Cloud Based Applications and Software Testing in 7 Steps, and the Hallmarks of Web Apps

Business owners joyfully go for cloud-based web app development but soon face a problem: how to test cloud applications and what tools to employ for the purpose. It’s a reasonable question to ask as cloud computing is a relatively new technology to adopt, and, as we’ve repeated so many times, QA must be among the first concerns of a software owner because an elaborate cloud application testing strategy will save you money, time, and mental energy.

To explore how to perform test automation for applications and work out the right software testing plan, delve into this short but super informative guide.

What Is a Cloud Based Application, and Its Peculiarities to Consider for Testing in Cloud

First, allow us to use the terms cloud apps and “web apps” interchangeably as the majority of web apps today are based on cloud computing technology. To properly test web applications manually or automatically, we need to understand that they have a set of features that differ from the desktop ones. Given this knowledge, we’ll be able to build a comprehensive testing strategy and reap profits from the impeccable state of our business software.

So, the hallmarks of a cloud-based web app boil down to the peculiarities of its following facets:

• Environment. Web apps work inside a browser and are accessed via the internet.
• Accessibility. Web apps aren’t downloaded to a computer but can be reached by many people across the globe simultaneously.
• Security. Stored online, web apps are more exposed to cyberattacks.
• UI/UX. Eye-catching interface and navigation give the competitive advantage to cloud software.
• Performance. 4 seconds of lag makes a user leave a web app, and you need to keep a client engaged non-stop.

To gain a better understanding of the concept, let’s recall some of the most striking examples of cloud-based applications. All of us are acquainted with Instagram, right? It leverages AWS to run its infrastructure, which makes it cloud-based. We bet you know Google Docs as well; this one utilizes the Google Cloud Platform.

And here’s a tiny tip to help you understand your client better: try to recall what problems you’ve encountered when using those apps and what your demands were.

Whether your web app functions within eCommerce, banking, or as a SaaS collaboration tool, you’ll eventually come to the same conclusion and find the perfect state of the same five facets mentioned above to be of crucial significance that directly affect your bottom line and clients’ satisfaction. And believe us, this perfection is indeed achievable. How? Let’s find out together!

Examples of Cloud Testing

Maximum quality of performance, interface, navigation, and security for a web app can and will be achieved if you perform all the following types of testing on a first-priority basis:

1. UI testing

Sure, looks don’t matter if the soul is beautiful, but... not in the case of web apps and users who righteously demand impeccable interfaces. With UI testing, you’ll be sure that all the fonts, colors, and buttons are placed correctly and work as they’re intended to. More specifically, you'll check:

• if type-ahead functions properly and, only with initial letters, a user can quickly search for an item;
• if links refer clients to the right pages;
• if text fields are limited to a particular number of input characters;
• if texts, headings, and images don’t overlap each other while scrolling, and a lot a lot more.

Take a look at the UI testing tools to choose the right one for your business. As for the method of testing, you can certainly test a cloud app’s UI manually if there are two or three interactive features, but test automation streamlines the process tremendously and allows you to repeat testing based on a schedule. Given that, many of the cloud testing tools offer a far greater set of functions than UI testing alone but include the whole scope of testing types enlisted within a website testing checklist, so choose wisely.

2. Usability Testing

If you really want to test web application manually, now is the time to do it. This type of cloud testing combines the testing of the interface in terms of efficiency and, well, the user-friendliness of a whole web app. For example, it checks whether:

• Fonts and spacing are appealing;
• The color palette is well chosen;
• Navigation is easy and consistent;
• Contents are readable and updated;
• Everything else that impacts users’ satisfaction.

3. Performance Testing

As we remember, another important feature of web apps is that they’re built to be accessed by thousands of people at the same time, and to deliver each user a seamless experience, performance testing comes to help. Cloud-based application performance testing consists of:

• Load Testing;
• Stress Testing.

You probably expect your web application to keep working fast when a high flow of clients flood in to be in time for a sale. Load testing imitates the requests of a specific number of clients received simultaneously, while stress tests will check what load will crash your system and how fast it can be recovered after reaching its maximum.

4. Security Testing

The mere idea that their data is stored online sounds dubious to clients: 85% of people worry that their online credentials may not be protected. Together with it, according to an IBM report, one credential-related breach can cost a company $4.37 million. To secure yourself from financial losses and ensure your clients that the cloud app they use is protected with top-level security, security testing is of tantamount importance. Cloud application security testing aims at checking an app for different vulnerabilities, thereby protecting it from the invasions of cyberattackers and unauthorized activities.

The basic methods for detecting security flaws in cloud apps are:

• Penetration testing;
• Static application security testing (SAST);
• Dynamic application security testing (DAST);
• Database Secuiry Scanning;
• Session Management Testing.

Cloud-based application security testing is a must if you want to stay compliant with GDPR, which demands the highest security standards from any company that processes private data of EU citizens. Check the European Commission website to see whether you need to meet all the GDPR requirements or not.

5. Cross-Browser Testing

Cloud web apps operate inside different browsers, right? So, our purpose should be to reach a large audience by providing people with access to your web app from a diverse number of browsers and their updates. With cross-browser testing for web applications, you can confirm that your web app works the same way across Safari, Chrome, and other browsers, maintaining its high quality.

6. API testing

Most probably, your app isn’t isolated from the rest of the world and communicates with other services and applications via APIs. Payment gateways, weather snippets, maps, social media log-ins, and online exchange rate dynamics: all of these need to work smoothly because, well, otherwise it’ll lead to clients’ irritation, hence your web app abandonment. Basically, cloud-app API testing includes all the above-mentioned steps because it’s, in effect, a small app. Hence, we need to make sure the data exchange is secure, the APIs can withstand the load of thousands of clients, and give valid responses to the input data.

By the way, some claim that the biggest part of UI automation tests can be replaced by automated API testing with its broad coverage and fast time of execution. But usually, extensive UI testing only compliments the API testing, leaving no chance for a coverage gap to exist.

7. Functional testing

It’s literally a must-do during application testing and should be repeated many times during the SDLC. It checks the correctness of the whole scope of functionality of a web app. This is when we can validate HTML and CSS, cookies, database security, and a lot more with:

• Smoke Testing;
• Regression Testing;
• Integration Testing;
• Sanity Testing.

Well, it’s only the foundation of your future testing strategy that must be further ramped up with the steps and tasks to conduct in order to meet your personal goals and serve every need of your company’s target audience.

Codeless Cloud Testing and Cloud Test automation for Web Apps

One of the most significant steps towards building a sound test strategy for cloud-based applications is, of course, to select the right testing platform. Some are built for cloud-based mobile application testing, some serve the needs of web app owners. While many testing tools require a solid background in coding to relish their functionality to the fullest extent, some are created to give testing amateurs a chance to keep abreast of the quality of their software.

How do you think which of the characteristics fit DogQ?

DogQ is a cloud-based testing tool for web applications. It aims to assuage the number one problem of business owners: the lack of programming skills and the fear of missing out on data that can potentially hinder the success of their enterprise. With our tool for codeless test automation for web apps, you can perform all the following without coding:

• Functional tests;
• UI tests;
• Regression tests;
• Smoke tests;
• Cross-browser tests.

Codelessness doesn’t mean you can only leverage the pre-written tests; you can also allocate the task of writing new automated test scenarios to your QA team. In a nutshell, the double nature of the codeless cloud-based test automation technology of DogQ benefits every team member and, together with it, alleviates the job of experienced testers.

So, it’s wonderful that you found yourself contemplating the “how to test cloud-based applications” question, for cloud apps do, in fact, have a set of distinguishing features, knowing which will make it easier to focus on the most important parts while testing. You can streamline the complicated process by employing cloud-based testing with a tool aimed particularly at evaluating web apps.

Do you think it’s possible for one program to combine great functionality, top-notch design, and affordability? Absolutely! DogQ is oriented towards small businesses, freelancers, and everyone who values the effective use of their resources. Try a free 14-day trial period to take a leap into the app and see for yourself the superb amalgamation of features.