Web-based system testing method

Summary

Web-based system testing and traditional software testing have both similarities and differences, posing new challenges to software testing. Web-based system testing requires not only checking and verifying whether the system runs according to the design requirements, but also evaluating whether the system displays properly on different users' browsers. It is important to test security and availability from the end user's perspective.

This article discusses Web-based system testing methods in terms of functions, performance, availability, client compatibility, and security.

With the rapid growth of Internet and Intranet/Extranet, Web has had a profound impact on business, industry, banking, finance, education, government and entertainment, and our work and life. Many traditional information and database systems are being transplanted to the Internet, and e-commerce is growing rapidly, which has already exceeded national boundaries. A wide range of complex distributed applications are emerging in the Web environment. Web is popular and ubiquitous because it provides information publishing that supports all types of content connections and is easy for end users to access.

Yogesh Deshpande and Steve Hansen proposed the concept of Web Engineering in 1998. As an emerging discipline, Web Engineering advocates the use of a process and system method to develop high-quality Web-based systems. It "uses reasonable and scientific engineering and management principles, and uses rigorous and systematic methods to develop, release, and maintain Web-based systems ". At present, the research on web Engineering is mainly carried out abroad and has just started in China.

In Web-based system development, if there is a lack of strict processes, we may encounter some serious problems in the process of developing, releasing, implementing and maintaining the Web, there is a high possibility of failure. Moreover, as Web-based systems become increasingly complex, failure of a project may lead to many problems. When this happens, our confidence in the Web and the Internet may be irretrievably shaken, leading to a Web crisis. Moreover, the Web crisis may be more serious and broader than the software crisis faced by software developers.

In the Web engineering process, testing, validation, and acceptance based on Web systems is an important and challenging task. The Web-based system test is different from the traditional software test. It not only needs to check and verify whether the system runs according to the design requirements, but also tests whether the system displays properly on the browsers of different users. It is important to test security and availability from the end user's perspective. However, the unpredictability of Internet and Web media makes it difficult to test Web-based systems. Therefore, we must study new methods and technologies for testing and evaluating complex Web-based systems.

Generally, the software release cycle is calculated by month or year, while the Web application release cycle is calculated by day or even by hour. Web testers must deal with shorter release cycles. Testers and test managers are facing a transformation from a traditional C/S architecture and framework environment to a rapidly changing Web application system.

I. Function testing

1. Link test

Links are a major feature of Web application systems. They are the main means of switching between pages and guiding users to access pages with unknown addresses. The link test can be divided into three aspects. First, test whether all links actually link to the page of the link as instructed; second, test whether the page of the link exists; and finally, ensure that there is no isolated page on the Web application system, an isolated page means that no link is directed to the page. Only the correct URL address can be accessed.

The link test can be performed automatically. Many tools are available now. The link test must be completed in the integration test phase, that is, the link test must be conducted after all pages of the Web application system are developed.

2. Form test

When you submit information to the Web application system administrator, you need to use Form operations, such as user registration, login, and information submission. In this case, we must test the integrity of the submitted operation to verify the correctness of the information submitted to the server. For example, whether the date of birth and occupation entered by the user are appropriate, and whether the province and city of the user are matched. If the default value is used, check whether the default value is correct. If the form can only accept specified values, the test is also required. For example, you can only accept certain characters. During testing, you can skip these characters to see if the system reports an error.

3. Cookies test

Cookies are usually used to store user information and user operations in an application system. When a user uses Cookies to access an application system, the Web server sends information about the user, store the information in the form of Cookies on the client computer, which can be used to create dynamic and custom pages or store login information.

If the Web application system uses Cookies, you must check whether Cookies work properly. The test content may include whether Cookies work, whether they are saved at a scheduled time, and whether refreshing affects Cookies.

4. Design language testing

The differences in Web design language versions can cause serious problems on the client or server side, such as the HTML version used. This issue is especially important when developers are not working together in a distributed environment. In addition to the HTML version, different scripting languages, such as Java, JavaScript, ActiveX, VBScript, and Perl, must also be verified.

5. Database testing

In Web application technology, databases play an important role in providing space for the management, operation, query, and implementation of user requests for data storage of Web application systems. In Web applications, the most common database type is relational database. You can use SQL to process information.

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