Staging Environment: Software Testing in Staging Explained

Software Development
Staging Environment: Software Testing in Staging Explained
Article by Ivana Ivanova
Last Updated: November 26, 2024

The staging environment refers to the final stage of the software development process before you release it. This phase includes a replica of the original site and is used to test the software prior to going live and before it reaches your customers. It is also known as the pre-production or pre-live stage.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the staging environment, including its definition, importance, limitations, and best practices. We’ll also compare it with other environments and highlight their differences.

How Does a Staging Environment Work?

A staging environment acts as a safe space between development and production, where developers and testers can check the software's performance and make necessary adjustments before it goes live. While it closely mirrors the production environment, the staging environment is inaccessible to the public.

Through a staging environment, development and testing teams can:

  • Replicate the production environment's software, hardware, and configuration, enabling testers to simulate real-world conditions and ensure the application's quality.
  • Test new changes before deploying them to production, reducing the risk of errors or issues that could affect end users.
  • Validate the application's performance and functionality, ensuring it will work well after deployment to the production environment.

While staging shares similarities with testing, QA, and production environments, each serves a unique role in various software development methodologies, with distinct processes and characteristics that set them apart.

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Staging Environment vs. Production Environment

Although they have some similarities, the staging vs production environments are two different phases in the software development process.

The staging environment is like a practice run for the software before it goes live. It is the final testing ground where developers and testers carefully check software performance, functionality, and compatibility in a realistic setup and fine-tune it to ensure it works well. The staging environment is isolated from real users, ensuring testing activities do not disrupt the live production system.

The production environment is the actual live environment where the software or application is deployed, and real people use it in their daily lives. This environment requires high stability, performance, reliability, monitoring, and maintenance to resolve any ongoing issues.

Summary: While the staging environment is for testing and refining the software, the production environment is where people use it in everyday activities.

Staging Environment vs. Test Environment

The staging and test environments are entirely different processes, but both are necessary for a successful production.

As we’ve explained, the staging environment resembles the live version of the software, except for the most recent updates. It mimics the production environment, including all requirements and configurations, deploying software updates to a live-like climate, and ensuring nothing breaks.

The test environment focuses on testing specific changes made to the source code. It does not require a complete replica of the live environment and often involves working based on assumptions about how the software will function. It validates individual components or functions of the application.

Summary: While the staging environment closely resembles the production environment and is used for final checks on the whole application, the test environment focuses on testing individual components or functions without requiring a complete replica of the production environment.

Staging Environment vs. QA Environment

Knowing the difference between staging and QA is important for every developer. The staging environment tests and validates the software under conditions that closely resemble real-world usage. It is critical to make necessary adjustments and obtain final approvals before deploying the software to production.

The QA environment focuses on comprehensive quality assurance testing, where various activities ensure the overall quality and functionality of the software. These activities may include integration testing, performance testing, security testing, and more.

The QA environment validates the software and ensures it meets the defined quality criteria. It typically occurs earlier in the software development process, allowing for thorough testing and identifying any issues before the software progresses to the staging environment for final testing and deployment.

Summary: While the staging environment focuses on final testing and approval before deployment, the QA environment is dedicated to comprehensive quality assurance testing. It occurs earlier in the development process, covering various testing activities to ensure the overall quality and functionality of the software.

Staging Environment vs. UAT

The difference between staging environment and user acceptance testing (UAT) lies primarily in who uses them. In the staging environment, changes and testing are technical tasks performed by developers.

In contrast, the UAT involves testing done by end users. It focuses on gathering feedback from your customers and stakeholders about the software’s features and whether they meet their requirements and expectations.

Summary: While the staging environment focuses on the technical aspects, UAT focuses on end-user testing. The UAT process usually occurs after the staging environment.

Types of Tests Conducted in a Staging Environment

Different tests can be conducted during the staging environment. Some of them include:

  • Integration testing: As the name suggests, these are tests done to ensure that your software can work well with other apps. Testing integrations and fixing bugs are all part of this type of test.
  • Regression testing: This test is conducted to ensure that all new changes to the code haven’t negatively affected the software, meaning it still functions properly after the changes.
  • Performance testing: To ensure the app works well — loading and responding quickly to user interactions — developers conduct performance tests.
  • Security testing: Security testing ensures the system is entirely safe. It is important for new software to be secure for users.
  • Chaos testing: This type of testing is done to check how the application reacts to stress, i.e., a lot of traffic or orders.
  • QA testing: This is performed before releasing a product to the public to verify that it meets the expectations of your target audience.

Why Do You Need a Staging Environment?

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A staging environment is an important part of every development process because it can bring the following benefits:

1. Provide Production Environment Insights

A staging environment provides a setup that closely resembles the production environment. It allows developers, testers, and stakeholders to test the software under realistic conditions before it goes live. 37.9% of developers spend at least 30 minutes a day trying to solve a problem, which can be avoided if this testing solution is implemented.

2. Identify Issues

A staging environment helps identify and address issues or bugs before end users face them. This is important because 95% of daily active users (DAUs) abandon apps in the first 90 days, especially if the app is glitchy. Improving the overall quality of the software before it reaches the production environment improves its efficiency, faster response times, and a better user experience (UX).

3. Improving User Satisfaction

Without a staging environment, you could risk deploying unstable or faulty software to the production environment, resulting in user dissatisfaction, operational disruptions, or financial losses. The staging environment acts as a buffer, allowing for thorough usability, integration, compatibility testing, and performance optimization before releasing the software to end users.

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Limitations of a Staging Environment

While a staging environment is essential, it does have some limitations, including:

  • Time limits: The more complex a staging environment is, the more time it takes to finish the test. However, testing over a longer period can lead to issues such as memory leaks or data corruption, which in turn creates additional problems that require more time to resolve.
  • False confidence: While a staging environment is used to test the software before it's presented to customers, it doesn’t guarantee that the public release will be identical. Changes may occur between the staging and production versions, even if the staging environment appears flawless.
  • Cost: Usually, maintaining and conducting a staging environment is not that expensive. However, if the software is complex, then the costs can increase due to the need for more resources and time.

Tips and Best Practices for Testing in Staging Environments

To help you improve the staging environment in the software testing life cycle, here are a few best practices you can use:

  • Use a database server: Always have a database to store your staging data. This way, you won’t overwrite it with the live data. Plus, testers can easily navigate the staging environment and delete mistakes without affecting the live database.
  • Monitor the environment: Keeping a close eye on the staging environment ensures everything runs smoothly. This way, any changes to the code can be spotted quickly and testers can follow the necessary paths.
  • Have backups: Data loss in the staging environment can lead to issues in the production environment. This is why it’s critical to have a backup of your staging environment. If something goes wrong, you can always retrieve your data and resolve any issues promptly.
  • Focus on security: Since the staging environment is connected to the production environment, security breaches can jeopardize your live software. That is why it’s important to focus on security and adhere to all relevant rules and guidelines.

Other Software Environments: Local, Development, and Live

The staging environment is not the only software environment. Here are three others:

1. Local Environments

A local environment is a setup that allows you to host all your files on your computer. Basically, a local environment lets users build, test, and debug the software all from their own computer. It mirrors the main production environment but it’s more controlled and isolated.

2. Development Environments

Development environments are a set of tools that allow developers to create and test different software. This is where developers can work on the code without disrupting the main, live environment. The whole software development process can be separated into different development environments to help ensure a stable and effective creation of the software.

3. Live Environments

A live environment is what your customers, or end users, see and use. It’s an application that runs in real time and where all users can access the predetermined functions. Because it directly showcases your products or services, this environment is also referred to as the product environment.

Alternatives to a Staging Environment

If you don’t want to conduct a staging environment, there are some other alternatives you can choose from:

  • Automated testing: Using software development tools to automate the process is one alternative to managing the whole staging environment yourself. Be sure to choose reliable tools to ensure high-quality deployments.
  • Skipping the stage: Another alternative is to skip the staging environment altogether. If your software is still small, a staging environment may not be necessary at this stage — you can conduct it in later stages.
  • Outsourcing: Instead of managing the staging environment yourself, consider outsourcing this stage to professional developers. This approach allows you to benefit from their expertise without directly working on it.

Staging Environment: Final Thoughts

A staging environment is an important component of the software development process. It replicates the production environment, allowing for comprehensive testing, adjusting, and validation of the software before it goes live. Closely mimicking the real-world setup helps identify and resolve potential issues, ensuring a smooth and reliable UX.

When selecting a software development company, ensure they incorporate a staging environment in their software development lifecycle process. This phase ensures that the software undergoes thorough testing under realistic conditions, reduces the likelihood of issues, and provides a smooth UX.

It also showcases the software development company’s dedication to delivering high-quality, reliable, and successful software solutions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the main benefits of having a staging environment?

The main benefits of having a staging environment are:

  • Thorough testing and performance optimization before software deployment
  • Identifying and resolving issues before reaching the production environment (end users)
  • Validation of software updates and changes in a realistic setup
  • Risk mitigation by reducing the chances of deploying faulty software
  • Positive UX

2. What comes first, UAT or staging?

The staging environment usually comes before User Acceptance Testing (UAT) in the software development process. The staging environment is a pre-production environment where the software is thoroughly tested, refined, and validated before it reaches the UAT phase.

Once the testing in the staging environment is over and the software is validated, it is deployed to the UAT environment. UAT is the final testing phase, where end-users or client representatives test the software to ensure it meets their requirements and expectations.

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