Integration Tests

Integration tests are tests that validate two or more dependent software modules as a group in multiple ways. Good integration tests have the following characteristics:

• Automated and repeatable

• Maintainable

• Run at the push of a button (or automatically)

Integration tests are intended to test a live system, and you would only mock-up parts of that system in special circumstances. Rather than testing an individual component by itself with unit tests, integration tests test select components as a group.

Writing automated tests are challenging, especially if the code was not originally designed to support tests. Integration tests can be especially challenging if there is no API to make calls against (point integration tests to API to call other components).

Integration tests are different for each application, so there is no one-size-fits-all mantra for integration testing. However, a simple example of an integration test may be to go through an API of an application to call a database.

When you decide to start integration testing, you may want to have a solution for test data management for the integration tests. Some companies use SQL to store the test data, while others use different tools for managing the test data. By having test data management, you will have a place for consistent test data so that your integration tests will tell you more than you would learn if just the components respond, but the responses are correct.

Click on Mark as complete to move on to the next step where we will learn about User Interface (UI) Tests.