Applying UI Testing in Web Applications
Testing is a very important technique carried out in software development. The benefits are numerous, some of which are:
it reduces development time in the future
it ensures reliable products
it helps detect potential errors faster
Software testing comes in different forms, one of which is UI testing.
In this article, we'll look at UI testing, its purposes, test case examples, application methods, and tools for UI testing.
What Is UI Testing?
UI (User Interface) testing refers to testing procedures carried out on web applications to ensure interface compliance with the laid down requirements. They help validate applications built that satisfy the anticipated functionalities.
Why UI Testing?
UI Testing lets developers build reliable web applications with expected behavior or functionalities.
Building web applications goes beyond making it 'visually appealing' to the user. Can developers confidently say that all components function the way they should? Or all components in the web application are accessible?
There are a lot of questions that cannot be answered assuredly when UI tests are not carried out.
At the very first development process, ensuring performant components may be easy, but during the improvement phase (modifying or adding components), it may be hard to keep up. While trying to implement a component in another component, developers may interfere with the functionality and it may not occur to the developer until the users use the product.
These are just a few important reasons why having UI tests could create reliable web applications for users. They act as a guide to ensure developers build web applications which correspond to the supposed functionality.
Example of UI Test Cases
Focus Management: This is necessary especially for accessibility purposes. With UI testing, developers can certify that the transfer of focus from element to element is appropriate, hence making the application accessible.
Form Inputs Validation: Developers may not always remember to validate input fields programmatically, especially when there are many forms in the application but with UI testing, such gaps can be discovered.
Navigations: UI testing can be used to affirm that navigations in web applications work as expected. For accessibility purposes, the tests can also verify that the users are placed on the right part of the screen after navigating.
Action buttons: For example, a button (or set of buttons) that trigger the addition of a new element, UI testing will help confirm that such functionalities are in place.
Color changes: UI testing can be used to verify the color changes of an element, for example, a link on hover state or focus state
Alignment of elements: The alignment of elements like paragraphs, headers, images, tables, and so on can also be tested.
Fonts: With UI testing, fonts can be tested based on readability, sizes, and uniformity in the web application.
There are various test cases for UI testing. The end goal is that the logic in the web application matches the initial idea and the product is usable all-round.
UI testing can also be used for multiple functionalities at the same time. For instance, browsing an entire page. The UI tests can ensure that all links on the page are accessible, the page follows visual hierarchy appropriately, the colors used do not affect accessibility, and many more.
Methods of Applying UI Tests
Manual Testing
This testing approach implies that a human would test the application by manually performing operations (clicking buttons, pressing tabs) to determine if the result correlates with the expected outcome.
This process is very direct as it allows the human to mimic a user, but it comes with few caveats:
it's time-consuming
the quality of the test depends on the human's experience
as humans, we are prone to error
Record and Replay Testing
In this method, UI automation tools are used to record and replay tasks performed in a web application. When the tool is run, it records all activities executed on the web application by the test developer like button clicks, tab clicks, mouse movements, hover actions, etc.
Afterward, the tool replays those activities while comparing the outcomes with the expected behavior. This way, the outcome differences can be resolved by the developer.
This method also requires few manual processes, as a test developer is involved.
Original illustration found on TestingWhiz
Model-Based Testing
This method entails building a model that would be a graphical description of the features or functionalities of the application. This model is built as a guide for creating the web application and it helps in creating efficient test cases.
The model determines the inputs to be made, calculates the expected outputs then runs the tests. Here’s an example:
Image from TestCraft
This is the most efficient method for UI testing because it:
has a higher level of automation
can handle more states in the web application.
ensures consistency
is less prone to error
Tools for UI Testing
Selenium IDE: an open-source record and playback test automation tool for web applications.
Testcraft: a test automation platform for web applications. With Testcraft, testers can easily create automated tests that could be run on different browser environments.
Testim: uses AI to help developers create end-to-end tests for their web applications. They allow developers to code, record, and manage tests in their way, with their tools.
Test Complete: allows developers to ensure the quality of their web applications without sacrificing speed or agility with an easy-to-use UI testing automation tool.
Katalon Studio: is an all-in-one testing automation tool which can be used for UI testing. It supports different browser environments and devices and operating systems.
Conclusion
UI testing is a beneficial and effective process in creating reliable web applications with expected behavior. Setting up automation tests can be a long way in creating efficient applications because the tests act as a guide (in compliance with the application's requirements) for future improvements of the application.
Beyond beautiful and nice-looking web applications, usability is of great concern. With UI tests, developers can verify the usability of web applications built before delivering them to the public.