What are the best practices for testing monolith-based architecture?

2 Use test-driven development

Test-driven development (TDD) is a software development technique that involves writing tests before writing code, and then refactoring the code until it passes the tests. TDD can help you test your monolith application more effectively, as it encourages you to write modular, clean, and testable code, and to focus on the requirements and functionality of your software. TDD can also help you reduce bugs, improve code quality, and facilitate continuous integration and delivery.

3 Isolate and mock dependencies

One of the challenges of testing monolith applications is dealing with the dependencies between the components, such as databases, external services, or other modules. These dependencies can make your tests slow, brittle, and unreliable, as they introduce more variables and uncertainties into your testing process. To overcome this challenge, you should isolate and mock your dependencies as much as possible, using tools and frameworks that allow you to create fake or simulated versions of your dependencies that behave as expected. This way, you can test your components in isolation, and verify their functionality and behavior without relying on external factors.

4 Implement code coverage and code quality tools

Code coverage and code quality tools are essential for testing monolith applications, as they help you measure and improve the quality and maintainability of your code. Code coverage tools can help you identify how much of your code is covered by tests, and where you need to add more tests or improve your existing tests. Code quality tools can help you check and enforce coding standards, style guides, best practices, and common errors in your code, and provide feedback and suggestions on how to refactor and optimize your code.

5 Use performance and load testing tools

Performance and load testing tools are important for testing monolith applications, as they help you evaluate and optimize the performance, scalability, and reliability of your software under different conditions and scenarios. Performance and load testing tools can help you simulate real or expected user behavior, traffic patterns, and system load, and measure how your application responds to them in terms of speed, throughput, latency, resource consumption, and error rates. They can also help you identify and resolve performance bottlenecks, issues, and risks in your application, and ensure that your software meets the desired service level agreements.

6 Adopt continuous testing and feedback

Continuous testing and feedback are key for testing monolith applications, as they help you integrate testing into your software development lifecycle, and ensure that your software is always tested, verified, and validated. Continuous testing and feedback involve automating and running your tests frequently and consistently, using tools and platforms that support continuous integration and delivery. They also involve collecting and analyzing the test results, metrics, and feedback, and using them to improve your testing process, code quality, and software functionality. Continuous testing and feedback can help you accelerate your software delivery, reduce your testing costs, and enhance your software quality.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?