In April 1999, a $433 million Air Force rocket inexplicably malfunctioned almost immediately after liftoff, causing the permanent loss of an $800 million military communications satellite. This $1.2 billion disaster remains one of the costliest accidents in human history.


You might wonder if scientists ever found out what caused this misfiring. They sure did! And the answer is a software bug.


This accident alone is a testament to the importance of software testing.


Although you can probably deduce the software testing definition, let’s also review it together.


So, what is software testing?


Software testing refers to running a software program before putting it on the market to determine whether it behaves as expected and displays no defects.


While testing itself isn’t free, these expenses are cost-effective compared to potential money loss resulting from software failure. And this is just one of the benefits of this process. Others include improving performance, preventing human and equipment loss, and increasing stakeholder confidence.


Now that you understand why software testing is such a big deal, let’s inspect this process in more detail.


Software Testing Fundamentals


We’ll start with the basics – what are the fundamentals of testing in software engineering? In other words, what exactly is its end goal, and which principles underlie it?


Regarding the objectives of software testing, there are three distinct ones aiming to answer crucial questions about the software.


  • Verification and validation. Does the software meet all the necessary requirements? And does it satisfy the end customer?
  • Defects and errors identification. Does the software have any defects or errors? What is their scope and impact? And did they cause related issues?
  • Software quality assurance. Is the software performing at optimal levels? Can the software engineering process be further optimized?

As for principles of software testing, there are seven of them, and they go as follows:


  1. Testing shows the presence of defects. With everything we’ve written about software testing, this sounds like a given. But this principle emphasizes that testing can only confirm the presence of defects. It can’t confirm their absence. So, even if no flaws are found, it doesn’t mean the system has none.
  2. Exhaustive testing is impossible. Given how vital software testing is, this process should ideally test all the possible scenarios to confirm the program is defect-free without a shadow of a doubt. Unfortunately, this is impossible to achieve in practice. There’s simply not enough time, money, or space to conduct such testing. Instead, test analysts can only base the testing amount on risk assessment. In other words, they’ll primarily test elements that are most likely to fail.
  3. Testing should start as early as possible. Catching defects in the early stages of software development makes all the difference for the final product. It also saves lots of money in the process. For this reason, software testing should start from the moment its requirements are defined.
  4. Most defects are within a small number of modules. This principle, known as defect clustering, follows the Pareto principle or the 80/20 rule. The rule states that approximately 80% of issues can be found in 20% of modules.
  5. Repetitive software testing is useless. Known as the Pesticide Paradox, this principle warns that conducting the same tests to discover new defects is a losing endeavor. Like insects become resistant to a repeatedly used pesticide mix, the tested software will become “immune” to the same tests.
  6. Testing is context-dependent. The same set of tests can rarely be used on two separate software programs. You’ll need to switch testing techniques, methodologies, and approaches based on the program’s application.
  7. The software program isn’t necessarily usable, even without defects. This principle is known as the absence of errors fallacy. Just because a system is error-free doesn’t mean it meets the customer’s business needs. In software testing objectives, software validation is as important as verification.

Types of Software Testing


There are dozens (if not hundreds) types of testing in software engineering. Of course, not all of these tests apply to all systems. Choosing the suitable types of testing in software testing boils down to your project’s nature and scope.


All of these testing types can be broadly classified into three categories.


Functional Testing


Functional software testing types examine the system to ensure it performs in accordance with the pre-determined functional requirements. We’ll explain each of these types using e-commerce as an example.


  • Unit Testing – Checking whether each software unit (the smallest system component that can be tested) performs as expected. (Does the “Add to Cart” button work?)
  • Integration Testing – Ensuring that all software components interact correctly within the system. (Is the product catalog seamlessly integrated with the shopping cart?)
  • System Testing – Verifying that a system produces the desired output. (Can you complete a purchase?)
  • Acceptance Testing – Ensuring that the entire system meets the end users’ needs. (Is all the information accurate and easy to access?)

Non-Functional Testing


Non-functional types of testing in software engineering deal with the general characteristics of a system beyond its functionality. Let’s go through the most common non-functional tests, continuing the e-commerce analogy.


  • Performance Testing – Evaluating how a system performs under a specific workload. (Can the e-commerce shop handle a massive spike in traffic without crashing?)
  • Usability Testing – Checking the customer’s ability to use the system effectively. (How quickly can you check out?)
  • Security Testing – Identifying the system’s security vulnerabilities. (Will sensitive credit card information be stored securely?)
  • Compatibility Testing – Verifying if the system can run on different platforms and devices. (Can you complete a purchase using your mobile phone?)
  • Localization Testing – Checking the system’s behavior in different locations and regions. (Will time-sensitive discounts take time zones into account?)

Maintenance Testing


Maintenance testing takes place after the system has been produced. It checks whether (or how) the changes made to fix issues or add new features have affected the system.


  • Regression Testing – Checking whether the changes have affected the system’s functionality. (Does the e-commerce shop work seamlessly after integrating a new payment gateway?)
  • Smoke Testing – Verifying the system’s basic functionality before conducting more extensive (and expensive!) tests. (Can the new product be added to the cart?)
  • Sanity Testing – Determining whether the new functionality operates as expected. (Does the new search filter select products adequately?)

Levels of Software Testing


Software testing isn’t done all at once. There are levels to it. Four, to be exact. Each level contains different types of tests, grouped by their position in the software development process.


Read about the four levels of testing in software testing here.


Level 1: Unit Testing


Unit testing helps developers determine whether individual system components (or units) work properly. Since it takes place at the lowest level, this testing sets the tone for the rest of the software development process.


This testing plays a crucial role in test-driven development (TDD). In this methodology, developers perform test cases first and worry about writing the code for software development later.


Level 2: Integration Testing


Integration testing focuses on the software’s inner workings, checking how different units and components interact. After all, you can’t test the system as a whole if it isn’t coherent from the start.


During this phase, testers use two approaches to integration testing: top-down (starting with the highest-level units) and bottom-up (integrating the lowest-level units first).


Level 3: System Testing


After integration testing, the system can now be evaluated as a whole. And that’s exactly what system testing does.


System testing methods are usually classified as white-box or black-box testing. The primary difference is whether the testers are familiar with the system’s internal code structure. In white-box testing, they are.


Level 4: Acceptance Testing


Acceptance testing determines whether the system delivers on its promises. Two groups are usually tasked with acceptance testing: quality assessment experts (alpha testing before the software launches) and a limited number of users (beta testing in a real-time environment).



Software Testing Process


Although some variations might exist, the software testing process typically follows the same pattern.


Step 1: Planning the Test


This step entails developing the following:


  • Test strategy for outlining testing approaches
  • Test plan for detailing testing objectives, priorities, and processes
  • Test estimation for calculating the time and resources needed to complete the testing process

Step 2: Designing the Test


In the design phase, testers create the following:


  • Test scenarios (hypothetical situations used to test the system)
  • Test cases (instructions on how the system should be tested)
  • Test data (set of values used to test the system)

Step 3: Executing the Test


Text execution refers to performing (and monitoring) the planned and designed tests. This phase begins with setting up the test environment and ends with writing detailed reports on the findings.


Step 4: Closing the Test


After completing the testing, testers generate relevant metrics and create a summary report on their efforts. At this point, they have enough information to determine whether the tested software is ready to be released.


High-Quality Testing for High-Quality Software


Think of different types of software testing as individual pieces of a puzzle that come together to form a beautiful picture. Performing software testing hierarchically (from Level 1 to Level 4) ensures no stone is left unturned, and the tested software won’t let anyone down.


With this in mind, it’s easy to conclude that you should only attempt software development projects if you implement effective software testing practices first.

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OPIT – Open Institute of Technology, an innovative global online university, has announced the launch of OPIT AI Copilot, an advanced artificial intelligence assistant designed to revolutionize digital learning. This groundbreaking development is expected to significantly enhance access and support for its current and future students from across Africa.

With over 350 students from 80+ countries – including a growing number from Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya – OPIT’s new AI Copilot provides a real-time, personalized educational experience that adapts to each student’s learning journey. It is one of the first European institutions to introduce such a deeply integrated AI system into its learning platform.

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“This is a game-changer for working professionals and students across Africa who are balancing education with careers and family responsibilities,” said Riccardo Ocleppo, Founder and Director of OPIT. “It provides flexible, 24/7 access to mentorship and course support, helping our students overcome barriers of distance, time zones, and academic complexity.”

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Unveiled at the “AI Agents and the Future of Higher Education” event hosted by Microsoft in Milan, the launch brought together top minds from global academic institutions, including IE University, the Royal College of Art, and others. The event highlighted the transformative potential of AI in education, not as a shortcut but as a pedagogical shift.

“AI is now the environment in which we learn. But it brings cultural and ethical responsibilities,” said Professor Francesco Profumo, Rector of OPIT and former Italian Minister of Education. “We must build responsible bridges between human and artificial intelligence.”

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Open Institute of Technology (OPIT) is an accredited global online university offering Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in software engineering, AI, data science, and digital innovation. Committed to accessible and career-relevant education, OPIT is building a future-ready academic model powered by technology and global inclusion.

Read the full article below:

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B&FT Online: OPIT unveils AI Copilot to transform online learning for African students
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Jul 4, 2025 4 min read

Source:


Open Institute of Technology (OPIT), an innovative global online university, has announced the launch of OPIT AI Copilot, an advanced artificial intelligence assistant designed to revolutionize digital learning.

This groundbreaking development is expected to significantly enhance access and support for its current and future students from across Africa.

With over 350 students from 80+ countries – including a growing number from Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya – OPIT’s new AI Copilot provides a real-time, personalized educational experience that adapts to each student’s learning journey. It is one of the first European institutions to introduce such a deeply integrated AI system into its learning platform.

The AI Copilot has been meticulously trained on over 3,500 hours of OPIT course video content, 131 courses, and 320 assessments developed over the past three years. Thanks to this rich archive, it can offer highly contextual guidance, link directly to relevant sources, and adjust its support based on a student’s progress in their course modules.

“This is a game-changer for working professionals and students across Africa who are balancing education with careers and family responsibilities,” said Riccardo Ocleppo, Founder and Director of OPIT. “It provides flexible, 24/7 access to mentorship and course support, helping our students overcome barriers of distance, time zones, and academic complexity.”

The AI Copilot goes beyond student assistance. During examinations, it automatically shifts into “anti-cheating mode”, restricting direct answers and acting as a basic research tool, ensuring academic integrity while still encouraging self-driven learning.

For faculty at OPIT, the AI Copilot provides tools to automate grading, generate learning materials, and offer feedback rubrics that can reduce assessment time by up to 30 percent, allowing more time for personalized instruction and curriculum design.

Unveiled at the ‘AI Agents and the Future of Higher Education’ event hosted by Microsoft in Milan, the launch brought together top minds from global academic institutions, including IE University, the Royal College of Art, and others. The event highlighted the transformative potential of AI in education, not as a shortcut but as a pedagogical shift.

“AI is now the environment in which we learn. But it brings cultural and ethical responsibilities,” said Professor Francesco Profumo, Rector of OPIT and former Italian Minister of Education. “We must build responsible bridges between human and artificial intelligence.”

With mobile-first transactions, communications, and learning on the rise across Africa, OPIT has also confirmed the upcoming launch of a mobile app this autumn. The app will allow students to download exercises, summaries, and concept maps, making high-quality, AI-enhanced education more accessible to learners across the continent, even for those with limited connectivity.

Open Institute of Technology (OPIT) is an accredited global online university offering Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in software engineering, AI, data science, and digital innovation. Committed to accessible and career-relevant education, OPIT is building a future-ready academic model powered by technology and global inclusion.

Read the full article below:

Read the article