For over a decade, the testing pyramid has been helping developers plan automated software tests. In this article, we’ll explore what makes up the pyramid, how it is helpful, and what alternative “shapes” there are.
What Is the Testing Pyramid?
Introduced by Mike Cohn in his book Succeeding with Agile (2009), the pyramid is a metaphor for thinking about testing in software. It’s an idea that has caught on so strongly that, to this day, it’s still the industry standard in engineering circles.
The pyramid attempts to visually represent a logical organization of testing standards. It consists of three distinct layers: