Thread Testing in Software Engineering

Prerequisite: Software Testing

Before knowing thread testing let’s know about thread. Generally a thread is the smallest unit of work that any system can perform. Due to thread multiple tasks executes simultaneously at a time. So while developing software application we make use of threading concept a lot. While testing, these needs to be tested properly as well.

Thread Testing is a Software based approach used during foremost integration testing phase. The basic motto of this testing is to verify the key functionality which conveys specific task. Application of thread testing is little critical as it takes place via integrated client, server and network. Threads are checked separately and then tested incrementally as subsystem and then performed as whole system.  

There are generally two types of thread testing i.e.

• Single thread testing: One application transaction done at a time is called single thread testing.
• Multi thread testing: Several concurrently executing tasks of the active transaction at a time is called multi thread testing.

Moreover, the virtual user group are represented by thread groups. Which is primarily a set of threads executing the same framework which the base element for the test plan. 

Lets discuss some thread group: 

• Number of threads: Which represents the amount of virtual users performing the test script functioning.
• Ramp-Up period: Basically identifies the total number of threads and makes the process much easier.
• Loop count: It contains the count of execution made throughout the script.
• Scheduler: It schedules all the alignment of test. it also allows to set the custom duration and startup delays which eventually creates the thread in the section.

Process of Thread Testing:

• The thread process majorly focuses on the integration activities rather than whole development of ongoing lifecycle.
• Thread based testing is a nonexclusive form of session based testing where the session are in the form of thread but thread are not actually session.
• For thread testing the thread or program are integrated and tested incrementally act as the subsystem and accordingly the whole system executes.

Advantages of thread testing :

• Enhances the performance is by decreasing the development time.
• Simplifies and streamlines program coding.
• Improvised GUI responsiveness
• Parallelizes and imitates occurrence of tasks.
• Provides efficient communication.
• At the lowest level, it provides the best knowledge of integration and much better scope.

Disadvantages of Thread Testing:

• Performing unit testing on multithreaded application is little difficult.
• In case of multithreading testing, the substantial challenge is that the programmer should able to program accordingly to replicate test for unit test.
• Testing Criteria for multi-thread testing is different job as of single thread testing and also varies when called on different hardware which includes memory size, storage capacity, timing problems etc.