Software Testing Strategies- continued.....

Integration Testing

After the testing of each module separately, all of them are tested jointly to check how a data flows from one module to another module. Because this data flow may give uncovered errors that have not been covered in the unit testing. And so they are checked with full compilation. The objective is to take unit tested components and build a program structure that has been dictated by design. Integration testing is a systematic technique for constructing the program structure while at the same time conducting tests to uncover errors associated with interfacing.

Top Down Integration

Top-down integration testing is an incremental approach to construction of program structure. Modules are integrated by moving downward through the control hierarchy, beginning with the main module. Modules subordinate to the main control module are incorporated into the structure in either a depth first or breadth first manner. The top-down integration policy verifies major control or decision points early in the test process.

Smoke Testing

• It encompasses the following activities:
  Software components that have been translated into a build. A build includes all data files, libraries, reusable modules, and engineered components that are required to implement one or more product functions.
• A series of tests is designed to expose errors that will keep the build from properly performing its functions. The intent should be to uncover "show stopper" errors that have the highest likelihood of throwing the software project behind schedule.
• The build is integrated with other builds and the entire product is smoke tested daily.
  Smoke testing provides a number of benefits when it is applied on complex, time- critical software engineering projects.