Practical software testing tips for any application
Applications are taking the world by storm. The majority of theworld’s population owns a laptop, smartphone or tablet. As a result,the time spent online per day has drastically increased over the years. This has given rise to the app revolution. Today, there is an app for almost any need or interest you can imagine.Anything you need is just a swipe or touch away. For example, you no longer need to stand on the corner to wait to find a cab, there’s Uber. The Uber app allows you to make a trip request from your smartphone after which it sends you an Uber driver that’s in your vicinity. The app goes ahead and automatically calculates your charges. That’s how simple and convenient apps can make our day–to-day processes.
The benefits of using a mobile application
- They are fast and easier to use
They are generally faster than browsing. Surfing the Internettakesopening a browser, typing in the URL and waiting for it to load which is also dependent on reception. Apps, on the contrary, take just a second to launch and can even be used offline.
- They are cheaper and make work easier
Apps directly and instantly message clients, making communication easier. This in turn reduces workload in form of sending requests and making phone calls. In addition, it reduces costs that may be incurred by sending paper newsletters and SMS messages.
- They increase visibility of your business
An app ison a customer’s screen at all times. This omnipresent nature of apps helps to improve brand awareness and brand presence, both of which are very important in fostering a strong brand. Unlike when surfing the Internet via a browser and tucking away important links in the bookmarks bar, an app is always before users’ eyes.
- They bridge the gap between businesses and their customers
Customers use apps to access businesses and the services they provide more easily. On the other hand,businesses use apps to improve their services and make them available to their clients. The main function of an app is therefore to promote interaction and connectivity between the two, consequently bridging the gap.
For these reasons, having an application has become a necessity for businesses, with more and more of them flocking to get one or more developed. A couple of things are considered before developing an app. They include: the purpose of the app, time and resources allocated for its maintenance, business requirements, and how popular the app is expected to be.
It is important to consider all this before having an app developed. Estimated app popularity is forecasted through research and helps you understand if there is a market for your app. This could help you determine if an app is good for you. Business requirements are also a great way to determine this. Getting an app would be a great idea if your business has a website that requires customers to log in and also if you regularly interact with them. Identifying a clear purpose for your app enables you to tailor it to your customers’ needs. This ensures it provides value.
Finally, after investing in an app, it should be maintained to ensure it stays relevant. Additionally, improvements should be made to it in order to provide users with the best service. With that in mind, your application’s software is ready to be developed.
What is software testing?
Testing is an important step in app development as it helps you to discern and fix bugs in the software. This process verifies that your app meets the business and technical requirements that it was developed for. This is done using tools for software testing including Java, COBRA, HTML and other technologies. The aim is not only to find bugsand fix them but also to find how to make the software most effective.
Tricks for testing applications
- Pick effective test cases
Effective test cases are those that are most likely to identify bugs. A tester should use requirements documents as reference while writing and revising them in order to identify what could be wrong. This will help to narrow down to the most effective cases and not just work with a bunch of test cases.
- Understand the application and its requirements
A tester should know and completely understand what is expected, what needs to be implemented and what the finished product should look like. This makes it easier to identify its strong and weak sides.
- Be familiar with its functionality
Atester should know the intended use of the application and what functions are most important. This will help them prioritize tests, especially when test-time is limited.
- Use regression testing
Atester should run a regression test every time a new feature is introduced to assess the effect of the new change on its functionality. This is highly recommended since it makes basic testing faster and effective. The tester should therefore have at his/her disposal a couple of effective regression test cases.
- Break down application into smaller modules
Divide the application into smaller modules then divide further into smaller units. This increases coverage and depth of testing. This enables to find difficult bugs while getting to understand the app better at the same time.
- Consult the developer
It is a good practice for atester to give the test cases to the developer to confirm all functionalities were developed correctly before he or she tests further. This minimizes re-work since the most important part is done by the developer.
- Use previous bugs lists
Check on old bugs when testing old applications or introducing new features. Introducing new changes may makethe functionality that have broken before to break again.
- Note new observations and think different
This will help to find different defects and understand the application better. Also, these may be referred to when introducing new features. The tester should also think beyond just requirements when trying to find new bugs. Thinking from different users’ perspectives can also help to find quality bugs. This would make the application more versatile and more usable by different audiences.
References
“Benefits of mobile apps.” vividus.com.au, vividus.com.au/insights/benefits-of-mobile-apps/. Accessed 21 Jan. 2017.
“Software Testing Tips And Tricks For Testing Any Application.” Software Testing Class, www.softwaretestingclass.com/software-testing-tips-and-tricks-for-testing-any-application/. Accessed 21 Jan. 2017.