Integration Testing (Software Testing)

This video is a response to a blog post by James Bach. In this post he is coaching / mentoring a student, and the topic of conversation is Integration Testing. At the end of the conversation James starts to question his own understanding of integration testing and calls out the community to help, this video is a response to that.

I encourage you to do the same, in whichever medium you wish.

[EdwinCloud]

up to 1:21 the video is useless for anybody want to speed it up...

[bikerpreacheruk]

Given the integration could be tested with live objects or with stubs or mocks...is the wider testing outside of the specific integration not covered by system testing. Does this not simply not mean that you should prioritise your tests, ensuring that integration 1 is carried out before its dependants or a wider system test.

[dashby]

Very interesting thoughts Richard! I really like your train of thought with this.

I was also thinking on a slight tangent about different layers of integration... I think there is a common problem with people only look at higher layers of the integration onion - e.g. messages and communication layers between components.

The interaction between a keyboard and the field is technically an integration. The interaction between what data we type and the field could have multiple integrations (e.g. for different error handling / validation rules). The field and the save button is technically another integration. And the save button's relationship with the data being transferred to a DB is another integration... These might be much deeper integration layers that I think we just take for granted and probably don't see them as "integration tests".

But I'm thinking that all testing might relate to "integration" to a degree. Even if it might be subconscious to most of us...
I think your drawing touches on this a bit. I also think this is some thinking that needs a beer soon mate! (and maybe a TITP podcast discussion about it? :)

[canaldoguetoberra]

Could you make a video about Contract Testing?

[AstonishingStudios]

You are Austin McConnell's long lost identical twin.

[TheeHandle]

Lost it when the presenter is talking about integration testing and then says we can stub

[ruixue]

1:35 communication
2:23 both of them (A and B) want to listen
2:58
3:01 in theory we don't need B at all
3:10 we could stub/mock B
3:21

[StephenBlower]

There's no such thing as Integration Testing. All testing is about integrating IT/SOMETHING with the OLD/CURRENT. This is systems testing, as mostly all testing is. To try any piecemeal down testing to one thing with another fails to understand testing. Perhaps a whiteboard isn't going to work in the this context.

[ITConsultancyUK]

Sadly this is a terrible example and poor explanation. You do not understand testing at a deep level.