What are the challenges of testing Web Applications? How to use Silk Test with Web Applications?

Web applications are a rage these days and thus a fast delivery of web applications is in urgent need. But at the same time it is important to keep the security of these web applications in check. 

However, web testers continue to face some challenges while testing the web applications and this is what that we are going to discuss in this article. 

What are Web Applications?

- As we are familiar with the growing popularity of the web applications, with the time, new and advance features are being introduced in the web applications.

- It makes them one of the most popular means for the development of the commercial systems. 

- Nowadays, almost all the companies opt for developing web based software wherever and for whatever possible. 

- This is so because with the help of web applications the company can easily cater to the needs of a large number of people. 

- Also, once the infrastructure of the application is put in place the deployment of the apps becomes quite easy. 

- The web applications are powerful assets and using them, a feature rich content can be provided to a large audience across the globe at quite an economical cost.

- Hence, it becomes more and more daunting to test these complex applications. 

- For the web applications the two factors continue to be the most important:

1. Accessibility and
2. Security

Challenges in testing Web Application

While on one side, the company wants to cater to the users all over the world, on the other side their web application can fall prey to some grave security issues. Thus, only web application testing stands a chance to secure the data as well the organization. 

- The design and nature of every web application is somewhat unique to it and so it is possible for the users to follow different paths of usage.

- In such cases, it is necessary to ensure that all paths are working well by testing all the permutations and combinations. 

- Also, all the software applications are not self explanatory. 

- Users of a web application are from various back grounds and those who are from a non technical background may find it hard to use the application. 

- This does affects the design of the application and therefore should be tested during the usability testing of the application. 

- For intranet based web applications, it is possible for the developers to make assumptions regarding the audience but this is impossible for the internet based web applications. 

- Today, there are many web browsers available and so different browsers are used by different users. 

- Thus, there is a need to test this aspect since it can be ensured that the web application is compatible with all the platforms.

How is web testing done in SilkTest?

- Web testing is possible using the Borland’s silk test. 

- Till now, it has been proven to be the leading functional testing tool in the software industry when it comes to testing e- business applications either based up on windows, web, java or client or server based and so on. 

- Silk test is used for the following purposes:

1. Test planning
2. Test management
3. Direct data base access and validation

- It also comes with a built – in recovery system for the purpose of unattended testing of the web applications across multiple browsers, platforms and technologies.