computer science

System testing

System testing is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand System testing rather than just read about it. In short: System testing, a.k.a. end-to-end (E2E) testing, is testing conducted on a complete software system. System testing describes testing at the system level to contrast to testing at the system integration, integration or unit level.

Key takeaways

System testing belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect System testing to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of System testing from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

System testing, a.k.a. end-to-end (E2E) testing, is testing conducted on a complete software system. System testing describes testing at the system level to contrast to testing at the system integration, integration or unit level. System testing often serves the purpose of evaluating the system's compliance with its specified requirements – often from a functional requirement specification (FRS), a system requirement specification (SRS), another type of specification or multiple. System testing can detect defects in the system as a whole. System testing can verify the design, the behavior and even the believed expectations of the customer. It is also intended to test up to and beyond the bounds of specified software and hardware requirements.

Approaches Destructive testing: tests are carried out to the specimen's failure, in order to understand a specimen's performance or material behaviour under different loads. Nondestructive testing: analysis techniques to evaluate the properties of a material, component or system without causing damage. Fault injection: A testing technique which stress the system in an unusual way to examine the system behavior.

See also Automated testing Automatic test equipment Mobile-device testing Quality control Software testing Test case Test fixture Test plan

Notes

References Black, Rex (2002). Managing the Testing Process (2nd ed.). Wiley Publishing. ISBN 0-471-22398-0.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with System testing

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what System testing claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to System testing before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about System testing ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of System testing

In research: System testing appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses System testing in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: System testing is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Hardware testing, Software testing, Systems engineering, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for System testing outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study System testing in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what System testing means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain System testing out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is System testing in simple terms?

Why does System testing matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study System testing?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on System testing.