A Complete Guide to Web Testing
Tags: webdev, testing
Published: 2024-04-17 16:11:20

The world of internet services is booming. Banks, car dealerships, even your favorite grocery store around the corner – everyone is going online. The competition between web platforms has never been this intense. And as businesses fight for a digital crown, polishing their UIs and rolling out new features, users become finicky. They can’t stand waiting, nor are they ready to tolerate clunky interfaces or poor functionality. Instead, they just switch to a better website or app with a top-notch design and an awesome CTA. That’s just what people are – we always look for a quicker and simpler solution to our problems.

However, human nature isn’t the only enemy of web development. One simple bug may lead to a security breach in your online store app, making users’ personal data vulnerable and causing financial losses. All of a sudden, you have dozens of lawsuits to deal with. 

You might have heard of a lawsuit following a software bug that happened to Uber. Due to a glitch in the system, personal credentials people used to log in didn’t wipe after logging out. As a result, a wife could track her husband’s rides and catch him cheating. We’re not here to judge who’s right and who’s wrong, but the compensation of $45 million the man asked from Uber seems rather shocking. 

Obviously, this isn’t the only example of a post-bug lawsuit history knows. The whole point of the story is that you need to test your web application before introducing it to the public; otherwise, the consequences of mistakes can be insurmountable. Need a hand with that? Check out our web app and website testing guide below.

#What Is Web Testing?

Web testing is a software practice comprising a set of techniques aimed at making a site or app perform according to a certain quality standard. This process may involve various types of activities, but the main goal is always the same – to detect as many bugs as possible and develop approaches to prevent them in the future.

Here are a number of key questions web testing answers: 

 - Does the product’s functionality meet the requirements?
 - Will it work correctly on all major devices?
 - Can the product support an influx of users?
 - Can unauthorized users access sensitive data?

To word it differently, web testing is a set of procedures aimed at finding issues that might negatively affect the functionality, usability, and performance of a web application or website.

#Why Is Web Testing an Essential Process?

You can spend a lot of time and money developing an app, but its success will largely depend on its quality and functionality. The thing is, how do you know what pitfalls may await you along the way? This is where website testing comes into play. By testing a software product before its launch, you can identify vulnerabilities and defects in the code and save on costly rework after launch. 

Testing isn’t just about running functions over and over, as many people wrongly think. Beyond coding errors, it helps pinpoint weak points and usability issues in your web solution, allowing you to enhance your design for a seamless user experience. 

https://testfort.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/2-A-Complete-Guide-to-Web-Testing.png

And, as you know, user experience is everything when it comes to a web app or website. According to recent research, 88% of users will not waste time on an app that contains a bug or glitch, while 96% of them will not even report bugs, making finding fixes incredibly difficult. Therefore, no app should go live without testing.

Through thorough web testing, you can determine how logical your web solution is, whether it is easy to navigate, and whether there are any inconsistencies in the UX. You can also see how it works on different platforms and devices and ensure it can be easily accessed no matter what device people are using. 

Testing enables you to assess the scalability and performance of your application under varying levels of user traffic. By testing it through simulating real-world usage scenarios and stress-testing your system, you can see how well the app handles increased demand and work on it. 

More importantly, web testing helps save you money. While this might seem somewhat contradictory given how much time and money go into forming your QA team, the investment in testing ultimately saves you from potentially catastrophic financial losses. Only in the USA, the cost of bugs in 2022 was $2.41 trillion. If you take all other countries, this number will double or even triple. 

Website Application Structures 
Before moving further, let’s take a look at how a web application is built and structured. This will give you an understanding of the challenges that may arise while testing a web app and help you tailor your testing approach to the specific architecture and requirements. 

At its core, a web application is a software program designed to be accessed and utilized via a web browser. However, behind its seemingly simple concept lies a complex network of technologies, protocols, and components, all of which work together to deliver a seamless UX. 

Here are the core technologies that run on the client side:

 - HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) – defines the structure and content of web pages.
 - CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) – controls the presentation and styling of HTML elements.
 - JavaScript – a scripting language used to add interactivity and dynamic behavior to web pages. 

Besides these three, there’s a whole bunch of other layers of technologies related to web app development, including server-side scripting languages such as PHP, Ruby, Python, etc., web servers such as Nginx, Apache, and more, APIs, and protocols. They all combine to hold business logic together and govern how the information is exchanged between web browsers and servers. 

Furthermore, there’s a number of application structures. Depending on the nature and functionality of a web application, developers may choose from the following options:

 - Single-page applications (SPAs), which contain all functionality within a single document model, minimizing page reloads and providing a more fluid user experience. Examples of SPAs include Facebook, GitHub, and Gmail.
 - Multiple-page applications, where the application is divided into multiple pages accessible through various route URLs. They often use server-side frameworks and template engineers and offer inherent security benefits. Forums, blogs, and eCommerce websites that sell various products or services fall into this category of apps. A case in point is eBay and Amazon.
 - Progressive web apps (PWAs), which leverage modern web technologies to deliver a native app-like experience through web browsers. They use service workers, manifests, and an app shell to provide offline capabilities and faster loading times. The best examples of PWAs are Uber, Pinterest, Starbucks, Twitter, and Spotify. 

As you can imagine, each of these application structures presents its unique challenges and considerations for testing and should be approached using different testing techniques and tools. 

#Web Testing Solutions

The definition of web testing is quite broad and covers a lot of ground depending on the kind of web solution you’re building. In this section, we will cover the five most common types of web solutions and how to test them.

#Testing static websites

Static websites are perhaps the simplest form of all software solutions available. They show the same content to users and don’t have any complex functionality. Basically, all we expect from a static website is to be informative and attractive so people don’t want to leave it. However, despite their seemingly simple nature, there’s a whole scope of work when it comes to testing. Here are just some of the things that need to be checked before a static website goes live: 

 - GUI elements – a website should be adapted to cater to various users. The content should be easy to read, have eye-pleasing styling, and allow for changing font size.
 - Errors – all links should be working properly, and there should not be any errors in CSS. 
 - Scrolling – the content should be easy to scroll, both with a mouse and using a touchpad. 
 - Cross-compatibility – to eliminate lags and performance issues, the site needs to be tested across different browsers, platforms, and devices.
 - Integrations – if the site is connected to social media profiles or analytics services, testers need to check if forms lead to the right profiles and conversions are tracked. 
 - Security – code reviews are important to identify potential security vulnerabilities and ensure all sensitive data like payment details are securely handled and can’t be breached. 
 - Performance – static websites should also be tested for non-regular load. By simulating high traffic conditions, testers can see how a website copes with increased traffic and optimize it to better handle the load if needed. 

Most often, static websites are tested by software engineers who simply go through the pages manually and check the lines of code. However, you may want to employ a team of dedicated testers if your static website has a more complex nature. Here’s why.

Main Challenges:

Testing integrations to ensure they function correctly and do not adversely affect the website’s performance or security can be rather complex.

Static websites aren’t immune to security threats such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and insecure direct object references (IDOR), making skipping testing a rather risky venture.

> “In general, testing static websites isn’t troublesome. However, if a site needs to be tested in a pixel-perfect environment, that entails a lot of work. To make it simpler, teams may use special browser plugins or automate testing using Selenium or other frameworks if the UI is static.”

> Mykhailo Tomara, Lead QA Engineer, TestFort

#Testing dynamic web applications

Dynamic websites are more complex than static websites. The content on them is frequently updated, requiring focus on both frontend and backend. 

The frontend testing involves checking HTML and CSS (client-side technologies that users interact with), while backend requires testing databases and systems that “run the show from behind the scenes” (most often, written in JavaScript). 

Unlike static websites, dynamic web applications are constantly changing and evolving. Therefore, they should be tested by skilled testers with expertise and knowledge of complex web app architectures, scripting techniques, specific hardware, and tools, who can regularly update and maintain them and keep them fit for purpose. 

Main Challenges:

 - Finding tech talent with expertise in the required tools and methodologies can be time-consuming and expensive. 

 - Dynamic testing evolves additional investments into software and tools, which may not be justified in case you only need to do a one-off or short-term project. 

#Testing fintech and banking solutions

Fintech and banking solutions require deep expertise. In addition to understanding the core technologies, your QA team must have previous domain experience and knowledge of the compliance rules to ensure the product meets both functional and non-functional requirements. 

All other elements we’ve mentioned earlier such as security features, integrations, forms, OS compatibility, and so on should be checked as well. UI/UX, in particular, demands attention. A fintech product should have an intuitive design so that people can navigate it easily without a long learning curve. 

Main Challenges:

There aren’t many testing teams with relevant technical experience.

The local market tends to be rather expensive while not necessarily offering high quality and speed. 

#Testing eCommerce websites

Just like fintech solutions, eCommerce websites require a focus on web security and UI/UX components of the site. They involve a wide range of features such as shopping cart management, payment gateways, order tracking, and product browsing, which need to be thoroughly tested to ensure seamless functioning without glitches or errors. 

In addition to the site’s navigation and overall user experience, eCommerce websites are expected to handle high volumes of traffic, especially during peak shopping periods. This requires performance testing that simulates the surge in user activities to check if the site produces correct results under non-regular load. 

Testing eCommerce sites involves a whole range of testing activities and can be done manually and automatically, depending on the scope of the application. However, the ideal strategy should include a blend of both.

Main Challenges:

Not all companies running eCommerce websites have access to a whole range of physical devices needed for compatibility testing. 

A lot of the content on eCommerce websites, such as prices, promotions, inventory, reviews, and so on, changes every day, requiring consistent monitoring and maintenance.

Validating third-party integrations requires a lot of strong tech skills. 

#Testing mobile websites or applications

Somewhat similar to desktop web testing, mobile web testing involves the familiar HTML, CSS, and JavaScript unit testing, and covers the same problem areas and typical bugs. However, the process of testing isn’t identical. Given the huge variety of mobile devices and platforms available, it requires a greater focus on UI/UX testing, performance, and security. 

Usability takes center stage in mobile web testing. The final UI should not deviate from the approved design, requiring thorough testing of the web solution across various screens and resolutions. If your app is integrated with any third-party systems or platforms, it will also need to undergo performance testing and API load testing. 

Naturally, security and OS compatibility testing are crucial aspects of mobile testing as well. Testers need to ensure that the mobile website or web application is working properly across different browsers and devices, providing a consistent user experience. 

Main Challenges:

There’s a ton of mobile devices and device brands, not to mention OS versions that are getting updated all the time, all of which need to be tested.
 
Since mobile applications rely on different network types such as 3G, 4G, 5G, and Wi-Fi, addressing network-related issues is vital to ensure robust data exchange and seamless user experience. 

When developers fix something, it usually takes a bit longer to update mobile applications compared to web based applications.

> “A good practice is when applications that need to be tested are provided to the testing team via TestFlight or App Center. Then it’s much faster to reinstall them.”

> Mykhailo Tomara, Lead QA Engineer, TestFort

#Types of Web Testing

Now that we’ve covered some of the most common web solutions and the testing effort required for each of them, let’s see an overview of the different types of web testing that can be applied across web solutions. 

*Unit testing*

Unit tests are the first tests at the bottom of the testing pyramid. They are easy to create and are usually run concurrently with development to detect flaws in software build. The main distinction of unit testing compared to system testing is that it is aimed at testing single units of code (program modules, objects, classes, functions, etc) in isolation, not the entire system. Thanks to that, it’s easier to detect flaws in a programmer’s implementation and identify any missing parts in code that would be too difficult to catch in subsequent stages of testing. 

As a rule, unit testing is carried out in the development phase and can be done in two ways – manually or by automated tools. Manual testing, while possible, isn’t very popular due to its time-consuming nature and associated costs. Instead, development teams turn to automation testing that helps significantly accelerate the process of isolating code units and testing them.

As more companies are following the trend of a shift-left testing approach, creating security unit tests has become a popular practice. Now, instead of waiting for the completion of development before addressing security concerns, developers can start early by testing the smallest testable security units to ensure that security controls are in place and work as intended. 

*Integration testing*

The goal of integration testing is to monitor how different modules work together when combined and tested as a group. Integration testing serves as an evaluation of the compliance of the systems and components of your web solution with its specified functional requirements.

https://testfort.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/3-A-Complete-Guide-to-Web-Testing.png

There are four different approaches that can be used when planning integration testing:

 - Big bang. The development process assumes that the modules and system components are interconnected. They’re combined and tested together.
 - Bottom-up. This one focuses on low-level systems at first, both together and separately. In plain English, you start performing checks from the lower levels, reaching the most critical elements.
 - Top-down. In contrast to the previous technique, this one is aimed at testing all the high-level modules first, gradually going down to the very bottom.
 - Hybrid/sandwich. This is a mish-mash of the previous two methods. The modules on top are tested separately, while the lower ones are integrated and validated with the high-level modules.

*Functional testing*

Functionality testing is the process of evaluating the functionality of your entire web solution. It is done to ensure that the product works correctly and everything from the registration process to the logout procedure is functioning as expected. 

During functional testing, various scenarios are executed to validate the behavior of the web solution under different conditions. This includes testing user interactions, data processing, error handling, and compliance with functional requirements specified for the system. 

One of the key benefits of functional testing is that it can provide a holistic view of the web solution’s performance from an end-to-end perspective. By simulating real-world usage scenarios, it allows testing teams to see if there are any discrepancies between the expected and actual behavior and address issues before they impact user experience. 

Functional testing demands a lot of resources, yet it’s one of the most important types of testing in ensuring the quality and reliability of your web solution. At the end of functional testing, you should get a product that has a coherent interface, is integrated with API, and runs smoothly across different browsers, devices, and operating systems. 

#Smoke testing

Smoke testing allows teams to run quick checks of the software to identify any issues or bugs in it. The test passes if the software proves stable and bug-free and can proceed to the next testing phase. Unlike functional testing, smoke testing is run pretty often and therefore, it’s easier and cheaper to perform. 

There are a few types of smoke testing:

 - Manual – testers create test cases for each generated product and manually go through them. If everything works fine, functionality testing follows. In case of a test failure, the software build is returned to the development team for further investigation and fixes. 
 - Automated testing – these tests are executed using automation tools, significantly increasing the efficiency and speed of the testing process. They also help save a good amount of time and resources that would otherwise be spent on manual testing. That said, you don’t always need to rely on automation. With smoke tests, automation proves beneficial when the project has a rather tight deadline. 
 - Hybrid tests – this type of testing combines manual and automated testing approaches. In hybrid testing, some of the test cases can be tested manually, while others would be checked using automation tools. Because this method combines the benefits of both testing methods, it usually yields the best results.

#Sanity testing

Sanity testing is often confused with smoke testing, but they have different goals. While smoke testing is aimed at checking the functionality of the web application, sanity testing is carried out to ensure no errors slip into the build after that. 

Furthermore, if smoke testing checks the product stability, sanity testing delves deeper into the logic and behavior of the application, confirming that recent modifications and bug fixes have not introduced new errors or regressions. 

As a rule, sanity testing is conducted after smoke testing or as a part of regression testing to provide additional confidence that the software build is stable and ready for release. In most cases, it’s done manually, without any automation tools.

#Mobile Application Testing Vs. Web Application Testing

For someone relatively new in the field, it may seem that there’s not a lot of difference between web app testing and mobile app testing. However, it’s only at first glance. Once you delve deeper, you’ll see that the difference between the two is more than prominent. 

Mobile app testing examines the quality of the app’s performance on various devices and operating systems. This type of testing focuses on functionality, behavior analysis (including support for device-specific functionality such as touchpad controls), Quality of Service compliance, usability, security, and privacy.

On the other hand, web app testing aims to see how your application works across different browsers. Unlike a mobile app, it typically provides access to basic server functionality through a mobile thin client. This way, in addition to analyzing the above, web app testing also considers connectivity and interaction.

When it comes to UI testing, mobile application testing should cover older phone models as well as flagship devices, multimedia content and graphics, and features, such as gesture recognition. In turn, UI testing for web applications should focus on thin web clients, downloadable clients, and browser support for multimedia content and graphics.

There are also certain differences in usability testing. Testing mobile applications involves validating gestures, content, interfaces, and typical user activities such as interactions with the camera, GPS module, or fingerprint sensor. Web application testing, on the other hand, focuses on validating the GUI content and user flows.

As you can see, the difference between mobile and web application testing is rather tangible. No wonder companies that want to create a mobile app after doing web app development are highly recommended to hire a dedicated team of testers with experience in mobile testing.

#How to Test Web Applications

Testing web applications can be a real pain in the neck without a comprehensive test plan. Therefore, it’s vital that the team invests time in devising a solid strategy for testing your software solution. Let’s look at the testing types and techniques that can be applied to test a web application or website.  

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Step 1. Functional testing

Functional testing covers several aspects of testing, including database testing, security testing of web applications, API testing, user interface testing, client and application server testing, and basic features of the site. This test starts by checking a website for evident faults like broken links and test forms. Testers carefully go through each page of the site to ensure they are all loading correctly and there are no mistakes that may impact UX. 

Cookie checking follows interface testing. Testers need to ensure that cookies are deleted when the date is expired, or the cache is cleared and the site requests credentials the next time users visit the page. 

Functional testing also involves validating HTML and CSS. It’s important to ensure that the site has readable color schemes and contains no syntax errors that may prevent it from being crawled by search engines.

In the end, the site gets tested once again for business logic. Testers simulate the actions of users, executing several usage scenarios, where they take predicted and unexpected steps. As a result, they may reveal some minor issues that might have been overlooked at the planning stage of web application development.

Step 2. Usability testing

The next step is to test the app for usability. This involves checking website navigation and testing the content. The site should have well-readable elements that can be easily found. If you have several buttons, they should be visible and contrast with each other. If you have links, they should be clearly identifiable as well. 

The content plays as important a role in the usability of web applications as navigation. It has to be legible and contain no spelling or grammatical errors. Otherwise, it will send bad signals to Google and won’t convert no matter how much money you invest in development. Testing the content can be done using tools like Clixpy, Chalkmark, and similar solutions. 

Step 3. Interface testing

Further down, testers need to conduct interface testing, which embraces the following three areas: application, web server, and database server. 
 
 - The former is responsible for ensuring that test requests are correct and if any errors are being detected, they are only displayed to the administrator. 

 - Web server testing involves examining the performance of the web server, checking for any server-side errors, and ensuring that the application responds promptly to user requests. 

 - Database server testing, in turn, focuses on verifying data integrity, proper data storage, and how the data is retrieved. 
These three systems must work seamlessly together to ensure that the end user sees the right message on the screen. 

4. Compatibility testing

With so many browsers, platforms, and devices available now, it’s become increasingly important to run compatibility tests. Compatibility testing helps identify issues related to rendering the app on various browsers and operating systems, as well as their combinations, and ultimately increases its attractiveness by making it accessible across different platforms.  

Most often, websites and web applications are tested using Dynatrace, BrowseEmAll, or IETester tools.

5. Performance testing
Once the compatibility of the site is checked, it must be tested for how well it works under unregular unloads. For this purpose, testers usually use either JMeter or LoadRunner tools and perform the following series of tests:

 - Load testing – this is the most common type of performance testing that shows the app’s response and capacity under specific load conditions.
 - Stress testing — this one helps define the stability of your application by bombarding it with user requests beyond normal operational capacity.
 - Soak testing – this test is used to check the stability and performance of the system over long periods of time. If stress testing is a sprint, soak testing is a marathon.
 - Spike testing – spike testing tests the app under different sudden and extreme loads to determine its behavior at different levels and find out its operational capabilities.

Conducting performance testing is important to ensure that when the site scales and starts attracting more traffic, it will work efficiently and reliably without experiencing any downtimes. It is also a must for eCommerce applications where seasonal peaks are the norm. 

6. Security testing

Security testing is a must for pretty much every web application that stores personal data, but it’s particularly important for banking platforms and eCommerce solutions dealing with credit card transactions. Security test approaches may vary slightly, depending on what solution you’re building, but most often they come down to the following:

 - Vulnerability assessment – this involves checking the web app for known weaknesses and vulnerabilities, such as SQL injections, cross-site scripting (XSS), cross-site request forgery (CSRF), and all other insecure authentication mechanisms.
 - Penetration testing – also known as pen testing, this approach involves simulating real-world cyber attacks to identify potential security flaws in the web application. In this type of testing, testers use the vulnerabilities in the system to gain unauthorized access or manipulate sensitive data. This testing type is best performed manually to reveal security risks that automated tools can overlook. 
 - Code reviews – by reviewing the source code of the web application, testers can identify its weak points, such as insecure coding practices, improper input validation, insufficient data encryption, and so on. 
 - Data encryption testing – this type of testing helps testers evaluate if the data is encrypted both in transit (using HTTPS/TLS, etc.) and at rest (using algorithms like AES), mitigating the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access. 
 - Session management testing – during this testing, QA specialists assess if sessions are properly authenticated, encrypted, and invalidated after logout or idle periods. 

#Challenges of Testing Complex Web Apps

As web development grows bigger, the competition becomes more fierce every day. Now, it’s important not just to come up with a new app but to ensure that this app works smoothly across all devices and has something truly outstanding about it.

The key challenge is, there’s a ton of devices that people use to access web applications. They come from different brands and have different screen sizes and resolutions, making compatibility testing a real nightmare. 

Emulators were introduced to address this issue. However, as good as they are, nothing beats testing on physical devices. This is exactly exactly where the problem lies. Unfortunately, only a scarce amount of companies have access to all the devices they need for testing, which can significantly slow down their progress. 

Another challenge relates to the integration of different modules and components. It’s hard to make everything fit and work right, especially when you’re also trying to maintain your app’s compatibility with other browsers and devices. In most cases, this attempt leads to bugs and mistakes. 

Rigorous testing is key to mitigating these issues and maintaining web quality while also delivering exceptional user experience across diverse devices and platforms. 

#Websites Vs. Web Applications: The Core Differences

Most users view URLs they visit as websites. However, that’s not always the case, as some sites are, in fact, web apps. But how are they different? 

To put it simply, websites primarily serve informational purposes and have a simple structure: a few web pages linked together into a single resource. They have a rather simple HTML-based architecture. The only complex element you can find on the site is an embedded video. Websites don’t usually have any interactive components, and there’s no way for users to access its content beyond filling out a subscription or contact us form.

Web applications, in turn, are interactive programs that allow users to enter, receive, and manipulate data. They closely interact with the server (backend), constantly sending requests to it. They can be embedded in web pages, or web pages themselves can be the apps. Think of Facebook, Gmail, or YouTube.

#What Is Website Testing?

Website testing involves checking and assessing the functionality of a website to ensure it complies with requirements. QA teams need to perform a whole scope of work, including simulating various real-life usage scenarios and analyzing the behavior of the site under stress. Once an issue is discovered, testers report it to the development team. After the error is resolved, the website is re-tested. 

#Why Carry Out Website Testing?

Launching a website without prior testing is always a huge risk. Even if you eventually manage to make it work, the damage to your company’s reputation may be irreparable. So it’s worth investing a bit more time upfront rather than spending countless hours later trying to fix problems that could have been prevented with proper testing. Besides these obvious reasons, there are at least four benefits that make website testing an important part of the development process:

*Validating the functionality*

When deploying a new website, there’s always a risk that it might not perform as expected. Broken buttons, links that lead to nowhere, and broken pop-up forms – these are just a few of the problems that may arise due to lack of testing. Website testing helps mitigate these issues and ensure that all features and functionalities of the website work correctly. 

*Minimizing errors*

Although sites aren’t as complex as web apps, this doesn’t mean they can’t have issues with the backend. Issues with data processing, server-side logic, database interactions, and API integrations are rather common with websites. Therefore, testers need to thoroughly test the  backend components of the website to minimize errors and ensure that the server returns requests just as it should. 

*Making the website look professional*

Spelling errors, faulty HTML structure, and conflicting CSS selectors are rather easy to miss, but not by users. They can see right away when the site doesn’t work correctly. So if you want to present your business as professionally as possible, the front end of the site should be given particular attention.

*Boosting website security*

Users don’t like buggy websites. If they encounter security vulnerabilities or – worse than that – experience data breaches while using your website, they are likely to lose trust in your company and may avoid using your services altogether. Website testing helps prevent that. By testing your site, you can detect security vulnerabilities before they can be discovered and used by malicious actors and provide your users with great UX. 

#Website Elements You Should Test for Maximum Results

Below, we go over the key elements of the site and areas of testing that should be given utmost care to ensure maximum effectiveness and user satisfaction. 

*A/B test your content*

Comparing page performance is one of the most efficient ways to optimize user engagement. Here’s how it’s done: you craft page A, then copy it, then tweak certain elements such as the title, button text, or image. Now you’ve got page B. Next, you split your test group control into two parts and show them different versions of the page. The page with the higher conversion rate is a winner and can be used for further testing. 

*Check your CTAs*

As with web page design, testing your CTAs can help maximize their effectiveness and drive user action. Start by assessing their placement and wording. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different colors, sizes, and positions to determine which combinations generate the highest click-through rates. Additionally, test different phrases to see which ones resonate most with your audience. By continuously evaluating and optimizing your CTAs, you can achieve a boost in user engagement and improve conversion rates. 

*Groom your user interface*

The website interface should reveal the full potential of your website. Make sure the graphic design standards were taken into account during the development. Give the color, style, and layout a good look to eliminate any inconsistencies in your UI. Also, don’t forget about usability. The site should be not only visually appealing but also easy to navigate. 

*Refine your landing page*

It’s not a rare occasion that people visit the site but can’t understand the nature of the company’s business due to vague landing pages. Make sure this doesn’t happen. Your landing page should clearly say what your offer is from the moment users land on your site. 

#Automated Testing and Tools

Automated testing is often used as part of a testing strategy to speed up the development process. In fact, if we look at the statistics showing that half the companies have already automated 50% of their testing processes and that the automated testing market is expected to grow at 19.2% CAGR by 2026, we can definitely see it taking center stage. And this is no wonder given the many benefits automated software testing brings to the table. 

Here are just some of the advantages of automated software testing:

 - Speeds up the testing process – this one is obvious. Repetitive tasks take a huge chunk of time, but with automated testing, they can be performed a few times faster, allowing you to bring your products to market faster.
 - It’s cost-effective – while QA software engineers aren’t exactly cheap, automating testing allows you to save quite a good amount of money as instead of managing a team of five to seven people, you only need one or two.
 - More accurate results – unlike manual testing where human errors are almost unavoidable, test automation helps achieve more consistent and precise results. Additionally, it helps make the testing process deeper, uncovering critical issues that are difficult to catch through manual testing alone. 
 - Better use of resources – by automating test cases, you free up the time your team spends on doing the monotonous work and can instead pivot their attention to other more strategically important tasks. 

When it comes to web application testing, test automation plays a vital role in improving the efficiency of testing processes and reducing maintenance costs. Let’s look at some of the types of tests that can – and should – be automated:

Regression tests – whenever new changes are introduced into the software solution, regression tests help ensure nothing interferes with web performance and the product works as intended. 
API testing – API tests are run to ensure that the application’s API works correctly and complies with the requirements and standards. 

Cross browser testing – automated cross-browser testing allows you to quickly verify that your web application spans smoothly across different browsers and platforms, saving you hours of manual testing effort. 

Mobile app tests – for companies that run their websites on mobile devices as well, it can be a good idea to automate mobile app tests to ensure consistent functionality and user experience. 
Obviously, in order to implement automation into the workflow, companies need to invest in building a network of tools. Here are the most commonly used automated web testing tools:

#Website testing tools:

*Uptrends* is a great testing platform for monitoring the uptime of your website.

*LoadView* is one of the best solutions for performing website load testing.

*Browser Shots* allows you to get snapshots of how your site looks on different browsers and operating systems.

*TryMyUI* is a great tool for online usability testing. Setting up even the most complex test takes no more than a few minutes.

*Optimizely* is a universal A/B platform where you can track your website traffic and conversion statistics.

#Web application testing tools:

Selenium embraces a whole suite of web testing solutions designed to automate a wide range of processes.

*Google PageSpeed Insights* is a reliable service that supports both desktop and mobile apps and allows you to analyze your web application’s usability.

*Katalon Studio* is a framework for automating testing of APIs, web applications, and mobile and desktop apps with a fairly rich set of features.

*Watir* is a tool that mimics the behavior of a regular user when interacting with your application.

*WebLOAD* is one of the best web application testing tools for simulating loads.

Despite the many advantages of test automation, not all processes should be automated. For example, if your project only lasts 4-5 months, automating the testing processes from scratch may be an overkill. For one, it will take you almost as much to set up automated testing. And two, the cost savings may not justify the initial investment. 

> “UI and functionality testing are rather easy to automate, especially if you need to test APIs. On the other hand, if you need to test user experience and dynamic content, it’s better to involve manual testers who can interact with your app and offer improvements that may not be captured by automated testing alone.”

> Mykhailo Tomara, Lead QA Engineer

#What’s in the Future of Web Testing?

Without a doubt, testing is one of the most flexible industries out there. Not only does it quickly adapt to new technologies, but it also often creates technologies of its own. At the moment, it’s hard to say which course it will take – our times have never been less stable and predictable as they are today. However, we can take a sneak peek into the nearest future by examining current trends and developments in the field. 

One such trend that is increasingly growing in popularity is the use of AI and machine learning. These two technologies have become a breakthrough, allowing testing processes to become more intelligent, efficient, and predictive. 

Another notable trend is the rise of augmented and virtual reality software. The AR market is booming. According to statistics, 83.1 million people use AR on a monthly basis, which amounts to a quarter of the US population! Moreover, VR/AR technology has become immensely popular with businesses. TechRepublic reports that 53% of businesses are relying on VR and AR for product engineering, emphasizing its growing impact. With these numbers in mind, it’s clear that there will be a growing need for specialized testing approaches and tools to ensure the quality and performance of AR and VR-enabled websites and applications. 

Additionally, we’re likely to see an increasing adoption of web technologies such as PWAs, SPAs, and microservices architecture. As these technologies become widespread, there will be a greater need for testing that focuses on scalability, reliability, and compatibility across different devices. 

Aside from these, we can also point out the shift toward low-code testing solutions, allowing even non-tech users to create and execute tests without writing complex test cases. However, we’re more than sure that low-code solutions, despite their popularity, cannot substitute the expertise and thoroughness of traditional testing methods and can only be used as an auxiliary tool. 

These are the trends that are already shaping the future of web testing and should be on the radar of QA engineers. By staying updated with the latest testing approaches and tools, testers can navigate the complexities of web testing and deliver high-quality experiences, ensuring the application meets the demands of the pickiest crowd. 

#Wrapping Up

It might seem that testing a software product isn’t a big deal, and many companies actually think so, choosing to either assign testing to developers or skipping this phase altogether. However, as you could see from this guide yourself, testing isn’t all that easy. 

First off, there are many different types of web applications that can be built on different technologies and vary significantly in complexity and functionality. And secondly, a range of testing types is also quite diverse, requiring understanding of their peculiarities and employing the right testing techniques and tools to ensure the quality and reliability of web applications. 

Even testing solutions themselves require a unique set of techniques and tools. What works for static websites won’t work for dynamic applications or mobile apps, and vice versa, requiring a strong understanding and expertise in a specific domain.

Therefore, it’s best to entrust website testing to a team of professionals who know all the intricacies of the process and can offer you the most efficient and effective testing strategy. By hiring a skilled QA team, you can minimize costly mistakes and have peace of mind that you’ve taken the right course towards the success of your software product. 

Looking for such a team? TestFort is here at your service. With over 23 years of experience testing different solutions, our own network of more than 250 physical testing devices, and a keen eye for the latest trends, we can help you achieve your testing goals and ensure the quality and reliability of your web applications.