When it comes to the use of software, testing is what can make or break its popularity. End-to-end (E2E) testing has quickly emerged as a much-needed form of testing to check the application from start to finish. It allows for the early detection and rectification of errors while also checking the workflow of an application. What is end to end testing and what use cases can it be applied to? This article will clear up any questions you may have.
What is end to end testing?
E2E testing is done to ensure that an application works as is expected. The workflow of an application is tested from beginning to end to see if it complies with expectations of user scenarios and data integrity. E2E testing is normally carried out after the completion of functional and system testing. The results of end to end testing are useful for managers, testers, as well as developers.
Use cases of E2E testing
E2E testing needs to be carried out if you want to roll your products out to the market as early as possible. When to use end to end testing on your products? It’s simple enough to note. E2E testing must be done on all finished products and systems. Every review that is carried out constitutes a test of the final product or system. Once the errors and inconsistencies are identified, they need to be evaluated and fixed. Then, re-testing must be done to get your product market ready.
It requires other testing stages to be completed. After individual components of a system have been tested, end-to-end testing is carried out once components are connected together. This helps to replicate how a real world user of the application would experience the system from the start to end.
Why test everything together once subsystems have already been tested? Good question. The reality is, even if tests have confirmed that there is nothing wrong with various sub-systems, there is no guarantee that these subsystems will work properly together. Testing of sub-systems in isolation doesn’t guarantee the efficient functioning of an integrated system due to the complex nature of these systems.
Defects or failures in any one sub-system may not appear when tests are carried out in isolation. These failures may only become apparent when the sub-systems are integrated into one main system. That is why it is important to carry out end to end testing from start to finish once the individually tested sub-systems have been integrated into a single working system.
Detecting bugs
Detecting bugs early on can save you a lot of time and money. End to end testing helps to carry out a 360 degree check of your product from start to finish. This is done so that any bugs that exist can be identified and fixed early on. With early identification and correction, smoother rollouts can be ensured for your product.
Testing the health of the back end
The software’s database layer or backend must be tested to make sure the overall software system functions as per expectations. End-to-end testing is required if you want to check the software functioning and make sure you have a green signal on all potential issues.
Testing User Experience
If you want to test your front end and user experience, you need to carry out end to end testing. This is important for users to get smooth interactions across devices and platforms. It is also important if you want to incorporate early user feedback to make changes to your product application.
Validating processes across systems
When you have multi-tier architecture and systems for your application, E2E testing is necessary to get an idea about how the application functions across these complex systems. The behaviors and processes of your application become crucial to test using end to end testing under such circumstances.
Identifying when repeatable tests are required for a product
If there is a need for some form of repeatable test, end to end testing is necessary for your application or software system. The test coverage can be expanded and the flow of sub-systems can be checked with end to end testing. This will ultimately help to increase the accuracy of your system.
End-to-end testing methods
Horizontal or vertical E2E testing methods may be used when carrying out end to end testing for your system.
Horizontal end to end testing
Horizontal E2E testing is done horizontally across multiple applications and a single Enterprise Resource Planning application can be used for it.
Vertical end to end testing
Vertical end to end testing is done in layers, proceeding in a sequential and hierarchical manner so that every component may be tested from start to finish. Critical component testing is usually done in this way where there are no interfaces or users.
Final Thoughts
End-to-end testing can be used in so many different scenarios. The most important thing to remember is that it is a great way to test any offering from start to finish. Never underestimate the power of end-to-end testing and what it can do for you, your business, and your product.