Testing is crucial for building robust applications, yet it‘s complex for beginners. This definitive guide aims to advance your understanding and skills for strategically testing and releasing high-quality software.
What Exactly is Software Application Testing?
Software application testing evaluates an application under development to:
- Confirm intended functionality works without defects
- Identify faults in code, design or documentation
- Assess overall quality and production-readiness
Thorough testing is key to preventing issues that damage user experience after launch – crashes, slowness, errors and vulnerabilities. The goal is to discover problems early, before applications reach end users.
Finding and fixing defects takes over 100x more effort later in production than during initial development. High quality testing saves time and overhead down the line.
Why Testing Matters More Than Ever
With digital engagement growing sharply, software quality directly impacts brand reputation and bottom lines:
- An estimated $1.7 trillion is lost annually across industries due to software failures
- 40% of consumers will abandon a mobile app after just one use if it has problems
- One satisfied mobile app user influences 3 more potential customers on average
Testing delivers confidence for development teams to release faster and more frequently. The days of slow, big-bang software launches are over.
Different Types of Software Application Testing
Teams test applications in different ways depending on project scope and targets. Common quality checks include:
Functional Testing
Confirms each function and feature operates without errors or defects. It verifies core app capabilities.
Usability Testing
Evaluates how easy and intuitive the user interface is from a human perspective. Identifies pain points frustrating users.
Performance Testing
Checks stability and speed under expected user loads. Confirms the architecture can handle anticipated traffic volumes post-launch.
Security Testing
Validates defenses against threats like injections, data breaches or hacking techniques. Verifies regulatory compliance like HIPAA.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Compatibility Testing | Validates experience across different devices, browsers and OS versions |
| Accessibility Testing | Ensures UI/UX meets needs of disabled users and complies with regulations |
| Localization Testing | Checks functionality for different languages, date formats and geo-targeted content |
Iterative testing throughout development catches issues sooner when cheaper to fix. Industry data shows:
- Cost to fix defects rises 5-10x from development to post-production
- Finding/fixing bugs during design saves 15-50x more effort than after launch
Testing early, testing often is key.
Balancing Manual Testing and Test Automation
Modern quality assurance relies on a hybrid approach:
Manual Testing
Real users interactively validate functionality and UX. Knowledgeable QA staff mimic end-users exploring without scripts.
Benefits
- Applies human judgement to assess real-world usage
- Adjusts tests dynamically based on observations
- Discovers unpredictable issues missed by automation
- Minimizes script maintenance effort
Limitations
- Slower execution speed
- Finite test coverage due to human effort
- Results dependent on individual testing skill
Test Automation
Tests execute pre-scripted scenarios 24/7 without human intervention via code.
Benefits
- Achieves incredible test scale/repetitions
- Enables continuous automated regression testing
- Frees up staff to focus on complex test cases
- Saves substantial time over the long run
Limitations
- Developing and updating test scripts requires technical expertise
- Initial setup effort is testing time not spent testing
- Limited ability to assess complex UX or make contextual observations
An optimal approach combines exploratory manual testing paired with automated regression testing. Manual testing provides an invaluable human perspective while automation handles repetitive validation.
Top Test Automation Frameworks
Test automation frameworks streamline authoring, executing and managing test suites:
Selenium dominates as the most popular open source test framework tailored specifically for web applications. Selenium supports multiple languages through a simple WebDriver API.
Appium brings test automation to native, hybrid and mobile web apps. It supports iOS, Android and Windows platforms with bindings available for Java, Python and C#.
Cypress stands out for test simplicity and speed. Asynchronous tests execute after application actions occur, eliminating timing failures. Cypress also automatically waits for commands and assertions without having to code delays.
These frameworks help QA teams boost productivity by keeping pace with development team testing needs.
Why Real Devices Are Irreplaceable
Emulators, simulators and virtual machines cannot fully replicate testing on physical mobile devices when it comes to:
- Graphics rendering and performance
- Memory limits and management
- Battery usage optimization
- Onboard sensors like GPS, gyroscopes and cameras
- Receiving actual calls, texts and push notifications
- Real-world network conditions of 3G, 4G and WiFi
Without real devices, experience defects slip through the cracks. Investing in an in-house open device lab costs over $2 million upfront and over $1 million annually to manage.
A managed real device cloud provides flexible access to thousands of real iOS, Android and browser environments. This cloud-based approach scales seamlessly to meet testing needs.
Step-by-Step Guide to Test Applications
Follow these best practices to put applications through complete quality testing:
1. Define Testing Scope and Coverage
Determine business-critical functionality, target devices, browsers, use cases and user types needing validation.
2. Breakdown Test Cases
Outline specific scenarios, test data and expected results aligned to scope. Validate positive, negative and edge cases.
3. Setup Test Environments
Configure access to the required real devices, desktop browsers, operating systems, and screen resolutions.
4. Execute Both Manual and Automated Testing
Balance exploratory manual test sessions with automated scripts for comprehensive assessment.
5. Continuously Analyze and Report Results
Closely monitor test progress, failures and quality trends. Update stakeholders often. Enforce fixing failures before new code commits.
Repeat these steps iteratively with each software change through launch.
Key Takeaways
This complete guide summarizes must-know concepts around strategically testing software applications including:
- Motivations behind comprehensive testing
- Types of testing to perform
- Balancing manual validation and test automation
- Selecting the right test automation framework
- The indispensable need for real mobile devices and browsers
- Steps for end-to-end testing from development to delivery
Proactively focus on quality testing now to prevent headaches for your team and customers later. What questions do you still have on building an optimal testing strategy? Let me know in the comments.
