#software compatibility testing

In a fiercely competitive market where customers want the very best, be it the software applications, devices, or operating systems, companies have no way but to cater to their demand. In doing so, they are focused on developing software at low cost margins that functions across a wide array of digital platforms. This is evident in the way app makers are customizing their apps according to the requirements of both Android and iOS operating systems. To summarize, should a software aim at attracting the goodwill of its end customers, it must be compatible across platforms, browsers, devices, and their configurations. Since compatibility plays an important role in enhancing the user experience of a software, it should be subjected to the rigours of compatibility testing. Let us first understand this particular type of testing in some detail.

What is compatibility testing and why is it necessary?

This type of testing ensures the software developed by a company functions seamlessly across the digital environments. As a non-functional requirement, testing helps ascertain and validate if the software conforms to the expected compatibility requirements. It can consist of the following:

System compatibility

Operating system and database compatibility

Peripheral devices compatibility

Network compatibility

Browser compatibility

Device compatibility

User experience

Even though application compatibility testing plays a key role in the life of a software, it is often performed at the last stage of the SDLC. This is because the non-functional requirements of software are often not discussed alongside the functional ones. Testing teams often scramble to deliver the non-functional requirements of software close to the delivery schedule. Since these are the enablers of software, the neglect can be the difference between a software applications’ success and failure.

What are the types of software compatibility testing?

Software compatibility testing is classified into two types:

Forward: Validates the compatibility of software with newer versions.

Backward: This type of testing ensures if a software developed using the new version of the digital environment works equally fine in the older version.

Benefits of compatibility testing services

The high quality of software applications determines if they are to be lapped up by the end customers or junked in favour of their competitors. One of the key factors that defines the quality of software application is its compatibility. It goes a long way in ensuring customer satisfaction leading to brand recognition, word of mouth publicity, increased sales, and ROI. Let us understand how businesses can benefit from conducting dynamic application compatibility testing.

#1. Identifies glitches beforehand: Todays’ customers use a wide range of devices, operating systems, and networks, and any software used by them ought to conform to the respective configurations of the digital environments. A compatibility test plan should help identify the glitches present in a software (mobile or web application) so that the same could be mitigated before delivery. This reduces cost, which otherwise would have been accrued by the company for fixing glitches later. Moreover, it helps businesses to garner a positive user engagement.

#2. Impacts the SDLC process: Testing the compatibility of software checks its scalability, usability, and stability across platforms and their numerous configurations. The SDLC process should be all encompassing and help the development and testing teams to iron out glitches leading to saving time and money for the business. It goes without saying the success of a software depends on its acceptability among the end customers – a direct outcome of a robust and agile SDLC process.

#3. Meets user expectations: Digital transformation fuelled by the advent of new technologies has whetted the appetite of customers for better quality software. The usual expectations from software applications are about meeting parameters such as robustness, flexibility, customization, security, functionality, cost effectiveness, and compatibility. No wonder, the compatibility testing services help a business meet the expectations of customers.

#4. Scalability: This can be an indirect outcome of testing the compatibility of software. The testing ensures the software remains functional on a multitude of platforms, devices, and networks. And should the software undergo a surge in usage from specific platforms or devices, the testing would ensure scalability.

#5. Brand recognition: When the expectations of customers get fulfilled, the business developing that software finds more acceptance. This leads to increased sales and recognition for the brand.

Conclusion

The compatibility of software across operating environments and their configurations leads to user satisfaction. This helps the business to generate sales, achieve ROI, and stay up the competition curve.

Success generally means the achievement of something desired, planned or attempted. Without emphasizing on the technicalities as of now, a software or an application is said to be successful when

- Its popularity, downloads and usage continues to grow at an exponential rate. - It can adapt to changing environment maintaining its robustness. - It results into a continuous as well as a substantial source of income for the vendor.

The very first step towards achieving the above goals lies in making the application available globally. Not only that, the application should also easily load on any operating system, devices, network and user interface. Compatibility Testing addresses these issues.

An application is generally developed in a single environment. Compatibility testing is done when the application is runs successfully on the base system. It is a non-functional testing which ensures that the application runs without glitches on different permutations and combinations of supporting software and hardware environment.

The Basics:

Compatibility is the ability to co-exist with other attributes of an environment with least inconsistencies. This article covers the various aspects of software compatibility testing. In IT industry, compatibility refers to a system that is scalable in different computing environments with the same efficiency level. Such an environment consists of the following components:

• Operating System • Database System • Software System • Browser Attributes • Multiple Devices • Network System

Additional factors that can affect the application can be

• Different versions of the software • Screen resolution • Internet Speed and system configuration

Two considerations within the scope of an application compatibility testing are:

• Backward compatibility – that checks the efficiency of the application in previous versions. • Forward Compatibility – that checks the efficiency of the application in future versions.

The Need:

• User expectations are very crucial for the success of the application. Hence the predefined scope of development should keep these requirements and expectations in consideration. Compatibility Testing is performed to ensure that the application is functional with a wide range of software and hardware systems and stays ahead in the competition. This testing is done to upgrade the application with the emergence of new technology.

• A satisfied user is the best bet for product endorsement. Once users get what they look for, they serve as indirect marketing tools for the product brand. They refer the product into their social circle which in turn increases the popularity of the product.

• A major percentage of the customer care issues can be classified under the compatibility complaints. This requires deployment of live resources to interact and solve these issues at the earliest. Maintaining an efficient customer support staff requires additional and continuous investment.  If this test is carried out efficiently, it results into a substantial savings for the company as the number of complaints are reduced to a greater extent.

• Testing always aims at improving the product quality. The software testing procedures and the experience gathered during this phase serve as references for future product enhancements. This also improves the professional maturity of the company.