The Testing Skyscraper: A Modern Alternative to the Testing Pyramid

Every good software tester knows that a good testing strategy should adhere to the classic Testing Pyramid structure: a strong base of unit tests at the bottom, a solid layer of API tests in the middle, and a few UI tests at the top for good measure. The Testing Pyramid has been around longer than I’ve been working in the software industry, and it is arguably the most prevalent mental model in the discipline of testing.

For years, I abided by the Testing Pyramid. I formed my test plans based upon it. Heck, I even wrote a popular article about it. However, after many years of blindly accepting it, I’m ready to make a rather bold claim: the Testing Pyramid is an antiquated scheme that deceives testers. I’m leaving the pyramid scheme and embracing a new, more modern approach. Even if you think this is heresy, please allow me to explain my rationale.

The Testing Pyramid: A Relic of History

I started my professional career in software in 2007. Back then, Apple had just released the first iPhone, and Facebook was so new that they only allowed college students to create accounts. Web applications, RESTful architecture, and Selenium were all new things. Developing and testing software systems looked much different.

The Testing Pyramid evolved as a simple mental model to help testers decide what to test and how to test it based on the constraints of the time. Web UI testing was notoriously difficult. Browsers were not as standardized as they are today. Selenium WebDriver enabled UI automation but required testers to write their own frameworks around it. Test execution was often slow and flaky. As a result, testers called UI tests “bad” and did everything they could to avoid them, favoring lower-level tests instead. Unit tests were “good” because they were fast, reliable, and close to the code they covered. Plus, code coverage tools could automatically quantify coverage levels and identify gaps. API tests were “okay” because they were typically small and fast, even if they needed to make a network hop to a live environment. Thus, a “proper” test strategy took a pyramidal shape that favored lower level tests for their speed and reliability. It made sense at the time.

Are We Stuck in the Past?

The factors that pushed strategies to take a triangular shape have changed since the inception of the Testing Pyramid all those years ago. Pyramids now feel like relics of ancient history. Let’s take a reality check.

1. UI testing tools are better, faster, and more reliable. New frameworks like Playwright and Cypress provide greater stability through automatic waiting, faster execution times, and overall better testing experiences. Selenium is still kicking with the BiDi protocol for better testing support, Selenium Manager for automatic driver management, and a plethora of community projects (like Boa Constrictor) helping testers maximize Selenium’s potential.
2. Traditional API testing can largely be replaced by other kinds of tests. Internal handler unit tests can cover the domain logic for what happens inside the services. Contract tests can cover the handshakes between different services to make sure updates to one won’t break the integrations with others. And UI tests can make sure the system works as a whole.
3. Test orchestration can now run tests continuously. Tests can run for every code change. They can run for pull requests. Some developers even run end-to-end tests locally before committing changes. The ability to deliver fast feedback on important areas matters far more than the types or times of tests.

Therefore, it is wrong to say a test is bad simply based on its type. All test types are good because they mitigate different kinds of risks. We should focus on building robust continuous feedback loops rather than quotas for test types.

The Testing Skyscraper: A New Model

I think a better mental model for modern testing is the Testing Skyscraper. The skyscraper is a symbol of industrial might and technological advancement. Each skyscraper has a unique architecture that makes it stand out against the skyline. Pyramids get narrower as you approach the top, but skyscrapers have several levels of varying sizes and layouts, where each floor is tailored to the needs of the building’s tenants.

Skyscrapers are a great analogy for testing strategies because one size does not fit all:

• Testers can architect their strategies to meet their needs. They can design it as they see fit.
• Testers can build out tests at any level they need. Every level of testing is deemed good if it meets the business needs.
• Testers can choose to skip tests at different levels as a calculated risk. They’ll just be empty floors in the building until needs change.
• New testing tools are as strong as steel. Testers can build strategies that scale upwards and onwards, faster and higher than ever before.

I’ve seen anti-pattern models such as ice cream cones and cupcakes. Testing Pyramid might now be an anti-pattern as well.

Modern Architecture for the Present Day

Pyramids were great for their time. The ancients like the Egyptians, the Sumerians, and the Mayans built impressive pyramids that still stand today. However, no civilization has build new pyramids for centuries, unless you count the ones at the Louvre or in Las Vegas. They’re impractical. They’re short. They require an enormous base. Let’s let go of the past and embrace the modern future. Let’s build structures that reflect our times. Let’s build Testing Skyscrapers that reach for the stars – and look snazzy while doing it.