Software testing is crucial for businesses with any kind of digital presence. By finding bugs, security holes, and performance issues before software goes out into the wild, companies keep apps running smoothly and avoid reputational damage.
However, as developer teams are busy building new features, dedicated software testers, also known as quality assurance analysts, are needed. Testers dig deep into apps, running both manual and automated tests to break features, expose bugs, check security, and ensure everything works across different environments and conditions.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for software developers, QA analysts, and testers will grow by 17% between 2023 and 2033 -- much faster than the average for all occupations. But only 16% of businesses think their current testing practices are efficient, and the proliferation of AI apps is exacerbating the issue.
The good news is you don't need to be a coding whizz to start a career in software testing -- beginners can pick up the basics and land an entry-level role. But if you're already a professional or hobbyist developer, learning testing skills can help you catch issues in your own code before it hits production.
If you're interested in delving into software testing for the first time or are a developer that wants to expand your skills, consider enrolling in an appropriate online course. TechRepublic takes a look at the top six software testing courses available in 2024 for learners with different experiences, goals, and budgets.
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Manual testing courses focus on teaching how to manually execute test cases without tools. These typically do not require any prior programming knowledge as they start from the very basics, so are best for beginners.
Automated testing courses, such as Pluralsight's Automated Testing: End to End, focus on using tools and scripting to automate software tests. These are ideal for those aiming to speed up repetitive testing tests and work in an existing engineer role.
In a manual software testing course, you may learn how to test that an online shopping cart is working properly by manually checking if items are added or removed correctly and that the total price updates after each addition. In an automated testing course, you might learn how to write a script that automates adding items to the cart and checking the total price and does so across different browsers.
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A certificate in software testing, or simply knowledge gained by a relevant course, can open more doors than one may think. Career options include:
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Software testing methodologies are the different approaches used to evaluate the functionality, performance, and quality of software. These include system testing, performance testing, and usability testing. But the most prevalent are unit testing and integration testing.
Unit testing involves individual components of an application being tested in isolation to ensure they work as expected. It focuses on verifying the smallest testable parts of the software without any dependency on external systems. Integration testing, on the other hand, verifies the interaction between different components after they've been combined. The goal is to ensure that integrated units work together correctly.
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When assessing online courses, we examined the reliability and popularity of the provider, the depth and variety of topics offered, the practicality of the information, the cost, and the duration. The courses and certification programs vary considerably, so be sure to choose the option that is right for your goals and learning style.