What does system testing aim to determine?

System testing is a critical phase in the software development life cycle wherein the integrated components of an application are evaluated as a complete system. The primary aim of system testing is to verify that all software modules and components function correctly together, fulfilling the specified requirements. This phase is essential for ensuring that individual units of software do not just perform well on their own but also collaborate effectively as part of a larger system.

By focusing on the interaction between integrated units, system testing helps to identify any issues that may arise from their interdependencies, ensuring that data flows correctly, user interfaces interact appropriately, and all functionalities perform as intended when the software is used in real-world scenarios. Therefore, the emphasis is on validating the behavior of a fully integrated product, confirming that it works as expected within the designated environment.

The other options, while related to aspects of software quality and project viability, do not directly represent the core purpose of system testing. For instance, assessing cost-effectiveness, hardware compatibility, or user training efficiency falls under different stages in the development process and is oriented towards financial analysis, technical compatibility, or user readiness, respectively, rather than the functional integrity of the system as a whole.