What does system testing verify?

System testing is primarily focused on verifying that the entire system meets the specified requirements laid out during the requirements gathering and design phases. This type of testing is conducted after integration testing and involves testing the system as a whole to ensure that all components work together correctly and that the software behaves as expected in its intended environment.

By verifying compliance with specified requirements, system testing ensures that both functional and non-functional requirements are met. This includes checking features and functionalities defined in the project specifications, ensuring that the software operates correctly within the specified constraints. Additionally, it assesses the system’s overall quality as perceived by stakeholders, ensuring that the delivered product aligns with the business's needs and fulfills user expectations as envisioned in the requirements documentation.

While other aspects like code quality, user experience, and performance metrics are important, they fall under more specialized testing categories or evaluations. For instance, user experience testing often involves usability testing, which assesses how easy and pleasant the system is for users. Performance testing, on the other hand, specifically measures how well the system performs under certain conditions, including load and stress testing. Compliance with specified requirements during system testing encapsulates a broader scope, confirming that the completed system delivers on what was promised to stakeholders.