Introduction
In software development, software is made up of different parts and it is necessary to ensure all of them meet their intended purpose. There is an equally important pillar that is frequently overlooked – database testing.
Database testing is used to verify the schema, table, triggers etc of the database for the purpose of testing. It includes validation of data accuracy and validity, mapping of the data, and testing of the database for its capability to manage the expected traffic and transaction.
Now let’s elaborate on what database testing is all about, why it is done, methods employed and tools applied.
why Database Testing is important: 5 Important Reasons
1️⃣ Data Integrity: Coordinates in ensuring that the details entered are correct when conducting the transactions.
2️⃣ Data Validity: This helps to ensure that the specific data corresponds to the established rules and constraints of the database schema.
3️⃣ Performance: Tests that demonstrate the database’s ability to perform with a particular level of throughput without degrading.
4️⃣ Security: Helps to make sure that the contents of the database cannot be accessed or tampered with by unwanted personnel or threats.
5️⃣ Compliance: Assists in compliance with rules and regulations as well as legal requirements from the government and other relevant authorities.
Types of Database Testing
Structural Testing:
1️⃣ Schema Testing: Schema Testing: Ensures that the defined structure of the database is fully coherent with the requirements.
2️⃣ Database Tables and Columns Testing: This makes sure that tables and columns are created in a way that will address the user’s needs.
3️⃣ Stored Procedures and Functions Testing: Confirms that stored procedures and functions delivered to the production environment were created correctly and optimized for performance .
Functional Testing:
1️⃣ CRUD Operations Testing: Implemented Check operations for Create, Read, Update and Delete.
2️⃣ Business Rule Testing: Asserts itself that the business logic that has been incorporated in the software functions properly.
3️⃣ Triggers Testing: Ensures that triggers are initiated as expected when specific circumstances or conditions prevail.
Non-functional Testing:
1️⃣ Performance Testing: Checks how the database behaves under stress and what happens to it and the used resources when it is under pressure.
2️⃣ Security Testing: Ensures that SQL injections and other security threats are kept away from the database.
3️⃣ Backup and Recovery Testing: Confirms that data can be reconstructed as intended in case of failure or if the data organization structure changes.
Key Techniques Associated with Database Testing.
This is helpful in making sure that the application and the database are synchronized in regard to data mapping.
It also checks the compatibility of the data entry form on the front-end against the structure of the back-end database.
ACID Properties Testing:
1️⃣ ACID compliance: Moral, fiscal, and administrative integrity of the database transactions.
2️⃣ Boundary Value Analysis: Max & Min Values assesses how database fields perform on maximum, minimum, and out-of-range values on a limited basis.
3️⃣ SQL Query Testing: Checks whether SQL queries used in the application have been constructed accurately and optimally.
4️⃣ Database Load Testing: The functionality involves applying high loads, concurrent users to evaluate the working conditions of the database under load.
Popular Database Testing Tools
Selenium: Originally designed for GUI testing but is also capable of being utilized fore database testing with the help of java database connectivity.
1️⃣ QTP (QuickTest Professional): They support testing of databases by acting as an interface for displaying SQL query results.
2️⃣ Telerik Test Studio: Enhances database testing capability and offers efficient facilities for data driven testing.
3️⃣ DbUnit: It is a supplement to JUnit tests for database intensive projects to check the state of the database.
4️⃣ Use Realistic Data: Select data that is as close to real production data as possible because the results of the test will be affected by the chosen data.
5️⃣ Automate Testing: Automation is useful when it involves functions frequently performed, eliminating possible human mistakes.
6️⃣ Regularly Update Test Cases: Update often the test cases in coordinates with the current database schema and demands.
7️⃣ Backup Before Testing: Before running the tests, it’s crucial to back up the database to avoid losing important information.
Conclusion
Database testing is also an important part of software testing that deals with testing of database systems as to their reliability, performance and security etc. Using a myriad of testing methodologies and tools, testers can check for data’s ad_echoarity and immutability to facilitate application performance. Forcing database testing can effectively improve the quality of the software and make it more reliable in line with the industry best practice.
