Compatibility Testing - (Types of Non-functional)

Compatibility testing is a type of non-functional testing that ensures the compatibility of an application with various hardware platforms, operating systems, web browsers, databases, and network environments. In this tutorial, we'll discuss compatibility testing as a type of non-functional testing and its importance in software development.

Syntax

There is no specific syntax for compatibility testing as it is a type of non-functional testing.

Example

Suppose you are developing a web application that must be compatible with a variety of web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer. To perform compatibility testing, you can create a test plan that includes the following steps:

1. Verify that the web application looks and functions correctly in each browser
2. Test various features of the web application in each browser to ensure compatibility
3. Test the web application at different screen resolutions and aspect ratios
4. Test the web application on different platforms, such as Windows, macOS, and Linux
5. Test the web application on different mobile devices and screen sizes

This test plan can be modified to test compatibility with other hardware platforms, operating systems, web browsers, databases, and network environments.

Explanation

Compatibility testing ensures that an application runs as expected on a variety of platforms, devices, and browsers. This type of non-functional testing ensures that end-users can access and use the application regardless of the environment in which it is used.

Use

Compatibility testing is critical for software development and can be used in a variety of scenarios, such as:

• Ensuring that an application runs smoothly on different hardware platforms and operating systems
• Verifying that an application works with different browsers and browser versions
• Testing how an application performs under various network conditions and bandwidth restrictions
• Testing how an application performs with different mobile devices and screen resolutions

Important Points

Here are some important points to keep in mind when conducting compatibility testing:

• Compatibility testing should be conducted throughout the software development cycle.
• Compatibility testing should cover the hardware platforms, operating systems, web browsers, databases and network environments that the end-users would use.
• Compatibility testing should be conducted using a combination of manual and automated testing.
• Compatibility testing should be conducted in a production-like environment as much as possible.

Summary

In this tutorial, we discussed compatibility testing as a type of non-functional testing. We covered the syntax, example, explanation, use, and important points associated with compatibility testing. By including compatibility testing in the software development lifecycle, you can ensure that an application is accessible and usable by end-users in a variety of environments.