In this post, we continue on the topic (and examples) set up in the Building tests - part 1 to explore a more sophisticated and powerful - yet more heavyweight - approaches to testing.

There is a well-known and widespread unit/integration/function/end-to-end taxonomy of tests that describe what is tested - single program component, single service or an entire solution. There is also a less known taxonomy of how testing is performed - from not having tests at all to the current golden standard of “single method - single test case” to a more advanced techniques - sometimes I call them “levels” of testing, as they build upon each other - like floors in a building. Interestingly, “buildings” of all heights deserve to exist as each “level” has its pros and cons - taller “buildings” are generally harder to build and maintain, but pack more inner space for the same land area - so choosing the right “height” is important for long-term success.