How to do Web Application Testing ?

Testing web application is different than to testing any other application. There are certain checklist and some certain testing point which need to be done.

Functionality Testing:

1. Test all links in your webpages are working correctly.

 Links to be checked:-

• Outgoing links: Check that the link takes you proper web page.
• Internal links: Check that the link takes you another section of the same web page.
• Anchor Links: Check that the link points to a specific element on web pages.
• Check the Mail to Links  it reaches properly.
• Check that there is no orphan page.
• Check the broken link.
• If you removed some of the web pages from the site, then set up custom 404 page that redirect visitors to home page of the web site.

 2. Test Forms in the web pages.

This include-

• Scripting checks on the form are working as expected.
• Validation of each field.
• Check default values are being populated.
• Check the scrollbar appears if required.
• Once submitted, the data in the forms is submitted to a database or is linked to a working email address.
• Check the Error is showing inserting incorrect input in the form.
• Check Option of the form – like form view, modify, delete.

3. Test Cookies are working as expected.

Cookies are small files used by websites to primarily remember active user sessions so it is use for future access.

 Cookie Testing include:

• Testing cookies are deleted either when cache is cleared or when they reach their expiry.
• Delete cookies and test that login credentials are asked for when you next visit the site.
• Check what happened if user delete the cookies while in site.

4. Test HTML and CSS to ensure that search engines can crawl your site easily. This will include

• Checking for Syntax Errors
• Readable Colour Schema
• Standard Compliance. Ensure standards such W3C, followed.

5. Test business workflow-

It includes:

End - to - end workflow, business scenarios which takes the user through a series of webpage's to complete.

Test negative scenarios as well, such that when a user executes an unexpected step, appropriate error message or help is shown in your web application.

2. Usability testing:

Usability testing has now become a vital part of any web based project. It ensures that the intended users of a system can carried out the tasks efficiently & effectively. Web site should be easy to use

Learn-ability:

How easy it is for users to achieve tasks when visiting your web site for the first time

Efficiency:

How quickly tasks can be achieved once a user is familiar with your site

Memorability:

How quickly proficiency can be re-established when users have not visited your web site for some time

Errors & Problem Resolution:

How often errors are made, how serious these errors are and how easy it is for users to recover from these errors

Satisfaction:

How satisfied users are with the web site design, content, applications etc.

Test the Navigation:

Menus, buttons or Links to different pages on your site should be easily visible and consistent on all webpages. Navigation means how the user surfs the web pages,
 

3.Content testing:

Content includes the text, graphics, videvo &audio

Content should be legible with no spelling or grammatical errors.

Images if present should contain and "alt" text

All the anchor text links should be working properly. Images should be placed properly with proper sizes

4. Interface Testing:

 Application, Web and Database Server these are the main interface.

Application: Test requests are sent correctly to the Database and show correct output at the client side. Errors if any must be caught by the application and must be only shown to the administrator and not the end user.

Web Server: Test Web server is handling all application requests without any service denial.

Database Server: Make sure queries sent to the database give expected results.

Test system response when connection between the three layers (Application, Web and Database) cannot be established and appropriate message is shown to the end user.

5. Database Testing:

Database is one critical component of your web application and stress must be laid to test it thoroughly. Testing activities will include-

Test if any errors are shown while executing queries

Data Integrity is maintained while creating, updating or deleting data in database.

Check response time of queries and fine tune them if necessary.

Test data retrieved from your database is shown accurately in your web application

6. Compatibility testing.

Compatibility tests ensure that your web application displays correctly across different devices.

 This include-

Browser Compatibility Test: Same website in different browsers will display differently. You need to test if your web application is being displayed correctly across browsers, JavaScript, AJAX and authentication is working fine. Check the browser setting, browser version because some application supports older version or newer version.

 You may also check for Mobile Browser Compatibility.

The rendering of web elements like buttons, text fields etc. changes with change in Operating System. Make sure your website works fine for various combinations of Operating systems such as Windows, Linux, Mac and Browsers such as Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari etc.

Mobile browsing:

Testing the web page on the mobile browser.

7. Performance Testing:

This will ensure your site works under all loads. Testing activities will include but not limited to -

Website application response times at different connection speeds

Load test your web application to determine its behaviour under normal and peak loads

Stress tests your web site to determine its break point when pushed to beyond normal loads at peak time. Eg: Excessive volumes in terms of either users or data.

Test if a crash occurs due to peak load, how the site recovers from such an event.

8. Security testing:

Security testing is vital for Website that store sensitive customer information.It is more important for the E-commerce site. Testing Activities will include-

It includes Authenticates & Authorisation, confidentiality, integretiy, Avaliablity.

Test unauthorized access to secure pages should not be permitted

Restricted files should not be downloadable without appropriate access

Check sessions are automatically killed after prolonged user inactivity

On use of SSL certificates, website should re-direct to encrypted SSL pages.