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GUI Testing : Quick Guides and Tips

GUI Testing

GUI Testing is a process for testing the application’s graphical user interface to ensure proper functionality as per the specifications. It involves checking the application components such as checkboxes, buttons, icons, color, menu, windows and more. Visual dynamics for web application play a vital role in the acceptance of an application with the user. Consequently, this acceptance yields in bring a long time bondage for user with the client’s application. In this era of digitization, User Interface is fast changing and holds a key fortress in attracting the new crowd of possible customers.

User interface Testing

User interface (UI) testing is performed manually and with an automated testing tool. Regardless of the method used, the aim is to ensure all User interface elements meet the requested specifications.

In the simplest terms, User interface testing is about checking two things:

• How your application handles user actions performed via keyboard, mouse and other input devices.
• Whether the visual elements (buttons, text fields, links, images, and many more) are displayed correctly and work as intended.

Nevertheless, User interface testing can go way beyond that. One of the most important factors user interface testing can and should include is usability.

In other word - User interface testing is the process of verifying that an app’s UI not only behaves as intended but also empowers users to make the most out of it with the least effort.

Manual vs. Automated UI Testing

Everything that’s automatable should be automated. That is a sentence to use when selling automated testing to beginners. Nevertheless, not everything can be automated. That’s why manual testing still has a role to play in the modern software organization. The key is finding the right balance between the manual and the automated approaches.

In general, the manual testing should be relegated to those situations that are both impossible and impractical to automate. When it comes to user interface testing, the manual approach is better suited to tasks that are more subjective in nature and thus cannot be automated, like reviewing the look and feel of an app.

Automated testing is essential to ensure shorter release cycles and the minimum baseline of quality. So, even though manual testing has its play a vital role, strive to keep your manual or automated testing as low as possible.

The Scope of UI Testing

Here are a few essential test cases that User interface tests tend to verify:

• Field widths: The test checks that certain text fields do not allow the user to place inputs over a specific character limit. 
• Data type errors: The test checks that only valid data can be entered for certain data fields such as dates, currency, etc.
• Progress bars: The test checks that when displaying pages or screens that take time to load completely, a progress bar appears to let the user know that the page is loading.
• Navigational elements: The test checks that all navigational buttons on a page are working, and that they redirect users to the right page.
• Type-ahead: If the UI uses drop-down lists, type-ahead is required. In a drop-down menu with multiple options, the user should be able to find the right one by typing the first letter. Making the user go through a long list constitutes unfavorable user experience.
• Menu Items: The test checks that the software displays only the menu available in its particular geographical location (if that is applicable).
• Error Logging: This test checks that in case of a system error, the software records error details to a log file so that it can be reviewed later.
• Table scrolling:  If the website has data tables, and if the table extends into a second page, then the user should be able to scroll through all the data while keeping the headers visible and in place.
• Working shortcuts: If the software supports shortcuts, this test validates that each of them works as expected across multiple browsers, platforms, and devices.

In addition to these tests, it is recommended to run UI tests on the significant end-to-end user processes. The common user journey through an e-commerce website, testers must ensure that it can be accomplished without any interruptions and failures. GUI testing is crucial to the successful release of the software as it validates the user experience. GUI testing is helps to deliver high-quality and user-friendly software. And achieve a higher level of user engagement and satisfaction.