I like to write browser (puppeteer) tests for user-facing software criteria like "patreon link must work." In the past I've written similar tests for small websites I've created where the purpose is to surface affiliate links for users to click on. My criteria is "from a money standpoint, is this the call to action I want my users to engage in?"
I don't know what type of test this is -- can anyone disambiguate testing terminology for me?
P.S. Browser based testing is brittle but since I often create websites and because I want to really ensure that I'm not 'lying' to myself in tests, using a browser is often the best (albeit slower) choice. These tests usually run in CI and I get notifications if they break.
P.P.S. I wish we had a better mental model for the types of tests than the "testing pyramid." I find the testing pyramid lacking.
I came across this interesting tool for similar tests the other day. It lets you request websites or API’s and then search the return for a string. It’s more for checking uptime, so I dunno if it would be acceptable for this type of test, but it looks like a cool tool.
I have a hunch that every pyramid model is bullshit. It's a very clear way of presenting something that is not at all anything like a pyramid.
Fixed now.