Software Testing

1. Run time behavior on various operating system or different hardware configurations.
2. Install ability and configure ability on various systems
3. Capacity limitation (maximum file size, number of records, maximum number of concurrent users, etc.)
4. Behavior in response to problems in the programming environment (system crash, unavailable network, full hard-disk, printer not ready)
5. Protection against unauthorized access to data and programs

System tests check that the software functions properly from end-to-end. The components of the system include: A database, Web-enable application software modules, Web servers, Web-enabled application frameworks deploy Web browser software, TCP/IP networking routers, media servers to stream audio and video, and messaging services for email. A common mistake of test professionals is to believe that they are conducting system tests while they are actually testing a single component of the system. For example, checking that the Web server returns a page is not a system test if the page contains only a static HTML page

HTML content checking tests makes a request to a Web page, parses the response for HTTP hyperlinks, requests hyperlinks from their associated host, and if the links returned successful or exceptional conditions. The downside is that the hyperlinks in a Web-enabled application are dynamic and can change, depending on the user's actions. There is little way to know the context of the hyperlinks in a Web-enabled application. Just checking the links' validity is meaningless if not misleading. These tests were meant to test static Web sites, not Web-enabled application

Makes a request for a set of Web pages and records statistics about the response; including total page views per hour, total hits per week, total user sessions per week, and derivatives of these numbers. The downside is that if your Web-enabled application takes twice as many pages as it should for a user to complete his or her goal; the click stream test makes it look as though your Web site is popular, while to the user your Web site is frustrating

Online help tests check the accuracy of help contents, correctness of features in the help system, and functionality of the help system

Click stream Testing is to show which URLs the user clicked, The Web site's user activity by time period during the day, and other data otherwise found in the Web server logs. Popular choice for Click-Stream Testing statistics include Keynote Systems Internet weather report, Web Trends log analysis utility, and the Net Mechanic monitoring service.
Disadvantage: Click-Stream Testing statistics reveal almost nothing about the user's ability to achieve their goals using the Web site. For example, a Web site may show a million page views, but 35% of the page views may simply e pages with the message "Found no search results," With Click-Stream Testing, there's no way to tell when user reach their goals

Security measures protect Web systems from both internal and external threats. E-commerce concerns and the growing popularity of Web-based applications have made security testing increasingly relevant. Security tests determine whether a company's security policies have been properly implemented; they evaluate the functionality of existing systems, not whether the security policies that have been implemented are appropriate
Primary task in security testing over web applications

• Application software
• Database
• Servers
• Client workstations
• Networks

External beta testing offers developers their first glimpse at how users may actually interact with a program. Copies of the program or a test URL, sometimes accompanied with letter of instruction, are sent out to a group of volunteers who try out the program and respond to questions in the letter. Beta testing is black-box, real-world testing. Beta testing can be difficult to manage, and the feedback that it generates normally comes too late in the development process to contribute to improved usability and functionality. External beta-tester feedback may be reflected in a future releases.

Easy of use, User Interface testing evaluates how intuitive a system is. Issues pertaining to navigation, usability, commands, and accessibility are considered. User interface functionality testing examines how well a UI operates to specifications

Areas Covered in User Interface Testing

• Usability
• Look and feel
• Navigation controls and navigation bar
• Instructional and technical information style
• Images
• Tables
• Navigation branching
• Accessibility