2/15/2020 Integration testing - definition, example and types

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Integration Testing
December 3, 2019

Table of Contents 
1. What is integration testing?
2. Big bang Integration Testing
3. Top-down Integration Testing
4. Bottom-up Integration Testing
5. Hybrid Integration Testing

What is integration testing?

Integration testing is the second level testing performed after unit testing. In
integration testing, we test the interfacing between the modules which are
interconnected with each other as well as the end to end testing of the
integrated component. Integration testing can be performed by using both
white box and black box testing techniques.

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Big bang Integration Testing

In big bang integration, all the modules are rst required to be completed and
then integrated. After integration, testing is carried out on the integrated unit as
a whole. It is different from system testing as here we focus testing on the
interfacing/communication between the modules.
The big bang approach is not very advisable and is followed for smaller
projects only.

Top-down Integration Testing

Top-down integration testing is an incremental approach of integration testing

where testing ow starts from top-level modules (modules higher in the
hierarchy) towards the lower-level modules. As there is very much possible that
the lower level modules might not have been developed while beginning with
top-level modules. So, in those cases, Stubs are used. Stubs are dummy
modules that simulate the functioning of a module by accepting the
parameters received by the module and giving an acceptable
result. Generally, stubs have hard-coded input and output that helps in testing
the other modules integrated with it.
The main advantage of top-down testing is – we don’t have to wait for all the
modules to get developed(using stubs that simulate the behavior of lower-level
modules).

Bottom-up Integration Testing

Bottom-up integration testing is also based on an incremental approach and

starts from lower-level modules, moving upwards to the higher-level modules.
Again the higher-level modules might not have been developed by the time
lower modules are tested. So, in those cases, Drivers are used. These drivers
simulate the functionality of higher-level modules in order to test lower-level
modules.
The main advantage of bottom-up integration testing is, similar to top-down
testing, we don’t have to wait for all the modules to get developed before
starting testing.

Hybrid Integration Testing

The hybrid integration testing approach is also called the Sandwich approach.

This approach is a combination of both top-down and bottom-up integration
testing. In this approach, the integration starts from the middle layer and
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testing is carried out in both the directions – towards higher-level

modules(upwards) and towards lower-level modules (downwards). This way
includes bene ts of both top-down and bottom-up approaches and helps in
faster testing of the module’s interfaces.

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