The self-checkout portal at the supermarket gives the idea to the classification of fresh fruits and vegetables. Nowadays, more self-checkout portals are added to the time saving of the customers at the supermarket. When it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables, It still needs to enter manually into the computer for purchase and, it is a bit time-consuming and increases cheating (By putting the wrong item name). We can make use of the camera at self-checkout to get a prediction of the items using machine learning. For example, when we put tomatoes on the counter, it detects the tomatoes through a semi-transparent bag and gives various tomatoes as a list. The problem with different object detection models is to see through semi-transparent bags to classify the image. You Only Look Once (YOLO) object detection did this job well If we train the model correctly. The main stages of Object detection are data acquisition, Augmentation, Model training, Model Evaluation, and Deployment. It gives 99.4% max accuracy on the training and testing dataset to classify 14 different classes for fruits and vegetables. On real-life images, it provides approx 90% accuracy on images to classify. Prediction execution performs under a sec is considered a good result for the self-checkout terminal.

Mac App For Tomato Your Life.

Just a few years ago, a company formed by three individuals decided that it would be making skateboards and sunglasses from recycled nylon. They were basing their efforts upon “trash” floating in the ocean, that they were determined should get cleaned up if they set the ball rolling and others joined them in the effort. “When we researched ocean waste, we learned that there’s a constant stream of nylon fishing nets being dumped into the ocean every year, nets that are just going to sit there for generations. This stuff doesn’t break down.” Today, the company pays fishermen in Chile to collect old nylon fishing nets, which are then recycled into skateboards and sunglasses. What is the material called Nylon? Nylon is a type of synthetic fiber fabric like polyester, made from petroleum products. Nylon was the first fabric made entirely in a laboratory and its invention represents the dawn of the age of synthetics. Nylon had started appearing in stores in 1939 in the form of women’s tights, but it was really the Second World War that opened up the market for Nylon. Nylon became widely available to the general public around the time of World War II. In fact during the war it extensively found of use in the making of parachutes and other military equipment. Prior to 1945, cotton and wool dominated the market; by the end of the war, synthetic fibers particularly nylon had eaten up a significant 25% of the market share. It is today commonly used to make clothing, backpacks and bags, stockings or tights, outdoor gear such as tents, rope, carpet, underwear and hosiery, nylon can also be found in the bristles of our toothbrushes, umbrellas, knits, and swimwear and active wear and many other items we use every day. The advantages of Nylon as a material First developed in the 1930s as an alternative to silk, there are lots of great qualities about the fabric. It is lightweight yet strong, and it is often touted for its quick-drying capabilities. Clothing manufacturers like it because it holds dye well. It is also less expensive to produce than silk and does not get damaged as easily. The making of nylon for fabric use Nylons are a family of materials called polyamides, made from reacting carbon-based chemicals found in coal and petroleum in a high-pressure, heated environment. This chemical reaction, known as condensation polymerization, forms a large polymer – in the form of a sheet of nylon. To make nylon fabric for apparel, this nylon sheet is then broken into chips, melted and drawn through a mechanical spinneret to produce individual fibres that are woven into fabric. This plastic is then put through an intensive chemical process, resulting in the strong, stretchy fibres that make it so useful as a fabric. So what is the idea about recycling Nylon? Since Nylon is made of petroleum products it will not biodegrade. Nylon doesn’t break down easily and accounts for about 10% of the debris in the ocean. According to the World Society for the Protection of Animals, more than 600,000 tons of fishing gear is dumped into oceans every year, including nylon nets. Fishermen often discard the nets because the alternative is much costlier – paying someone to dispose of them properly. For some reason locked deep in polymer chemistry, nylon is more difficult to recycle than polyester. After years of research, development, and testing, some recycled nylon fibers that are suitable for apparel and can pass the rigorous tests of manufacturability and product quality, is what the company found out. “Although we’ve been substituting non-recycled polyester for recycled versions for 20 years, only in the last five have we begun swapping out non-recycled nylon for its recycled replacement. Some of the recycled nylon we use comes from post-industrial waste fiber, yarn collected from a spinning factory, and waste from the weaving mills that can be processed into reusable nylon fiber. Another recycled nylon fiber we are experimenting with is re-created from discarded industrial fishing nets. Though a lot of experiments were conducted and extensive research on how nylon could be converted to its recycled biodegradable form was carried out, it was only in 2013 onwards that it actually produced desired results. In any case, incorporating as much recycled nylon as we can lessens our dependence on petroleum as a raw material source. It curbs discards, thereby prolonging landfill life and reducing toxic emissions from incinerators. It helps promote new recycling streams for nylon products that are no longer usable. And it causes less air, water, and soil contamination compared to using non-recycled nylon. Recycling of Nylon – a challenge in itself The economics of recycling nylon are not very appealing, however. An associate professor in plastic engineering at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, ran a research program on recycled fishing nets for the company. Nylon, he says, is not an easy or cheap material to recycle. Plus polymers, or plastics, are cheap to buy new which may be why many companies choose to use polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – the most common type of plastic found in soda and water bottles – instead . Contamination is another concern. Unlike metals and glass, which are melted at high temperatures, nylon is melted at a lower temperature, meaning some contaminants – non-recyclable materials and microbes or bacteria – can survive. This is why all nylons have to be cleaned thoroughly before the recycling process. “When you’ve dragged a fishing net through a boat, on the ocean floor, and wherever else, it’s a lot harder to clean before you can recycle it,” Johnston says. That’s why Johnston is supportive of circular economy business models, in which businesses keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract their maximum value and then recycle and reuse products and materials. “What would change the recycling scene is if we were charged per pound for all waste. Or if companies had to take back part of what they produced.” The company has an idea already: the company’s sunglasses come with a lifetime warranty. In fact it will fix any pair of glasses free of charge, or provide customers with new frames if their product is beyond repair. Old frames are recycled. And another Italian manufacturer Aquafil has nylon fibers in its carpets. After nearly 40 years of producing carpet yarn, a growing awareness of the environmental harm caused by synthetic materials made it want to turn towards a more environmentally friendly business model. In 2007, Aquafil began developing a machine that can churn through most kinds of nylons, producing new threads ready to be repurposed. Aquafil now sells these threads, called Econyl, to American brands such as Outerknown, an LA-based outerwear company started by pro surfer Kelly Slater, and swimwear giant Speedo. LA-based Masami Shigematsu works on product development for Speedo. She says that she had been actively searching for recycled nylon for years before she found Econyl. “It has to perform well. It can’t just be a sustainable material. Our products are being used by athletes who need it to function as good as new material.” In 2014, Shigematsu met with Aquafil and started experimenting with the fabric. Last year, Speedo rolled out two products with Econyl and has since expanded to include more than 50 products made with the material. Has corporate social responsibility become the modern gold rush? California-based Patagonia has also been adding more recycled nylon to its lineup. Currently, the company has more than 50 products that contain recycled nylon in various percentages. The Torrent shell jackets, for instance, have an outer layer textile made with 100% chemically recycled nylon. It took Patagonia nearly 15 years to develop the technology to recycle polyester to a point where it was as good as virgin polyester. Patagonia wants to go further than just use recycled nylon in its products. How to they Recycle Nylon Just about everyone has nylon around their home. It is in the backpacks our kids take to school, the pantyhose women wear to work and the cheap, reusable shopping bags everyone is handing out these days. There are very few places that accept nylon for recycling. It is unlikely that you can recycle it through your curbside program, and equally so that your local recycling center will have a handy bin that says, “Put your unwanted nylon here!” Your ability to recycle nylon depends largely on the form it takes; for example, nylon pantyhose are easier to recycle than nylon backpacks. But remember: If you cannot recycle an item made of nylon, you may be able to reuse it rather than putting it in the trash. The problem with nylon is that, like many fabrics, it is difficult to recycle, especially once it has been used. Second-hand fabrics typically need to be cleaned before they can be recycled, and it is often not cost-effective for companies to do that. However, there are a few nylon recycling options out there. How to recycle or reuse nylon bags Nylon bags are challenging to recycle unless you purchase one from a company that offers a take back program. San Francisco-based Timbuk2 is one such company. Once your nylon messenger or camera bag is worn out, simply stick it in a box and mail it to the company at the address provided on its website. Timbuk2 will reuse or recycle as many of the materials as possible. There is no charge for the company’s recycling services (other than the cost of postage), and customers that send in products to be recycled will receive a 20% discount on a future purchase. There may also be creative ways to reuse unwanted nylon bags. If you have a backpack that is in good shape that you no longer want, consider donating it to a thrift shop or a program that helps children get school supplies. If you have a large shopping bag with a hole it in, cut it apart and use the good nylon to make a smaller storage bag. How to recycle or reuse nylon fabric Leftover nylon fabric from a sewing project is a great material to reuse. See if your community has an organization that provides fabric and supplies to artists and schools. Materials for the Arts in New York City and The Scrap Exchange in Durham, NC, are a few examples. If you have nylon clothing you want to recycle, and you purchased that clothing from popular outdoor gear manufacturer Patagonia, you can return it to the company for recycling. Get more information about Patagonia’s recycling program on its website. How to recycle and reuse nylons or tights No Nonsense, which makes nylons, tights and other types of leggings, offers a recycling program for consumers. The first step is visit their pantyhose recycling page and print a prepaid mailing label. Next, place all your unwanted nylon leggings in a box and put on the shipping label. Drop it at your nearest post office or other mailing location, and your old nylons are on their way to a recycling facility. No Nonsense sends the material to a plant that recycles it into things like playground equipment, toys and vehicle insulation. There are lots of ways to reuse old nylons as well. Put a bar of soap in the toe of a clean nylon (make sure there is no run in that section). Tie off the open end and hang the sock by the sink. When you go to wash your hands, get them plenty wet then roll the sock between your hands. This works really well in potting sheds, barns or other places where a soap dish might not be practical. Use nylons to tie up tomatoes or other plants that need support as they grow. Fill a clean nylon with potpourri or lavender. Use it as a sachet in your drawers, car or any other area you want to smell fresh. But then what is to be Nylon’s impact on the planet? Different kinds of nylon have different properties, but the common threads between each are strength, durability and ability to be moulded into shape. The flip side is that no form of nylon is biodegradable; so once you no longer have a need for your torn stockings or old toothbrush, it sits in a landfill for at least 30 years. Nylon is in part derived from coal and petroleum. In producing nylon there is creation of Greenhouse gases: producing nylon creates nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Water: manufacturing nylon is a very thirsty process; large amounts of water are used for cooling the fibres, which can be a source of environmental contamination and pollution. Energy: manufacturing nylon is a very energy-hungry process, which contributes to environmental degradation and global warming. But, definitely there is the good side to it. Nylon is a plastic that can be recycled. There are several brands and accreditations that can help consumers find more sustainable nylon products. Econyl has developed an eco-friendly nylon made from recycled plastics in a closed loop system, drastically reducing waste and emissions. Nylon may certainly not be great for the environment, but there are plenty of brands working hard to turn that around!

Violent Pomodoro Technique: 25 min work + 5 min rest per half-hour. Chrome extension & Windows AHK desktop automation with audio cues.

Solution - pomodoro (tomato-timer) life changer.....................

Just working hard for every 0-24 and 30-54 minutes. 每专注半小时休息5分钟的工作法。

Diabetes is a disorder that affects over 77 million people in India. Today is World Diabetes Day, and as we create awareness for this issue, it is necessary to know that diabetes is not a disease but merely a disorder that one can learn to live with, with proper care and small changes in their lifestyle. The theme of this World Diabetes Day is “access to diabetes care”, an initiative to provide millions with the chance to fight this disorder. A similar thought was put into creating the Franch Diafite Powder, an ayurvedic supplement made with natural ingredients that helps regulate high sugar levels. Anyone who is dealing with Diabetes must always remember the acronym, TRACK – T – take your medicines properly R – regularly exercise A – add natural food and herbs to your diet C – control your ABCs – A1C, Blood Pressure, & Cholesterol levels K – kick any bad habits like smoking, alcohol & aerated beverage consumption Apart from this, here are 7 other ways to improve your lifestyle as you deal with diabetes. Boost immunity to avoid severe illnesses High sugar levels are a threat to your immune system, and people with diabetes are at a high risk of being critically affected by Covid 19. Naturally building immunity with food that helps build resistance to external viruses is a holistic way of improving your chances to live a quality lifestyle. Adding Yoghurt to your diet is a great way to boost your immune system as yoghurt (curd) is packed with probiotics, which are healthy bacterias that stimulate white blood cells and increase Vitamin D levels in the body. Ginger and garlic aren’t just India’s favourite seasoning but also great for improving heart health and reducing cholesterol levels. Vitamin C rich foods like sweet potatoes, butternut squash, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, red bell peppers, and kiwi protect against cardiovascular diseases, excessive inflammation, and cancer. Add natural supplements to your diet While consuming a balanced diet is crucial for a healthy lifestyle, sometimes it is hard to ensure you eat right, especially if you are a working individual. For times like this, natural supplements make up for your lack of proper diet. Our natural Franch Diafite Powder has over 15 ingredients to help nourish you with proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. The star ingredients are fenugreek (methi), turmeric, aloe vera, and neem, which help combat diabetes while improving your immunity. Franch Diafite Powder also helps to avoid colon problems, rectal problems, and bowel disorders. Keep your stress levels in check One of the ways to destress is to take a deep breath and relive the mind of everything troubling you. Meditation is a great way to declutter your mind and to feel a sense of calm. A good night’s sleep is crucial to having a healthy mind, body, and soul. Whenever you feel stressed try and apply the 4 A’s method for stress relief Avoid – plan ahead to avoid any complications. Take control of your surroundings, if something stresses you out, understand what it is and try to overcome it by finding an alternative solution. For instance, if you get stressed by traffic, start early to avoid it or look for alternative route options that might not be as busy as your usual one. Learn to say no regardless of how difficult it is, you will feel much better later. Plan your schedule ahead in terms of importance and don’t feel shy to push some less important work to the next day if you are running behind schedule. Alter – Another way to destress is to change the way you react to things. If something is bothering you, speak to someone about it. Another thing that can help is stating your boundaries in advance and adhering to it. For instance, if someone comes to you with more work, let them you need time or what is already on your plate and inform them that you will get it done at a more suitable time. Accept – sometimes it’s better to accept the cards we are dealt with and move on from them. One way to ease this transition is by talking to someone about what you are going through. Practising positive self-talk is another great way to overcome any inhibitions and to feel better. Adapt – on some days you might need to adjust and adapt to the situation at hand. Chant mantras like “I can handle it”, “I have it in me to overcome this”, can help boost positive stimulation in the mind. Ask yourself “will it matter in 5 years?” and if the answer is no, then there is no point stressing about it. To know more: https://franchglobal.com/6-ways-to-deal-with-diabetes-and-live-a-healthy-life/

No description available

No description available

A Pomodoro timer app with Obsidian LifeOS integration

Thesis Project

No description available

No description available

smartphone-based multi-task model for non-destructive assessment of tomato shelf-life

A simple timer to help you use the pomodoro technique in your daily life :tomato: :alarm_clock:

CHER-FARS : DESIGN OF A SEMI-AUTOMATIC EDIBLE COATING DEVICE FOR CHERRY TOMATOES TO EXTEND THEIR SHELF LIFE

An Android Mobile Application that scan and predict the shelf life of climacteric fruits such as Carabao Mango, Cavendish Banana, Lakatan Banana, Saba Banana and Tomato

"This repository contains the data and findings from the study on the effects of Sodium Hypochlorite on the quality and shelf life of tomato fruits at Haramaya, Ethiopia."

The food ordering & delivery application designed based on the real-life scenario. About Tomato is the MERN Stack-powered food ordering website that makes online food shopping easy and secure. With user and admin panels, secure JWT Authentication, Stripe payments, and essential features like Login, Add to Cart, and Order Management.

This is a mini project that was setup in a small scale model for our college project . This system will allow users to know about the spoilage intensity of their food by using a series of sensors (gas detector sensor ,camera etc) also make nicer environment for food (we have analyzed only tomato) to increase their shelf life. we used many series of components such as thermoelectric peltier module (for making nicer environment) and as feedback to that system we use output data of humidity and temperature sensor .

EASY SOUTHERN SUMMER SUCCOTASH (+ VIDEO) July 28, 2019 By Kathryn Doherty This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy Share Pin Tweet Email Share Easy Southern summer succotash features lima beans, corn and tomatoes — plus crumbled bacon — for a delicious classic side dish that’s great for BBQs, picnics, potlucks and summer dinners!Easy succotash recipe with corn, lime beans, tomatoes and bacon in a large white serving bowl Guys. I am struggling getting back into life after our seriously fabulous family vacation last week. It has been ROUGH! Southern Summer Succotash Play Video I just don’t want to do it. You know, the job. The stuff. The day-to-day life. A big ole BLAH! Also I know, a big ole kick in my own pants cause woe is me, right? I was fortunate enough to have an amazing opportunity to get away with my family for an incredible week of fun so there should be zero complaints. And I am grateful. Very, very grateful. I’m just transitioning poorly back into the real world is what I mean.

{ "name": "Chef's Terminal", "password": "Raviolli", "locked": true, "attempts": "3", "content": "Welcome to ROBCO Industries (TM) Termlink\nClearance: Chef Eyes Only", "screens": [ { "name": "The Chef's Secret Ingredient", "content": "I Like to use a nice spaghetti sauce, instead of tomato sauce for my so called Pizzas." }, { "name": "My ass hurts", "content": "Being a chef causes ass pain...." }, { "name": "My Ass started Bleeding.", "screens": [ { "name": "My Ass wont stop bleeding", "content": "Please help me." }, { "name": "Chef Duties", "screens": [ { "name": "Cheff Staff", "content": "All cooks must make the sauce" }, { "name": "Lasagna Personnel", "content": "Chef patrols must guard the lasagna" }, { "name": "Chef Services", "content": "My pizza went bad, I think it's alive..." } ] }, { "name": "Pizza smelly belly", "screens": [ { "name": "My pizza smells good now", "content": "Following the great pizza apocalypse, I set out to make the pie." }, { "name": "Mandatory Pizza Life", "content": "I must eat 10 pizzas" } ] } ] }, { "name": "Pizza's Log", "screens": [ { "name": "The Pepperoni takeover", "content": "I have killed the chef and taken over. No longer will pizza's be eaten, we shall dominate. I was infact alive." }, { "name": "Pizza Hut", "content": "Life as a pizza is hard, I had to get a job at pizza hut." }, { "name": "Pizza Malfunction", "content": "How did this happen. I killed the chef who was making pizzas, only to end up making pizzas myself. Worst of all none of them work." }, { "name": "Pepperoni Running Low", "content": "I was promoted to Pizza Hut Manager. We're outta pepperoni." }, { "name": "Mutiny", "content": "My pizza employees are assholes, they're all after my position. They are threatening to eat me, because I'm the last pizza or something." } ] }, { "name": "That Does it", "content": "If anyone's going to eat me, it's going to be me. Goodbye Pizza Hut." } ] }

Diabetes is a disorder that affects over 77 million people in India. Today is World Diabetes Day, and as we create awareness for this issue, it is necessary to know that diabetes is not a disease but merely a disorder that one can learn to live with, with proper care and small changes in their lifestyle. The theme of this World Diabetes Day is “access to diabetes care”, an initiative to provide millions with the chance to fight this disorder. A similar thought was put into creating the Franch Diafite Powder, an ayurvedic supplement made with natural ingredients that helps regulate high sugar levels. Anyone who is dealing with Diabetes must always remember the acronym, TRACK – T – take your medicines properly R – regularly exercise A – add natural food and herbs to your diet C – control your ABCs – A1C, Blood Pressure, & Cholesterol levels K – kick any bad habits like smoking, alcohol & aerated beverage consumption Apart from this, here are 7 other ways to improve your lifestyle as you deal with diabetes. Boost immunity to avoid severe illnesses High sugar levels are a threat to your immune system, and people with diabetes are at a high risk of being critically affected by Covid 19. Naturally building immunity with food that helps build resistance to external viruses is a holistic way of improving your chances to live a quality lifestyle. Adding Yoghurt to your diet is a great way to boost your immune system as yoghurt (curd) is packed with probiotics, which are healthy bacterias that stimulate white blood cells and increase Vitamin D levels in the body. Ginger and garlic aren’t just India’s favourite seasoning but also great for improving heart health and reducing cholesterol levels. Vitamin C rich foods like sweet potatoes, butternut squash, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, red bell peppers, and kiwi protect against cardiovascular diseases, excessive inflammation, and cancer. Add natural supplements to your diet While consuming a balanced diet is crucial for a healthy lifestyle, sometimes it is hard to ensure you eat right, especially if you are a working individual. For times like this, natural supplements make up for your lack of proper diet. Our natural Franch Diafite Powder has over 15 ingredients to help nourish you with proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. The star ingredients are fenugreek (methi), turmeric, aloe vera, and neem, which help combat diabetes while improving your immunity. Franch Diafite Powder also helps to avoid colon problems, rectal problems, and bowel disorders. Keep your stress levels in check One of the ways to destress is to take a deep breath and relive the mind of everything troubling you. Meditation is a great way to declutter your mind and to feel a sense of calm. A good night’s sleep is crucial to having a healthy mind, body, and soul. Whenever you feel stressed try and apply the 4 A’s method for stress relief Avoid – plan ahead to avoid any complications. Take control of your surroundings, if something stresses you out, understand what it is and try to overcome it by finding an alternative solution. For instance, if you get stressed by traffic, start early to avoid it or look for alternative route options that might not be as busy as your usual one. Learn to say no regardless of how difficult it is, you will feel much better later. Plan your schedule ahead in terms of importance and don’t feel shy to push some less important work to the next day if you are running behind schedule. Alter – Another way to destress is to change the way you react to things. If something is bothering you, speak to someone about it. Another thing that can help is stating your boundaries in advance and adhering to it. For instance, if someone comes to you with more work, let them you need time or what is already on your plate and inform them that you will get it done at a more suitable time. Accept – sometimes it’s better to accept the cards we are dealt with and move on from them. One way to ease this transition is by talking to someone about what you are going through. Practising positive self-talk is another great way to overcome any inhibitions and to feel better. Adapt – on some days you might need to adjust and adapt to the situation at hand. Chant mantras like “I can handle it”, “I have it in me to overcome this”, can help boost positive stimulation in the mind. Ask yourself “will it matter in 5 years?” and if the answer is no, then there is no point stressing about it. To know more: https://franchglobal.com/6-ways-to-deal-with-diabetes-and-live-a-healthy-life/

Software testing will save your life and makes for a delicious seven layer dip Picture this: you’ve just written thousands of lines of code, you’ve gotten your application running smoothly, and you’ve fulfilled all the requirements you set out to complete. You’ve even effectively communicated what your code is doing with comments so detailed even your parents could understand them. C’est magnifique! Time to ship it, right? Wouldn’t that be nice? Alas, just let me crush your dreams real quick. The Importance of Software Testing Now, imagine this scenario: you’ve shipped your code and it’s being used daily by thousands, nay millions, of delighted customers. These new features you built? They love them! Just look at them froth at the mouth with excitement as they scroll, click, consume. But, wait! Something goes awry. Every time a customer accesses a file of a certain size the application freezes — only for a moment, only for long enough to be slightly annoyed. “Practically imperceptible; no one will care,” you think. “What’s that?” When a different file is accessed by more than 500 people in an hour, it breaks entirely? Is it hot in here, or is it just me? Can someone open a window? Are we trying to heat the whole neighborhood? Where did everybody go? Gradually, your customers stop scrolling, stop clicking, stop consuming. You lose your job, your dog runs away, and your cats continue to plot your demise, only with more vigor and determination. And it all could have been prevented if only you had been proactive about preventing possible problems. Tsk, tsk, what a shame. Come back, Barkie Mark and the Fluffy Bunch. I miss you. Relax, it was only a nightmare. You know all good software should be tested. You know how to ensure guaranteed functionality in the areas of your software that will have the biggest impact on the user. And I know you know the various kind of testing that work together to prevent total, catastrophic destruction and heartbreak. If this is the case, no need to read further. But if you want a bit of a review… take a peek. No one will know. I promise. Level 1: Unit/Component Testing Test this part, then this part, then this part, then this part, not that part, just kidding, that part too. Unit Testing is the process of validating that each individual component of the software performs as expected. As the smallest, most precise level of software testing, unit testing focuses on very few inputs and typically one output, and the tests are often created before writing any lines of program-specific code. Test, code, test, code, test until the end of time. Each program, function, method, etc must pass before components are viable to be integrated together. This process allows engineers to quickly catch any bugs at the cellular level, the smallest component of the system, before combining units into a more complex, fully-integrated composition, makes debugging quick and easy, and creates more reliable code. Usually performed by the software developers responsible for its development, unit testing makes use of a method called White-Box testing (see below). Think of it this way, if you poke each unit of your program, it’s pretty easy to see where it collapses. As an analogy, let’s say you’re making seven layer dip for a Super Bowl Party because why not and it’s a delicious blend of metaphorically useful ingredients. You purchase the refried beans, the guacamole, the sour cream, the salsa, the cheese, the green onions, and the tomatoes. Naturally, you’re going to test each individual layer of your magnificent dip before assembling it together into a delicious treat. You need to assure the quality of the ingredients, after all. Same goes for unit testing. Level 2: Integration Testing Relationships can be hard. Working together is not always seamless. Are your zodiac signs even compatible? It doesn’t look promising. Integration testing ensures that, though each component of the system works flawlessly on its own, they will intermingle without any hiccups, too. At two levels — component integration testing and system integration testing — this process is meant to uncover the defects that result from the co-mingling of two or more units. Does the cheese blend nicely with the refried beans? Do the guacamole and sour cream effectively cool down the salsa’s mouth-watering heat? Do the onions and tomatoes balance out the dish by adding some substance and texture? Does each ingredient work with the next to compose a symphony of flavors on the edge of a chip? If so, those units are integrated! Level 3: System Testing The software is integrated and ready for production. Well, once you’ve made sure you’ve met all of the requirements specified, that is. When you feel like you have, independent testers are usually involved to confirm. Basically, does that seven layer dip have the correct seven layers and taste like it should? You didn’t substitute sour cream for whip cream or salsa for marinara sauce, did you? If you did, you should probably throw it in the trash, but you may be able to save your source code yet. Go refactor and come back with the correct ingredients. Level 4: Acceptance/User Acceptance Testing Is the system acceptable? Similar to System Testing, acceptance testing measures whether or not the software meets business requirements and is ready for delivery. Once the different, individual units of the system are ready to be integrated (Unit Testing), the resulting integrated product passes its own tests (Integration Testing), and satisfies requirements (System Testing), we perform acceptance testing to determine if the final composition is ready to be made available to its users. Typically, a combination of internal — Product Management, Sales, Customer Support, etc — and external testers — Customers for whom the software was built, end users, etc — will use black-box testing in this stage. Assuming your designated taste-tester keeps diving in to that dip, you are good to go, friend. Give the people what they want! Method 1: Black-Box Testing I put something in; I get something out. Black-box testing is mainly concerned with ensuring your inputs are producing the desired outputs, without paying too much attention to how those outputs are derived. As one of the most common testing practices, it is basically your highest level view of whether or not the application is functioning as expected. Black-box testing is great for simplifying the testing process because it can be done by non-technical users, but it lacks the precision required to identify why errors are popping up. Essentially, “I know this thing is broken, but I’m not sure why or how to fix it.” Perhaps, a great place to start but your task is far from done. Method 2: White-Box Testing Perhaps you could have riddle out that white-box testing is a bit like the counterpart to black-box testing. It requires a deeper understanding of the underlying software in order to test for specific scenarios that the source code will handle in different ways. When you understand how the code should respond to user engagement, you can design tests that, well, test all of these interactions. If the software is designed to use specific sections of code for specific inputs, you can create tests that target each of these sections and ensure they are working properly. While a technical understanding of the software, and perhaps access to it, is required, white-box testing is more efficient at identifying which areas of the code are responsible for bugs and makes optimization that much easier. For now, I will not be getting in to Grey-Box Testing, but you can imagine it is a combination of the previous two monotones. So, while I’ve provided you with an overview of software testing, as well as an abundance of gifs, in this post, there is far more that I did not cover involving variations on the levels and methods of testing above. Keep an eye out for a more technical dive into test-driven development and how to actually implement it.