Quality assurance is an integral part of the mobile app development process since it ensures an app’s reliability, stability, and usability. Testing can be broadly classified into two categories- Manual testing, and Automated testing. The type of application determines whether manual or automated testing is required.
The mobile app testing procedure is accomplished in several stages or phases.
Testing Phases
Here’s a step-by-step walkthrough of the entire mobile app development testing process.
Test Scope
In this first crucial step, you define the parameters, features, or functionalities of the app to be tested. Test scope decides whether a few functionalities or the entire application is to be tested. This narrows down the testing process and makes it easy to select the testing methods to be deployed.
Parameters to consider while defining the scope of testing:
Planning
In this stage, the strategy of testing is finalized by breaking down the entire process into modules for ease. The plan of action in this stage decides whether manual or automated testing is to be followed. Test cases and scripts are created in this phase if they decide to choose automated testing. Things included in the planning stage are,
Execution
The execution phase can be successfully carried out only if the scope and testing methodologies are clearly defined. The testing execution phase primarily focuses on the specifications of the devices, platforms, or operating systems on which the application is to be tested. A few points for consideration in this phase are given below.
Tracking
Tracking refers to analyzing and logging in the results and errors. While tracking the results of testing, prioritize them based on the severity of the issue, its impact, and the need for immediate corrective action. Highly non-negotiable, risky defects with deep and wide impact need to be addressed first. The important factors in tracking test results are,
Review
In the review process, you need to create a summarized report of the entire testing process and then review it to get a better understanding of the errors and behavior of the mobile application. The documentation should include even the simplest or lowest priority detail and not missing out on anything. Things to be included in the review document:
Any application needs to go through a variety of testing procedures for optimization.
Some of the most important testing methodologies for mobile applications are discussed below.
Functional Testing
Functionality testing is critical since each user will act and interact with the app differently. As a result, you must ensure that the app performs as expected in all potential test scenarios. It includes:
Performance Testing
This testing checks for the consistency in the performance of the application when the load varies or there are any exceptions. It includes:
User Experience & Interface Testing
The main aim of UI/UX testing is to ensure that the user interface is designed and developed as per the client’s needs and specifications. Final implementation should not only match the envisioned or proposed design but also must be easy to use and easily accessible.
Documentation Testing
Documentation testing verifies that instructions on how to use the system correspond to what the system really performs. Through this testing, we can identify the mismatch between the prepared document for the app and the developed application. Documentation testing includes,
Security Testing
Security is a big concern in app creation because slight errors can lead to major vulnerabilities and data leaks. Security testing involves:
Configuration Testing
Platform Testing
Platform Testing is crucial in the mobile app development process since new devices with different hardware and features are entering the market daily. The main focus points here are
Recovery Testing
Recovery testing checks the mobile application’s capacity to recover from any type of hardware fault or software failure. It contains the following items:
Beta Testing
Beta testing is a holistic approach to test the overall reliability, security, functionality, and compatibility performance of the completed application and is done by end-users. It includes,
Certification Testing
Certification Testing includes:
Conclusion
The ultimate goal of mobile app development is to enrich, streamline and optimize the user experience. To stand out in a crowded mobile app market, you will need to develop a highly scalable, high-quality, solution-providing app. And to obtain this result, quality mobile app testing is essential.