Concurrent testing is also known as multi-user testing. Testing a concurrent program is more challenging than testing a sequential program, due to nondeterminism and synchronization issues.
What is Concurrent Testing?
Concurrent testing in software testing is defined as a testing technique to detect defects in an application when multiple users are logged on. In other words, multiple users perform the same process at the same time while monitoring the effect.
Concurrent Testing Example
Nowadays almost everyone uses Flipkart to order their products. So think of a situation where many users are logged into their Flipkart account at the same time and multiple users are ordering the same product at the same time, so testing how the software behaves in this situation.
As we know that compatibility testing helps to improve the reliability and durability of concurrent programs. Synchronous programs run several programs at the same time and share information. Where this concurrent testing ensures the reliability of concurrent programs.
Concurrent Testing Process
Below are the 5 important steps involved in concurrent testing.
- Creating a Test Plan
- Test Plan Analysis
- Creating different scenarios and classifying them into high and low-level scenarios
- Develop a suitable environment for the test
- Testing a program by executing two or more tasks simultaneously.
Concurrent testing tools:
- LoadNinja
- LoadRunner
- Apache JMeter
The first step to concurrent testing is to create a convergence point using your testing tool. This helps in generating heavy user load on the server. The next step is to create a scenario by recording and expanding the script. If you are using LoadRunner you can add concurrent users through the controller component. This feature may be named differently in other tools.
Now all users have to wait at the same point. In this case, the login button is all set to be clicked. To get to the meeting point, all users have to click the button at the same time.
Concurrent Testing Techniques
Code Review: In this process, the embedded code and its structure are verified. This is a time-consuming process.
Static Analysis: Static analysis is used to test and evaluate the coding system before the code is implemented. It is useful for discovering bugs and errors in the system.
Fuzz Test: In this test, the user feeds false random data and then waits to see how the program responds. There is no logic behind the fizz test, it is more than just a guess as bad data is provided to cause the program to crash.
Contest: Competing resolves synchronization errors in multithreaded Java applets. The competition also points out flaws in unit tests.
Accessibility testing: In general, accessibility testing is not feasible for many applications because it requires large subtests.
Random Test: The coverage area is increased by randomizing the test input. Multiple edges are tested at the same time. For best results, 5-10 strands should be tested each time.
Concurrent Test Extension: It can be used to test multi-threaded or concurrent software. This type of test is easily extensible and usable using a scalable algorithm. Without an extension, the combination test is effective for testing serial programs.
Challenges in Concurrent Testing
Time-consuming: Concurrent testing can undoubtedly take a lot of time. Even though automation tools exist, the process still requires constant attention from developers.
New errors are introduced: Unlike most testing processes, concurrent testing does not incrementally fix errors as it progresses. Testers can still discover new bugs while dealing with existing bugs. This is what makes it even more tiring.
Need for multiple platforms: Today an application or program runs on multiple devices. So, you need to test them on different platforms.
Long waiting period: You have to wait for a long time for the results. Functions return results through callback functions or notifications, rather than delivering them immediately.
Difficult to debug: Most of the defects found in this testing are time-bound and difficult to reproduce, making the debugging process difficult.
Advantages of Concurrent Testing
- This relatively reduces the amount of effort required to test an application by limiting the scope of synergistic interactions to a few well-tested components that are widely used.
- An encapsulation value allows the behavior of a part of a program to be analyzed without examining the entire code or program.
- It helps improve the reliability and robustness of concurrent programs.
Disadvantages of Concurrent Testing
Disadvantages that may be encountered by the test during simultaneous testing.
- Need to test on multiple platforms.
- More intensive testing is needed.
- Functions do not immediately return their result to the caller, but instead, they can be delivered later through notifications, blocks, callback functions, or similar mechanisms, making testing more difficult.
- Information or program flow is not reflected in the call stack.
- The number of execution paths in a system can be very large because such processes can interact with each other while they are executing.
- Concurrent programs have a higher failure rate than sequential programs.
- Debugging concurrent programs