Functional Testing vs Non-Functional Testing
Functional tests confirm that the code is doing the right things, while non-functional tests validate that the code is doing things the right way. Both types contain methodologies for validating front-end and back-end elements and behaviors. There is some overlap overlay the two categories in the kinds of tests a developer might run.
Functional testing suites are the more strictly necessary of the two categories. Software solutions must solve the problems they target. The implementation details and performance metrics that non-functional testing targets are often secondary matters of refinement. A robust testing methodology also accounts for these factors, especially if scaling is a priority.
Functional and non-functional testing are two distinct categories of software testing, each with its objectives and focus.
1. Functional Testing:
Functional testing primarily evaluates the practical aspects of a software application. It ensures that the software behaves as expected and meets its specified requirements. Here are some key characteristics of functional testing:
- Purpose: To verify that the software functions correctly and performs its intended tasks as described in the requirements documentation.
- Scope: Functional testing deals with the specific functions or features of the application. Test cases are designed to validate individual components or use points.
- Examples:
- They are testing the login functionality to ensure users can log in with valid credentials.
- I am verifying that the shopping cart in an e-commerce application correctly calculates the total price of selected items.
- Testing that an email application sends and receives emails as expected.
- Pass/Fail Criteria: Functional tests typically have clear pass/fail criteria based on whether the software behaves as specified.
2. Non-Functional Testing:
Non-functional testing, on the other hand, assesses the non-functional aspects of a software application. These qualities may not directly relate to specific features but are crucial for user experience and system performance. Here are some critical characteristics of non-functional testing:
- Purpose: To evaluate the performance, reliability, usability, and other non-functional attributes of the software.
- Scope: Non-functional testing covers various aspects such as performance, security, scalability, usability, and compatibility across different devices and browsers.
- Examples:
- Load testing to assess how the system performs under heavy concurrent user loads.
- Security testing to identify vulnerabilities and ensure data protection.
- Usability testing to gauge the user-friendliness and user experience of the software.
- Compatibility testing to ensure the software works on various browsers, devices, and operating systems.
- Pass/Fail Criteria: Non-functional testing often involves measuring and bench marking against predefined criteria or standards. For example, response times in performance testing should meet specified thresholds.
In summary, while functional testing focuses on verifying that the software functions correctly in terms of its features and requirements, non-functional testing examines the broader aspects of the software, such as its performance, security, usability, and compatibility. Both types of testing are essential to ensure that a software application works as intended and meets the user’s expectations and performance requirements.
In this Software Testing Tutorial, we will learn about the differences between functional testing vs non functional testing. Functional testing in software testing checks functionality or requirements whereas non-functional testing tests the performance of the software application.
Functional testing focuses on user requirements but non-functional testing focus on NFR or user expectation. Watch the complete tutorial to understand the differences between functional and non functional testing.
