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Integration Testing: Why? What? & How?

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As we covered in various articles in the Testing series there are various levels of testing:
Unit Testing, Integration Testing, System Testing
Each level of testing builds on the previous level.
“Unit testing” focuses on testing a unit of the code. “Integration testing” is the next level of testing. This ‘level of testing’ focuses on testing the integration of “units of code” or components. How does Integration Testing fit into the Software Development Life Cycle?
Even if a software component is successfully unit tested, in an enterprise n-tier distributed application it is of little or no value if the component cannot be successfully integrated with the rest of the application.
Once unit tested components are delivered we then integrate them together. These “integrated” components are tested to weed out errors and bugs caused due to the integration. This is a very important step in the Software Development Life Cycle.
It is possible that different programmers developed different components.
A lot of bugs emerge during the integration step.
In most cases a dedicated testing team focuses on Integration Testing. Prerequisites for Integration Testing:
Before we begin Integration Testing it is important that all the components have been successfully unit tested. Integration Testing Steps:
Integration Testing typically involves the following Steps:
Step 1: Create a Test Plan
Step 2: Create Test Cases and Test Data
Step 3: If applicable create scripts to run test cases
Step 4: Once the components have been integrated execute the test cases
Step 5: Fix the bugs if any and re test the code
Step 6: Repeat the test cycle until the components have been successfully integrated

What is an ‘Integration Test Plan’?
As you may have read in the other articles in the series, this document typically describes one or more of the following:
- How the tests will be carried out
- The list of things to be Tested
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Prerequisites to begin Testing
- Test Environment
- Assumptions
- What to do after a test is successf
ully carried out
- What to do if test fails - Glossary

How to write an Integration Test Case?
Simply put, a Test Case describes exactly how the test should be carried out. The Integration test cases specifically focus on the flow of data/information/control from one component to the other.
So the Integration Test cases should typically focus on scenarios where one component is being called from another. Also the overall application functionality should be tested to make sure the app works when the different components are brought together.
The various Integration Test Cases clubbed together form an Integration Test Suite Each suite may have a particular focus. In other words different Test Suites may be created to focus on different areas of the application.
As mentioned before a dedicated Testing Team may be created to execute the Integration test cases. Therefore the Integration Test Cases should be as detailed as possible.

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Integration Testing: Why? What? & How?