Software testing is the process of evaluating the functionality of a software program using software testing tools. Before the software is installed and goes live, the process checks for errors and gaps, as well as whether the results of the application are as expected.

Why is software testing important?

Software testing is the pinnacle of application development, where software testers evaluate code by questioning it. This assessment can be brief or carried out until all stakeholders are satisfied. Software testing identifies errors and problems in the development process so that they can be fixed before the product is released. This approach ensures that only high quality products are distributed to consumers, which in turn increases customer satisfaction and trust.

To understand the importance of software testing, consider the example of Starbucks. In 2015, the company's point-of-sale (POS) platform shut down due to a system update failure caused by a software glitch, costing the company millions of dollars in lost sales. This situation can be avoided if POS software is thoroughly tested. Nissan suffered a similar fate in 2016, when it recalled more than 3 million vehicles due to software problems with airbag sensor detectors.

The following are important reasons why software testing techniques should be integrated into application development:

Detect defects early. Developing complex applications can leave room for error. Software testing is imperative because it identifies any problems and defects in the code written so that they can be fixed before the software product is delivered.

Improve product quality. When it comes to customer appeal, offering a high quality product is an important metric to consider. A great product can only be delivered if it is effectively tested before it goes to market. Software testing helps products pass quality assurance (QA) and meet user-defined standards and specifications.

Increase customer trust and satisfaction. Testing a product throughout its development life cycle builds customer trust and satisfaction because it provides visibility into the product's strengths and weaknesses. By the time the customer receives the product, it has been tried and tested many times and delivered a high quality product.

Detect security vulnerabilities. Insecure application code can leave vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit. Since most applications are now online, they can be a major medium for cyberattacks and should be thoroughly tested at all stages of application development. For example, a Web application released without proper software testing can easily fall victim to a cross-site scripting attack, where an attacker attempts to gain access through a vulnerable Web application to inject malicious code into a user's Web browser. As a result, untested applications become tools for delivering malicious code that could have been prevented from spreading by proper software testing.

Helps improve scalability. Scalability testing is a non-functional software testing process that measures the extent to which an application scales as workloads such as user traffic, data volume, and transaction counts increase. It can also identify the point in time when an application may stop running and the reasons behind it, which may include reaching or exceeding a certain threshold, such as the total number of concurrent application users.

Save money. Software development problems that go unnoticed due to a lack of software testing can plague an organization at a higher cost later on. After an application is launched, it can be more difficult to track and fix problems, as software patching is often more expensive than testing during the development phase.