Compatibility Testing – Introduction, Types, Process & Tools
In this blog post, we will discuss the concept of compatibility testing, objectives of compatibility testing, the complete process of performing compatibility testing, the different types of compatibility testing categories, the different tools used to perform compatibility testing, and the advantages of performing compatibility testing for any software application in a detailed and comprehensive manner.
Concept of Compatibility Testing
Compatibility Testing, part of non-functional testing is a method of software testing which is performed to check whether the software or application is capable of running on different hardware platforms, operating systems, web browsers, networks and mobile devices or not.
It is very important and necessary for any software or application from production and implementation point of view as it is performed to avoid future issues regarding compatibility of the software or application.
Objectives of Compatibility Testing
Following are some of the goals in mind of every test engineer while performing compatibility testing for any software application: –
- The primary goal in focus of every test engineer while performing compatibility testing for any software application is customer or user satisfaction. If the customer or user of any particular c is facing compatibility issues, then it may have a negative impact on the customer of user of that particular application and he/she can reject using that particular application.
- This type of testing is done only when the software or application becomes stable means the compatibility test aims to check the developed software or application across various hardware platforms, operating systems, web browsers, networks and mobile devices.
- This type of testing is not done for each and every software application, except for those software application where we don’t have control over the platform used by the users of that particular application.
Why Prioritize Compatibility Testing?
1. User Satisfaction: A Top Priority :- At the coronary heart of compatibility testing is the intention of maximizing user pleasure. Ensuring that your utility runs easily on numerous platforms prevents compatibility problems that would deter users, fostering a high-quality user experience.
2. Stability Before Testing:- Compatibility testing is easiest when implemented in stable software program versions. It’s approximately verifying that your software now not only functions efficiently but also gives you constant performance across specific user environments.
3. Selective Application:- This testing is not a one-length-fits-all approach. It’s especially crucial for applications with a huge user base where the quit-person’s preference of platform is unpredictable.
Process of Compatibility Testing
Following is the complete process being followed by the team of test engineers to perform compatibility testing for any software application: –
- Planning: The first step of this process is thoughtful planning which is important and necessary to perform compatibility tests for any software application that requires setting up multiple hardware platforms, web browsers, operating systems, network configurations and mobile devices.
- Environment Setup: After the completion of this step, the team of test engineers need to make a list of all the platforms, devices, browsers, operating systems etc. on which the software or application is likely to be used for testing of which the team of test engineers should have adequate knowledge of using these platforms and devices.
- Creating the Test Bed: The next step of this process is to set up a test environment across all these platforms, devices, browsers etc. to perform compatibility testing on the software or application.
- Bug Reporting: After the conclusion of compatibility testing on that particular software or application by the team of test engineers, all the issues in the form of bugs or defects in that particular software or application will be sent to the development team through a detailed and comprehensive bug report to fix these bugs.
- Verification and Validation: Once the bugs in that particular software or application have been fixed by the development team, they will again refer it to the team of test engineers for verification of bugs fixed in that particular software or application which can be done through retesting of that particular software or application by the team of test engineers to confirm defect fixing.
Types of Compatibility Testing
The different types of compatibility testing are: –
1. Hardware Compatibility Testing – In this type of compatibility testing category, the developed software or application is tested on various hardware platforms to make sure that it is working properly or not as per the needs or requirements of the user.
2. Network Compatibility Testing – In this type of compatibility testing category, the developed software or application is tested on different networks such as Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G etc. for various parameters such as bandwidth, speed etc.
3. Operating System Compatibility Testing – In this type of compatibility testing category, the developed software or application is tested on various operating systems such as Windows, Linux/Unix, Mac, Solaris etc. by running it on these OS platforms.
4. Device Compatibility Testing – In this type of compatibility testing category, the developed software or application is tested on various external devices such as Bluetooth, USB device, Printer, etc to check the application’s compatibility.
5. Mobile Compatibility Testing – In this type of compatibility testing category, the developed software or application is tested on various mobile devices with different mobile-based OS platforms such as Android & iOS etc. to check the application’s compatibility.
6. Browser Compatibility Testing – In this type of compatibility testing category, the developed software or application is tested on various web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge etc. to check the application’s compatibility.
Compatibility Testing Tools
Following are some of the popular and most commonly used tools to perform compatibility testing of any software application: –
Browser Stack – It is a cloud-based automated testing platform that allows users to test their application on more than 2000 real devices and browsers.
Lambda Test – It supports more than 2000 browsers and operating systems with products to perform automated testing, live testing, visual testing, and check responsiveness.
Ghost lab – It allows testing of a website on multiple browsers and mobile devices simultaneously.
Advantages of Compatibility Testing
The following are some of the advantages of performing compatibility testing for any software application: –
- It ensures that the application works on all the possible combinations of devices, browsers, OS platforms, etc.
- It ensures complete customer satisfaction as issues are identified and solved before passing the application for customer use. Hence, unnecessary cost of customer service can be avoided.
Conclusion
In conclusion, compatibility testing is a crucial part of the software development lifecycle, especially for packages with a large consumer base. It facilitates figuring out capacity problems before they affect the end-user, ensuring a smooth and green user experience throughout all structures and devices.
Compatibility testing is one of the most important types of non-functional testing. At times, it can become expensive due to the number of devices and platforms involved. But even with a higher cost, as a result of compatibility testing, the organization gets great advantages such as customer satisfaction and financial gain.
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