Some of the Backend Testing elements are:
- Database
- APIs
- Servers
Depending on the nature of the application, the back-end can include various network configurations, communication protocols, etc. However most often, there are three key elements.
Let us now see what is involved in testing each of these components and how.
Backend Database Testing
The phrase “back end testing” most frequently connotes database testing.
An essential component of any application is the database. Your program functions well when there is a smooth interaction between the GUI and the database. Performance bottlenecks, security risks, and inconsistent outcomes are all signs of issues.
Databases are usually validated for:
- ACID properties
- CRUD operations
- Schema
- Migration
- Business rule conformance
- Security
- Performance
Advanced ETL and data warehouse maintaining systems will need tests run against them too.
For more information on these testing types, please check out the following articles that are already on our site=>
- All About Database Testing – Why, How, and What to Test?
- ETL vs. DB Testing
- ETL Testing – Tips, Techniques, Processes and Challenges
In addition to the content in the above links, the important aspect to reiterate is that Database, ETL, and Data warehouse testing need enhanced knowledge of SQL.
Many tools are often employed by testers to interact with and validate DB behavior through queries.
Let’s look at a few categories of these Backend Database testing tools:
#1) Interfaces that let you connect and run your queries against the databases.
Some of them have a GUI while others don’t.
- TOAD: I am sure everyone has heard of this. It supports many DBs and platforms. It comes both as free and commercial versions. More information, resources, and the free version can be found at toadworld
- PHPMyAdmin: This is an excellent open source tool that lets you run queries and interact with your DB via a User interface. I have personally used it and my team loves how intuitive the tool is. We needed zero training to get comfortable. I highly recommend this tool if you are looking for a connection medium to your MySQL and MariaDB databases phpmyadmin
- Heidi SQL: Very similar to PHPMyAdmin. It connects to MySQL , Microsoft SQL databases, and PostgreSQL. Open sourced. Find more information at hheidisql
The list of tools is endless, but the above are some of the most popular choices.
#2) DB load and performance benchmarking tools:
- HammerDB: This is an open source tool that many DB experts vouch for. I have personally not used this but it supports many databases. From the screenshots and the looks of it, it looks like a tool worth checking out. More details on hammerdb
- SLOB: The Silly Little Oracle Benchmark tool helps you time and assess the I/O style of DB transactions. It can help you understand CPU, Memory and processing times for bulk transactions on your system. More details on Kevin Closson
- Swingbench: This is a very similar tool to HammerDB. It works on Oracle DBs and is very effective. To understand the tool and its features, try this guide: dominicgiles
API testing
Since we are informally classifying everything that is not visible to the end-user as the back-end, let’s also briefly discuss the API, which is technically not on the back-end.
The application program interface, or API for short, is essentially where all of the programming logic is stored. One of the main obstacles to evaluating it is that it lacks a user interface. However, evaluating the API typically entails early testing because APIs are typically developed before the application’s user interface is developed.
Messaging and sending/receive calls are used instead of direct sending and receiving of input and output data.
The most popular tool used for API testing is SOAPUI.
- STH as an extensive tutorial on SoapUI at => 15+ SoapUI Tutorials – Your Complete Guide to SoapUI
- HP UFT too can help you with this => 16 New Features of HP UFT – QTP vs UFT
All databases and Applications themselves are installed on servers that keep these systems up and running.
Here are a few tests that are running:
#1) Installation: Once the installation is complete, you can go to the respective folders and make sure that the files/elements have made it to their target folders in the way they were supposed to. Now, if you are wondering “how will I know where everything needs to go?” ask your development and deployment teams and they can confirm the same for you.
This step might not be mandatory, but some companies do use manual deployments. In that case, it could become an important smoke/sanity test step.
#2) Logs: There are logs maintained for every transaction’s status on the servers. This will give us insights into whether the end-to-end process has been a success.
The database may update correctly when the front end sends valid data. What if there is a fault, memory leak, or exception being thrown by this operation? These are the server-side logs that will show you this data.
Although it is not a requirement, UNIX-based systems typically make up the majority of servers. You will therefore need a method to connect to your server in order to be able to work through them with ease.
PuTTy is unquestionably the most widely used option for connecting to your servers.Putty requires no installation and is an open source product. Downloading and using it is all that is required.
UNIX systems don’t have a graphic user interface and that is what makes them perfect to be App and DB servers. They are secure, abstract, faster and cheaper. There are many flavors of UNIX and due to the absence of GUI, we will have to use commands to communicate with the server. We all have our go-to resources for UNIX commands and this one is mine: freeengineer
#3) Server’s performance and security:
Just like any other part of the software, the server has to be secure and responsive.
There are a number of tools available to check this and to find one that works for you, check out this list: 30+ Most Popular Web Application Testing Tools
Finally, in conclusion
As you must have understood by now, this article alone will not help you learn Backend testing in its entirety. However, it points you to resources and references that will aid you to master it. So, bookmark it for future reference!
Additionally, this post should dispel the myth that functional testing is just focused on the front end and GUI.
You are confirming the program’s suitability for usage whether you are viewing a database, searching up the status of a transaction in the log, or sending a request message to a specific service.
It’s functionality, to put it another way. There will be differences in “where you test” and “how you test.”
To declare a software system ready for use, testers must comprehend and investigate its numerous components, just like a program must function flawlessly to be effective.
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