Testing Web Application: 6 Stage Guide to Site Testing

What is Web Testing?

WEB TESTING, or website testing, is reviewing the web application or website for any bugs until it is live and is open to the general public. Web Testing explores the functionality, accessibility, security, compatibility, performance of a web application or website.

At this stage, issues such as the security of web applications, the operation of the site, usability for people with disabilities, as well as for ordinary users and its ability to handle traffic are tested.

How to test a web application

In Software Engineering, the following test types/techniques can be conducted depending on your web testing requirements.

1. Website Functionality Testing

Website Functionality Testing is a process that involves many test parameters such as user interface, APIs, database testing, security testing, client and server testing, and basic website functionality. Functional testing is very simple and allows users to conduct both manual and automated testing. It is executed to test the functionality of each feature on the website.

Web testing includes:

Check that all links on your webpages are working correctly and make sure there are no broken links.

Test forms are working as expected.

Test cookies are working as expected. Cookies are small files used by websites that are mostly used to remember active user sessions so that you don't need to log in every time you visit a website.

Test business workflow

2. Usability testing:

Usability Testing has become a critical part of every web-based project. It can be done by a small focus group close to the target audience of a web application.

Test site navigation:

● Menus, buttons or links to different pages of the site should be easily visible and consistent across all web pages.

Test the content:

● Content must be legible and free of spelling or grammatical errors.

● Images, if any, must contain an "alt" text.

3. Integration Testing:

There are three areas to test here: Application, Web and Database Server

·  Application: Test requests are sent to the database correctly and the output is displayed correctly on the client side. Errors, if any, must be detected by the application and should only be shown to the administrator and not to the end user.

·  Web Server: Test Web server handles all app requests without any denial of service.

·  Database Server: Ensure that queries sent to the database return results that are expected.

Test the system response when it is impossible to establish a connection between the three layers (Application, Web and Database) and when the appropriate message is shown to the end user.

4. Database Testing:

Database is one of the critical components of your web application, and efforts must be made to thoroughly test it. Testing activities will include:

● Test if any errors are shown during the execution of queries.

● Data integrity is preserved when data is created, updated or deleted in the database.

● Check the response time of requests and adjust if necessary.

● The test data retrieved from your database is accurately shown in your web application.

5. Testing compatibility.

Compatibility tests guarantees that your web app displays correctly across devices. This will include-

Browser Compatibility Test: The same website will render differently in different browsers. You need to check if your web app displays correctly in browsers, JavaScript, AJAX and authentication is working fine. You can also check Mobile Browser Compatibility.

The rendering of web elements such as buttons, text boxes, etc. varies with changes in Operating System. Make certain your website works perfectly with different combinations of operating systems such as Windows, Linux, Mac and Browsers such as Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, etc.

6. Performance testing:

This will guarantee that the site performs correctly under all loads. Software testing activities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

● Response time of a web application at varying connection rates.

● Load test the web application to determine how it works under normal and peak loads.

● Stress test your website to determine its breakpoint when it exceeds the normal load during peak times.

● Verify if a crash occurs due to the peak load, see how the site restores from that.● Make sure optimization techniques such as gzip compression, browser and server-side caching are enabled to reduce respond time.