Non-functional
testing refers to the testing of those aspects of a software
application which are not connected in any way with a defined user
action or a function.
As
the name suggests, it concentrates on an application’s
non-functional aspects such as performance, usability, security,
compatibility, and all other aspects that are not tested under
functional testing. Non-functional testing is performed to verify
these NFRs and if the system’s behavior is in accordance with them.
The
following are some of the significant non-functional aspects of an
application that are considered and tested under non-functional
testing:
-
How does the application behave and perform under normal circumstances?
-
How does it behave when a large number of users log in simultaneously?
-
How much stress could the application handle?
-
How secure is the application?
-
Is the application robust enough to recover from a disaster?
-
Does the application show similar behavioral patterns in a different environment or OS?
-
Are the documents accompanying the application easy to understand?
The
singular purpose of NFR testing is to ensure that the application
works well with regards to the non-functional aspects.
Ultimately,
the motive of non-functional testing is to test all characteristics
of an application that would help to provide an application which
meets the business expectations.
Read
more on Non
Functional Testing Guide
