Portability testing
Portability testing checks how easily your software moves to another environment: a new operating system, browser, database, cloud or device. We test that it installs, adapts, replaces what it should and lives next to other software without trouble.
What we test
- InstallabilityInstall, upgrade, uninstall
- AdaptabilityNew environments, no code change
- ReplaceabilityTakes over from the old system
- Co-existenceShares a machine safely
What is portability testing?
Portability testing evaluates the ease with which software can be transferred from one environment to another. This includes testing across different operating systems, hardware platforms, databases, browsers and network conditions.
Portable software adapts to new environments with little modification, so each new platform costs less to support and reaches users sooner.
Portability dimensions
| Dimension | Description | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Installability | Whether the software can be installed and uninstalled in a given environment. We test deployment packages, installation scripts, configuration requirements and removal on each target platform. | ISO 25010 portability |
| Adaptability | How easily the software adapts to different or changing environments using only the means provided for it. We test configuration options and environment-specific settings. | ISO 25010 portability |
| Replaceability | Whether the software can replace another product for the same purpose. We test migration paths, backward compatibility, data conversion and API equivalence with the old system. | ISO 25010 portability |
| Co-existence | Whether the software can share an environment with other independent software without harming it. We test resource sharing, isolation and interference. | ISO 25010 compatibility |
ISO/IEC 25010 lists co-existence under compatibility, not portability. We test it in the same pass because the same environments expose both.
Testing process
Environment inventory
List the target platforms, operating systems, browsers, databases and hardware the software has to run on.
Installation testing
Check deployment procedures, installer packages, dependency resolution and clean uninstallation on every target.
Cross-platform validation
Run functional tests on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and the web to confirm the same behaviour everywhere.
Configuration testing
Test adaptability by changing environment variables, configuration files and runtime parameters without changing code.
Co-existence verification
Run the software next to other applications to find resource conflicts, port collisions and shared library clashes.
Migration testing
Test replaceability: data migration, API compatibility and whether users can do the same work as on the old system.
Key benefits
Broader market reach
Support the environments your users actually have without keeping a separate codebase for each one.
Reduced deployment costs
Environment-specific problems are found before release, when they are cheaper to fix than after a customer reports them.
Faster time-to-market
Configurations that have already been tested remove most of the environment debugging from release week.
Future-proof architecture
Testing for portability early keeps you able to move platform or vendor later without a rewrite.
Moving to a new platform or cloud?
We can test the move before your users make it. Talk to us
Based on industry standards
Our portability testing follows the ISO/IEC 25010 quality model (portability in the 2011 edition, renamed flexibility in the 2023 edition) and ISTQB testing guidance. Related pages: cloud migration testing, mobile app testing and non-functional testing.
How BetterQA does portability testing
We agree the environment matrix with you from your real user data, so testing covers the platforms that carry your users rather than every combination that exists.
Engineers who test for a living
BetterQA, founded 2018, 50+ QA engineers. People plan and run the portability testing and report what the results mean for your release.
Bugs you can act on
Every defect we find is written up in BugBoard, our own test management tool, or in your tracker, with steps to reproduce, the expected and actual result, and the environment.
A certified process
ISO 9001 for quality management and ISO 27001:2022 for information security. See our certifications.
How an engagement works
- €20-45 per hour
- First month is a trial
- First two weeks complimentary if you are not happy
- 30 days' notice after that
Portability testing: common questions
What is portability testing?
Testing how easily software moves to another environment, such as an operating system, browser, database or device, and whether it keeps working there.
What are the types of portability testing?
Installability, adaptability and replaceability testing, which ISO/IEC 25010:2011 groups under portability (the 2023 edition calls the group flexibility). Co-existence testing is usually done alongside them.
What is the difference between portability and compatibility testing?
Portability asks whether the software can move to a new environment. Compatibility asks whether it works with other software in the same environment, which is where co-existence belongs.
Can BetterQA test across many devices and environments without us building an in-house QA lab?
Yes. We plan the environment matrix with you and run the tests on the environments you provide, real browsers and devices on BrowserStack, or hardware we agree per project, so you do not build and maintain a test lab of your own.
What does it cost?
The cost depends mostly on how many environments are in the matrix. Our rate is €20-45 per hour. For ongoing work the first month is a trial, the first two weeks are complimentary if you are not happy, and after that it is 30 days' notice.
Test across all platforms
Tell us where your software has to run. We will build the environment matrix and test install, configuration and behaviour on each target.