Short Presentation of basic and advanced test methods to enable quality assurance and design of composite structures. Optical strain measurement techniques for mechanical testing of composites has steadily gained importance and with advancing technology in the past decades, optical non-contact strain measurement methods are now a valuable alternative for more traditional contacting strain measurement techniques. This presentation will introduce the typical composite test methods for which optical strain measurement is suitable. We will show examples for testing with a video extensometer in “Live-Mode” and for testing with the “2D-DIC Software Option”.