The 3 Best App Testing Strategies for Busy Developers
Testing your app before launching is crucial. What are the best tools to test your app? Read more about it here.
Are you a busy developer who is working hard to put together and release a cutting-edge, modern, useful, or in-demand app that will capture the attention of users? Standing out in the crowd of apps in either the Apple or Google Play store can be difficult nowadays, and nothing less than perfection is expected from users. Despite how busy you are with development and how much you still have yet to do, it’s always vital that you are keeping the customer experience at the top of the list. And what’s the best way to do this? The answer is simple – testing.
By testing your app before you launch it, you ensure that all the bugs are worked out and that your vision has truly become a reality. You want to create that all-important positive first impression and even create some buzz for the app. But just because you know you should test your app, it doesn’t mean you have a plan where testing strategies are concerned.
Here we’ll take a look at the three best app testing strategies that busy developers such as yourself can use.
Go Ahead and Automate Testing – Within Reason
One of the most popular app testing strategies is to automate the entire process. While this may seem like a good solution since it doesn’t require any people resources and tends to be faster, the fact is that it can’t catch everything. Go ahead and use this strategy, but within reason. There are certain segments of the process that make sense to automate testing, and others you don’t want to take shortcuts with.
Most experts would agree that a blended model – automated testing and manual testing – is in fact the most effective way to go about things. This ensures you catch every potential issue and nothing is overlooked.
Functional Testing – Taking a Closer Real-Life Look at the App
Functional testing is another strategy that can prove to be extremely helpful when creating a new app. Sure, you’re busy, and it may not seem like you have time for this step, but in reality, this one can prove to be the most telling. It can uncover potential issues that save a lot of headaches down the road, and ensure that by the time your app goes live, it is operating perfectly.
When you use functional testing, you will be checking such things as accessibility, function of the app, the usability of it, and ensuring that all steps of the process work smoothly and as intended. You need to be able to mimic the intended experience of the customer time and time again.
One tool that can be helpful during this period is crowd testing. As its name implies, the idea is that you get a crowd of testers to give the app a try, take it for a complete trial run, and then get feedback from them. The only downfall is that it can be time-consuming to gather the crowd testing participants, which is why it can be wise to partner with a company such as Global App Testing.
Global App Testing is well-versed in the functional testing process and can provide you with a group of testers who are experienced and know exactly what to be looking for. This takes crowd testing to the next level of functionality since you will be getting more informed feedback that can ensure your app is truly the best it can be.
Test Early on in the Development, and Often
Another strategy that the experts strongly recommend is testing early in the process and checking often. Waiting until the app is complete simply isn’t good enough. It can end up costing you a lot more waste in money, time, and resources. If you find even the simplest of problems or bugs at the end, it can be much more time-consuming to go back and fix it rather than fix it at the moment.
The idea is that you test functions as they are created and put to use. You certainly don’t want to risk releasing an app that hasn’t yet been thoroughly tested, therefore allowing customers to become the guinea pigs. It is recommended that unit testing in both the design and development stages is embraced. Should you uncover any issues, they will be much faster, smoother, and less costly to fix at this stage. You also don’t risk putting out a sub-par product for customers.
Testing Strategies Need to be a Top Priority in the Process
As you work to develop an app that hopefully goes on to become wildly popular and hits the intended mark, it’s important to develop a testing strategy early on in the process. Using more than one testing strategy will also ensure that no stone is left unturned and that when your app goes live, it is truly ready for the masses.
FAQ
What is app testing? App testing is the process of evaluating the functionality, usability, security, and overall performance of an application before it is released in the market. It ensures that the app meets the required specifications and provides a good user experience.
Why is app testing important? App testing is crucial because it helps identify and fix bugs before the public release, ensuring the application runs smoothly, meets user expectations, and prevents negative reviews, which could significantly impact its success.
What are the main types of app testing? The main types of app testing include functional testing, usability testing, performance testing, security testing, and compatibility testing. Each type addresses different aspects of the app’s performance and user experience.
How can automation improve app testing? Automation can improve app testing by speeding up the testing process, increasing test coverage, and enabling the execution of repetitive test cases without human intervention. This leads to more efficient and accurate testing outcomes.
What tools are recommended for automated app testing? Recommended tools for automated app testing include Selenium, Appium, Espresso, and XCTest. These tools support various platforms and programming languages, offering robust frameworks for automated testing.
What is the role of manual testing in app development? Manual testing plays a critical role in app development by addressing areas that are difficult to automate, such as user experience, design consistency, and complex user interactions. It provides a human perspective that is crucial for the final quality of the application.
How do you develop a test plan for an app? Developing a test plan for an app involves defining the scope of testing, identifying the types of tests to be performed, allocating resources, and setting a timeline. It should also include risk analysis and specify the criteria for passing or failing the test phases.
What is usability testing, and why is it important? Usability testing involves evaluating how easy and intuitive an app is to use. It is important because it ensures that the app meets the needs of its target audience, leading to higher satisfaction and retention rates.
How can performance testing be effectively implemented? Effective performance testing can be implemented by simulating various environments and user scenarios to evaluate how the app behaves under different conditions, such as varying network speeds, multiple user loads, and limited system resources.
What strategies ensure thorough security testing of an app? Strategies to ensure thorough security testing include conducting vulnerability assessments, using static and dynamic analysis tools, and testing for common security threats like SQL injections, XSS, and data breaches to safeguard user data.
What is regression testing, and when should it be performed? Regression testing involves re-running functional and non-functional tests to ensure that previously developed and tested software still performs after a change. It should be performed after any updates or bug fixes to ensure new changes do not disrupt existing functionalities.
How important is compatibility testing for apps? Compatibility testing is vital for ensuring an app works as intended across different devices, operating systems, screen sizes, and browsers. It helps identify UI inconsistencies and functional issues, enhancing the app’s accessibility and user experience.
What best practices should be followed in app testing? Best practices in app testing include prioritizing test cases, continuously integrating and deploying code, maintaining clear documentation, involving real users during testing, and staying updated with the latest testing tools and trends.
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