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Functional testing
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Software_development/UUfsAaYY">software development</a>, functional testing is a form of <a href="/facts/Software/RP79lVSW">software</a> <a href="/facts/System_testing/ThxRDsAy">system testing</a> that verifies whether a system meets its <a href="/facts/Functional_requirement/RrllnLMa">functional requirements</a>. </p><p>Generally, functional testing is <a href="/facts/Black-box_testing/j2velRR9">black-box</a>, meaning the internal program structure is ignored (unlike for <a href="/facts/White-box_testing/mVc9WRoa">white-box testing</a>). </p><p>Sometimes, functional testing is a <a href="/facts/Quality_assurance/BhDeyhel">quality assurance</a> (QA) process. </p><p>Functional testing differs from <a href="/facts/Acceptance_testing/xlDUeQ0M">acceptance testing</a>. Functional testing <a href="/facts/Verification_and_validation_(software)/9xY9BFSM">verifies</a> a program by checking it against design documentation or specification, while acceptance testing <a href="/facts/Verification_and_validation_(software)/9xY9BFSM">validates</a> a program by checking it against the published user or system requirements. </p><p>As a form of <a href="/facts/System_testing/ThxRDsAy">system testing</a>, functional testing tests slices of functionality of the whole system. Despite similar naming, functional testing is not testing the code of a single <a href="/facts/Function_(computer_programming)/9vFJrg0A">function</a>. </p><p>The concept of incorporating testing earlier in the delivery cycle is not restricted to functional testing. </p><p>In fixture testing, while <a href="/facts/In-circuit_testing/vc5Dyz2w">ICT fixtures</a> test each individual component on a PCB, functional test fixtures assess the entire board's functionality by applying power and verifying that the system operates correctly. </p>