A Comprehensive Guide To Mobile App Testing

The use of mobile devices continues to accelerate at a rapid pace in recent times. This increases the need for businesses to develop mobile applications in order to reach out to more target audiences. However, in the highly competitive market of today, delivering flawless mobile applications is the need of the hour to stay ahead in the race. For this purpose, mobile app testing is extremely important. Mobile app testing solution helps in rigorously testing all the vital aspects of the applications and ensuring the launch of a bug-free mobile app.

Mobile application testing verifies the functionality, usability, performance, user interface, and much more. It enables the identification of potential flaws and helps in its elimination before the release of the application into the market. It helps in the delivery of exceptional user experiences to delight your target customers.

Along with increasing customer satisfaction, mobile application testing helps in enhancing the reputation as well as revenues of the business. However, in order to get the maximum outcomes, following a systematic and well-organized process of mobile application testing is important.

Here are the ten important steps to carry out the mobile app testing in the best possible way:

1. Identify the Test Scope and Coverage

The first step of the mobile application testing process is to figure out the test scope as well as coverage. In this step, you need to identify the specific functionality and features of the mobile application that you will test. This step helps in having a clear idea of the objective of the application. Test scope is no longer restricted to the devices to be tested but includes much more. It involves the perfect blend of mobile devices and different operating systems to test the various functionalities of the mobile app.

The test coverage of the mobile app testing must include the different types and number of mobile devices on which the application will be tested. It also includes the testing types, the operating systems, and more. Identifying the testing location is also important in order to deliver an excellent user experience to customers around the globe. Successful determination of the test scope and coverage is the key to begin the mobile application testing process effectively.

Also Read: Tips to Define Test Scope for Software Testing

2. Identify the Types of Testing

The next step is to identify all the different types of tests that are to be performed for the mobile application. In order to ensure that the mobile application performs in the desired way, tests like usability, functionality, performance, security, and compatibility testing are to be conducted.

While automation testing is trending in recent times, not all testing types can be automated. Therefore, you need to classify the testing types that are to be automated and those that will be performed manually. Usually, the test cases that require repetition and have chances of human errors are automated.
Automation testing helps in saving a great deal of time. Functional testing, integration testing, and unit testing are usually automated during the mobile testing process. To avail the best results, testers use manual testing and automation testing at different levels of the testing cycle.

3. Identify the Testing Device Type

When planning to perform the mobile application testing, you will have to decide the type of testing devices to be used. The different options include real devices, simulators, as well as emulators. To ensure maximum effectiveness of testing, most testes use a combination of real as well as virtual devices. While choosing the real devices, it is important to consider the popular models used by the target audience and the supportability of the devices.

The virtual devices like the simulators and emulators allow faster testing and are mostly used during the initial phases. On the other hand, the real devices are used during the later phases and help in identifying the potential bugs that may be skipped by the virtual devices.

Also Read: Top 10 Myths To Ignore About Emulators And Real Devices App Testing

4. Prepare Test Cases

After identifying the testing devices and testing types, the next step is to prepare the test cases. Test cases need to be prepared for each and every functionality and feature of the mobile application. On the basis of the testing methods, you need to craft manual test cases, as well as automated test scripts. You also have to identify the reusability of the automation scripts or make changes as per the project requirement.

For writing the automation test scripts, you can make use of a number of automation frameworks to make your task easy and save more time. Some of the popular frameworks used to automate the tests include Appium, XCUITest, Espresso, and more. With several open-source automation frameworks available, you can easily automate the mobile application testing.

5. Execute App Testing

Once you have created the test cases as well as test scripts, the next thing to do is run or executes the mobile app testing. It involves performing the manual and automated testing of the mobile application in the appropriate testing environment. The tests are executed on the real devices and virtual platforms like the simulators and emulators. It enables testing all the functionalities and features of the application and finding out the potential flaws.

In order to gain accuracy and enhance the overall experience of the end-users, you can apply the real user conditions to the tests. This helps in testing additional aspects like peak usage, network coverage, call or text interruptions, resource conflicts, and much more. It ensures that the mobile application is fit to be used in different types of environments and offers optimum customer satisfaction.

Also Read: Checklist To Test Your Mobile App Successfully

6. Execute the Cloud Testing

Mobile application testing does not end with manual and automation testing. But to ensure flawless performance, the tests are also executed over the cloud platform. Cloud testing enables the expert testing team at different corners of the globe to easily access the servers and devices to ensure optimum mobile testing. Cloud testing can offer you a number of added benefits in comparison to on-premises testing. It helps in providing you with valuable feedback on the mobile app tests and enables enhancing the quality of the mobile application.

7. Analyze the Test Results

After completion of all the tests, the next step is to analyze the results carefully. It helps in determining the features of the mobile application that are performing well and the ones that need enhancement. There can be a number of reasons for the test failure, including backend issues, framework issues, orchestration issues, and more.

With the use of smart technologies like ML and AI, you can easily identify the reasons for the failure and avail useful suggestions in order to resolve the existing problems. Analysis of the test results enables you to prepare the test report of the mobile application testing and document it for future reference. Faster is the analysis; quicker will be the process of mobile app testing.

8. Track and Manage Defects

When you have analyzed the test results, it is time to correct the existing defects of the mobile application to ensure delivering error-free application into the market. In order to ensure optimum success, it is important to prioritize the defects and address the vital aspects first.

By using various built-in tools, you can easily connect to your workstation to the devices on the cloud platform and debug the mobile apps. This can help you in conveniently correcting all the defects and ensures saving more time. The strategic prioritization of the defects and their management accordingly can help you gain maximum benefits.

Also Read: Android Vs. iOS Mobile App Testing

9. Review and Repeat

The next step is to check that all the errors have been corrected and carry out the entire testing process all over again. Repeating the whole test is important in order to ensure that no defect is left behind, and you deliver a flawless mobile application to the users.

You must consider repeating the process until all the defects of the mobile application are completely eliminated to ensure the optimum success of the application in the market. Make sure that the mobile application meets the main objective as well as the acceptability criteria of the users the best.

10. Release the Mobile Application

After the mobile app testing is completed, reviewed, and made free of all the errors, it is time to release the application into the market. Ensuring faster time to market can help in providing your business with a competitive edge over others in the industry.

Wrapping Up

Following the steps mentioned above can help in the testing of mobile applications in a systematic and organized way. These steps act as a roadmap for successful mobile app testing. The process starts with the identification of test scope and finally ends with the successful release of the mobile application.

Documenting all the steps as well as results of the mobile application testing process is important for future testing and better decision making. Meticulously testing mobile applications is crucial to deliver flawless applications for exceptional user experience and higher revenues. With effective mobile app testing, getting a better rating from the customers becomes easy.