Web Application Development Process: Web App Testing. Step 6 of 7.

The final exam before launch web app

It doesn't matter whether we produce cars, yogurt, or software—quality control is an integral part of any production process. This phase in web app development serves as the rigorous final examination before an application is introduced to its users.?

Web application testing is a comprehensive process that evaluates a web application's functionality, performance, security, and usability. This type of testing is unique in its need to cover a wide range of testing aspects due to the diverse nature of web applications.

Key goals of web application testing include:

• Identifying and nullifying bugs and errors within the application
• Enhancing the usability and credibility of the website
• Ensuring repeated and satisfying user engagement
• Facilitating compatibility across different platforms and browsers
• Verifying the application’s ability to handle traffic and real-time users effectively
• Increasing brand awareness and driving sales through inbound links.

Types of web application testing

• Functionality Testing: This focuses on ensuring that every function of the software application operates according to the requirement specification. It includes checking links, forms, cookies, and database connections.
• Usability Testing: This involves testing the web application from the user's perspective to ensure it is intuitive, easy to navigate, and provides a satisfying user experience.
• Interface Testing: It checks the interactions between the web server and application server interfaces, as well as the database server interfaces, ensuring smooth data flow and error handling.
• Compatibility Testing: This ensures the web application works across different browsers and devices, offering a consistent user experience irrespective of the user's choice of technology.
• Performance Testing: This tests how the application behaves under various conditions, including high traffic and data processing. It encompasses load testing, stress testing, scalability testing, and more.
• Security Testing: Security is paramount in web applications. This testing ensures the application is protected against vulnerabilities and threats, safeguarding user data and maintaining trust.
• Content Testing: Ensuring the content is accurate, relevant, and up-to-date is crucial for the credibility of the web application.

?Test planning, environment setup, test case design

• Test Planning: Define the scope, objectives, and timeline of testing, focused on the app’s critical features (e.g., user registration, property listing, booking). Select testing tools.
• Environment Setup: Prepare a test environment that closely mimics the production setup. Configure necessary databases and servers.
• Test Case Design: Write concise and focused test cases targeting the core functionalities of the web app.

Test execution, defect tracking, regression testing

• Test Execution: Manually or automatically run the test cases, concentrating on essential user flows that constitute the web app.
• Defect Tracking: Log, prioritize, and communicate defects clearly to the development team. Use a simple tracking tool or a shared document if needed.
• Regression Testing: After defects are fixed, re-run relevant test cases to ensure that new code changes haven't negatively impacted the app’s core functionalities.

What to do for optimal web app performance?

In order for us to retain users on our website, their user experience must be enjoyable. For example, improving a website with excellent UX design can increase conversion rates by as much as 200%.

To ensure the usability of a web application, we should check several important criteria.

• Emphasize cross-browser compatibility testing.?

For instance, Chrome uses the Blink engine, while WebKit powers Safari. These differences can result in functionality issues or inconsistencies in how web content is rendered across different browsers or their versions. Cross-browser compatibility testing ensures a uniform experience across different browsers.

• Focus on usability testing parameters.?

Users won't return if their experience is subpar. Key aspects of usability testing include evaluating: Navigation / Speed / UI/UX design / Reliability / Readability

• Evaluate web application performance.?

Web applications often crash under heavy server loads. We need to check how quickly the web app loads and responds to user interactions. This includes testing the time it takes for pages to load, the responsiveness of interactive elements, and the overall speed of the app.

• Incorporate exploratory testing into the development lifecycle.?

Exploratory testing is an efficient way to reduce testing time and uncover more defects. Testers simultaneously write and execute test cases, leading to a better understanding of the web app's shortcomings.

Summarize the test activities and outcomes, highlighting the status of critical functionalities. Include details on the tests conducted, defects found and resolved.

The Path to a perfect web app launch

There are many different approaches to web application testing, using various combinations of browsers and devices. However, web app testing is key to a successful launch. You need to view the app from all angles, such a browser, operating systems, devices.

First and foremost, you must form a solid testing strategy that considers your goals, your team’s workflow, and the technology behind your application. Then you can dive into web testing by gathering information about bugs, performance, and more.

Our testing team gets to work already at the development stage. Having a well-established process for managing the testing process, our QA specialists minimize errors that can negatively affect the user experience. Nobody likes to use something of low quality, our task is to prevent this.

And now we move on to the final part of the series of articles - Release and Iterations.

If you want the full guide, follow the link below.

7-Step Guide of Web App Development Process

Tom Ponomarev, Co-Founder & CBDO at Kernelics