Functional Testing

Functional testing assesses the behavior of a software or system component to determine its functionality. Also known as black box testing, this process is conducted without the tester's knowledge of the software code. The main objective of functional testing is to enhance the software's behavior by ensuring it aligns with the functional requirements and use cases.

Testing Software Functions

Software features and functionality are outlined in the requirements specifications, use cases, user stories, and functional specifications. These elements outline the components of the software product or system. While they are typically documented in a functional specification, they can also be found in other types of software documentation.

Examples of Functional Tests

Although there are several functional tests that can be performed, here are few examples:

• One example is testing the user interface of an online booking system to verify the accuracy of information retrieved from the database, such as customer name, address, and booking dates.

• Another type of functional test involves checking a file management system to confirm that it can handle different file name lengths, such as long names, short names, names with extensions, hyphens, and capitalization.

• Form field testing ensures that required fields, character limits, alphanumeric characters, hyphens, apostrophes, and other symbols are validated correctly.

• Verify the functionality of buttons like delete, clear, submit, cancel, and exit are performing as expected on a website.

In functional testing, prioritizing key tests and understanding the expected outcomes are essential. It is crucial to have a solid understanding of the testing procedures for each software function to accurately assign pass or fail results.

References: Black, R., Van Veenendaal, E., & Graham, D. (2012) (3rd Edition). Foundations of Software Testing. ISTQB Certification. Delhi, India. Cengage Learning. Jackvony, K. (2021). The Complete Software Tester: Concepts, Skills, and Strategies for High Quality Testing.