Understanding Web App Testing_ A Detailed Guide for Developers and QA Teams.pdf.pdf

Understanding Web App Testing: A
Detailed Guide for Developers and
QA Teams
We live in a world of the Internet and Web applications are a part of it. Hundreds of
websites are being developed daily. And no matter how well-coded the site is, it will
have some bugs. The possibility of potential bugs arises with each line of code that
is being written. That is why it’s important to get those web applications tested.
The earlier you find the bug, the better because the cost of fixing bugs increases
with time.

This blog is a detailed guide to web application testing. Here you’ll be learning
what exactly “web app testing” is and its importance. We’ll also discuss different
types of web app testing, challenges, future trends, popular web app testing
tools, and more.
1. Ensures the web app meets quality standards and provides a bug-free
experience
2. A well-tested web app offers a smooth, intuitive user experience, leading to
higher user satisfaction
3. Identifies vulnerabilities and protects against security breaches
4. Ensures the web app performs well under different conditions and loads
5. Verifies the app works across various browsers, devices, and operating
systems
6. Early detection of issues reduces the cost and effort needed to fix them
later in the development cycle
Web app testing evaluates a web application (step by step) to ensure it functions
correctly and is secure against potential threats. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the
core technologies on which a website is built. These 3 core technologies are further
integrated with other technologies like Angular, React, Vue, Sass, Less, and more.
The domain of building and testing websites is vast. If you want to attract new
customers, it’s important to provide bug-free software that will eventually increase
your overall revenue generation.
What is Web App Testing?
Benefits of Web App Testing

Types of Web App Testing
When you’re making sure a web app works perfectly, there are several types of
testing you need to do. Here’s a rundown in simple terms:
Types of Web App Structures
Depending on the type of web application, developers might choose different
structural approaches to best suit their needs. Here are three common types:
1. Single Page Applications:
Single-page applications are web apps that operate within a single web
page. All the necessary code — HTML, JavaScript, and CSS is loaded
once. The rest of the content updates dynamically as we keep interacting
with the app. This means the app doesn’t need to reload the entire page,
but fetches necessary data and updates the view.
2. Multiple Page Applications: Multiple-page applications are traditional
types of web applications where the app consists of multiple pages. MPAs
offer better security compared to SPAs because much of the logic and data
processing occurs on the server rather than the client. Examples of MPAs
include e-commerce sites, news websites, and corporate websites.
3. Progressive Web Apps: Progressive Web Apps combines the best
features of web and mobile apps. They can work offline, send push
notifications, and be easily installed on your home screen. If you’re testing
a PWA, make sure these features work seamlessly across different
devices and scenarios.
1. Functional Testing: Web app testing checks all the features, from basic
user interactions like form submissions and navigation to complex backend
processes. A single malfunctioning feature can lead to frustration and loss
of credibility. That’s where functional testing comes into use. It ensures that
each application part works as expected, keeping the site user-friendly.
2. Usability testing: A subset of web app testing that focuses on the
application’s user interface and overall user experience. It identifies any

issues that may not allow us to effectively interact with the app. Developers
address these issues to ensure that the application is easy to use and
navigate.
3. Performance testing: Web app testing also involves evaluating the
application’s performance under various conditions. It checks whether the
application can handle expected user loads without compromising on
speed or responsiveness. Load testing (a part of web testing) checks the
app’s behavior under normal conditions, and stress testing determines how
the app performs under extreme conditions. This prevents slow load times,
crashes, and other issues that can drive users away.
4. Security testing: This is about finding and fixing vulnerabilities that hackers
could exploit. You check if the app protects user data and prevents
unauthorized access. Security testing checks for common security issues
such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and insecure
authentication methods.
5. Compatibility testing: This is done to test if your app works well on different
browsers, devices, and operating systems. You want to make sure that
whether someone uses Chrome on a laptop or Safari on an iPhone, it
looks and works the same.
AutomatedTesting : Automatedtesting usestoolsandscriptstoperformtests
automatically. With the help of automated web app testing, you can execute
repetitive and time-consuming tests quickly. It provides consistent results, reduces
human error, and handles large-scale tests that are impractical to deal with
manually. It also reduces long-term costs by automating regression tests. Apart
from several advantages of automated web app testing, it has some limitations you
should be aware of. It requires initial investment in tools and script development. It
also needs regular maintenance to stay effective.
Difference Between Automated and Manual Web
Testing

Manual Testing: Manual testing requires human testers to execute test cases
without automation tools. Manual testing is crucial for exploratory testing. It’s
where testers explore the application to find defects not covered by automated
tests. Usability Testing checks the user experience and interface, whereas
Ad-hoc Testing conducts informal tests based on the tester’s intuition and
experience.
Manual testing is flexible and adaptable but can be time-consuming and prone to
human error.
1. Understand what you need: First, you need to understand what the web
application is supposed to do. This involves gathering all the requirements
and identifying the key features that need testing. Think of it as listing
everything the app should offer and how it should behave.
2. Test planning: Next, you create a detailed test plan. Test planning involves
deciding what tests to run, who will conduct the tests, what tools and
resources will be needed, and setting a timeline for the testing process.
This plan acts as a roadmap, guiding the entire testing process.
3. Test case development: After planning, you develop test cases. These are
detailed instructions that describe how to test each feature and
functionality of the application. Test cases ensure that every aspect of the
app is thoroughly checked. It’s like creating a checklist to ensure nothing is
missed.
4. Test environment setup: Before running the tests, you need to set up the
test environment. This means preparing the hardware and software
needed for testing, and ensuring everything mimics the production
environment as closely as possible. This setup is crucial for getting
accurate and reliable test results.
5. Test execution: With everything set up, you start executing the test cases.
This step involves running the tests and recording the results. You
compare the actual outcomes with the expected outcomes to identify
issues or bugs of any kind. This is where you find out if the app functions
as intended.
Web App Testing Process and Lifecycle

6. Defect reporting and tracking: The bugs or issues found during testing
need to be reported and tracked. This involves logging the defects,
describing the problems, and prioritizing them for resolution. The
development team then works on fixing these defects, and testers retest
the fixes to ensure everything is resolved.
7. Test Closure: Once all tests have been executed and all defects resolved,
the final step is test closure. Here, you review the entire testing process,
document what was tested, the issues found and fixed, and any lessons
learned. A test summary report is created and shared with stakeholders,
confirming that the web app is ready for release.
When it comes to web app testing, having the right tools can make a big
difference. Here are some of the most popular web application testing tools used
by developers and QA teams:
1. Selenium: Selenium is one of the most widely used web app testing
frameworks. It supports multiple programming languages like Java,
Python, and C#. It can run tests across different browsers and platforms.
Selenium is great for regression testing and a staple in many toolkits.
2. Cypress: Cypress is a JavaScript-based end-to-end testing framework. It is
known for its fast setup and easy-to-use capability. Cypress provides
real-time feedback and can be used to test the user interface and
interactions.
3. JMeter: Apache JMeter is a tool used for performance testing. It helps
simulate heavy loads on web applications to analyze performance and
measure response times. JMeter is beneficial for load and stress testing to
ensure your app can handle high traffic.
4. Postman: Postman is used for API testing. It allows you to create and
execute API requests and validate responses easily. Postman is essential
Popular Web Application Testing Tools

for testing the backend services of a web app and ensuring they work
correctly and efficiently.
5. TestRail: TestRail is a test case management tool that helps organize and
track test cases, plan testing activities, and generate detailed reports.
TestRail integrates with different testing tools and is valuable for managing
manual and automated testing efforts.
Testing web apps determines whether they work well and provide a good user
experience. However, there are several challenges testers often face:
1. Browser Compatibility: Web apps must work on different browsers like
Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. Each browser may display things
differently, which can lead to inconsistencies. The challenge arises when
ensuring that the app looks and works the same across all browsers is
difficult.
2. Device Diversity: People use web apps on various devices — desktops,
laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Each device has different screen sizes
and hardware. Testing the app to ensure it works well on all devices and is
responsive to various screen sizes is complex.
3. Dynamic Content: Modern web apps often have content that changes
based on user interactions and server data. Testing this dynamic content
involves ensuring the data is displayed correctly and updated in real time.
4. Frequent Updates: Web apps often get frequent updates and new features.
Each update generates new bugs or affects existing functionality.
5. Continuous testing is needed to make sure updates don’t break the app.
6. User Experience: Testing for UX means making sure the app is easy to use and
accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. This involves not just
functional testing, but also getting feedback from real users.
Challenges in Web App Testing

Conclusion
Future Trends In Web App Testing
As technology advances, so does the field of web app testing. Given below are
some future trends that are shaping the way we test web applications:
1. AI and Machine Learning: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are
starting to play a big role in testing. These technologies can help predict
potential issues, optimize test cases, and even create tests automatically
based on user behavior. This means faster, smarter testing with fewer
resources.
2. Test Environment as a Service: Setting up test environments can be
time-consuming and expensive. TEaaS offers cloud-based environments
that can be set up quickly and cost-effectively. This means testers can
focus more on testing rather than managing infrastructure.
3. Shift Left Testing: Starting testing earlier in the development process is
called Shift Left Testing. It integrates testing into the early stages of
development so that issues can be identified and fixed sooner. The trend
will grow as teams improve quality and reduce the time it takes to bring an
app to market.
4. Test Management/Collaboration: Better collaboration tools for development
and testing teams will continue to evolve. These tools will help teams
communicate more effectively and manage defects efficiently. Integration
with project management and version control systems will be standard.
5. Integration testing with microservices: Many web apps are now built using
a microservice architecture. Testing these microservices and their
interactions will become more important in the future. Tools that can handle
the complexities of microservices testing will be in high demand.

Web app testing guarantees that applications work properly and deliver a positive
user experience. It entails evaluating functionality, performance, security, and
compatibility across multiple devices and browsers. Effective testing benefits
developers and QA teams by detecting issues early, reducing errors, and
improving the overall quality and stability of online programs.
Source: This article was originally published at testgrid.io.

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