System Testing vs Integration Testing with Types and Advantages

Introduction

Quality assurance is important in the delivery of a strong product within the software development lifecycle (SDLC). Of the many testing phases, two important ones are System Testing and Integration Testing. 
This article talks about their clear goals, major differences, and applications for best results to enable you to integrate them into your testing strategy with maximum results. Also, there is a table that shows in detail about integration test vs system test.

System Testing vs Integration Testing – Overview

What is System Testing?

System testing is the level of software testing that involves verifying the whole system including hardware, software, and how they work together to make sure they meet all the requirements. It tests the whole system as a single unit, not its individual parts, to find any issues and to make sure the system works properly in different situations.

When to Perform System Testing?

• After all modules have been integrated into a single system.
• Before going for acceptance testing or for deployment.
• When there are major updates or new versions.

For a deeper dive, check out our complete guide on System Testing

What is Integration Testing?

Integration Testing looks at interactions between integrated modules or components of a system and, in the process, ensures that data flow and communication between them are working fine.

When to Perform Integration Testing?

• During the Development phase when modules are integrated.
• When the modules are ready for testing but not necessarily fully complete.
• To verify the interfaces and exchange of data between modules.

For further information, refer to our detailed article on Integration Testing.

System Testing and Integration Testing – What are the Similarities?

Upon careful consideration of System testing vs Integration testing, you will understand that there exist several similarities between the two. Let’s look at all the features that make System and Integration testing similar:

• System testing and Integration testing leverage Agile methodology that follows regular release cycles. Here, different teams share their testing duties while ensuring stakeholders actively participate in the process. Communication is transparent and well-maintained while considering customers’ opinions.
• Both types happen in the test environment that simulates the actual conditions of users.
• System testing and Integration testing cover the functional features of software under testing.
• They both use the black box testing technique.
• They both help to analyze system performance and usability.

System Testing vs Integration Testing: Key Differences

The following table shows you the difference between integration testing and system testing.

Aspect	System Testing	Integration Testing
Scope	Tests the complete application or system	Focuses on interactions and data flow between integrated modules
Purpose	Validates overall system behavior against user requirements and business objectives.	Ensures that integrated modules work together correctly and handle data and control flow as expected.
Testing Techniques	Mainly black box testing	Combines white box and black box testing
Focus	Assessment of complete system functionality, including both functional and non-functional aspects	Focuses on module interactions, data exchange, and interface compatibility
Conducted By	Both developers and QA teams	Primarily conducted by QA teams
Timing	Conducted after Integration Testing	Performed during the integration phase
Environment	Limitation of the production environment	Controlled environment with step-by-step module integration
Validation of Expected Outcomes	Validation of system behavior in all scenarios, including extreme corner cases.	Validation of requirements workspace and behavior, identification of improper data flow, module interactions, and fused interfaces.
Types	Functional Testing: Validates user interfaces, APIs, and interaction with external systems. Non-Functional Testing: Performance, usability, security features, and other non-functional aspects like load capacity and reliability.	Data flow testing: It checks data movement among modules.Control flow testing: It examines control flow between modules.State transition testing: It studies responses from different modules to inputs and states.
Feedback for Developers	Provides feedback on overall system functioning and performance, highlighting any system behavior that does not meet user requirements.	Provides feedback on integration points and interactions, helping developers handle issues related to communication and functioning between modules.

For insights on automating your testing processes, check out our guide on Mastering Automated Testing.

The End!

Hope you are now clear about the difference between integration and system testing!

Summarizing here:

System Testing and Integration Testing are integral to ensuring software quality. Effectively implementing both types of testing can help identify and resolve issues at different stages of the development process, ultimately contributing to a successful and well-functioning software product.

Happy Testing!

Frequently Asked Questions

What comes first in System Testing vs Integration Testing?

Integration testing comes before System testing. Once all the modules’ development and integration are complete, Integration testing checks for compatibility and comprehensibility issues. Subsequently, the application undergoes System testing.

Which tools are useful for System Testing and Integration Testing?

For System Testing:

Some popular System testing tools are Testsigma, Selenium, HPE Unified Functional Testing (UFT), Robot framework, JMeter, and Galen framework.

For Integration Testing:

Some Integration testing tools are Testsigma, Selenium, Citrus, Pytest, Rational Functional Tester, Mockito, FitNesse, and LDRA.