Software testing in web application development can be intimidating, especially for newcomers. This is primarily because there are several different kinds of testing. Web UI testing is one among these many different types of testing.
It's possible to run manual or automated web UI testing. Both strategies are available to testers, and they can combine them as well.
This article will address how you can automate your web UI tests.
What Is Web UI Testing?
Web UI testing ensures that an app's user interface (UI) functions as expected and gives users the testing tool they need to maximize their use of it.
Web UI testing entails testing the graphical components to ensure they adhere to the operational and performance standards.
Several types of UI testing adhere to particular user interface testing standards. It can be as simple as using the Google Chrome developer tools or high-standard tests like GUI testing, unit testing, performance testing, functional testing, and acceptance testing.
UI elements like toolbars, typefaces, menus, colors and other visual icons are all included in the scope of UI testing. Additionally, it seeks to test the websites' user-friendliness, efficiency, usability, and compatibility with other devices.
What Is Automated UI Testing?
Automated UI testing accelerates a development team's release cycles and enhances workflow. In principle, we may state that manual testing is helpful in circumstances where automation is either not possible or viable.
Besides its testing challenges, manual testing will continue to be essential for development. However, automation tests guarantee a higher minimum standard. The manual method is more appropriate for jobs that require more evaluation and can't be automated, including examining an app's appearance and feel.
How To Automate Web UI Testing?
The Quality Assurance team should study automation and create a test plan before automating UI tests. To make it easier to understand, the following steps outline what a tester should do when beginning a project.
1. Collect The Requirements
You need to collect the requirements based on the technology and architecture of the app's development. The testing teams usually assess the product and testing knowledge to check whether they need technical assistance.
This is especially where you should choose proper automation UI testing tools.
2. Prepare Test Cases And Automation Strategies
Preparing test cases helps in your interface's logic and structure. It'll enable a visual view of the application's workflow, scope, and strategy.
Furthermore, a UI automation strategy can help determine the optimal strategies to automate a UI test.
3. Develop A Framework and Test Scripts
Testing teams usually start to develop a framework and test scripts for automation. This is crucial because it outlines the essentials of the application before moving on to further stages.
4. Execute and Analyze The Tests
When frameworks and test scripts are ready, the tests can execute in batches. Analyzing the outcomes to receive feedback is essential. Some organizations might use AI in UI testing. The test scripts will become more scalable and stable.
5. Present Test Reports
The creation and presentation of test reports is the last stage of UI automation. You can do this following the test automation to make future stakeholder training easier.
What Are Some Best Practices For Automated UI Tests?
Now that you know how to automate web UI testing let's go over a few best practices that can come in handy when you automate UI tests.
Don't Rely On Only One Type Of Test
You should be sure that you will be able to find most of the issues in your release, even if you take your entire UI automated testing out of the test cycle. To put it better, there are typically three layers of testing, from low to high.
High-level tests should be your third line of defense that catch any issues that the first two layers of testing missed.
Use A BDD Framework
Behavior Driven Development (BDD) is a framework that fosters strong internal and external team collaboration by assisting teams in understanding one another. Your team will be able to grasp tests and requirements much better if you write your tests using BDD.
This indicates that you are also producing comprehensive test documentation and developing the tests. Furthermore, teams from the business side can also better comprehend these tests.
Don't Run All Tests In All Target Browsers
It is repetitive and useless to run every test against all target browsers. However, it is necessary to carry out cross-browser testing since it ensures that the application runs appropriately across all supported browsers.
But to confirm that, it's not always necessary to perform all tests on every browser. Instead, a constrained testing procedure that includes tests that communicate with all web components and run all primary processes at least once can be used for browser compatibility testing.
Have Your Tests Independent Of Their Frameworks
It would help if you gave your framework and testing tools some thought to make them manageable. The fundamental ideas are straightforward: You must clearly distinguish between your tests and the functionality of your test automation framework.
Every class within tests should serve as a testing site, and every function of these classes must be a test.
Have Consistent Names
Test names must be descriptive and give a clear indication of the specific functions that you evaluate. Because even a year after you wrote the test, you must know what every test validates. Additionally, you should always support your team and make sure all of your tests are understandable to them.
A glance at the test name should also help you determine which feature has been damaged if the test failed during the test's execution run. For example, trying to verify what the test does is a waste of time.
Why Should You Automate UI Tests?
Although you can do UI testing manually, automated UI testing methods are far preferable due to their many benefits.
Saves time
Creating automated test scripts for each matching scenario eliminates the need to test and validate each user interface component. The test scripts can still be used when new features and code revisions are made later.
Faster feedback
Automated tests may be run simultaneously on several devices, accelerating the UI testing procedure even more. This way, developers can receive test results considerably quicker. This enables them to make fixes and upgrades substantially faster.
Accurate results
Automated UI testing can assist in reducing human errors and confirm that your app or website's visual and functional characteristics are operating as intended.
Easier Debugging
Automated tests generally run before, while, and after building and are incorporated into the continuous integration pipeline. It is known that the enhanced automated UI test coverage has helped well over 60% of companies find defects faster. If you are a JavaScript developer, learn more about how to debug JavaScript apps.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is website UI testing?
It is a method for testing the features of any software that users will use.
What is UI testing in Selenium?
Selenium automates browser interaction, which involves creating test scripts to carry out various user behavior on the UI of web applications.
What tools are used for UI testing?
WebTestIt, Katalon, Selenium IDE, mabl, TestIM, Functionize, Perfecto, TestCraft.
Why is UI testing necessary?
UI testing is crucial since it ensures that your website or app is simple for users to use and navigate. You can find any potential problems that might make your application difficult to use or mislead your users by testing the UI.
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