Automated UI Testing In iOS – Is It The Future Of App Testing!

“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of intelligent effort.” – John Ruskin

John Ruskin did taught us a very important lesson in the line of testing. Though, we think testing is a manual process of careful study and intelligent analysis. Time is moving faster than we can think and so is the testing procedures.

Automated UI testing is the new key for iOS app examinations. Moreover, this is going to change the entire methodology of iOS App Development Process.

You probably heard about automated testing before. Nowadays, people are talking a lot about automated testing especially when it comes to app and product quality.

As a developer, ensuring a bug-free and high-quality app or product can be a daunting task. Properly studying and analyzing test cases is crucial to avoid any potential issues down the line. Don’t risk encountering problems later on – invest in thorough testing now for peace of mind in the future.

Today in this article, I am going to enlighten you the different ways you can test your iOS app or a product as well as guide you in writing Automation UI Tests for your apps.

Normally, testing is divided into two categories – Manual Testing and Automation Testing.

Never miss an update from us. Join 10,000+ marketers and leaders.

Manual testing is the process to test your app or product manually and I’m sure everyone has a good knowledge about manual testing and I don’t want to waste your time telling you details on this.

So, let us get started with Automated Testing in IOS;

Generally, Automated Tests are two types in iOS

  1. Unit Test (Test of specific case in the class)
  2. UI Test or Integration Test (individual modules or testing of groups)

Before telling the process how to write automated UI tests for our app, you might be thinking that why you should automated UI tests for your product or app?

Let’s have look at the key benefits automated UI tests below.

  • To minimize time spent on manual testing.
  • To avoid regression bugs. If you are changing something in the code then you must test it again to check whether it doesn’t break anything and the app is still works as expected.
  • It helps to document our code.
  • It provides visual run – through our app.

What is UI Testing?

UI test is composed of actions that a user can take. It’s like a step-by-step guide with some expectations along the way.

Let’s have a look at the common format with example

Do something

Expect something to happen

Example:

Pull to refresh

We can see new things on the top

How to Write UI Test?

First of all we need a framework called KIF- Keep It Functional (An iOS integration test framework which allows for easy automation of iOS apps and performs the tests using a standard XCTest testing target), which offers a whole lot of APIs to deal with UI interactions.

For Example:

Example to fill some text in the text field:

[code language=”html”]
tester().enterTheText("some text", intoViewWithAccessibilityLabel: "textfield name")
[/code]

Here,accessibility label is a name you give for each UIView to distinguish among them.

How to Setup KIF for UI Testing?

Step 1:

Import KIF and Nimble

Nimble is a framework to help you to express your expectation in test.

[code language=”html”]
pod ‘KIF’

pod ‘Nimble’
[/code]

Step 2:

Create KIF Helper

Step 3:

Create Bridging Header

Step 4:

Create our UI Test

Create new file in the test target.

Then import KIF

Note: 1) your test must be a subclass of KIFTestCase
2) Test methods must begin with the word test

For example test the login screen with empty username and password.

[code language=”html”]
Scenario: Empty username and password

Given I clear out the username and password fields

When I click"Login" button

Then I expect to see alert "Username cannot be empty"

functestForBlankUsernameAndPassword() {

clearOutUsernameAndPasswordFields()

ClickButton("Login")

expectedAlert("Username cannot beleft blank")

clickButton("OK")

}

funcclearOutUsernameAndPasswordFields() {

tester().clearTextFromViewWithAccessibilityLabel("Login – Username")

tester().clearTextFromViewWithAccessibilityLabel("Login – Password")

}

funcclickedButton(buttonName: String) {

tester().tapViewWithAccessibilityLabel(buttonName)

}

funcexpectedAlert(text: String) {

tester().waitForViewWithAccessibilityLabel(text)

}
[/code]

Now we can run our test by pressing cmd + U. The simulator will pop up and run over your steps automatically.

Finale – in the end

Are you tired of manually testing your app’s user interface for every possible scenario? Look no further than automated UI testing! With Andolasoft’s expertise in iOS UI testing, you can save time and make coding even more enjoyable. Trust us to cover all your user scenarios and functionalities. Book a free consultation today to see how we can improve your app’s quality.

Importance of QA in App Development

Be it for enterprise or consumer use, mobile application development is escalating at a radical rate. This exponential growth in app market generates the need for stringent QA (Quality Assurance).

Role of a QA in Mobile Techs

QA has an indispensable power to find the pros and cons of an application that leads to improvements resulting in a great app for users across the globe. 

Things are streamlined  for making a product route with success for making a product route with success and maturity in today’s world, where comparison with competition exists.

Market Analysis & Customer views 

A Quality Analyst determined the market demand along with Business Analyser, Developers as well as Test managers to make a full-proof plan for the project execution. It is worth noting that the analysis is done based on the customers needs and concerns.

Technology vs Business

Mobile apps need to be tested in such conditions, that it is compatible to different environments along with UI’s and different devices with varying operating systems. While technology is way ahead of Business, still it is important to work along with it to show the perfect matching technology in day-to-day business life.

What is Quality Assurance?

Quality Assurance (QA) is a systematic process aimed at ensuring that the final product meets specified requirements and is free of defects. 

In the context of app development, QA involves various testing methods and practices designed to identify and fix bugs, ensure optimal performance, and enhance the overall user experience.

Why is QA Important in App Development?

7 Reasons Why QA is Important

  • Ensures Functionality and Performance

The primary goal of QA is to ensure that the app functions as intended. By conducting thorough testing, QA teams can identify and resolve functionality issues, ensuring that all features work correctly. 

Additionally, performance testing helps ascertain that the app runs smoothly under different conditions, such as varying user loads and network environments.

  • Enhances User Experience

A seamless and enjoyable user experience is critical for the success of any app. QA helps identify usability issues, ensuring that the app is intuitive and user-friendly. 

By addressing these issues before the app’s release, developers can enhance user satisfaction and increase the likelihood of positive reviews and high user retention rates.

  • Identifies and Fixes Bugs Early

Bugs are an inevitable part of software development. However, finding and fixing them early in the development process can save time and resources. 

QA involves continuous testing throughout the development lifecycle, allowing teams to detect and address bugs promptly. This proactive approach minimizes the risk of major issues arising during the app’s launch.

  • Improves Security

With the increasing number of cyber threats, ensuring the security of your app is more important than ever. QA includes security testing to identify vulnerabilities and ensure that sensitive user data is protected. 

By implementing robust security measures and conducting regular security audits, QA helps safeguard your app against potential breaches and builds user trust.

  • Compliance with Standards and Regulations

Different industries have specific standards and regulations that apps must comply with. 

QA teams ensure that the app adheres to these requirements, preventing legal issues and ensuring that the app can be used across different regions and sectors without any compliance-related hindrances.

  • Cost Efficiency

Investing in QA can lead to significant cost savings in the long run. 

Identifying and fixing issues during the development phase is much cheaper than addressing them after the app has been released. 

Additionally, a high-quality app is less likely to require extensive updates and fixes, reducing maintenance costs.

  • Boosts Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty

An app that functions well and provides a great user experience is more likely to satisfy users and encourage loyalty. 

Satisfied users are more likely to recommend the app to others, leading to organic growth and a stronger user base. 

QA ensures that the app meets user expectations, fostering trust and long-term customer relationships.

QA Best Practices in App Development

QA Best Practices in App Development

  • Define Clear Requirements

Clearly defining the requirements and objectives of the app is crucial for effective QA. 

This includes functional specifications, performance benchmarks, security standards, and compliance requirements. 

Clear requirements provide a roadmap for QA teams, ensuring that all aspects of the app are thoroughly tested.

  • Implement Continuous Testing

Continuous testing involves integrating testing activities into every stage of the development process. 

By continuously testing the app, QA teams can identify and address issues as they arise, rather than waiting until the end of the development cycle. 

This approach leads to a more stable and reliable app.

  • Automate Where Possible

Automation can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of QA. 

Automated testing tools can handle repetitive and time-consuming tasks, allowing QA teams to focus on more complex issues. 

Automation also enables consistent and thorough testing, reducing the risk of human error.

  • Perform User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

User Acceptance Testing (UAT) involves real users testing the app to ensure it meets their needs and expectations. 

UAT provides valuable insights into how users interact with the app, identifying any usability issues or areas for improvement. 

Incorporating user feedback into the development process can lead to a more user-centric app.

  • Maintain Detailed Documentation

Maintaining detailed documentation of all testing activities, including test cases, results, and any issues identified, is essential for effective QA. 

Documentation provides a record of the app’s quality and helps identify patterns or recurring issues. 

It also facilitates communication and collaboration among development and QA teams.

Product Deliverance 

Quality doesn’t stop only at delivering things, but also post-delivery for making a perfect application in lieu with future aspects.


“Defects are not necessarily bugs and Bugs are not always defects.”

                                                                                       – Ref. from testfort.com

 

Mobile Quality Assurance

Modern day businesses need mobile technologies to improve efficiency and stay afloat in the market. However, in a fast-changing mobile environment, application testing must be addressed instantly to ensure that your business remains agile; productivity is increased without affecting time with increase in profit margin and customer satisfaction.


The real challenges are in mobile application testing. If, you have some challenges to address, share with us and our QA experts will sort it out for you.

Andolasoft’s QA team extends innovative approach and relaxed way to build an app to give you awesome mobile experience. From E-commerce to native mobile apps, we have done it all.

Andolasoft titled as the best Mobile App Development Company by Mashable.

Talk to us for professional QA or App Development Support or both. We’re here to help you and be your partner in building powerful apps that would take your business a leap higher.

The Importance Of Mobile Quality Assurance

Mobile phones are being designed for the needs of urban warriors who want to do everything on the go. The mobile ecosystem has gone beyond the boundaries of telephony.

It records activities, provides event alerts, keeps users in touch with their personal lives and assists in business processes like closing transactions and completing payments. These advanced smartphone capabilities are giving rise to novel ways which addresses the needs of customers, employers and partners.

Mobile Application Marketplaces are becoming very popular day by day, and many companies are facilitating users to download various app. Websites are also being built as responsive for better browsing experience on various handheld devices.

Challenges of Mobile Application Testing :

Now-a-days, people are accessing the Internet and digital content in general more and more frequently from mobile rather than a traditional device. Mobile devices are built on a variety of operating systems that include multiple versions of iOS, Android, Windows, BlackBerry, Symbian, Bada and Brew, etc. Many years ago, the importance of Mobile Quality Assurance became apparent to the mobile development community.

Never miss an update from us. Join 10,000+ marketers and leaders.

Mobile Quality Assurance has needful key focus areas such as “Functionality”, “Performance”, “Usability”, “Automation”, “Security”, “Compatibility (Responsiveness)”, “Interface”, “Services” and “Device Proliferation”.

Mobile QA testing is nothing but a process by which mobile devices are being tested for its functionality, usability and consistency for better performance.

Mobile Application testing is categorized into two phases; such as “hardware or Device Testing” and “Software Testing”. Now this process is maximizing to support iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile, Symbian, Blackberry, tablets, including other operating systems with minimizing the testing cycle up to 50% as well.

As more and more mobile apps are coming out as well as Smartphones and it might be finding too many challenges or risks like variety of mobile devices, diversity in Mobile Platforms/OS, Mobile network operators and Scripting.

So, Mobile QA Testing is becoming very necessary part of Mobile Application Development Ecosystem.

Summary:

It is inescapable that your business will adopt mobile technologies to improve efficiency and become a regular business.

However, in a fast-changing mobile environment, application testing must be done in days instead of weeks, to ensure that your business remains agile, productivity is increased, time, money and customer satisfaction are not impacted.

I hope you liked this post. You must get a clear idea about the real challenges in mobile application testing. I would like to know your invaluable suggestion on this topic.

Recommended Blog: Andolasoft launched service on QA Automation

Defect Management Process in Software QA/QC

A defect is an error or bug found in the application. A programmer while designing and developing the software could make mistake. These mistakes or errors are also termed as faults in the software.

While testing a software application or product, if the actual result deviates from the expected result then it is termed as defect.

A Software defect / bug is a condition in software which does not meet the requirement or end-user expectation.

Defect Management Process:

Defect management process includes the following steps:

Identify
This step involves detecting a defect. The person noticing the defect is mostly someone in the testing team. In the real world, it can be anyone including individuals in the project team, or even the end-user(customer).

Category
When a defect is reported, it is assigned to a designated team member to confirm that the defect is actually a defect as opposed to an enhancement, or other appropriate category. Once categorized, the defect moved into the process flow and the next step is to prioritize it.

Priority
Priority is based on combination of the severity of impact on the usability, relative effort to fix, along with a comparison against other defects. The priority should be determined with representatives of the customer and the project team.

Assign
Once a defect has been prioritized, it is then assigned to a developer or other technical person to fix.

Resolve
The developer fixes (resolves) the defect and follows the organization’s process to deploy the fixed code to the environment where the defect was originally identified.

Verify
Depending on the environment where the defect was found and the fix was applied, the software testing team or customer verifies that the fix is actually resolved the defect.

Close
Once a defect has been resolved and verified, the defect is marked as closed.

Defect report or Bug report consists of the following information:

  • Defect_ID – Every bug or defect has its unique identification number
  • Defect Description – This includes the abstract of the issue.
  • Product Version – This includes the product version of the application in which the defect is found.
  • Description – This includes the detailed steps to be followed to re-create the issue with the screenshots attached so that developers can recreate it easily.
  • Date Raised – Date when the bug is reported
  • Reported By – This includes who reported the bug like tester Name and ID
  • Status – This field includes the Status of the defect like New, Assigned, Open, Re-test, Verification, Closed, Failed, Deferred, etc.
  • Fixed by – This field includes the details of the developer who fixed it like Name and ID
  • Date Closed – Date when the bug is closed
  • Severity: Based on the severity (Critical, Major or Minor) it tells us about impact of the defect or bug in the software application
  • Priority: Based on the Priority set (High/Medium/Low) the order of fixing the defect can be made.

See Also: How to identify Cross Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerabilities threat

Defect management process or bug tracking is an integral part of our Quality Assurance process. Avail our QA services not just for projects done by us but also for projects done by you or your vendors.

I hope you enjoyed this topic, if you have any questions or comments please share below!

Serious threats from Heartbleed Bug

Heartbleed-bug-150x150What is Heartbleed(CVE-2014-0160 ) issue?

Heartbleed is a serious vulnerability through which attacker can easily steal the sensitive data like login credential, card number and other encrypted information used in online banking and e-commerce site.  It was found In early April, and available in the software library OpenSSL which is considered as most secure and used by many web application for secure transaction.

How this bug works?

Heartbleed virus was basically tricking the computer with fake information. The computer then responded to hackers by giving them the stored memory. This compromises the secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt the traffic, the names and passwords of the users and the actual content. This allows attackers to spy on communications, take information straightforwardly from the services and users and to imitate services and users.

Things to worry about?

Many cyber experts consider that Heartbleed is the worst vulnerability found (at least in terms of its potential impact) since commercial traffic began to flow on the Internet. Why it so?

  • Open SSL(secure socket layer) basically provides communication security and privacy through encryption functionality over the Internet for applications such as web, email, instant messaging (IM) and some virtual private networks (VPNs). As this bug available to this layer so It has been undermine around half a million secure websites, email, instant messaging and likely a variety of other programs and applications
  • Discovered in early April, Heartbleed lets attackers steal data from computers whereas recent report showed that it can also access to forum and chat-rooms which is very hard to penetrate.
  • The big problem is that it is undetectable and you don’t know it is happening. If your Gmail was hacked and they tell you to change your password and you do, the hacking still doesn’t go away.
  • Heartbleed.com had attacked their own server from attackers perspective and they found that the bug can able to steal sensitive data without using any privileged information or credentials, which make situation more severe.

Typically, OpenSSL implementations are present on servers running Apache and nginx. Unfortunately, Apache remains the dominant web server today with more than half of the internet’s active sites running on it and nginx has about another 14%.  The Heartbleed bug was introduced in December 2011. The bug affects OpenSSL version 1.0.1 which was released in March 2012 through to 1.0.1f which hit on Jan 6 of this year.

What to not worry about?

Heartbleed has no effect on

  • DOD classified networks, and minimal effect on DOD unclassified sites.
  • Common access cards and the PIN numbers associated with them
  • The products which do not include OpenSSL in their server
  • Applications which use OpenSSL 1.0.1g, OpenSSL 1.0.0 branch, OpenSSL 0.9.8 branch and OpenSSL 0.9.7 branch.

How we stopped it?

To address this vulnerability, we followed the steps mentioned below.

Step#1 : We checked the version of openSSL in server.

# yum info openssl.

Step#2 : Then, we updated the version of it to the version which is not affected by Heartbleed.

# yum update -y openssl

Step#3: After updating OpenSSL, reboot the services using the library or server itself.

To combat with such type of bugs or vulnerabilities, you require an expert and accomplished QA engineers. You can also offshore QA Services which provides you savvy and smart solution to your goal.  Andolasoft also launched free security testing where you can check your web app health report at no cost.

Like this blog? I’d love to hear about your thoughts on this. Thanks for sharing your comments.

Andolasoft launched service on QA Automation

We are excited to announce launching of QA Automation service at Andolasoft.
QA is an important phase of SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) for releasing quality software.

Why QA Automation?

While manual testing is appropriate in some cases, it is a time-consuming and tedious process that is inefficient and conflicts with today’s shorter application development cycles.

As a result, it impedes the ability to thoroughly test an application. Whereas, Automated testing creates new efficiencies that accelerate the testing cycle and promote software quality.

Automated tests are quicker to run than manual tests as there’s no lag time between input and checking, as a result you can run more tests in multiple browsers rapidly.

Manual testing has a high risk of missing out of any test case, whereas Automated tests have zero risk of missing out a pre-decided test case.

Automation_Testing

Benefits of Software Automation Testing

Saves Time :
As automated tests are run by tools, it runs tests significantly faster than human users which adds to the first benefit of saving time.

Cost Effective :
Software automation tools are expensive for short-term, but you can save money in long-term. With the help of Automation tool, you can easily find bugs in less time. This allows your team to react more quickly, as a result it saves your precious time and money.

Consistency:
Automated testing offers a level of consistency, which is not achievable through use of manual testing.

Repeatable:
Testers can test how the software reacts under repeated execution of the same operations.

Reusable:
Tests can be reused on different versions of an application, even if the user interface changes.

Reliable:
Tests perform precisely the same operations each time they are run, thereby eliminating human error.

Comprehensive: You can build a suite of tests that covers every feature in your application.

Programmable:
Testers can program sophisticated tests that bring out hidden information from the application.

Quality:
Automation tools cuts costs and reduces software product time, as well as it help to ensure high level of quality in software projects.

Why QA Automation from Andolasoft ?

We have worked on various test automation models empowering us to provide custom solution based on client needs. Andolasoft uses only the latest performance testing technology like

  • Selenium (For Automation Testing)
  • Load UI and Browsermob (For Load Testing)
  • Accunetix, N-stalker, Nsparker & Websecurify (For Security Testing)
  • Browserlab & IE tester (For UI Testing)
  • Our own product Orangescrum (For Bug Tracking)

Our approach to Automation Testing is as illustrated below:

  • Decide and Design the framework
  • Prepare Test Cases / Business flows
  • Based on the number of flows and their size, effort estimation is prepared
  • Testers are involved in effort estimation process
  • Implement the framework by developing user defined functions / procedures and reusable actions required by the framework
  • Begin automating the scripts by means of the framework
  • Review the completed scripts
  • Use the scripts to check the sanity of the script against the AUT(Application Under Test)
  • Defect found during regression logged in defect tracking tool(Orangescrum)
  • Test execution report submitted to the stakeholders
  • Preparing metrics analysis
  • Enhancements or GUI changes handled with proper documentation
  • Based on the enhancement / change, scripts tweaked
  • As and when need arises required set of scripts executed
  • Regression testing is run in a batch in unattended mode
  • Delivering results to client for approval

You can check out the latest trends for the Software Testers.

Andolasoft follows a test automation strategy where our testing engineers do analyse your applications and provides you all the possibility of test automation.

Read more on accessibility testing tools

This analysis helps our client to achieve the optimum return on their investment and provide real benefit to the projects in which they are working with. If you wish to avail of our test automation consulting services, please contact us.

Visit our Quality Assurance services for more information about the Manual and Automation testing. We look forward to your feedback/comment.