Software Testing Tutorial #17 - What is Functional Testing

Summary

This tutorial introduces functional testing in software testing. It explains how functional testing focuses on verifying the functionality of an application, using Gmail as an example. The tutorial walks through testing processes such as account creation and email composition, highlighting the steps involved in manual testing. Functional testing ensures that the application's requirements are met without concern for performance or speed. The video also touches on how functional testing can be automated using tools like Selenium, and mentions that it is a type of black box testing.

Takeaways

• 😀 Functional testing verifies the functionality of an application.
• 📧 An example used is creating an account in Gmail, which involves steps like launching the site, providing user details, and verifying account creation.
• 🧪 Functional testing focuses on the functional aspects, not non-functional aspects like response time or performance.
• 🔍 Functional requirements are derived from customer or end-user needs and market research.
• 📄 Testing steps are written as test cases to verify that each requirement is fulfilled by the application.
• 📝 Each test step, like launching a site or filling out user details, is verified as part of functional testing.
• 🛠 Functional testing can be automated after manual verification using tools like Selenium.
• 🔒 Functional testing is considered black-box testing, where the tester doesn’t need to understand the internal code.
• 📊 Functional testing is one of the first steps in software testing, especially for beginners.
• 📧 Testing the Gmail example includes functionalities like account creation, email composition, and editing features.

Q & A

What is functional testing?

Functional testing is the process of testing the functionality of a software application by verifying that it meets the specified requirements. It focuses on checking whether the application performs its intended functions correctly.

How is functional testing different from non-functional testing?

Functional testing focuses on verifying that the software functions as expected, while non-functional testing assesses aspects like performance, scalability, and security. For example, functional testing checks if you can create an account, whereas non-functional testing evaluates how fast the account is created.

Can you give a real-life example of functional testing?

A real-life example of functional testing is testing the 'create account' feature in Gmail. The tester verifies that after launching the Gmail website, clicking 'create account,' and entering the necessary user details, the account is successfully created.

What are some typical steps in a functional test case for Gmail's 'create account' feature?

Typical steps include: launching Gmail's website, clicking on 'create account,' supplying user details (such as first name, last name, email, and password), and clicking the 'create account' button. Each step is verified to ensure proper functionality.

What does a functional tester verify when testing a feature like 'compose email' in Gmail?

A functional tester verifies that after creating an account, the user can compose an email. The tester checks functionalities within the email editor, such as typing text, formatting options, attaching files, and sending the email.

Why is functional testing important in software development?

Functional testing is important because it ensures that the software works as intended, meeting the user's requirements and providing a good user experience. It helps identify bugs and issues early in the development process.

What is black-box testing, and how does it relate to functional testing?

Black-box testing is a testing approach where the tester does not need to know the internal workings of the application. In functional testing, black-box testing is often used, as the tester focuses only on verifying the software's functionality based on user inputs and expected outputs.

How can functional testing be automated?

Functional testing can be automated by using tools like Selenium to write scripts that mimic user actions (e.g., clicking buttons, filling out forms). Once the functional steps are automated, they can be run repeatedly without manual intervention, saving time and effort.

Who are the 'customers' when referring to functional testing?

The 'customers' can either be end-users (like the general public in the case of Gmail) or internal stakeholders within a company. Functional testing ensures that the software meets the needs and expectations of these customers.

Why is it important to perform manual functional testing before automation?

Manual functional testing is important before automation because it allows testers to verify that the core functionalities are working correctly. Once these tests pass, they can be automated to ensure that future changes do not break existing functionality.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Understanding Functional Testing

In this introduction, the speaker begins by explaining functional testing, building on prior discussions about different types of testing. Functional testing focuses on validating the functionality of an application, ensuring it works as expected. The speaker introduces a real-life example using Gmail, explaining that functional testing verifies whether the account creation feature works correctly. They emphasize that functional testing does not focus on performance aspects like how long the account creation process takes, which would be part of non-functional testing.

05:00

🖥️ Practical Example of Functional Testing in Gmail

The speaker walks through a step-by-step example of functional testing using Gmail. Starting with launching the Gmail website, the speaker explains how to create an account by entering user details and verifying if the account is successfully created. This practical example illustrates how testers follow a series of steps (test cases) to ensure that a feature like account creation works properly. Each step is verified individually, and if successful, the test passes.

✅ Test Case Steps and Verification in Functional Testing

This section delves deeper into test case creation and execution for functional testing. The speaker explains how each step in the test case (such as launching Gmail, clicking 'create account,' and entering details) is considered a 'test step.' If these steps are completed successfully, the test case passes. The focus is solely on verifying functionality, and non-functional aspects like performance are not considered at this stage.

🚫 Distinction Between Functional and Non-Functional Testing

Here, the speaker clarifies the key difference between functional and non-functional testing. In functional testing, the goal is to ensure that a feature, like account creation, works according to requirements. In contrast, non-functional testing deals with other aspects such as performance, like how quickly the account creation process occurs. Functional testers focus only on the correctness of the functionality, not on how fast or slow it operates.

📋 Functional Requirements and Testing in Real Projects

In this part, the speaker elaborates on how functional requirements are established in real-world projects. For instance, in the case of Gmail, requirements like 'create account' and 'compose email' are derived from customer needs or market research. These functionalities are then built and tested. The speaker emphasizes that functional testing involves verifying whether these requirements have been correctly implemented, using detailed documentation that specifies expected outcomes.

🧑‍💻 Manual Functional Testing and Its Importance

The speaker highlights that functional testing is typically manual at the start of a tester's career. Functional testing is a crucial step, involving the manual verification of various features of an application. Since it's a form of black-box testing, the tester focuses solely on inputs and outputs without worrying about the internal workings of the software. The speaker also notes that functional testing is important before any automation is applied.

⚙️ Automation of Functional Testing

In this final section, the speaker discusses the potential for automating functional testing. Once the manual testing of a feature is completed successfully, tools like Selenium can be used to automate repetitive test cases. This automation reduces the need for manual effort in subsequent testing cycles, making the process more efficient. The speaker emphasizes that automated testing ensures continuous validation of features without repeated manual intervention.

Keywords

💡Functional Testing

Functional testing refers to the process of verifying that the functionalities of an application work according to the specified requirements. In the video, the speaker explains this concept by giving examples like creating a Gmail account and sending an email. Functional testing ensures that the basic operations of the software are working as intended.

💡Non-Functional Testing

Non-functional testing focuses on how the system performs under certain conditions rather than verifying specific functionalities. The video contrasts this with functional testing, explaining that non-functional aspects like response time are tested separately. For example, how fast the account creation process happens in Gmail is a non-functional test.

💡Test Case

A test case is a set of steps and conditions used to verify that a particular function of the application is working as expected. In the video, the speaker describes a test case for creating a Gmail account, where the user launches Gmail, clicks 'Create Account,' and supplies user details.

💡Requirement Verification

Requirement verification refers to checking that the software meets the specified requirements. In functional testing, the focus is on verifying these requirements, such as creating an account in Gmail, to ensure that the application is developed correctly according to the user needs.

💡Black Box Testing

Black box testing is a testing method where the tester does not need to know the internal code or structure of the application. In the video, functional testing is described as a form of black box testing, where testers only focus on verifying the outputs based on the inputs without considering the internal workings of the application.

💡UI Testing

User Interface (UI) testing is the process of verifying that the application’s interface works as intended. The video mentions UI testing when explaining how Gmail can be accessed through a browser, and functional tests involve verifying that the UI components, like buttons and forms, function correctly.

💡Automation

Automation in testing refers to the use of software tools to execute tests automatically. The speaker in the video explains how functional tests, such as creating a Gmail account, can first be performed manually and later automated using tools like Selenium to avoid repeating manual steps.

💡Gmail Example

Gmail is used as an example throughout the video to explain functional testing concepts. The speaker describes the process of creating an account, composing emails, and verifying that these features work as intended, providing a real-world application of functional testing principles.

💡Selenium

Selenium is a popular tool for automating web application testing, mentioned in the video as an example of a tool used to automate functional tests. Once manual tests, such as those for Gmail’s functionalities, are verified, they can be automated using Selenium to save time and effort.

💡Manual Testing

Manual testing involves a tester manually executing test cases without the assistance of automation tools. In the video, the speaker highlights that functional testing is often done manually at the beginning, where testers follow steps like launching Gmail and verifying functionalities before moving to automation.

Highlights

Introduction to functional testing, including its significance and core concept.

Difference between functional and non-functional testing is briefly explained.

Functional testing is described as verifying the functionality of an application.

A real-life example using Gmail's account creation process is provided to explain functional testing.

In functional testing, the focus is on the steps followed to achieve a task, not on how long it takes, which falls under non-functional testing.

The Gmail account creation process is outlined, emphasizing how each step represents a functional test.

Explanation of how functional testing validates whether the system meets the user's requirements.

The example also highlights the importance of verifying that each feature works as expected.

Functional testing is critical for validating that the software satisfies the functional requirements.

Testers perform functional testing by following predefined steps and verifying the expected outcome.

Functional testing is a type of black-box testing, focusing on the output without considering the internal code structure.

Functional testing can be easily automated using tools like Selenium, especially for repetitive tests.

Automation allows testers to run scripts and avoid manual testing once the functionality is verified.

Functional testing is often the first testing method for new testers before moving into automation.

The tutorial concludes with a reminder that functional testing ensures the features of the software work as intended, which can be later automated.

Transcripts

hello everyone welcome again in this

software testing tutorial

we are going to learn what is functional

testing

now in the previous tutorial i have

explained about the types of testing

already and i have briefly covered the

functional testing as well and

briefly uh also explain about the

difference between the functional

and non-functional testing now in this

tutorial what i'll cover

is i'll take the real example and i'll

show you

what exactly functional testing means

along with

the definition of functional testing now

if you see

the functional testing word itself

defines the functional

within it right so it's when we say

functional testing it's

where it's basically testing the

functionality of the application

now if you take any any example of an

application say for example i'll take an

example of the gmail

in this particular tutorial now when we

launch a website or gmail.com

in any browser if you don't have an

account you click on create

account then it redirects you to the

create account page where you can

provide all the username password all

details

and click on create account and it

creates account for you

right so this whole process that you

follow is basically

verifying or you know creating the

account or

this type of testing that you do in the

any test project is the functional

testing right

in this case you are not worried about

one

once you click on create account how

much time it takes

to actually create the account that's

the non-functional aspect of the create

account

functionality right so when we say

functional testing it is

verifying the functionality of an

application now how

will or how these functionalities are

being built now

usually in case of gmail say for example

we are the customers right the end users

are the customers

so we'll be having you know

customers so

customers right and if google is

building the gmail

or email client for the customers which

is basically

the general public then they will do a

basic research what all

things are missing in the application

right so usually

in the actual you know projects or many

projects that you would be working

in customers might be either the general

public

for example in case of gmail people like

us

who will be using gmail or customer can

be

a company and within a company there

could be you know like people

and the team who will be providing the

detailed requirements

to the organization

who is building any software right so we

are the customer let's take an example

of the gmail we are the customers the

end users

and what google has done

they they had done the market research

they have researched the existing

softwares that are available or the

email clients that were available at

that particular time

what all limitations were there and

based on that they came up with the

functionalities that we need to build

in that particular application right so

usually whatever requirements

are being built within the application

are the functionalities within the

application and when you are testing or

verifying those requirements

those are or that is known as functional

testing so

any verification of the requirement is

functional testing

so let's take an example here so what

i'll do is i'll take a couple of you

know examples of

gmail so usually if i talk about gmail

so gmail

let's say i have a functionality of

create account

okay and

then so create account functionality

or feature will

allow you to basically create the

account for gmail right so that you can

draft email and send emails right uh the

next functionality could be

after you create the account you should

be able to compose email right so i can

compose email

that is another functionality i can

you know have the functionalities or the

requirements around the editor so

once i click on compose email what all

functionalities editing functionalities

are available

in the email editor right so email

uh editor so

that can have a lot many more

requirements within it right so this is

high level requirement that i'm covering

and then uh you know send email right

so these are some of the um you know

functional requirement or the

requirements that

need to be verified in gmail right

so if you are verifying the this create

account so what you will do is you will

follow certain steps you will launch

so you launch the website

launch um you know gmail

okay and then you will click on

create account so click

create account

and then you will click on you will

supply all the details so supply

user details and in user details usually

like first name last name uh what email

you are looking for

the password etc so what all details are

required you supply all the user details

and then you click on create

account button right

so these are the normal steps that you

will follow to verify the account

creation is

being successful on gmail.com right so

this is usually

how the test case will look like so

you'll follow certain steps the process

and then you will verify the expected

outcome right so i'll cover how you will

write test cases as well

in future tutorials but just to explain

your functional testing

so we we are following certain steps

which is basically nothing in the

testing project it's the test case

and then based on those test cases we

verify whether that test

step has passed now each of these step

is a test step right so

whether these if i launch gmail it

should launch successfully if it is it

has launched

that means that test step has passed so

when a tester is performing all these

steps one by one

and verifying that these steps are being

passed that is what

functional testing is and functional

testing is verifying

these requirements or the requirements

that need that are built within the

application

right now when we talk about functional

testing

functional testing is not or the person

doing functional testing

is not worried about the non-functional

aspect for example how is the

performance

what is the response time right so you

don't need to worry about

the non-functional aspect of the account

creation so for example when i click on

create account button

i'm not worried about whether i'm

redirected after 30 seconds to the

actual account or three seconds right so

that

needs to be tested as part of the

non-functional testing

in the functional testing i'm just

worried about or i need to cover

that the steps that i follow or

the requirements that need that are

being built in the application

are being working properly or being

fulfilled by the application

developer or the development that has

been done as part of the application

now this is the live example that i have

taken but usually you can correlate

with the actual scenario so for example

i am a new organization and i have a

requirement to build something similar

to gmail this is

what i'll be getting as the requirement

so create account compose email

and in the requirements document all the

details will be provided right

so for example when create account

button what will be the

text on it and then in the supply user

detail

how the form will look like what all

fields will be there so all these

details will be provided

in those requirement and when as a

testing team or a test

team member i verify all those when i

run those test cases

okay so this is what functional testing

is

and function testing is a very important

aspect of software testing because most

of the time

when you start your career into into the

software testing

you'll be doing you know functional

testing first before

you can actually you know you know go

ahead and

automate the function testing right so

it's basically a manual testing

uh manual verification of the features

and

functional testing is black box testing

so i'll cover what exactly black box

testing it

is in upcoming tutorial as well right so

this is a brief about you know um

what the function testing is and uh

other important thing about function

testing is that it can be automated

easily so once

so for example you you follow all these

steps here right

so this is all ui you know that gmail

can be open in any browser so this is ui

there are a lot of tools to automate uis

selenium is very popular so you can once

you verify

that all these functionalities are

working fine

then you can use any automation tool

and go ahead and automate these steps so

that next time you can easily

run those scripts and you do not have to

perform manual testing of these

features or test cases again right so

this is a brief introduction about the

functional testing

what functional testing is and how you

can perform functional testing

within software um project all right

so that's all for this tutorial hope you

like it please do share and subscribe

and thank you very much for watching