What is the difference between end-to-end testing and integration testing?

End-to-end (E2E) testing and integration testing are both important parts of software development, but they focus on different things:

Scope:

• End-to-End Testing: Examines the entire software application, from the user interface (UI) all the way through to the back-end systems like databases. It simulates real-world user scenarios to ensure everything works smoothly together.
• Integration Testing: Focuses on how individual software components or modules interact with each other. It verifies that these components can communicate and exchange data correctly.

Perspective:

• End-to-End Testing: Takes a user-centric approach. It's like testing the software from the perspective of someone actually using it.
• Integration Testing: Has a more developer-focused view. It ensures the technical functionality of how different parts of the software work together.

Timing:

• End-to-End Testing: Typically happens later in the development lifecycle, closer to release, when most components are integrated.
• Integration Testing: Can occur earlier in development, as modules are being built and assembled.

Complexity and Cost:

• End-to-End Testing: Can be more complex and time-consuming to set up and run, due to the broader scope.
• Integration Testing: Generally less complex and faster to execute, as it's focused on smaller interactions.

Here's an analogy: Imagine a car.

• End-to-End Testing: Taking the car for a test drive to see if everything works together smoothly, from starting the engine and accelerating to using the brakes and turning.
• Integration Testing: Checking if the engine can power the wheels, if the brakes connect to the wheels properly, and so on.

Both E2E and integration testing are crucial for a well-functioning software product. They work together to identify issues at different levels: integration testing catches problems with how components work together, while E2E testing ensures the entire user experience works as intended.

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