A Quick Overview
The digital landscape is evolving at a fantastic pace, and the world demands more and more unique IT applications. Every industry vertical is going online, from banking services to healthcare, car dealerships, e-commerce, buying favorite groceries, and whatnot! This also leads to fierce competition among different web platforms, and somehow, you need to look around for ways to excel by creating an effective app that even offers a great user experience. Gone are the days when all you needed to do was create a static website and get over it. Today, having a strong online presence plays a huge role in the success of your business; yes, it creates a make-or-break situation.
Now there is a subtle difference between a website and a web application. Of course, both can be accessed through web browsers and require a strong internet connection; they tend to serve different purposes. Websites are mainly considered for passing on the necessary information, whereas web applications are created to conduct proper user interaction and functionality.
Moreover, developing a web application means you are creating a way for users to interact successfully with the content. Some of the popular examples to consider include online banking systems, Webmail, online banking, content management systems, social media platforms, e-commerce sites, and more.
Why do you need to develop a Web App?
Developing an ideal web application project can lead to numerous benefits for your business. Let’s go through them right away!
1. Enhanced user experiences
Web applications usually offer an intuitive and user-friendly interface this which ensures the development of seamless user experiences for the end customers. Since the web app is available for their end-users 24/7, it is possible for the end-users to interact with the app most effortlessly.
2. Streamlined business process
Of course, there is not one thing going on when you commence a business; you have hundreds of other responsibilities. So, in order to increase productivity and efficiency, it is very important to streamline business procedures. Try incorporating automated workflows, boosting productivity, and reducing operational costs.
3. Scalability and Flexibility
When you try developing customized web applications, it means they can be easily scalable and flexible. Now, I am sure you are well-versed with the fact that digital business requirements keep evolving every now and then, so scaling web apps up and down can be quite a tedious job. More or less, it is advisable to integrate custom web services with your business in such a manner that the business keeps on growing along with growing progressive web apps. And do you know what the best part here is? You no longer have to keep worrying about license purchases.
4. Cost-effective
Developing a web app isn’t that costly, yes, trust me when I say this, especially in comparison to other methods of app development. However, in comparison to mobile app development, they don’t take much time as well. What else, a web app seamlessly functions on all web browsers, which means, in simple words, you no longer require hardware upgrades every now and then. As a result, this eliminates large capital expenditures and remains cost-effective.
5. User-friendly
The next benefit of conducting a web app development project is that it turns out to be quite user-friendly. With the changing demands, the needs of your targeted audiences keep on changing as well, so the app has to be in sync as well. With the software being updated on an automatic basis, the users no longer have to update anything on their devices every now and then.
Of course, there are many other reasons to develop a web app, but I guess these aforementioned ones are pretty basic. However, there is no point in developing a web app that is not thoroughly tested because if this happens, it means you won’t be able to develop an app that successfully runs across different devices and browsers, ensuring a seamless user experience. So let us begin with the basics!
What is Web App Testing?
As the name implies, web app testing makes sure that the developed app operates in a smoother manner across different devices and browsers, offering a highly seamless user experience. In addition, it is done to ensure that the app’s functionality and quality are considered in accordance with pre-determined requirements. Before deploying or even launching the app, it is very important to identify all the relevant issues so that there is no scope for any kind of security breaches, integration issues, functional inconsistencies, environmental challenges, or traffic load.
Now, I am sure you must have heard of the lawsuit filed against a reputable company named Uber. It was mainly because of a software bug that led to a compromise in terms of security. What exactly happened was that, personal credentials people used to log in didn’t really wipe even after they had logged out. So anyone could track anyone. However, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for wives who wanted to track their husbands' rides and catch them cheating, but otherwise, passing on personal information, not a commendable job! Though I am simply stating what happened instead of judging what could have gone wrong. This is an important example if you want to learn about the post-bug lawsuit.
By considering web testing in the first place, you will end up making the site perform well and in accordance with high-quality standards. Basically, rectifying bugs that might affect the functionality, usability, and performance of a website.
Why is Web Testing Required?
1. Detect Bugs before users do
How would you feel when you find out that the feature you have launched doesn’t work as intended? Conducting web testing assists in spotting bugs at a pretty early stage, in a way that your business can be saved from unwanted reputation damage and costly fixes as well. Partnering with a trusted web application development company means issues and bugs will be caught way before the app is delivered to the end users.
2. Enhanced user experience
One of the obvious aspects by which web applications are often judged is how user-friendly they are. Testing assists in taking care of various facts, including navigation, loading speed, and increased responsiveness, just to make sure the end user gets a smooth user experience. By making the most of automated web testing services, it is possible to judge, simulate real-world usage scenarios, and optimize the app for maximum user satisfaction.
3. Enhanced security
Cybersecurity breaches cannot be stopped or ignored at any rate, so what needs to be done is to safeguard sensitive user data. Testing spots vulnerabilities that can be easily exploited by hackers, be it weak passwords or data leaks. All you can do is consider QA web app testing services, which have the potential to safeguard the app from unwanted breaches, ensuring the developed app is highly compliant with ongoing industry standards.
4. Saves ample of time
Manual testing can be pretty tedious and time-consuming, and there are fair chances that some issues will be left out, especially when the tasks are extremely repetitive. With the help of proper automated tools, it is possible to successfully streamline different procedures, which usually saves ample time and effort. With the help of cutting-edge technologies, it is possible to execute tests pretty quickly and in a highly accurate manner. Moreover, it is possible to conduct roll-outs in a faster manner.
5. Reduces development costs
Another interesting benefit of considering web app testing is that it reduces overall development costs to a great extent. I am pretty sure many of you may not agree with me here, but spotting issues right in the development phase is much cheaper than fixing them post-launch. Conducting testing regularly enables developers to focus on not creating cascading errors, which will later lead to expensive rework. Companies these days highly focus on early detection rather than rectifying the entire situation in the end.
6. Seamless Integration
Modern web applications do tend to integrate with third-party tools, including payment gateways or CRMs. This is a given, and to ensure whether the integrations made are working in sync or not, you need to see through which can only be taken care of by considering web application testing. It is very important for the integration to work seamlessly, and it shouldn’t affect the core functionalities at any given point.
7. Ensure compliance
The next benefit of considering web app testing is to ensure absolute compliance. This is a very important factor because if the app isn’t adhering to regulatory guidelines, it can easily avoid any legal trouble as well as penalties.
8. Boost performance
Imagine all of a sudden your app is flooded with hundreds and thousands of end users all at the same time? What might happen next? Will it survive or will it crash? This is where performance testing works wonders. The web app testing assists in identifying bottlenecks, ensuring that the developed app works wonders even under heavy loads. Also, ask your app development professionals to be prepared in case if they need to scale up.
9. Enhances functionality
An ideal web application is supposed to function seamlessly among various browsers, operating systems, and devices. By conducting proper testing methods, you are obliged to keep tabs on performance and overall functionality within diverse environments. Also, make sure you do incorporate cross-platform testing for better outcomes.
10. Develop Brand Reputation
Last but certainly not least, when you properly conduct web application testing, it means there are no chances of any kind of mistakes occurring, which also means you are more likely to develop a highly functional, reliable app, which also reflects positively on the overall brand. After all, who doesn’t want a strong brand reputation in the market?
How to Test Web Applications?
Step 1 - Develop a proper testing strategy
The world of modern web applications keeps on evolving and also, and it keeps on increasing, especially in terms of complexity and variety, like it or not! So all you need to consider is a multifaceted testing approach. However, before that, you need to develop a proper testing strategy where you can begin with outlining relevant objectives, approaches, and schedules to conduct different kinds of testing procedures.
Step 2 - Consider the Key Web App Testing Scenarios
Always keep this in mind: different parts of the app require different kinds of testing techniques; there is no cookie-cutter method.
1. Functional Testing
Can you believe this? All it takes is a single end-user to make the entire system crash within a span of minutes. No matter whether you have already conducted unit, integration or performance testing, things can happen in the wrong manner, especially when the developer least expects it. The ultimate purpose of functional testing is to ensure that the overall functionality of the developed software remains intact and works as pre-determined. Here, the UI of the application is being thoroughly tested. Unlike non-functional testing, this type doesn’t have to deal with the underlying source code. And to be more precise, here you might not be considering aspects such as speed, scalability, and reliability. Some of the common types of functionality tests include:
- Is it possible to successfully log in to the web app across different browsers and devices?
- Does the web app interact in a well-intended manner with external databases and syncing?
- Invoices are sent and received with correct information and security
- Buttons, text fields, menus, etc., are working as per the requirements
2. Usability Testing
Usability testing focuses on design aspects instead of functional aspects. Here, it is very important to assess user experiences, leading to how intuitive and user-friendly the web application is. Some of the key aspects to consider here:
- User Interface Evaluation - Here, the layout is analysed completely, and not just that, the entire design and navigation is taken care of.
- User Experience Testing - Here, the ease of learning is being assessed, and the app is used.
- Accessibility Testing - This type of testing is conducted to ensure that the developed app is accessible to all users, especially the ones featuring any kind of disabilities.
Regression Testing
Regression Testing is pretty important, especially when updates or any kind of changes are made to the developed application. By conducting regression testing, you can be doubly sure that the fact that new code doesn’t have any kind of impact, especially a negative impact on existing functionality. Though regression testing does feature functional tests as a core aspect of its scope. So here's what you can do:
- Verify Existing Functionality - Here, you can ensure that all previous functions operate as intended, even after relevant modifications are made.
- Identifies Unintended Consequences: Catches any new bugs introduced by recent changes.
End-to-End Testing
Here, professionals tend to examine the overall functionality of the web application from start to finish, which definitely emulates well with real-user scenarios. Here, in this type of testing, it is ensured that each and every component of the developed app is working in sync. Why is this type applied? Well, mainly to reduce the risk which key flows breaking. Some of the core concepts involve:
- Workflow Testing - Ensure all the integrated parts of the app interact in the correct manner.
- Data-Integrity Testing - This type of testing is to confirm that data maintains its integrity throughout all transactions.
Performance Testing
Performance testing evaluates the overall web application’s stability and responsiveness irrespective of what condition might arise in the future. Here you will find,
Load Testing - The app’s ability is assessed thoroughly, especially when it is about handling high volumes of users.
Stress Testing - This type of testing is used to determine the application’s breaking point and how it recovers in case if any failure occurs.
Speed Testing - Measuring response times and the speed of page loading under normal conditions.
In addition to these tests, usability testing is conducted where the app is analyzed for its ease of use and intuitiveness, and compatibility testing, where professionals ensure that the app works seamlessly among different browsers, devices, and screen sizes as well as operating systems. By doing so, it is possible to maintain consistency within the developed design and functionality. What else, we have
Step 3 - The Final Touch Up
Lastly, don’t forget to keep track of test performance, loading speed, UI, and security. Considering all these aspects can definitely enhance user experience and proper protection.
Browser Stack, Selenium, Postman, Cypress, and JMeter are some of the common web application testing tools to consider.
Conclusion
So that’s all for now! This is why you need a web application in the first place, and make sure it is well-tested, or else there is no point in making all these efforts.
Imagine you have spent days and nights willing to develop a kickass project, and as soon as you launch the app, you find out that there is a small bug irritating the end users and compelling them to switch to your competitors on the immediate basis.
And all of a sudden, due to data being vulnerable, you might face several financial losses and dozens of lawsuits to deal with. So web app testing is a must, hands down! So what are you thinking about? Time to offer a great end-user experience, even if you are developing a large and complicated application. What will you learn after conducting proper web testing?
- Does the product’s functionality meet the pre-defined requirements?
- No matter what device you consider, will it work in the correct manner?
- Can the product support an influx of users?
- Can unauthorized users access sensitive data?
I hope you did find the following post worth considering. In case you have any kind of doubts or queries, feel free to mention them in the comment section below.
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