Functional Testing

Testing is important to ensure the quality of software, but the approach to your testing methodology does change a bit with no-code. Traditional software testing methods anticipate that many software defects can be introduced during the low-level coding process and set quality gates and validation steps to identify and remove them. Defects will certainly still need to be removed from a no-code app, but the abstraction layer of the no-code platform tends to provide guardrails that help prevent you from making lower-level technical features. During development, your focus should be on testing end-to-end scenarios that validate the end user features and user journeys to be delivered in the app. Depending upon the number and complexity of the integrations, you may also need to invest time in API testing, especially for newly created data exchanges.

What happens to unit testing? Well, in no-code, traditional unit testing activities are not typically needed. Unit tests are short program fragments that are written and maintained by the developers that exercise some narrow part of the product's source code and check the results. The outcome of the unit test either passes or fails. Developers will typically write many unit tests to cover the application modules or features, grouped into an overall test suite. This can require a significant amount of development effort but is a key part of maintaining the quality of a custom app. In no-code, however, there are few (if any) original "units" of code. Instead, each of the smaller components of the app is usually a prebuilt unit that is supplied by the no-code platform and assembled into higher-level functional components (e.g., forms, workflows, etc.). This allows teams to put focus on validating business rules and end-to-end user scenarios rather than having to unit test for minute defects that were accidentally introduced during coding.

Likewise, technical infrastructure and environment testing are also abstracted away from the application developer. Each app typically does not need to worry about running these test scenarios because once the no-code platform is established, it typically hides all the infrastructure and most of the environmental configurations away from the developer. There is necessary one-time testing of the no-code platform to ensure it has been set up correctly but, once deployed, it will provide consistent automation that prevents individual teams from focusing on these details.

One other difference in no-code testing is that it tends to also be performed more incrementally, rather than waiting until the entire MVP is complete. You don't defer the end-to-end testing to the very last minute. No-code encourages conducting scenario testing as soon as they are ready to be validated. This doesn't eliminate the amount of testing, but it often allows you to spot defects earlier in the process.

In no-code development, testing is a critical step to ensure that the application functions as intended, providing a seamless experience for users. Both functional testing during development and user acceptance testing (UAT) before release play pivotal roles in delivering a high-quality no-code solution.

During the Prototype to MVP stage, functional testing focuses on validating that the application works according to the defined business requirements and user journeys. This involves testing the core features and ensuring that the workflows operate as expected. The key objectives at this stage include:

• End-to-End Scenario Testing: Validating that key user journeys are properly implemented.

• Integration Testing: Ensuring that data flows correctly between integrated systems or external APIs.

Traditional testing methods, such as unit testing, are generally not required in no-code projects because the platform provides prebuilt components that abstract away most coding tasks. Instead, the focus is on ensuring that the business rules and processes deliver the correct outcomes.

Before launching the application, User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is conducted to confirm that the no-code solution meets the highest-level business requirements as defined in the business use case. UAT is a critical validation step, conducted in a real-world environment to simulate end-user interaction and ensure the solution is ready for deployment.

Key Aspects of UAT:

• Real-World Scenarios: Test cases focus on real-world business processes to ensure the application meets the intended use.

• Stakeholder Approval: UAT involves final approval from stakeholders, who verify that the application meets the business objectives and is ready for production.

In no-code projects, testing is more focused on business logic and user scenarios rather than low-level technical defects. Functional testing during the development stage ensures the core features work as intended, while UAT ensures the overall solution meets business needs and is ready for go-live. Both stages are essential for ensuring a smooth and successful deployment.