Software Testing - Portability Testing

A software should be developed such that it is fit to be used in various environments. The portability testing is done to evaluate the softwares capacity to work correctly in different environments without the need of any new modifications. It is done with the only intent to transport or port the software to various platforms, browsers, configurations, without compromising on the functionality, flexibility, and compatibility of the software.

What is Software Portability Testing?

The portability testing is conducted to measure the degree of ease or difficulty to port the software from one environment, hardware, or software to another. The outcomes of the portability testing is used to gauge how effortlessly the software or its modules can be integrated into one environment and then its functionalities can be compared against the portability requirements of the software.

Objectives of Software Portability Testing

The objectives of the software portability testing are listed below −

• The portability testing verifies the consistent characteristics, and display of the software in multiple browsers.
• The portability testing verifies the performance of the software in different network configurations such as bandwidth, latency etc.
• The portability testing verifies whether there is a good exception handling mechanism in the software.
• The portability testing validates whether the user guidebooks, and manuals are correct, and suitable under different circumstances.
• The portability testing validates the end users involvement, and usability of the software.

Types of Software Portability Testing

The various types of the software portability testing are listed below −

1. Hardware Portability Testing

It is done to check if the software works correctly on different hardware configurations. It also ensures that the software functions correctly in various architectures, hardware, devices, processors etc.

2. Browser Portability Testing

It is done to check if the software is compatible in different browsers. It also ensures that the software functions uniformly in various browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer etc.

3. Data Portability Testing

It is conducted to evaluate the softwares ability to transfer information between different circumstances. It also ensures that the software can be integrated with different middleware applications.

4. Installation/Uninstallation Testing

It is conducted to check the convenience of the software to be installed or uninstalled in different configurations. It also confirms that the installation steps are uniform in various platforms.

Attributes of Software Portability Testing

The attributes of the software portability testing are listed below −

• Adaptability − It is the capability of the software to adopt to a specific environment seamlessly. An uniform communication procedure among various software applications helps in ensuring its adaptability.
• Installability − It is the capability of the software to be installed to a particular target environment without additional help.
• Replaceability − It is the capability of the software to replace another software in a particular environment.
• Co-existence − It is the capability of the software to function correctly with other software without interfering with each other while using the same configurations. It is especially seen in complex software having multiple subsystems.

Checklists of Software Portability Testing

The checklists of the software portability testing are listed below −

• The software should be able to satisfy the portability specifications.
• The software should be able to function correctly in different browsers.
• The defects identified should be triaged, and reviewed from the project stakeholders so that they can be fixed.
• The defects which remained undetected during the unit, and the integration testing should be identified during the portability testing phase.

Advantages of Software Portability Testing

The advantages of the software portability testing are listed below −

• The software portability testing identifies the dependencies between two software.
• The software portability testing is suitable for large, and complex software having a large number of sub-modules.
• The portability testing is suitable for the software that is to be used in multiple environments.
• The portability testing identifies the defects which are missed during the unit testing and integration testing phases.
• The portability testing verifies the performance, and robustness of the software in different browsers, and platforms.
• The portability testing verifies the interfaces, and functionalities of the software in different browsers, and platforms.

Disadvantages of Software Portability Testing

The disadvantages of the software portability testing are listed below −

• The software portability testing may delay the software development timelines.
• The portability testing is done to verify the software in different browsers, and operating systems. Hence it adds to the project budget.
• The portability testing requires additional hardware support, so it increases the project cost.
• The portability testing is not easy to be executed in multiple user configurations.
• The portability testing may require additional storage space.

Conclusion

This concludes our comprehensive take on the tutorial on Software Portability Testing. Weve started with describing what is software portability testing, what are the objectives of the software portability testing, what are the various types of the software portability testing, what are the attributes of the software portability testing, what are the checklists of the software portability testing, what are the advantages of the software portability testing, and what are the disadvantages of the software portability testing. This equips you with in-depth knowledge of the Software Portability Testing. It is wise to keep practicing what youve learned and exploring others relevant to Software Testing to deepen your understanding and expand your horizons.