Sandwich Integration
Sandwich Integration is a software testing strategy that combines top-down and bottom-up integration testing approaches. It involves testing the middle layers of a system first, then integrating with both higher-level (top) and lower-level (bottom) components. This method helps identify interface issues early while balancing the advantages of both top-down and bottom-up testing.
Developers should use Sandwich Integration when working on complex systems with well-defined middle layers, such as in modular or layered architectures, to efficiently test integration points without waiting for all components to be complete. It is particularly useful in projects where both high-level and low-level modules are developed concurrently, as it allows parallel testing and reduces stubs and drivers compared to pure top-down or bottom-up approaches.