In today’s ever-changing and competitive web-based business scenario, organizations always need to test their web based applications before the launch of their website. By testing, any organization can be sure that the web application will work perfectly and will be easily accepted by the end-users. The testing techniques also check the web application’s browser compatibility; load testing, scalability testing, stress testing and resolution testing. Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) are also changing the way we deliver and use web-based applications.

Here are few of the basic testing techniques for web applications:

1. Functional Testing: This testing is used for checking all the links of the web pages; form testing, cookie testing and database connection.

2. Usability Testing: This testing checks the navigation and user friendliness of the web pages. Through this testing it is ensured whether the content is properly checked and is easily understandable to the users. It also checks whether the anchor text links are working properly, whether sitemaps and help files are having proper information and all the links are working.

3. Interface Testing: This checks if the web server and application server interface, application server and database server interface have proper interaction or not. This test ensures that the users do not see any error messages.

4. Compatibility Testing: Compatibility Testing is very important as it checks browser compatibility, operating system compatibility, mobile browsing and printing options.

5. Performance Testing: Performance testing includes web load testing and web stress testing. Web load testing technique checks if many users can access the same page at the same time and whether a web page can handle heavy load on any specific page. Web stress testing is done on the site to see that how will the site react and recover during the stress time.

6. Security Testing: This checks the security of the web applications. For security purposes, internal pages should not open if you are not logged into the website. Other statistics should not be seen even if the user is logged in. The files should only be given the option for downloading and it should not be accessed without downloading. CAPTCHA for automates scripts logins should be tested. SSL should be tested for security measures.

After completing all the testing, a live testing is necessary for web based applications and web sites. Then upload the site and complete testing should be done. These days, web applications are accessed from different kinds of devices like desktops, PDAs, iPhones, etc. It is very important to check whether the web application is compatible to these devices.

Web applications can be provided to a large and diverse audience but there is a risk of being exposed to a large set of probable loopholes as far as successful software testing results is concerned:

1. Numerous Application Usage (Entry – Exit) Paths are possible

2. People with varying backgrounds & technical skills may use the application. Also, differences may rise from cross-platform issues to difference in browsers, network types or network speeds, Intranet and Internet application differences, etc. – resulting in issues concerning the software.

3. Even on the same browser, applications may be executed differently based on local issues such as screen resolution/ hardware/ software configuration of the system

4. The applications may require testing for disability compliance and usability

5. Firewalls or allied security threats

To conclude, the entire process of Web Application testing includes some really important and critical steps so as to ensure that end users are satisfied with the applications.