What is Concurrency Testing in Software Testing?

Extension Prerequisite: Software Testing

Currently, everything can be done with software. In this digital age, when everyone has their digital devices and they are accessing software anytime and anywhere as per their requirement. So the development team also has to develop quality software that can provide better services to the customer. As we know software development follows a Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) to develop any software application. Software testing is an important part of the development cycle. As a single software application is used by many people at the time with multiple devices its compatibility and stability need to be checked. Not only this but also it needs to be checked that it is working concurrently or not. However, developing good concurrent software is always a challenging activity. Given the importance of concurrent software testing, much research has been conducted in this area, particularly involving the adaptation of techniques and standards applied in serial programs. In this article, we will discuss more about concurrency testing.

Concurrency Testing :

Concurrency testing is mainly used to check the performance of a website when there are multiple users active on your website. That’s why it is also called Multi-User Testing. Synchronization testing is like a step to get a website’s traffic ready So that it doesn’t get stuck when there are multiple users. In other words, we can say monitoring the effect while multiple users take the same action at the same time.  

For example: – Nowadays almost everyone uses Flipkart to order their products. So think about a situation when many users have logged into their Flipkart account at a time and at the same time multiple users ordering the same product, so testing how the software is behaving in that situation is an example of concurrency testing.

As we know Compatibility testing helps improve the reliability and durability of concurrent programs. Synchronous programs run multiple programs simultaneously and share information. This Simultaneous testing ensures the reliability of simultaneous programs.

Process for concurrency testing :

• Create a plan for concurrent testing.
• Plan analysis and scoping.
• Create high and low-level scenarios for concurrent testing.
• Keep ready different platforms for testing.
• Creating the environment for testing.
• Now, two or more testers can start the test by performing the same task at the same time.

Concurrency test techniques :

1. Code review: In this process, the embedded code and its structures are verified. This is a time-consuming process.
2. Static Analysis: Static analysis is used to check and evaluate the coding system before the code is executed. It is useful for discovering errors and errors in the system.
3. Fuzz Test: In this test, the user feeds incorrect random data and then waits to see how the program responds. There is no logic behind the fuzz test, it is more than just a guess as the bad data is provided to crash the program.
4. Con Test: Contest removes sync errors in multi-threaded Java applet. The competition also points out shortcomings in the unit test.
5. Reachability testing: Usually, reachability testing is not possible for many applications because it requires large subtests.
6. Random Test: The coverage area is increased by randomizing the test inputs. Multiple strands are tested simultaneously. For better results, 5-10 strands should be tested each time.
7. Concurrent Test Extensionon: This can be used to test multi-threaded or concurrent software. This type of test is easily extendable and consumable using permutation algorithms. Without extension, the combination test is effective for the serial program test.

Some challenges in concurrency testing :

• Creating test cases for concurrent testing.
• Getting new bugs during concurrent testing.
• Needs to be tested on different platforms.
• Correcting concurrent program errors.
• Time-related defects are difficult to detect.

Advantages :

1. Issues like data corruption and deadlock are easily identified.
2. Encapsulation makes it easy to check the behavior of a certain portion of a program.
3. The reliability and durability of the software product increases.

Disadvantages :

1. Requirement of multiple platform testing.
2. Requirement of more extensive testing.
3. Reproducing defects is a difficult task.
4. Synchronous programs have a higher failure rate than sequential programs.
5. Correct concurrent software.