Integrated tests... are they really important?

#tests #integration

On the last few weeks, I faced myself with a task to make integration tests for the database with our API, and a few questions came across my mind:

But aren't we already making unit tests?
All the effort will pay itself at the end?

So, along all the development path, I learned that even though we have to be open mind and ready to collaborate with your QA (if you have on your team), that also even if you have set up somenthing, meanwhile you are implementing the scenarios, you'll face new situations that require specifics setups and once you get over it, the development stops to be so stressful and starts to be fun and challeging. Free your imagination to think about the most exquisite situations (we know that funny things can happeng between two applications) and use this to reflect about if your unit tests suits are really being valuable or if it's just there to pass on sonarQube quality gates.

And yes, after finishing the implementation, I found some bugs that aren't visible even tough the API were exaustly tested, some of them critical which show me the importance the align the unit test it's not something to be left aside when you are planning the next steps of your project, not thinking that's luxury or somenthing secondary, but a crucial part of your application. Long short story, the application it's now more secure, maintainable and reliable for the users, ensuring less bugs, less headache for your team and more money wasted with your application off when can be simply evitable.