Beginner's guide to user interface testing
Are you new to the world of software testing? Everything may seem overwhelming. With so many types of testing, it is easy to be confused. It would help if you learned about load testing, unit testing, end-to-end testing, and more.
There are many complex terms to learn, and testing is often mistaken for other words. UI testing is one of the most critical types of software betting. Here is a guide to help you understand it.
The Fundamentals of User Interface (UI) Testing
UI testing tools primarily seek to test an app’s user interface. However, their job isn’t so straightforward. First, the user interface is not just one thing.
It is a combination of various things that make up your general experience when interacting with an app. Command-line interface and graphical user interface are some of the main ones.
Command-line interfaces let you interact with the app when you type commands into the terminal. On the other hand, a graphical user interface lets you complete the tasks you want after interacting with graphical components. They include buttons, windows, and text fields.
Modern apps have now adopted GUI. This applies to both mobile and web applications.
Understanding UI Testing
UI testing checks for two main things:
- The way an application deals with the user actions performed through keyboard, mouse, and other input devices
- Whether images, links, text fields, and other visual elements are properly displayed and if they work as planned.
While UI testing has many benefits, usability is the most important thing to check. Does the app work as intended? Does it make it possible to achieve your goals? Once these are over, the app also needs to pass the tests of being easy to use, clear, and intuitive.
The visual elements have to be organized in hierarchical order, and the visual elements have to be placed strategically.
UI testing seeks to verify that an app is behaving the way it was intended. In addition, it needs to empower users to maximize its potential.
Automated Vs. Manual UI Testing
‘Every business process that can be automated should be automated.’ While this statement is popular, it isn’t always true.
There is always a place for both automated and manual testing processes. The secret is to find the perfect balance between automated and manual approaches.
Generally, manual testing is ideal for situations where automation is impractical or impossible. Manual approaches are ideal for subjective tasks. Since these tasks are naturally subjective, a manual test would be ideal for gauging the feel and look of the app.
Automated testing comes in handy when you need to promote short release cycles and a limited baseline for quality. You would be wise to balance manual and automated UI testing.
What Are the Benefits of UI Testing?
UI Testing is essential for many reasons. However, the main one is that it can help ensure that your app is working as it should. Users may find it challenging to complete tasks or interact with the app if the app is faulty. A malfunctioning UI can be a significant obstacle for app users. They may prefer to check out competitor sites.
UI Testing is also crucial as users see and interact with the interface. If there is a bug, it could manifest in visual or non-visual ways that may hurt the app’s reputation. UI testing is invaluable for businesses looking to know how users interact with their apps or sites.
User interface testing may be complicated for beginners, but it isn’t impossible. It has become an integral ingredient for customer satisfaction. Visitors to a site or app want more than high-quality code. They are also interested in the look and feel.
