How can a Web site be tested?

Points to be considered while testing a Web site:

Web sites are essentially client/server applications -
with web servers and ‘browser’ clients.

Consideration should be given to the interactions between html pages, TCP/IP communications, Internet connections, firewalls, applications that run in web pages (such as applets, javascript, plug-in applications), and applications that run on the server side (such as cgi scripts, database interfaces, logging applications, dynamic page generators, asp, etc.).

Additionally, there are a wide variety of servers and browsers, various versions of each, small but sometimes significant differences between them, variations in connection speeds, rapidly changing technologies, and multiple standards and protocols. The end result is that testing for web sites can become a major ongoing effort.

Other considerations might include:

What are the expected loads on the server (e.g., number of hits per unit time?), and what kind of performance is required under such loads (such as web server response time, database query response times). What kinds of tools will be needed for performance testing (such as web load testing tools, other tools already in house that can be adapted, web robot downloading tools, etc.)?

Who is the target audience? What kind of browsers will they be using? What kind of connection speeds will they by using? Are they intra- organization (thus with likely high connection speeds and similar browsers) or Internet-wide (thus with a wide variety of connection speeds and browser types)?

What kind of performance is expected on the client side (e.g., how fast should pages appear, how fast should animations, applets, etc. load and run)?

Will down time for server and content maintenance/upgrades be allowed? how much?

What kinds of security (firewalls, encryptions, passwords, etc.) will be required and what is it expected to do? How can it be tested?

How reliable are the site’s Internet connections required to be? And how does that affect backup system or redundant connection requirements and testing?

What processes will be required to manage updates to the web site’s content, and

what are the requirements for maintaining, tracking, and controlling page content, graphics, links, etc.?

Which HTML specification will be adhered to? How strictly? What variations will be allowed for targeted browsers?

Will there be any standards or requirements for page appearance and/or graphics throughout a site or parts of a site??

How will internal and external links be validated and updated? how often?
Can testing be done on the production system, or will a separate test system be required? How are browser caching, variations in browser option settings, dial-up connection variabilities, and real-world internet ‘traffic congestion’ problems to be accounted for in testing?

How extensive or customized are the server logging and reporting requirements; are they considered an integral part of the system and do they require testing?

How are cgi programs, applets, javascripts, ActiveX components, etc. to be maintained, tracked, controlled, and tested?
Pages should be 3-5 screens max unless content is tightly focused on a single topic. If larger, provide internal links within the page.

The page layouts and design elements should be consistent throughout a site, so that it’s clear to the user that they’re still within a site.

Pages should be as browser-independent as possible, or pages should be provided or generated based on the browser-type.

All pages should have links external to the page; there should be no dead-end pages.
The page owner, revision date, and a link to a contact person or organization should be included on each page.

I am working on the search engine website. Testing a search engine site is a little bit different than a regular website. In my next posts I will explain how to test WWW in detail.




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  • 38 comments ↓

    #1 Web Testing - Discussweb IT Community - Web Development, Software Programming, SEO, Quality Assurance, 3D, Web Hosting and more... on 07.08.07 at 6:24 am

    […] have some basic ideas what points should be considered while web testing from below two articles: How to test Web application? Some example Test cases for Web Testing Ask me your Testing Queries Here: Software Testing […]

    #2 Web Testing: Complete guide on testing web applications on 08.15.07 at 2:51 pm

    […] my previous post I have outlined points to be considered while testing web applications. Here we will see some more details on web application testing with web testing test cases. Let me […]

    #3 pradeep mathew on 09.22.07 at 2:36 pm

    how we can test how many users can access the particular web site at a time . how we will create that much instances??

    #4 Vijay on 09.28.07 at 8:11 am

    Pradeep, Manually creating all those simultaneous instances is practically not possible. Here Automation performance tools come into picture.
    In automation tools you can specify how many user instances you want to create. These instances work as a virtual human user. Various load testing tool can be used to simulate this task e.g http://www.acme.com/software/http_load/
    http://opendemand.com/openload
    http://www.nrgglobal.com/products/pureload.php
    http://www.radview.com/
    etc.

    #5 Ravi kumar on 10.18.07 at 4:39 am

    @ vijay

    What is perl scripting?

    #6 Trupti on 11.20.07 at 9:36 am

    very informative information
    can pls post very detailed information with live example about web site testing
    specially on how to test www and ur experience on testing search engine too
    thanking you
    Trupti

    #7 Priti on 01.14.08 at 4:37 am

    Hi,
    this site is wonderful, would u please write in detail about API testing and white box testing?
    thanks

    #8 Good testers can make great developers (but great developers are rarely good testers ) « Web Technology @ CCBC on 02.05.08 at 6:33 pm

    […] SoftwareTestingHelp.com […]

    #9 Sridhar on 02.29.08 at 8:31 am

    I am doing my final year M.C.A and i have chosen WebServer Performance Testing tool as my project.
    I am unable to know where to start from, so can you pls help me out by guiding me and tell me how to proceed.
    Thank you

    #10 waseem Ahamad on 03.12.08 at 9:36 am

    good Try

    #11 Amarjit on 03.21.08 at 6:26 am

    Up to which extent, programming knowledge is required for a good tester.

    #12 Dheeraj Sharma on 03.21.08 at 9:25 am

    What are different methodologies, strategies used for web testing.What is the difference between in it.Please give the detailed explanation about it.

    #13 Sanjay on 04.06.08 at 1:49 pm

    can pls post very detailed information with live example about web site testing
    specially on how to test www and ur experience on testing search engine too
    with Regards
    sanjay

    #14 george on 04.08.08 at 12:35 pm

    Hi vijay and all,

    Please provide some known issues in web testing.

    #15 jhenz on 04.25.08 at 3:54 am

    Hello All,

    I just would like to share you this article. It’s about web testing in general, but more specifically on the difference of two browser giants: Firefox and Internet Explorer 7.

    http://www.webupon.com/Browser.....fox.106839

    Hope somebody could give feedbacks on this.

    Thanks! :D

    #16 Chandana on 04.28.08 at 3:04 pm

    Hi ,

    Very informative. I am eagerly waiting for your updates on “Testing a search engine site”. Thank you.

    #17 shilpa on 05.02.08 at 6:11 am

    very important infomation
    reaally thanks a lot it help me much
    matrimonial websites is web application or client/server application plz tell me i m confused.

    #18 Sriram on 05.02.08 at 9:12 am

    Hi Shilpa
    I think all web sites or web applications are Client/server application. For any more queries u can contact me on sriram.karu@gmail.com

    #19 sai on 05.08.08 at 7:27 am

    Hi,
    Can anyone tell me how
    1.Risk management
    2.CMMI
    3.Configuration Management
    4.Quality Management
    are Related to testing

    #20 rajatha on 05.08.08 at 9:36 am

    hi all,
    plz anyone tell me how to test Anti-virus software.
    i have been asked this question many times in interview.

    hoping for reply from u,
    thanks,
    rahini

    #21 madhu on 05.08.08 at 10:52 am

    can a web application be tested manually? and
    which type of testing cannot be done manually?

    #22 rajatha on 05.08.08 at 11:51 am

    hi madhu,
    i think except performance(Load,volume,stress,scalability)testing, rest we can do manually.

    plz anybody correct me if am wrong.

    #23 rajatha on 05.08.08 at 11:58 am

    hi tiger,
    plz tell me is sql imp.. for testers? if so how?

    thanks in advance.

    plz tell me how to retrieve fourth highest salary from employee table.

    #24 rajatha on 05.08.08 at 12:00 pm

    plz anyone tell me the approach to test Anti-virus software

    #25 gsreddy on 06.11.08 at 5:18 am

    hi friends i have small doubt please rectify this what things will be tested when testing the web application like url,images,link and how these will be tested

    #26 Madhura on 06.26.08 at 8:51 am

    I want some more on “Security Testing” for Website…..

    Plz anyone help me………

    #27 shubhangi on 07.03.08 at 1:01 pm

    plz anyone tell me how to test Anti-virus software.

    #28 Rahul on 07.03.08 at 3:39 pm

    Hi Vijay/Tiger2k,

    I have one very obvious question since I am not finding good answer for this question.Please help in in getting correct answer for this question.
    ——WHY ARE YOU LOOKING FOR CHANGE?——-
    The best answer what i could think is as follows
    “If i would join this organisation it would be altogether different LEARNING experience for me since this is a Product Compant and I am going to learn different process, different system that would definately nurture me careerwise”
    I am neither pointing to salery nor blaming to current organisation.I am just what’s this company is having.
    Please help me in getting this answer correctly…
    Regards,
    Rahul!!!

    #29 Devi Nair on 07.03.08 at 6:18 pm

    What are the contents of a release notes?

    #30 Meghmala on 09.11.08 at 9:29 am

    Hi all,
    Can anyboby tell me how I can test performance of web application? PLease give me contact details. I am online on Google id from 9.30am to 6.30 pm . You can ping me on meghmalap@gmail.com .Also tell me who can solved my testing doubts quickly?
    Thanks.
    Regards,
    Meghmala

    #31 Meghmala on 09.11.08 at 9:31 am

    Hi vijay,
    I want your email id/contact details.

    #32 ROHIT MANN on 10.07.08 at 12:14 pm

    How to Test a website?Can u give me the answer with an example of Website Project?

    #33 ranga Reddy on 10.15.08 at 9:31 am

    Can u give some examples web application test cases and also can u provide me some qtp scripts on any webapplication?

    #34 Narasimhaa on 10.23.08 at 11:52 am

    What are different methodologies, strategies used for web testing.

    #35 How much time is spent on software testing? « Another Sound of Music on 01.07.09 at 1:00 pm

    […] Apa perbedaan spesifik antara mengetes desktop application dengan web application? Apakah web application juga harus (dan bisa) 100% […]

    #36 nitin on 04.19.09 at 7:22 pm

    kudos to you !!!

    hey is there any particular book on website & web application testing, tell the name.
    as there are No. of testing tools for each kind of testing. hence tell which are d best for specific testing. If there any site from where i can find info abt. latest testing tool then specify it…

    thanx alot.

    #37 Vaishali on 06.01.09 at 12:01 pm

    Hey hi while reading as you mentioned earlier , could you please share your experience and some guidelines for search engine?

    “I am working on the search engine website. Testing a search engine site is a little bit different than a regular website. In my next posts I will explain how to test WWW in detail.”

    #38 seeethapathi on 06.04.09 at 10:01 am

    Hi frnz,

    i need some doc regarding GUI Testing for web/window applications. Kindly send me if u can.

    What are the things we have to test in GUI Testing.
    Plz help me out.

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