Integration testing and system testing are both crucial phases in the software testing lifecycle, but they focus on different aspects of ensuring software quality.
Integration Testing:
Integration testing is the process of testing the integration or interfaces between components, modules, or systems. The purpose is to verify that different parts of the system work together as expected. It typically follows unit testing and may involve testing multiple units together or testing the integration of software with external systems or services.
Example: In a web application, integration testing might involve checking if the login module correctly interacts with the user database, or if the payment gateway integrates seamlessly with the order processing system.
System Testing:
System testing, on the other hand, is a level of software testing where a complete and integrated software is tested. The purpose of this testing is to evaluate the system's compliance with the specified requirements. It is conducted on the entire system in the context of the operational environment.
Example: For the same web application, system testing would involve testing the entire application from a user's perspective, ensuring all functionalities like login, browsing, ordering, and payment work together smoothly in a real-world scenario.
In essence, integration testing focuses on the "how" components interact, while system testing focuses on the "what" the system does as a whole.
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