is Non-Functional Testing?

Software testing of the non-functional kind is done to confirm that the application meets its non-functional requirements. It checks to see if the system is acting in accordance with the specifications or not. It examines every component that isn’t examined during functional testing. Software testing methods called “Non-Functional Testing” examine the system’s non-functional characteristics.

A type of software testing called non-functional testing is used to look at a software application’s non-functional aspects. It is intended to test a system’s readiness according to nonfunctional criteria that functional testing never takes into account. Both functional and non-functional testing is crucial.

A sort of software testing called non-functional testing is used to evaluate the software’s non-functional characteristics, such as its dependability, performance under load, and accountability.

Non-functional testing’s main objective is to evaluate the software system’s reading speed using non-functional criteria. It is never necessary to evaluate the non-functional testing parameters before the functional testing. Due to its critical role in customer satisfaction, non-functional testing is just as vital as functional testing.

What are the Objectives of Non-Functional Testing?

Non-functional testing’s goal is to:

• To improve the product’s usability, effectiveness, maintainability, and portability.
• Can aid in lowering manufacturing risk associated with the product’s non-functional components.
• Can aid in cutting costs associated with the product’s non-functional components.
• To enhance the installation, use, and monitoring procedures for the product.
• For the purpose of gathering and producing metrics and measurements for internal research and development.
• To expand and improve knowledge of current technology and product behavior.

What are the Characteristics of Non-Functional Testing?

• Adjectives like “good,” “better,” “best,” etc. have no place in non-functional testing because they should be quantified.
• It’s unlikely that precise numbers will be known at the start of the requirement process.
• It’s important to arrange the prerequisites.
• Ensure that the quality attributes used in software engineering are properly categorized.

Non-Functional Testing Techniques in SDLC

1. Compatibility Testing: Testing a software program or system to see if it is compatible with other software programs or systems is known as compatibility testing.
2. Compliance Testing: Testing a software program or system to see if it complies with a particular compliance standard, such as HIPAA or Sarbanes-Oxley.
3. Endurance Testing: A type of testing called endurance makes that a piece of software or a system can withstand a sustained, long-lasting load.
4. Load Testing: Testing a system or software program to see if it can handle a lot of users or transactions is known as load testing.
5. Performance Testing: Testing a software application or system to see if it satisfies predetermined performance criteria, such as response time or throughput.
6. Recovery Testing: Testing a software program or system to see if it can be restored after a failure or data loss is known as recovery testing.
7. Security Testing: Testing a system or piece of software to see if it is secure from hacking or unauthorized access is known as security testing.
8. Scalability Testing: Testing a software program or system to see if it can be scaled up or down to meet changing needs is known as scalability testing.
9. Stress Testing: Testing a system or piece of software to see if it can withstand an exceptionally high load is known as stress testing.
10. Usability Testing: Testing to determine how user-friendly a system or piece of software is known as usability testing.
11. Volume Testing: Volume testing is a sort of testing used to make sure a system or piece of software can manage a lot of data.

Which Parameters Needed to be Tested Under Non-Functional Testing?

• Performance Testing: Performance testing gets rid of the causes of the software’s sluggish and constrained performance. The software’s reading speed should be as quick as possible. A well-organized and precise specification about the desired speed must be created for Performance Testing. Otherwise, it won’t be clear if the test is a success or a failure.
• Load Testing: The loading capability of the system is tested during load testing. A system’s loading capacity determines how many individuals can use it at once.
• Security Testing: To find the software application’s security weaknesses, security testing is used. The testing is done by examining the system’s architecture and the thinking of an attacker. Finding the parts of the code where an attack is most likely to occur allows for the creation of test cases.
• Portability Testing: The software is tested for portability by making sure it functions flawlessly across a variety of operating systems. The functionality of software under the same operating system but with varied hardware is also tested in this test.
• Accountability Testing: A test of accountability is conducted to see whether the system is functioning properly or not. A function should result in the same result that it was intended to. The system passes the test if it produces the desired results; else, it fails.
• Reliability Testing: The software system is assumed to function flawlessly within the set parameters by the reliability test. The required duration and quantity of processes for the system are specified. If the system fails under certain predetermined circumstances, the reliability test will also fail.
• Efficiency Testing: Efficiency testing looks at how many resources were used and how many were required to construct a software system. There is also an examination of these three components:

1. The software system must meet the needs of the customer.
2. A software system should fulfill client requirements.
3. A software system should be developed with sufficient effort.

Non-Functional Testing Tools:

Nonfunctional tests are typically performed with a variety of different testing tools. But no matter which tools you use, it’s important to have visibility across all of your testing efforts.

You don’t have to go into multiple different tools to view the results of your testing. And manually tracking the results in a spreadsheet is likely to introduce human error. Plus, it isn’t a scalable solution, especially if you’re using automated testing tools that can return thousands of results.

Optimally, you also want to be able to trace your various test results back to your requirements or user stories. This is especially important if you’re developing products in regulated industries, but it’s a best practice for any development team.

What are the Advantages of Non-Functional Testing?

For software systems to function properly and with overall high quality, non-functional testing is essential. The following are some major benefits of non-functional testing:

• Performance Optimization: To make sure the system can effectively manage anticipated workloads; non-functional testing helps discover and address performance bottlenecks.
• Assessment of Scalability: This ensures that users have a seamless experience even during times of high user demand by assessing the system’s capacity to scale and handle rising user demands.
• Enhancing Reliability: Non-functional Testing reduces the possibility of system failures or downtime by validating system availability, fault tolerance, and reliability.
• Security Validation: This process analyses weaknesses, security gaps, and potential threats to make sure the right security measures are put in place to safeguard the system and user data.
• User satisfaction and adoption rates are increased thanks to non-functional testing that evaluates usability in general and user-friendliness in particular.

What are the Disadvantages of Non-Functional Testing?

Software testing’s non-functional testing includes a unique set of drawbacks, including:

• Complexity: Because non-functional testing is more varied than functional testing, it necessitates thorough planning and implementation.
• Time-Consuming: Non-functional testing entails evaluating variables such as scalability, performance, security, and usability, all of which demand extra time and effort to fully assess.
• Resource-Intensive: The need for specialized equipment, infrastructure, and knowledgeable employees when doing non-functional tests can raise the overall cost of testing.
• Subjectivity: In contrast to functional testing, non-functional testing contains subjective standards, such as user experience, which makes it difficult to establish precise pass/fail standards.
• Lack of standardization causes inconsistency and variable interpretations across various projects and organizations because there is no globally recognized standard or methodology for non-functional testing.

In the next article, I am going to discuss Unit Testing. Here, in this article, I try to explain Non-Functional Testing in SDLC. I hope you enjoy this Non-Functional Testing in SDLC article.