Installation testing is specific to distributed software that end-users must install on their computer or mobile device. These could be browser extensions, apps, server software, database applications, or independent software applications. It focuses on what customers need to do in order to successfully install, or uninstall, your application. The process involves full installations, partial installations, installation configuration options, patching processes, and uninstall processes.

If you think about the last application you installed, it likely involved allowing you to choose an installation directory, installation options you could select or deselect, such as if you wanted a shortcut placed on the desktop. In the background, registry changes were also made, and an uninstallation procedure was put in place.  Each of these things are also affected by operating environments and other software already installed on the system. All of these steps are testing during installation testing, and verified in as many end-user configurations as possible.

The goal of installation testing is to make sure the software is installed and working as expected after installation. Sometimes called implementation testing, it’s one of the most important tests of distributed software.

QA Mentor’s Testing Execution On-Demand Services and Lab Compatibility Services have a rotating team of quality assurance professionals who are ready to help you with your installation testing. We have a fully equipped lab that comprises all possible browser types and versions, OS and OS versions, add-ons, mobile platforms, and connection speed combinations.  It would be difficult, expensive, and exorbitantly time consuming for a company to set up and perform these kind of tests on their own, and why should they? QA Mentor has the software and expertise in place, ready to start testing immediately with a team of key individuals dedicated to your project.