Software Testing & QA Blog

"Performance Engineering in the Digital Era: After 2020, your business is either digital or does not exist. Yes, it is evident that digital presence has become the key to survival in the current era. COVID-19 has rapidly changed the way we work, communicate, and socialize while leaving us with the challenge of making significant changes in a matter of days. Take a glimpse of COVID-19 driven digital adoption rates. Why is Performance Important For Your products Today, most organizations have accelerated their pace of digital adoption irrespective of their understanding and outlook towards digital transformation in the pre-pandemic times. Although organizations are speeding up their digital initiatives and investing in relevant tools and technologies, there is not enough attention to the performance side of digital initiatives. If digital is a survival requisite, the digital application experience is a necessity for business reputation, resilience, ROI, and customer satisfaction. If an application has an amazing user interface and innovative features but lacks good execution - it is bound to fail.  In a nutshell, digital transformation can be the front-facing need for businesses but performance is the driver that ensures the success of the digital transformation efforts of the organization. The Performance Engineering Perspective of Digital Transformation Gone are the days when software and application testing was all about checking functional bugs. Today, the non-functional elements like load handling, security and vulnerability issues, user experience are on the rise. Whether your team needs to serve more mobile users on an application, or you are shifting from an in-house cloud solution to a third-party solution provider, everything should be well tested, and optimized with the right strategy. What is Performance Engineering? Performance issues just don’t happen. They are designed within the application. Well, that is not because the software engineers are malicious, it’s because they are human beings. They make some assumptions about the software while writing the code. And it is not possible for them to know how the system will perform and where bottlenecks will turn up when they start coding the software. Here the concept of performance engineering comes into the picture. “Performance engineering is all about improving the speed and efficiency of the product while embedding the key performance decisions into design, architecture, and implementation.” The performance engineering process lets you understand the product fall-backs in the very early phase of the software development lifecycle. It allows seamless collaboration between tools, processes, and teams via continuous feedback loops while preventing expensive changes later down the line. A proactive focus will result in saving your valuable time and cost while boosting the value of the product, from business as well as user perspectives. How is Performance Engineering Different from Performance Testing? Key Performance Areas Performance Engineering Performance Testing Time to market Faster as the fallbacks are identified in the early stages. Slower as the testing is performed after the release of the product. Test coverage More time to work gradually as it is a continuous process. Limited validation scenarios due to budget and time constraints. Approach A proactive approach that works with development and testing parallelly. Reactive after other testing levels. Utilization High as the team works in collaboration. Low as different teams work on various tasks and cannot collaborate properly. Early detection of issues High as the issues are identified and resolved during the script development process. Low as issues are identified after the end of all other testing processes. Time dedication No requirement for dedicated time. Dedicated time is required for knowledge transfer as there is no or little collaboration among teams. Why Do You Need Performance Engineering? Software engineers have been stumbling over hundreds and thousands of assumptions since the dawn of programming. For example, ten years ago, an online airline ticketing system offered very limited services. You could only search for flights and buy tickets online, but only if you were on the right browser. Today, everything is so seamless. In addition to purchasing a ticket, you can check-in, book a seat, pay for additional baggage, choose a meal, manage your account, and much more. There is a basic need to support all popular browsers, mobile devices, as well as mobile apps. These new features and frameworks have to work well with the back-end code to manage the system while meeting all the performance requirements. A crash of even a few minutes can cause a loss of thousands or millions of dollars. While finding and resolving the source of error in a complex system can take a lot of time and cost. This means the managed performance of the application and user experience needs to be incorporated throughout the software lifecycle, not only when it is first launched. With a growing number of applications, performance engineering ensures regular testing, as well as on-demand testing to ensure the quality of the existing application as well as every additional integration. The performance engineering methodologies align perfectly with agile processes to address the issues earlier in the development process. Can Performance Engineering Replace Performance Testing? There is a lot more to performance engineering than the testing process. It enables you to understand how all the components of the system fit together, knowing what performance metrics matter, and building the right user experience right from the initial stage. Performance engineering practices are a broad set of processes as compared to testing.  You can easily please customers, support employees, and boost revenues. Here's why performance engineering will never replace performance testing. 1. Vital for the bottom line Did you know that the average cost of network downtime is over $5,600 per minute and amounts to over $300,000 per hour? Until your site is up and running again, there are high possibilities that consider a switch to your competitor. The consistent performance support allows you to safeguard data loss and public embarrassment due to a system crash. 2. Time to monitor performance properly The performance testers lack the support to repair defective environments. While the overall performance is monitored from the initial stage of the development cycle. The performance engineering environment monitors the system to identify the scope of better experience and implement the required changes on a regular basis. 3. Objectivity and independence Just like you would not expect a writer to review their work, you cannot get the design and testing of the software application by performance testers. Here, the impartial insights are provided into the application to ensure the best-in-class performance. 4. Performance metrics Performance testing can track the server throughput, concurrent user loads, browser performance to assess the overall quality. But mostly, testers rely on their creativity and intelligence to match the expectations of end-users. Therefore, performance engineering has a phased approach to ensure a high-performing application in the long run. 5. Efficient reporting While the testers need to assess the performance and make reports, the performance engineering methods measure the experience of individual layers, including the web server, application server, network etc. When performance engineering is done right, it is surely going to improve the planning of deployment time with high-quality products. In addition, it reduces the business costs arising out of unforeseen issues. A clear and step-by-step testing approach ensures that organizations move towards better web applications and mobile experiences. The Right Approach to Performance Engineering  The performance engineering practices should align well with the metrics that really matter to businesses. While testing identifies the gaps, the onus of architecting it correctly lies on the engineering team with proactive actions from the quality assurance team. Let us explore the standard approach to a performance engineering culture. Understanding of performance risks:  It is important to understand the performance expectations of customers from the application. It helps in identifying the potential risks and assessing the damage it can cause. Then, these risks are ranked in terms of probability of the risk occurring, severity for proper resolution. Establishment of performance objectives: Set quantitative objectives to control and assess the efforts. However, it is important to set realistic objectives considering the number of requests received by the system. Set the parameters that matter: Consider the viewpoint of multiple stakeholders and accordingly, consider the parameters that matter to the customers and business. It is vital to ask pertinent questions related to response time, bottlenecks in a multi-user environment, etc. It helps in understanding the real user environment and its challenges to ensure a quality user experience. Early focus: The early focus on performance helps in gaining real-time insights into architectural issues, and optimize the multi-user application before it goes live. Besides faster deployment, it is extremely important to deliver uncompromised quality. Architecture assessment: As you implement performance engineering, it is also vital to assess the architecture. It is recommended to process the architecture based on reusability, reliability, scalability, and quick modification. Automation: Implementing automation throughout the testing process helps in getting faster and better performance results. You can yield better coverage by implementing the automation based on multiple scenarios the application might face. Don’t wait to start your performance engineering journey with QAonCloud. Our team consistently checks and validates the capabilities at the time of developing and scaling the product. Getting the right process and architecture will help you achieve a high-quality product. Plus, it reduces performance costs arising out of unforeseen issues. Talk to our experts to move towards achieving performance engineering now."

"Gone are the days when web standards were a mess, with limited browser support. Well, you must have encountered an issue with the website and on calling the technical team, they tell you to try the same website in another browser. And it works pretty fine for you. So, is it your fault or lack of your technical expertise? The answer is “NO”. It’s just that the website is not extensively tested with cross-browser testing tools and lacks compatibility with some browsers. Every browser interprets the information and presents it on the website in a different manner. Some browsers may lack the features you are trying to display on your website that makes your website look broken on the browser. Just like the below example image indicates different responses of the same website. The errors of sign-up forms are different on both browsers. Today, the web scenario is entirely different and in fact, much better. All thanks to open-source cross-browser testing tools. "Any software tool is considered as open source if you can use and modify over the original design. The open-source tools don't have a commercial license but serves the specific purpose of testing." With the next-gen technologies and tools, it is now possible to make your website work perfectly on all web and mobile browsers. The users should not be restricted to use any browser to access your website. Some of the commonly used browsers include Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera. That being the background story, let’s understand the “What, why, how, who, when, where” of cross-browser testing. Why is Cross Browser Testing Important? Imagine that you are trying to access a website or app from MacBook Air. You open the Safari browser and type the URL, enter, and wait for the website to load. When it gets open, none of the images and media files gets loaded. All the text and buttons are over the web page. You check for internet connectivity and reload the page on the same screen. If it still does not open, you will assume that the site has some issue or is broken. Now, the next obvious step is to find an alternative. This is where open-source cross-browser testing tools come into the picture. The testing process ensures that the website and apps work in a smooth and uniform manner on all the browsers and devices used by your customers - Browsers - Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Opera, etc. Operating systems - Android, Windows, iOS, macOS, etc. Devices - Laptop, tablet, mobile, desktop, smart TV, etc. Here is what you need to check with cross-browser testing. CSS and HTML validation Special characters with HTML Character encoding Page validation with and without JavaScript enabled Ajax and JQuery functionality Font Size Page layout in different resolutions Images and alignment Header and footer sections Page content alignment to center, LHS, or RHS Page styles Date formats Page zoom-in and zoom-out functionality Hence, it is required to check the performance, user interface, and overall compatibility of the applications on all these combinations. Cross-browser testing helps to provide a high-quality and consistent experience across all browsers, operating systems, and devices. How to Perform Cross-Browser Testing? Now we started talking. So, cross-browser testing can be performed through the manual process or automated testing methods. Let’s understand both the choices. Manual Method Manual testing is performed by checking the website on multiple browsers, machines, and operating systems. Then, the same test cases need to be performed again to observe the behavior of the application and report bugs. Clearly, it will lead to increased efforts, time, and investment. Moreover, it is not possible to cover many browsers. Automated Method This process runs the same set of test cases multiple times on different browsers. This eliminates the manual processes and repetition of tasks. This, automation method is more time and cost effective to perform automation method with ready-to-use cross-browser testing tools. Let’s explore the top tools to make cross-browser testing easier. Best Cross-Browser Testing Tools 1. BrowserStack Live BrowserStack Live is a cross-browser testing tool available for mobile and desktop browsers. This tool does not require any installation and starts at $29 per month after the free trial period. It allows you to set up a testing environment with proxies, firewalls, and Active Directory support. BrowserStack Live also supports multiple versions of Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, and macOS. The cloud platform is a helpful tool to test your website on real mobile devices running different operating systems. Benefits of BrowserStack Live: Start testing on real devices on the cloud Does not require virtual machines to run the tests Supports a wide variety of mobile device browsers Drawbacks of BrowserStack Live: Poor response time Can miss bugs that could not be identified on real devices 2. LambdaTest LambdaTest is a cloud-based testing platform for web apps and websites. It allows you to conduct interactive testing in real browser environments or run automated Selenium testing scripts. Commercially, LambdaTest starts at $15 per month for browser testing. The mobile and web testing start at $99 per month. Benefits of LambdaTest: Provides a limited-time free version that allows you to perform 6 testing sessions. Open-source cross-browser testing tool that supports desktop and mobile browsers Provides an online grid for Selenium test automation Drawbacks of LambdaTest: Not available on Linux 3. CrossBrowserTesting CrossBrowserTesting is a user-friendly testing platform that allows you to perform cross-browser testing on multiple browsers including mobile platforms. It is available for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Ubuntu. You can easily run visual, manual, and Selenium tests on more than 2050 real mobile and desktop browsers. The tool starts from $29 per month for one user and unlimited testing capabilities are offered at $100 per month for two users. Benefits of CrossBrowserTesting: Supports a wide range of browsers and their respective versions Appropriate for the quick testing process Provide an option to choose the screen resolution and operating system Provides free trial version Drawbacks of CrossBrowserTesting: High price, especially for large projects Unavailable on Linux 4. Sauce Labs Sauce Labs is a cloud-based platform for testing mobile and web applications. It offers instant access to thousands of operating systems, mobile emulators, simulators, browsers, and real devices. The pricing for manual cross-browser testing starts at $39 per month (allows one test at a time), manual and automated testing starts at $149 per month (allows one test at a time). Real mobile devices testing starts at $199 per month. The tool supports multiple browsers including Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. Benefits of Sauce Labs: Allows testing mobile browsers on real devices Wide selection of real devices, emulators, and simulators Latest browser versions support Free trial version Drawbacks of Sauce Labs: Very high price and raises the cost of development 5. Turbo.net Turbo.net allows you to test your website on multiple versions of web browsers without creating many virtual machines. It also allows you to perform multiple tests without any dependencies or conflicts via isolated sandboxes. Turbo.net works well with the latest versions of browsers including Chrome, Opera, Firefox, Canary, Chromium, Firefox Nightly, Internet Explorer, and more. To use this cross-browser testing tool, you need to install a browser plug-in or download its desktop application. The tool is currently available only for Windows and starts at $19 per month. Benefits of Turbo.net: Supports latest versions of browsers Provides a free version Functional testing can be performed seamlessly Supports mobile browsers of Firefox and Opera Drawbacks of Turbo.net: Not available on macOS and Linux 6. Digital.ai  Digital.ai offers multiple testing solutions including manual and automated cross-browser testing. This platform is cloud-based and allows cross-browser testing on the desktop version of browsers. The cross-browser testing tool provides extended browser support for Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Firefox, macOS, iOS, and Android. With Digital.ai, you can test mobile and desktop browsers securely, even in a staging environment by connecting with a secure tunnel. The pricing of the tool starts at $9 per month per user for manual testing and $39 per month per user for automated testing. Benefits of Digital.ai: Allows hundreds of parallel tests Allows mobile testing for real devices Provides free version for manual testing Allows you to access visual reports with log files, videos, and screenshots Drawbacks of Digital.ai: Unavailable on Linux 7. Browsershots, a completely free open source cross browser testing tool Browsershots is one of the free tools for cross-browser testing. Browsershots is an open-source cross-browser tool to test websites in any operating system and browser. You can easily run cross-compatibility tests with great customization options like color depth, browser type, operating system, the status of JavaScript, and flash settings. Browsershot also allows you to take website screenshots in more than 60 browsers and multiple operating systems. By simply inputting a URL and viewing the screenshots, you can get a quick understanding of how your website looks on different browsers. Benefits of Browsershots: Free tool Multiple browser testing practices Easy option to view several side-by-side screenshots Drawbacks of Browsershots: Cannot directly interact with the browsers as they are simply referenced screenshots 8. IE Tab This cross-browser testing tool allows you to easily view your web page with a single click. With the IE tab, you can view a web page in multiple browsers without switching from one browser to another. The tool is well compatible with Firefox or Chrome browsers. IE tab is one of the best compatibility testing tool that supports internet configuration. It allows you to customize multiple settings like the internet and security can be set automatically or manually. Benefits of IE tab: View web pages in multiple browsers without any switching hassles Allows you to open tabs emulating Internet Explorer Drawbacks of IE tab: Not available for Firefox 6.0 and above version Every tool in the list helps you enhance your testing strategy and perform cross-browser testing. But you need to choose the best tool, pick the one that best suits your unique business requirements. How To Choose the Best Cross Browser Testing Tool? Now when we know the importance of cross-browser testing and available tools in the market, it is time to choose the best tool and get started with a best-in-class user experience. Here are the key considerations while choosing the best tool for the cross-browser testing process. The support of devices, operating systems, and browsers need to be verified. The tool should support the maximum possible combinations. If there is a new release of the browser, the testing tool should be able to accommodate the latest version too. Third-party integration support with Nightwatch, Jenkins, existing Selenium code, etc. The tools should support parallel testing to ensure the testing of a huge number of environment combinations. This feature is available with cloud-based open-source cross-browser testing tools. The tool should provide support for emulators, simulators, and real devices. There should be a technical support team to extend prompt support in the testing process. Automating Cross Browser Testing with QAonCloud In this post, we have covered all the key aspects of cross-browser testing and popular cross-browser testing tools. But if you don’t want to get into the hassles of manual testing and choosing the right tool, QAonCloud provides an easy option to make your cross-browser testing experience hassle-free, secure yet effortless. At QAonCloud, we strive for the best-in-class quality and are dedicated to enhancing your product quality. Our cloud-based cross-browser testing tool provides access to thousands of real devices, browsers, and environments. Contact us to start your cross-browser testing journey and enhance your product quality. Below are some key benefits of choosing QAonCloud. Automation script written in plain English. Hence, it does not require prior coding knowledge and skills. We can start running the test cases immediately. Get free from the license and installation hassles of operating systems, software, etc. All the environments can be easily accessed on the cloud. Allows to add multiple testing environments and run parallel testing to save effort and time. Supports third-party integration with key business applications and tools. There is no need to scale up or down the testing infrastructure according to varied testing needs. QAonCloud provides a highly scalable infrastructure to all the available environments. The functional and visual testing is also conducted to test the user interface, the latest application image to the baselined image to report the difference. Customizable and detailed reporting according to your requirements. Expert technical support team to provide you with the best solutions."

"Let’s start this post with 3 amazing mobile app facts: Fact #1 – In the second half of 2016, only 23% of mobile apps were used after being installed.* Fact #2 – 95% of installed mobile apps are deleted within the first month.* Fact #3 – Over 87% of users spend their time on apps and the rest of the people use browsers to use an app.* So, mobile apps are an everyday matter for users. Everyone wants to use mobile apps for their daily activities. But do you really need to download an app to own it? When you consider how easily and quickly you can install something like a flashlight app on your device, it makes you wonder about the benefits of keeping apps on your device. Well, it is unlikely that you will need every mobile app all the time. As long as you can access an app when you need it the most, what is the benefit of having it on your mobile and taking up the device space? Android Instant Apps is the answer to this dilemma. Since the launch of Instant Apps in May 2017, it has taken over the mobile app development world. But to be able to publish your app as an instant app, you need to conduct a Google play instant testing process. Whenever a mobile app is launched, the developer has certain goals such as generating user traffic, increasing revenues, getting high ratings, providing benefits to users, etc. Getting the app in front of a large audience could also be an important goal of your app. If you want to achieve a lot more than this, Android Instant Apps can help you big time. Instant app feature makes your mobile app discoverable from multiple locations such as – URLs, Google search results, social media posts, emails, YouTube comments, etc. Well, there are a lot of things to know about Instant apps and Google play instant testing. Let’s go step by step. What are Instant Apps? Instant apps are Android applications that need not be downloaded from the play store or installed on the user device. These apps are designed to save storage space on the device and deep link the users to the specific function of apps. Currently, they are only available for Android. It works as an instance of the app on the play store that can be used with a single click. This gives a native user experience without even downloading or installing the mobile app. The users can simply click on the “Try Now” button to start using the app. Use Cases for Google Play Instant Apps Once you build the mobile app and complete the process of Google play instant testing, you are all set to launch the instant app on the play store. When Android instant apps were announced, Google used a parking meter app as an example of their offerings. With this app, the users can immediately use the capabilities of the parking meter app without downloading, installing, or signing up. It delivers the opportunity to increase user engagement with the app and gain more installs after completing the Google play instant testing process. Such apps allow the users to try a particular app for a specific time without installing it and later decide whether to download and install the app onto their device or not. There can be many other use cases for instant apps with a completely native experience. Some of them are: Car parking solution Demo of image analytics app or a video Menu display of restaurant One time authenticators Game demo stage Location routine information Shopping and checkout at a virtual or physical store Why is Google Play Instant Testing Important? Instant apps have become the next great step in mobile development. At first sight, they don’t differ much from the conventional mobile apps as they look and function just like a mobile app. The major difference is that you don’t need to download or install them on your device. When the instant app testing is conducted, it ensures that all the necessary app functionality works perfectly without having to install the app from the play store. Let’s find out how Google Play instant testing helps: Ease of access Android instant apps allows the users to access and run apps instantly, without any installation hassles. The users can easily get a native Android experience from any URL – including social media, search engines, messaging, and other deep links. As soon as the link is clicked, the user will be redirected to the mobile web space where they can use the app features. This will provide a much better experience to the users as they won’t have to go through the whole process of searching and installing the mobile app. They can conveniently use all the features of the app with a single click. More creativity Now when the developers are well aware that the users can access the mobile apps before even installing them, they will be more focused on the creativity of applications. The developers have to introduce a “lite” version and get the mobile apps to pass through Google Play instant testing process to provide a better user experience. The users will be able to relish the new and improved mobile app experience. Save space Did you know that over 43% of users remove apps from their smartphones to free up storage space? (Source: Alligator Test). And once a mobile app is removed from the phone, it is rarely reinstalled. So, the storage concern is very important for users and instant apps can help a big-time here. Getting through the process of Google Play instant testing ensures that your mobile app consumes less space without compromising with features. Better app engagement Mostly, searching, downloading, installing, and executing the registration process of a mobile app takes much more time than using the application itself. This can lead to a lack of user engagement since users lose the enthusiasm to use the app before even reaching its useful content. Not anymore. Instant apps, on the other hand, provide the opportunity to try the features of the app instantly without any additional time and effort of users. It helps users to decide whether they want to use the application or even download it. Thus, the users will be significantly more engaged with the application. More valuable users and applications As there is no need to install the app to know the usability, the users can easily sneak into the features of the application. And once they are satisfied, they can install the application for future use. When you get your Google Play instant testing completed, the users can easily gain access to the app without downloading, experience the user interface, try its core features, and create an instant opinion about it. This way, only the valuable users will stick to your mobile app, and for the long term. It will also help in increasing the user retention rates as only the satisfied users will be downloading the application and the chance of application abandonment will decline subsequently. Increased app visibility Most of the developers face the challenge of getting their mobile app listed at the top of app stores and increasing the number of app downloads. The great advantage of Instant apps is that the access is not limited only to the Google Play store. Instead, the link to access the instant app can be published on many other platforms resulting in more ways to promote the app, better app visibility, and more downloads. Key Tips to Consider While Conducting Google Play Instant Testing Process Well, you need to consider a lot of things in mind before processing the development of instant apps. Have a look at a few important points of consideration. 1. Choose the new version of Android Studio To develop an instant app, the foremost thing to be considered is that it requires Android 5.0 (API level 21). It is recommended to take the help of the latest Android Studio version for building and testing the instant apps. This service of Android app development enables you to drive higher application installs and build a strong market presence. 2. Reduce the app size conveniently There are many good reasons why users prefer to use instant apps but reduced app size remains the top priority. Hence, it is important to keep the size of apps in check before launching the lite version of your mobile app. While Google play instant testing always ensures to keep the app size in check, the preferable size should not exceed 4 MB for apps and 10 MB for games. If the size of your app range from 4 MB -10 MB, the users can leverage the “Try Now” button and experience the app conveniently. 3. Decide the type of instant experience Delivering an excellent user experience is one of the primary motives of an instant app. For basic experience, allow users to click on the “Try Now” button or a website banner to try an instant mobile app. For an enhanced experience, market the app on multiple platforms in the form of advertisements, messages, QR codes, etc. Enable the instant experience today Instant apps have been a revolution in the era of mobile app development. And the best part is that a specific link can open the app while minimizing the cost and time of development. On one hand, the users can understand the features and functionalities of the app for free, while on the other hand, it provides better chances of user conversion and retention to app developers. Google is also gearing up to give multiple instant app experiences for a single app in the future. Undoubtedly, the future of trial versions or demos is through Google play instant testing. So, what do you make of instant apps? Can you see yourself offering an instant app experience, improving user engagement, and getting more conversions? Don’t wait anymore to introduce your instant app and move toward a “no downloads future”. We at QAonCloud have the right experience and experience to guide you towards the unique experience of Google play instant testing. Consult with our mobile app testing experts today. *Source: emarketer"

"Virtual Reality: a modern technology Virtual Reality is a powerful emerging medium that promises to change user interaction with digital technologies. It is now possible for individuals to interact in any virtual reality environment using VR goggles or mobile devices. Various forms of non-immersive, semi-immersive, and fully immersive simulation technology transform many industries at B2B and B2C levels. At its inception, Virtual Reality was envisioned purely for consumer use cases, such as the gaming and entertainment industry. However, it has also proved surprisingly helpful in various ways for the medical sector, defence sector, and even industrial sector in recent years. The use cases are only set to increase as it gains mainstream adoption. VR's rapid growth in popularity, and the nascent stages of the technology, throw unique challenges for companies from the developers' point of view. Lately, head-mounted displays have been introduced with eye detecting cameras and high-accuracy object detecting sensors. People want to try these features, especially the gaming community. Developers and startups need to constantly adapt and innovate if they're going to stay relevant. As a result, VR applications have evolved a lot within few years and continue to rapidly grow for the foreseeable future. The most prevalent issue in VR apps is their Quality Assurance. The old traditional methods of 2D testing are no longer usable in 3-D VR testing. The industry has failed to establish a standard testing framework and testing technology due to the constant flux. We will go through the various tools available to test VR Apps and how you can effectively test your VR applications. Tools for functional testing of Virtual Reality applications There are specific tools that are necessary for VR application testing. These are: SteamVR Performance Tool It is a fundamental tool to evaluate compatibility. It displays the compatibility of your PC with the VR app. 3600 EYETRACKERTM software solution  This software tracks your eye movement and lets the user see anywhere in the environment. It also enables the audience to see the user's point of view and the direction in which the user is looking. It extrapolates the user's field of view. Unity testing tool  Unity is an excellent tool to start with. It is for unit testing to focus on a particular object in your virtual reality environment. One can also use a google plugin called Google Instant Preview with Unity. It enables you to see the building unity in the editor. You can directly run your game, and it's visible to everyone around you. Desired output formats  A detailed Heat map with interactive controls Video in the 2D environment from 360 content Relive personal viewer experience through VR headset. How to test your VR app 1. Define the Objectives  There should be clarity in creating the aim for the functional testing of the VR apps. The testing must ensure the input and output parameters are fulfilled. Some of the most common objectives are: Ensuring expected behaviour: The test performed on the VR app must ensure that the app is running as per requirements. That is, it is functioning as expected. However, VR apps are often complex, with many hidden bugs. It also depends upon the human-machine interface to fulfil the objective. Manual Testing: To ensure human interaction and evaluate how well the user is adapting, utilizing, and immersing in the VR app. Environment effects: The objective must also ensure the effectiveness of the real-world environment in the virtual world. The user should feel a difference between Reality and virtuality. He also needs to judge how close to the actual environment that virtual environment is. This objective should be able to depict that difference. Automating specific test: To process the high degree of interaction, evaluation of inputs then sorting and evaluation of outputs, automating a particular part of the test becomes essential. Create a list of desired user experiences that we want from the app and what the publisher will gain from the app 2. VR Testing Methods  Trial and Error approach Virtuality reality apps are based on Reality. So, it relies on human perception. It means – detecting bugs, glitches, issues with the app; the "reality" aspect is subjective to that individual. It also means that testing results will vary from person to person. The best way is to test the behaviour of the application through testing tools.  Dedicated testing tools like the SteamVR performance tool ease the process of testing. Recording sessions The recording sessions offer a better understanding of the view and human –interaction with Reality. It gives deep insight into debugging. It can be shown to the people outside to get the necessary help. Sometimes, the bugs or glitches. Letting other testers see the recording sessions will allow you to spot errors in later stages. Automation testing tools  There are aspects of virtual reality apps that testing tools have drawn better results. Automated testing tools are helpful in UI tests and performance tests. The existing tools in the market boast the testing phase and ensure the quality of your VR app. Testing of motion sickness in VR apps  Reality sickness is one of the significant challenges in the virtual reality environment. The human brain does not fully immerse into another reality. The reality movement directly leads to motion sickness; it is vital to make sure that even the very essential mind can withstand the effects of VR apps. User feedback  Feedback reporting tools ease your work. Suppose you release the app in the market. These feedback tools will help you to discover more bugs and glitches in the app. It will also aid in enhancing the quality of the application. UI test automation framework  For VR automation, we recommend AirTest. It is one of the best open-source frameworks and it is built for VR gaming apps, where you get an automated testing framework. It is cross-platform and it supports Windows, native apps, iOS and Android. AirTest includes app installation, assertion, simulated input and so forth. You can perform image recognition technology to locate and identify UI elements. Automate tests on games without code injections. You can see the results in HTML reports. It's easier to find failed tests quickly. Integration Test  This test requires more skills than automating unit test. Two or more objects are combines and test in the simulated environment or a specific scenario. These kinds of tests are created and integrated into the test engine. This engine requires multiple systems, more skills and resources. End to End Testing / QA testing  It means a full playthrough of the VR app that needs to be tested. It is done manually as well as automatically. But the automated version of QA still needs much input to become more usable. Things to consider before automating your VR Test cases Some of the test scripts are already available. The Quality assurance process can use those existing test scripts. It is a heuristic method to find repeatable areas of the build. Those areas can be automated with optimum effort. A fully developed VR app can be tested by using source control and continuous integration. Consider the scale of your system, and size of the team and the type of app before leveraging the source control and continuous integration. You can take references from Git and Mercurial. Always test the 2D version of your app. It saves time and accelerates the process of debugging. Use telemetry data – it is helpful in long term work. Especially when you analyze a specific error, telemetry data should be relevant to the user walkthrough of the app and the user flows of a successful playthrough. Whenever a new change happens, the compiling code and running the asset build on the CI systems detect those issues. The diligent method is to tell your team in advance about those errors and avoid meeting those conflicts in advance. This way, the team can move forward, avoiding any potential test blockers. Monitor performance through ON-device automation. Monitoring will tell you the root cause of any issue. New changes can also harm the computer's performance; On-device automation can helps us in monitoring the long term performance and detecting the bugs. Simulate the trigger by giving commands. In simple words – tell the character to reach a particular spot "A" from another spot "Y". Monitor the performance characteristics on ADB and also keep a checklist to run and check necessary events throughout the app. Tools to performance and analyzing your VR Apps OVR Metrics tools  It analyses the mobile application with real-time graphic overlay. It provides data on heat, frame rates, GPU/CPU throttling values. Logcat  It collects VrApi logs. One can collect system logs with its command line. The Quality assurance team can take a close look at the app performance and device setting. Ovrgupprofiler It accesses real-time data of GPU pipeline metrics and provides stage tracing with the CLI tool. GPUsystrace  It includes information about the timing data of the steps of rendering pipelines as well as the information on the rendered stages. RenderDoc  It is a tool that is the best solution for capturing frames and analysis. It is a graphic debugger tool. It is compatible with multiple graphical APIs and development platforms. Unity Profiler  It records various aspects of the app's performance. It can store 300 frames of any app and shows you detailed information about every frame. One can explore the script code also. Final words  It is up to the Quality assurance team to pick the best tools for testing. However, some of the testing tools can accelerate the process of testing and debugging. One must learn to run few automation scripts on the available device to test. Once the test is done, one can start justifying more hardware. Consider bandwidth after testing; your team need to analyze and report based on these findings. Begin with the unit testing as it is the fundamental method and then consider the further stages of software testing. As VR apps and their testing are considered in their infant stage, we hope that more tools will be developed to automate and accelerate the entire process."

"There was a lot of hype when the first foldable smartphone was launched. After Samsung released Galaxy Z Fold in 2019, a new trend appeared in the market, pushing modern smartphones and tablets out of the game. If you are also looking to keep up with the latest trend of “Foldables,” it is a great time to explore development and app testing for foldable devices. App testing for foldable devices Foldable smartphones are the next-generation smartphones. It helps you to create unique experiences for consumers and new business opportunities to drive innovation. The foldable apps are mainly focused on larger screens and provide a handy experience when folded. According to a new analytical report (Strategy Analytics), global foldable smartphone shipments will hit 100 million units by 2025. The research has also confirmed that foldable technology will be one of the fastest-growing segments of the premium smartphone market in the next decade. Foldables are considered the smartest inventions of the era. They allow the users to fold the mobile screens when it is not in use, thus dramatically improving user interactions. In this article, you will explore: What are foldable devices? Why is it worth building apps for foldable devices? Why is app testing for foldable devices important? Key requirements for foldable apps development Key features to consider for app testing for foldable devices Recommended test scenarios for foldable apps Getting started with Foldables Let’s dive right into the guide to explore everything you need to know about foldable devices and preparing your apps for the foldable development market. What are foldable devices? Foldable smartphones come with a special display that can be folded in half, just like a sheet of paper. Samsung unveiled the concept in 2019 to offer high-end flexibility benefits to users. Potentially, these devices provide an immersive user experience, more space to watch content, browse the internet, read, and many more functionalities. You can easily multitask with 2/3 multi-windows when unfolded. Also, the foldability factor makes the device highly convenient for transportation. Since foldable devices are the future of the mobile world, it is the right time to delve into the development and app testing for foldable devices. Why is it worth building apps for foldable devices? Mobile phones have changed drastically through the last few years, from flip phones to QWERTY phones to touchscreens. And now, foldable devices have taken over the conversations. This new style of devices provides more space and comfort and offers more screen real estate, true streamlining of workflow, and more versatile use of apps. While the studies indicate steady growth and sales, foldable devices have gained the immense interest of consumers. Another source indicated that the foldable smartphone industry is expected to grow at a CAGR rate of more than 21.3% from the year 2021-2026. These statistics point towards the fact that - foldable devices are the future of the mobile phone industry. With foldable devices on the roll, the app developers need to put extra effort into launching and run foldable applications successfully. Why is app testing for foldable devices important? Apps play a major role in our lives. On average, people spend 74% of their smartphone screen time on mobile time. And more importantly, over 50% of all internet traffic comes from mobile apps. The success of foldable devices is directly affected by the quality of mobile apps. But the unique features and characteristics of the foldable screen present challenges for app developers. Bug-prone apps commonly plague Foldables mobiles due to fragmentation of screen and ultimately results in negative reviews. And any negative experience will be associated with the quality of mobile phones and not any specific mobile app. This is where you need efficient app testing for foldable devices. The key to testing apps on foldable devices is testing the functional and user experience-focused tests. Key requirements for foldable apps development Since the popularity of foldable devices is increasing tenfold, it has become vital to consider improving practices for seamless mobile app experiences on foldable devices. Planning for mobile app development for a single screen is very different from mobile apps for foldable devices. Here are some important aspects to consider while developing and testing apps for foldable screens. Infographics: Key considerations for the development and app testing for foldable devices Key features to consider for app testing for foldable devices Bigger screens, handy experiences, richer and immersive user experiences, multitasking with multiple widows, less power-hungry display, and more. Certainly, foldable smartphones offer a lot of opportunities. But planning for developing and testing mobile apps for foldable devices is quite different from single small screen devices. Let’s dig deeper into some of the most important features for mobile apps for foldable devices. 1. Continuity App continuity issues are one of the major mobile app challenges for foldable devices. This feature is all about switching from one state to another based on the screen orientation. The mobile app needs to follow the continuity and offer a seamless user experience in both screen modes. The user should be able to easily switch from one mode to another without having to open the app again and again. Also, when they do that, the app should switch to the expanded screen without missing a beat. 2. Resizability The mobile apps should be compatible with smaller as well as larger screens essentially. The resizability factor must be considered at the time of app testing for foldable devices. Based on the type of fold and functionality of the smartphone, the mobile app designs and interface should also fit perfectly. Additionally, the shape and size of foldable devices should remain the same while consuming media through smartphones. 3. Multi-Window Ability With the multi-window feature, the users can run multiple apps at the same time. However, facilitating this feature can be tricky. Earlier, while using multiple apps on the same screen, only the active app runs while others would be paused. But with foldable devices, users can run multiple apps on the same screen at the same time. So, it is vital to consider the multi-window compatibility at the time of app testing for foldable devices. The mobile apps should be developed in a way that multitasking with different screens should be easy and seamless for the users. 4. Support for Multiple Screens The mobile app developers should always consider the compatibility with two or more screens at a time. The primary and secondary screen can be decided while developing the app, but it should resume to either of the screen sizes, the text as well as the configuration without any glitches. 5. Multi-resume Another important feature needed for mobile apps for foldable devices is multi-resume. The apps resume as per the user requirements when the screen is folded or unfolded. While the dual-display improves the efficiency, it creates many issues for the accessibility of features and functionalities of the mobile app. But if the app testing for foldable devices is conducted appropriately, your mobile app can seamlessly function in the multi-window mode without any glitches. 6. Aspect Ratio Since Apple has not yet entered into foldable devices, most of the phones in this segment are Android. And building mobile apps for Android phones comes with aspect ratio challenges. There are numerous mobile devices with different screen sizes. And the difficulties in the case of foldable devices increase drastically. The app testing for foldable devices should ensure that different aspect ratios are adjusted according to multiple devices. And most importantly, the quality of mobile apps must remain the same in multi-window mode.  Recommended test scenarios for foldable apps Before getting started with the mobile app development and testing for foldable devices, make sure you know the possible test scenarios that will stand your way. Let’s explore some scenarios of foldable apps and their expected Behavior.  Test Case Expected Behavior of mobile apps on foldable devices Launch of mobile app: Main display and cover display The app opens without any lag or crash Working with the keyboard on the cover and main display Types text in different languages, symbols, and everything shows up fine on both the displays. Working with the camera on the cover and main display The app opens the camera, shows the preview images and videos. The media is scaled and oriented properly. The transition between the main and cover displays: Layout of the screen The app is filled with the entire screen without any blank space and cut-offs. The transition between the main and cover displays: Runtime of mobile app The app switches without hanging, crashing or showing response errors. The transition between the main and cover displays: User interface and components and location Every component like menu, text, button, thumbnails are at the right location and maintain the right shape and size. The transition between the main and cover displays: Handwriting and drawing apps Drawing and edited state are maintained in drawing and handwriting apps while switching the displays. Getting started with Foldables Now when you know that foldable devices are taking over the technology world and bringing along many opportunities, it’s the right time to get started with your app for foldable devices. While this technology holds immense potential, it poses many challenges for development and testing teams. There are multiple factors and challenges to face when it comes to developing and app testing for foldable devices. If you are looking forward to launching a successful mobile app for foldable devices, QAonCloud can help you with fully managed mobile app quality assurance testing services. We deliver end-to-end solutions from consulting to execution to designs, development, launch, and maintenance of apps for foldable devices. Contact us to learn more about app testing for foldable devices, specific test scenarios for your mobile app, recommended test plan, and more. Talk to our mobile app experts now."

"Every work sphere in technology is evolving rapidly. The term " Agile Methodology " came into the limelight, that focuses on continuous improvement and sustainable economic growth. Well, it may not be new. Agile testing is a part of Agile methodology that refers to the testing process of the entire software development life cycle. This approach helps testers and developers collaborate and communicate, thereby eases the process of identifying defects as early as possible and thereby creates a valuable product.  What is Agile in Testing: Agile testing is an iterative and incremental process of the software development lifecycle. Unlike the traditional software testing methodologies (like the waterfall method), where testing comes only at the end of the cycle, this approach supports continuous testing and DevOps. These are very crucial to improve the quality of a product.  Agile Testing will start even before the dev team starts the development and happens continuously as the features are added. Testers aim to write as many testcases as possible in each iteration, and these agile tests are prioritized just like the user stories. Throughout the product life cycle, regular interactions between developers, customers, managers, stakeholders, and QA/testing teams happen.Agile Testing Methods The following are the most crucial Agile testing methodologies that support agile processes- 1. Test-Driven Development (TDD) In this agile testing method, coding, testing, and design go hand-in-hand. The development cycle starts with writing a unit test & then developers write a code and edit the code until the unit test passes.  The software requirements are converted to testcases at the beginning of the SDLC before the development of software. We can apply TDD on unit and component tests.  The tests are usually done with the help of automation testing tools. The main aim of the TDD methodology is to make sure all the features are working as they should be. 2. Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD) In this method, the development of the product happens as per the end-user requirement. ATDD is a customer-centric approach, where the developer team, the testing team, and the customers create acceptance tests from the end-user perspective. The developers then develop the code according to the Acceptance tests created. 3. Behaviour Driven Development (BDD) Behavior-driven development is a refined & augmented approach of TDD and ATDD as the development team writes the code according to the test cases created. Unlike ATDD, this approach focuses on the identification of business needs and goals. During the testing process, testers implement behaviors that contribute directly to the business goals. As this agile testing method pays close attention to the distribution of behavior, we can save the time spent on testing. 4. Exploratory testing Exploratory testing focuses on interacting with an already released application. It allows testers to play around with the software and use it chaotically without writing any scripts. Testers list out all the possible user behaviors, use their creativity to take actions that can break the software. Testers usually focus on areas or scenarios that pose high value for users. But there will not be any detailed documents that describe how the exploratory tests are conducted. Testers report only the defects to the clients 5. Session-based testing The session-based testing methodology aims to ensure that the software product is tested entirely and comprehensively. It’sverysimilar to that of exploratory testing, except the tests, are conducted during Time-boxed sessions. Session-based testing combines exploratory testing, accountability, and control. This method helps testers to structure the tests and perform them during uninterrupted sessions. In this approach, testers create test charters.  This charter contains details like what to test and test reports which allow testers to document what they discover during a test. It will, in turn, help in getting rid of hidden bugs & defects in the product. Why Agile Testing Methods are a Success Agile in the software industry came into the picture because of its process of streamlining and improving. The approach paves an integration among developers, testers, product owners, and customers. However, the target goal for all of these teams is a quality project delivered through iterative sessions. Subsequently, agility is making its place in every new digital workplace, and even organizations now find it an excellent way to transform their project in general. To understand better, here are some of the benefits of agile methodology. A. Build Your User Base Agile methodology is not just valuable for the developers but also communicates the core concept to the users. With the completion of every iteration, a helpful product comes as a result. So, at any moment, you can easily decide to launch the halfway product to your customers. It helps build up your user base or test your logic and theory.2; B. Flexible to Update Ideally, not every development methodology is created to accommodate the mid changes. But Agile testing offers the scope of change whenever and wherever necessary. There is always a need to update software projects either with the customer needs or the market trends. And so Agile embraces the idea of change that occurs mid-project. C. Early Risk Management Have you ever thought about what the concept of beta releases is? Well, a product should be tested early in the process by the users and stakeholders. It will help in identifying the feature defects and issues in the production process itself. By adopting those changes, it's easy to mark a successful project delivery. D. Cost under Control For most instances, clients step back regarding the features that the client had requested during the initial stages. Consequently, the product launches early, and clients have to pay less price. It is the case of fixed-budget projects. At the same time, Agile is quite flexible in this scope. With Agile methodology, the client has to pay only for what they need without any risks of uncertainty.  E. Double-Check on Quality We should integrate Agile Testing Methods throughout the entire development project. Delivering consistently tested products assures high-end quality and takes much less time trying the product as a whole. By Conducting frequent tests on the product, Incremental releases happen. Even after the product's release, it's much easier to locate flaws and improve them before the final launch. Downsides of Agile Testing Methods Though there are multiple advantages of using Agile testing, its demerits cannot be unseen. Let's check a few of them. A. Delay in Project Delivery Undoubtedly, we cannot ignore the power of Agile Testing Methods. But, if you see, much time and effort are consumed in fixing small bugs and rolling out software releases post minor updates. It will increase regression bugs which ultimately impact the day of final project delivery. B. Lack of Adaptability Agile testing methods are perpetual, implying that testers have to switch to new test strategies that arelikely to change. Most of the time, good test strategies have a short life span and are just done away for the sake of Agile Project Delivery. Let's wrap it up To conclude, the complexity of software products is constantly increasing and henceforth the development lifecycle. Upgrading the development strategies is not just enough to sustain the overall growth. Testing approaches also need to be evolved with the advancement in the development process. Agile Testing Methods brings a new age for testing professionals, focusing on intelligent, effortless, and high-end deliverables. In an Agile Testing approach, developers and testers collaborate to work on the final delivery of the product. Testers must develop corrective feedback for the intermediate software product during the complete development cycle at different stages. Moreover, the Agile Testing Methods should always align with the customer requirements collected at the beginning of any software project. In a few words, we can say that Agile testing is a long and continuous goal rather than being a sequential process."

"Developers and testers approach software development with different mindsets. A developer is looking for a creative solution to a problem, while a tester tries to find any possible way to break that solution. This contradiction sometimes leads to a clash of egos, breaking down communication and collaboration between two critical pillars of the software development process. Often, mature coworkers realize the importance of every action item in the process and do not let personal preferences cloud the end product. But, since the increased adoption of agile testing methodology, the interdepartmental barriers are breaking down, forcing various teams to collaborate more closely. The need for seamless communication between developers and testers is needed now more than ever. The Agile Testing work setup In an agile project, the product manager and developer sit beside a tester while testing to see the product in action; as a result, testing becomes more accurate while the entire team gains a better understanding. Often, testers have to act as part developers and vice versa.  Imagine your team is in a kitchen. When the developer prepares a dish, the agile Tester will taste it simultaneously, while the Product Owners ensure that no ingredient is missing. The dish is ready to serve out right away. Agile projects work similarly, enabling your product to hit continuous developments and integration within a shorter term.  The principles of this iterative approach have even shorter feedback loops under a disciplined project management environment. Therefore, testers and developers must work parallel and beyond their virtual boundaries.  How to enhance collaboration between Developer-Tester? An integrated team wins The agile team mustn't treat developers and testers in a way that creates dissimilarities. An integrated team always wins, and the deliveries from the product owners need to be focused and familiar to the entire team. This approach avoids unnecessary confusion between an agile tester and developer, and they can discuss the functionality queries together.   Opinion matters If the project has a clear vision that the testers and the developers must work together, achieving success is simple. Respecting each other's opinion matters a lot in a success-oriented environment.  Requirements must be precise The rapid shifts of the agile projects can create confusion among the team members. Clear sprint requirements presented in simple language can improve communication between the developers and the testers. All the participants should keep the big picture in mind in the agile process.   Prioritize bugs  If the project helps you prioritize bugs at first, then the team need not worry about the shorter span of the project; instead, they can dig towards the bug. By the way, an agile tester can fine-tune the testing process from the developer's point of view.  Plan for small tasks The business owner responsible for sprint planning sessions must plan with the mindset that 'an iteration doesn't mean to complete a bulk of tasks altogether.' Lack of which may deteriorate the collaboration between testers and developers if the project hits technical roadblocks.  Iteration success is the goal To streamline the Agile workflow, people must get away from the "Developer Vs. Agile Tester" culture. Coworkers have to collaborate in the Agile model to create a feature at the end of each iteration or sprint. Here, 'Sprint Success is the Goal.' Nothing else! Invite Developers and Testers in story building The planning session is not meant only for the product owners. Testers must also take part in story sizing and share the practicality of testing that technical piece in the testing environment. It may enhance collaboration between the Tester with the developer and the entire scrum team in an agile environment.   Meet beyond the Agile Teams should be encouraged to discuss beyond regular agile meets. Developers know the exact functionality of the product, and testers who often discuss functionalities with them tend to have a better understanding. It is just one of the benefits of out-of-box collaboration between testing and development teams.  More time for exploratory testing  Unplanned exploration of any feature often leads to exciting discoveries. Exploratory testing conceives several ways to test a project. This creates chances for the testers to discuss the results of testing with the developers. Make the foundation Developers can usually take the responsibility to create an excellent foundation for a tester about functional or regression testing. If a developer tends to translate a unit test into a functional test case for a tester, the thing will be clarified better between them. In this case, the testing part becomes more straightforward, and the Tester may also understand the scenario well to test that unit. Cross-training  Usually, developers never spell out their thinking process, making the testing phase very tough and blur. Training a tester about the ethics of coding and developers about testing makes the project an effortless exercise.  Simultaneous code review To better manage the limited project time, the agile Tester must get a chance to review the code before testing it. It enables collaboration between testers and developers, and they can work side by side to achieve their respective goals.  Seamless collaboration and clear communication between teams will encourage your employees to work at optimal productivity, and energized workers produce great results. QAonCloud gives utmost priority to smooth communication between the developers at the client site and our testers. That is how we consistently produce extraordinary results for our happy customers. To know more about how we can help you upgrade your QA efforts, reach out to us at [email protected]"

"For many organizations and their customers, software applications are mission-critical. It is imperative to closely watch their performance in order to earn consumer trust and achieve ROIs, which are incidentally dependent upon the longevity and maintenance of the applications. A company must possess an adequate-sized IT infrastructure to provide the high-quality service required by its customers along with the QoS or Quality of Service expected by them. While testing the performance of the product itself is imperative, it is also essential to benchmark it against specific and set values, to see if it is functioning at its optimal. The need for performance testing benchmarks A dissatisfied customer is bound to move over to competition if you, as a company, do not meet their expectations. The customer’s baseline outlook is pretty simple - a fully functional software application that can be invoked at any time. Performance testing, by itself, is quite complex and requires meticulous planning. It also comes with its own set of challenges, including the application’s performance in a downgraded environment.  It is highly imperative to incorporate it in the application development lifecycle. Here are some expert views from QAonCloud about the reasons why performance benchmark testing is principal. Researchers believe that mobile application errors are more than those that are just reported. Most of the time, there are network issues and server congestions to deal with. Unreliable mobile networks impede the smooth working of the app. There are downloading issues, broken images, checkout errors, failed uploads and freezing. A large group of frustrated customers fall into this segment. This, in turn, leads to a loss of revenue. Over 47% of the respondents tend to exit the application if they have a broken image. Then there are issues pertaining to the speed of connections, which tend to differ from region to region. Testing apps country or region-wise can alleviate all speed and connectivity issues. Various speeds are taken into account across disparate networks to check whether the application can be used conveniently. In developed nations, the app might function at an optimal level but in the developing world, it might be slow. It is, therefore, imperative to run performance tests to stay in harmony with the region’s capabilities. A widening user base may also impact the performance of the app. For instance, in an initial environment of 1000 users, the app may work well. But with an increase in the user base, it could end up behaving randomly. Performance testing for scalability, speed, and stability, should be carried out at a juncture where high demand is expected. Various tools and processes are involved in testing to determine whether the app is functioning according to a particular yardstick. This can be accomplished only when performance benchmark testing is planned. The importance of planning Performance testing has become one of the most important parts of a software testing process, especially because clients are expecting more than just digital experiences. This is leading testers to adopt a multi-layered approach that goes beyond regular load testing schedules. To get the best outcomes the testing strategy should be able to mirror the real-life environment. Users view information on a particular screen before switching over to the next – this time frame is called think time. Therefore, the time appearing between two consecutive requests must be fixed while creating test scripts. Component-wise this is the best way to test a system as it eliminates risks that can suddenly crop up during the process. But before planning, it is imperative to know the benchmarks against which the application will be tested. What is benchmark testing? Simply put, a benchmark is a metric or a point of reference against which a software product or application is compared. A repeatable set of standards determine the quality of the product. The results are typically quantifiable. Benchmarks can also be used to assess the current and future releases of an application. One component for benchmarking is always constant – it must be repeatable. Then how imperative is benchmark testing in performance testing? To know if your application is performing better than the industry average, you must understand the importance of benchmark testing.  Skilled and proficient testers use the technique in several ways where the characteristics of performance are primarily tested. Performance benchmark testing, under varied conditions, monitors the response time of the database manager. The consistent availability of the app can thus be determined, keeping in mind the response time for concurrent users. Data loading with various methods along with the utility performance of the system can also be evaluated. After the release of an application, the impact, characteristics and behavior, are monitored. Benchmark testing is generally done from the SLA perspective. Phases in benchmark testing Agile processes for testing are currently in vogue. But QAonCloud follows industry best practices along with modified, proven processes to achieve the success that our clients wish to. We follow the standard phases of testing and add hybrid elements to ensure that the application is fully tested for bugs making go-to-market extremely easy.  Nevertheless, here are the fundamental phases of benchmark testing. Planning As mentioned before, planning is pivotal in benchmark testing, because this is where standards are defined and identified for the testing process. The critical components of the system are recognized, and the benchmark criteria are assessed. Analysis The goals and objectives for the testing process are set besides identifying the root cause of the error. Product quality is improved with this analysis. Integration Functional goals and non-functional requirements are established, and outcomes shared with the internal stakeholders for approval. Action The action phase is continuous, where it is ensured that all processes and standards have been taken into consideration before the actual implementation. Previous successes may also be evaluated to smoothly implement the current scenario by eliminating past bugs and errors. Implemented actions are periodically reviewed, and mechanisms developed so that the application performs at its optimal. QAonCloud is a full-service benchmark testing company that ensures that your applications are always performing better than the industry average. Reach out to us for all your testing concerns."

"Shift left testing is an advanced software testing approach. Through this approach, testers draft test cases as per the clients' requirements at the inception of the software development. The team focuses on preventing defects rather than the detection of defects. It aims to enhance the overall quality of the software. In traditional testing, testing happens at a later stage of the development cycle; however, testing when conducted at the early stages, avoids a significant number of different issues while testing. This new approach of testing creates a better development path, and the amount of defects in final product is less. This approach offers better user acceptance testing, real-time load, and performance testing.The introduction of shifting left has enhanced the overall quality of the software developed, thereby emphasizing the prevention of defects at an early stage rather than detecting defects at a later stage. It also helps in the prevention of different issues, promotes insertion of quality assurance exactly from the crucial phase of development, and moves down to the subsequent phases.Motivation towards Shift Left TestingEvery global business has adopted advanced technology due to aggressive competition and is constantly trying hard to increase revenue, reduce cost, weighting margins, and speeding up time in the market. Therefore, businesses depend on testing for a green signal to operate on a bug-free and hitch-free software or application. Every Organization Focuses On Some Key Questions How can we rectify the defects halfway through any software application development? How to make sure the software application development progresses smoothly?And how do we speed up the development process to save cost?The common disruptive problems that occur while delivering software solutions are technological, cost and time. The testing process begins when the development reaches the coding phase. This implies that the software developed is of high quality.Significant Problems In TestingIncurring higher costs of the software development processDelay in the delivery of the developed softwareWrong testing proceduresDeveloped software fails to meet quality and standardsWhat happens if we detect the defects early? Would it avoid unnecessary trouble? It is where Shift left testing plays a significant role. Implementing testing at the beginning of the development cycle lowers cost, reduces risks, on-time delivery, well-timed rectification, and so on. It lowers the defect rate and ensures no defects are present now or ever.When the testing process starts early in the SDLC, the quality of the developed software increases. We can detect the flaws early, Implement static testing procedures, boosting system tests, and finally can assure that the code quality is the best.Benefits of shift-left testing Within the testing team, one individual's primary responsibility is to analyze and suggest advanced technologies that enhance and empower the team to follow the shift-left testing process continuously. It encourages the testing process to happen parallel to the application development or before the development activities. Testing early ensures cost-effectiveness in development and quality assurance while saving time and resources right from day one of the project. The shift-left testing model enhances better teamwork between developers as well as testers and minimizes the frictional differences between teams.Here are the benefits of adopting testing in the earlier stages of SDLC:Lower cost of bug detection. Improvement in the overall efficiency of the software development process.Since the Quality Analysis process does not take time, it takes less time. The workplace of the development team increases which brings a competitive advantage.Key points about Shift Left Testing:Every tester in the team is involved in all stages of the software application development process. It enables the testers to focus on defect prevention procedures and achieve the business goals of the assigned program.This methodology demands perfection from all testers.The testing team just does not focus on testing the software to identify the bugs but works with the team from the initial stages of planning and builds a robust and effective testing strategy. Therefore, there has been a drastic increase in the responsibilities of testers, and their focus on long-term visions. It encourages the testing team to design the tests scripts first, and the tests are entirely focused on the customer experience. Every customer's expectations are envisioned by the designers while developing the software.This approach helps the testing team carry out the testing activities continuously and take more ownership of their code with an increase in their responsibilities on testing.Final wordsThe introduction of the 'Shift Left Testing' concept has evoked a huge transformation for a Tester. The sole focus of a Tester was only 'Defect Detection'; however, now the aim of the this approach, from a Tester's perspective is a journey of 'Early Defect Detection to Defect Prevention' & thereby improving software quality and reduces 'Time to Market'.Clients and developers need to engage themselves in the discussion and collaborate on ideas, requirements at every single stage of the project to identify the risks and mitigate them in advance.It helps in detecting defects at an earlier stage when it is less expensive and easier to fix. Shift left testing involves four different variants such as Traditional, Incremental, Agile/DevOps, and Model-based. However, each of these variants depends on each other to substantially improve the efficiency of testing and extent of testing."

"In this edition of Meet our Expert, we feature Gayathri P. A multi-talented individual, and quiet achiever who has been with us since 2016. She shares her journey till now and the experience she had working with us for the past five years.1. Tell us about yourself I spent my childhood in a rural household in Aduthurai near Kumbakonam, a quaint and colorful town in Tamil Nadu. My father, a farmer, worked tirelessly to ensure my siblings and I received a good education. I passed my schooling with a distinction, and in 2014, I completed my ECE graduation from Arasu Engineering college. My two elder sisters are now mathematics teachers, and my elder brother is following in my father’s footsteps by being a farmer.2. What made you choose software testing as your career? After my initial stint in the content abstraction process and data analytics, I came across the opening for software testing role at QAonCloud. I immediately grabbed opportunity because I felt I would enjoy this work. 3. How did you find out about QAonCloud? How did you join? While working on a content abstraction project for DesiCrew, I applied for internal recruitment in the software testing process at QAonCloud. It was followed by an Online Aptitude Test and an interview process. The entire affair was conducted smoothly. After successfully joining QAonCloud, it has been an onward and upward journey for me ever since. 4. What do you like about QAonCloud?  I love working in the friendly environment of QAonCloud. They support my career growth through continuous education. The managers are very supportive and always give me valuable suggestions to improve my performance. 5. What is your role, and what are your specializations?  I started my journey as a junior crewmate and worked my way to the position of Subject Matter Expert (SME) in software testing. Currently, I am working on the Mobile and Web application testing of a financial application. 6. What’s something you find challenging about your work?  The lockdown has been a challenging time for me. Work from home makes me feel a bit stressed because I am constantly near my workstation. I can’t wait to go back to the office to chat with my coworkers and take occasional breaks in the cafeteria. 7. Do you have any mentors in your personal/professional life?  My father is my mentor and inspiration. He is the reason why I am working in the technical field of my choice. During my college admission, I almost missed out on my preferred engineering course due to an application issue found on the very last day. My application was bound to get rejected. I got discouraged and decided to change my graduation course. My father intervened and got me to reapply at the final moment, and I was able to join my preferred degree. His constant support and encouragement pushed me to give my best in everything I do. 8. Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?  My garden is my paradise. Taking good care of the plants and grooming them gives me comfort and refreshment. I also like to experiment with my dishes by watching cooking shows online and surprising my family with homecooked sweets."

"Test automation has become an integral component of the modern software development and testing process. With the increasing client expectations for speed and scale, it is not the time to continue using the legacy software testing processes. It has become essential that the testing and quality assurance function catches up to the current speed and does not become a bottleneck. And for this purpose, you need a faster and more efficient testing process like Scriptless Test Automation that can keep up with the agile software development. Test Automation can be your perfect solution In the big bang world of software testing, automated testing has always been in the limelight because of obvious reasons like reduced cost, fast and convenient testing process, and more. Most organizations lean on a plethora of automated testing tools to achieve these objectives but; Are these tools competent enough to maximize the ROI of your organization? Is the tool approach right for automated testing services? Why is your go-to-market time not stepping up? The answer to all these queries lies in adapting the “Scriptless Test Automation” because the core of agile testing lies in the management of the scripts built for test automation. With every small change in the product, the script-based test automation framework has to be updated while considering all the practical implications. Ultimately, this requires more effort, time, and project investments. A well-functioning test automation framework requires regular maintenance of the test automation scripts. A test script is a code written to provide automatic testing instructions on a user interface. Managing these scripts is the most challenging aspect of test automation and also one of the biggest reasons why test automation fails in most organizations. How about going scriptless and still enjoy the test automation? Adapting the revolutionary Scriptless Test Automation technique can work wonders for your agile testing process by adding high speed, convenience, and simplicity. It tremendously shrinks the need for test scripts to run automated test cases that make it an ideal alternative to traditional test automation. What is Scriptless Test Automation? The scriptless process is all about reducing the time to write the test scripts and shifts the whole focus on the validation of business logic. It is a flexible test automation framework that reduces the manual intervention into coding and runs automated test cases behind the scenes. Testers can simply indicate the steps rather than writing the codes, and the scriptless framework can translate those steps into test cases. As a result, scriptless test automation enables your organization to efficiently scale up testing and QA processes while reducing the time expended to understand and write the code, accelerating the time-to-market for releases. This test automation approach will help your organization reduce the time and effort needed to ensure quality, speed, and ease within the agile testing process. Overall, scriptless test automation makes the testing process simpler, more understandable, easier to use and optimizes testing automation efforts. Why Adopt a Scriptless Framework for Test Automation? ✓ This approach does not require thorough technical knowledge and programming skills, and therefore, resolves the challenge related to the shortage of skilled resources. ✓ It simplifies the process of creating test scripts, automation of test case designing, validation, and execution to make the test automation approach robust and scalable. ✓ The test cases are reusable and easy to maintain with scriptless test automation. ✓ Automate and accelerate the test scripting and designing process, thereby adding speed and convenience to the overall software development and testing process. ✓ It can work parallel to the development process, and therefore, the testing and QA do not become a bottleneck in the software development life cycle (SDLC). ✓ It has minimum coding requirements, which means business stakeholders can also participate positively in the QA process and offer valuable reviews to enhance the product quality. Leverage Scriptless Test Automation with QAonCloud With extensive experience in test automation, we specialize in manual and automated testing solutions for organizations of all sizes globally. We helped many organizations to reduce their test cycle time by implementing a customized Scriptless Test Automation framework. Our clients have gained enormous benefits such as increased release velocity, reduced time to market & overall testing effort, resulting in maximized ROI of the organization. QAonCloud has a highly competent workforce and an excellent pool of qualified professionals to provide full-fledged testing solutions across all industries. Our test automation framework is a proven, tool-agnostic, and independent testing solution designed for automating complex business processes in the best possible ways. Get a FREE Consultation with our test automation experts and understand how we can help you scale up your test automation efforts."

"The waterfall method is a sequential software development model first described in 1970. This method has its roots in the manufacturing and construction industries, where it is necessary to complete each phase in its entirety before moving to the next step. Its straightforward and systematic approach is often considered to be its great strength. The waterfall sequence has six well-defined stages in the following order: Requirements, Analysis, Design, Coding, Testing and Operations.The problem with this method was, businesses in the real world move at a rapid pace. Some functionalities may turn obsolete within months, or few overlooked defects can cause disaster on software release. The waterfall method was not designed to handle quick changes to the code.Developers came together in 2001 to introduce agile methodology. It was a more “lightweight” approach to software development. Coders and Testers worked together in incremental cycles until the functionality provided enough value to end-users on release. A high level of flexibility, collaboration and rapid feedback loops became the defining features of the agile movement. Today, it is estimated more than 71% of organizations use some form of agile methodology.Nevertheless, the Waterfall approach is still relevant. Each development project is unique, and it depends on what is important to you. Software development is both art and science, and there can never be a correct answer. We present you with a detailed comparison to help decide which method best suits your needs."

"Featuring test experts of QAonCloud. Every month we will feature the story of one of our team members as a part of this program. They are going to share their experiences with QAonCloud and Testing. 1. Tell us about yourself I was born, raised and live in a small town called ‘Kollumangudi’ in India. It is one of the most beautiful rural areas of Tamil Nadu State. My native language is Tamil, but I can speak English too. I’m the only child of my parents and firm believers in the power of women's education. I studied hard since my childhood. I scored 87% in 12th standard and in 2013, I received an engineering degree in computer science. Infact, I was the university topper and I received a Gold medal at my convocation. (You should have seen how proud my parents were on that day!) 2. What made you choose software testing as your career? After getting my engineering degree, I was looking for a job in the computer science field, and that's when I came across the ‘Software Testing’ field. I learned that this career is more about applying knowledge and skills. It didn't take me long to choose this career as this is a challenging technical career. 3. How did You Find Out About QAonCloud? Can You Explain Your Journey? Even though I wanted to become an expert in the software testing field, I thought to myself, “Getting a job in this field, and that too in this rural area is next to impossible.’ So, I applied for a BPO process in a company called Desicrew solutions Pvt ltd, through one of my friends. A month later, I heard about an internal job posting in Desicrew Pvt ltd for a new business process, ‘QAonCloud’. Guess what! QAonCloud is a software testing & QA service providing company! I plunged and applied for it. Getting selected and moving onto the QA process… everything just happened in a blink, and I'm so thankful for myself for applying. I have been working here since 2014, so I could say that I have a long history with QAonCloud. Now I'm able to look after my parents and also pursue my dream career at the same time. 4. What do you like about QAonCloud? Working with QAonCloud helped me excel in my career and helped me improve my testing skills, domain knowledge, learning new tools, communication, and time management skills. One thing that I liked the most about QAonCloud is the flexibility and freedom of work. QAonCloud has the best pool of resources, domain experts, experienced testers, & also a friendly workplace environment. I’m able to unveil the best version of myself through continuous learning and experiences. To be honest, QAonCloud is like a second home for me now. 5. What is your role, and what are your specialisations? I started my career with QAonCloud as a software testing engineer. Currently, I’m playing the Team Lead Role. I have hands-on experience in functional testing, web application testing, & mobile application testing. Apart from that, I have experience in working with selenium IDE and web driver, android studio, Charles proxy, Jira, Mantis and Phabricator. 6. What motivates you in your personal/professional life? My dad is a wonderful human being who always believed & supported me. He worked hard and has been the breadwinner of our family. But he never said no to anything I ask for. He is my motivator in my personal life. He guides me whenever I have a problem. I’m married now. But he is still my go-to person when I have difficulties. Also, the stress-free working environment, flexibility and numerous opportunities I get at QAonCloud are really motivating me professionally. 7. Do you have any hidden talents that we don't know? I cook well and I'm the master chef of my family. Recipes are my way to go whenever I feel depressed. I love to hear people talk about how tasty my food is! (especially my husband & my parents). Also, I love listening to music while cooking. This helps me to get rid of my tiredness."

"Introduction To Exploratory TestingExploratory Testing is a software testing approach where we remove the scripts entirely. The tester is given the freedom and responsibility to execute testing activities. Without prior knowledge about the product or guidelines for the testing process, testers interact with the app as they wish to get information related to the app, APIs, and environment. Testers use this information to react, change course, and explore all the app's functionalities without restraint. Design and execution phases are performed simultaneously.Some may say, "well, that's Ad Hoc!" or "No script represents being unprepared." But that's not true! The exploratory approach allows testers to unlock their brain's full potential in finding bugs and verifying functionality without any restrictions. This approach complements automation Testing so well, and that's what makes it the most powerful tool in the hands of an experienced tester.Scope of Exploratory TestingExploratory Testing is a great way to extend existing test cases. Did you ever wonder why some testers do it better while the others keep failing? The secret is that some testers actively explore and see the test cases from a new perspective to understand the test cases and refuse to stick to only instructions. When exploratory Testing becomes a frame of all the thinking, it incorporates all considerations about Testing. Testers identify executable specifications for which the documentation is required and then try to identify it and document it with the help of Automation.Why Exploratory Testing?There are a lot of reasons why testers prefer exploratory Testing apart from being the quickest and most effective way to find bugs in a product! But that's not just! -When the documentation is missing or not complete, this software testing approach can help in exploring the application and document all the findings that we need.It helps to unlock the full potential of the tester's brain and lets him generate new ideas & test cases during the execution process.Improves productivity as the testers investigate throughout the process without following any script and finding functional issues quickly.Rather than writing hundreds or thousands of test cases and automating them, this approach supports testers in assessing a system within a time frame and identifying areas to explore. You can add them to your script later!Using this approach, we can get down to the bottom of the smallest part of the application to uncover all the bugs that are not generally found under any other testing approach. This will increase the test coverage with minimal effort.Learning new things is more important than testing an application with some pre-written scripts. In this approach, testers will have a lot of scope to learn new things about the system, build knowledge and add more value to the team.Testers can always provide feedback about the user experience and thereby increase the quality of the product.Whenever there is a change in client requirements, exploratory testing is of huge benefit as it offers flexibility when you don't have the time to plan test design.How to Perform Exploratory TestingEven though it requires minimal preparation, this approach still requires a structured process to make it effective. Here is how to perform exploratory Testing to yield the best results - 1. Create a Test Charter & Define the scope:It is very crucial to develop a Test Charter before performing exploratory Testing. A charter is just like a mission statement that outlines the explorable areas, the duration of the testing process, delegation of responsibilities, approach, test data requirements, Test environment, etc.; specify the features that you are going to cover or not cover so that you might not miss high-risk functionalities that might require immediate feedback.2. Schedule the testing sessionsOnce the tester starts exploring a product, it is sometimes difficult for him to decide when to stop it. Therefore it is always advisable to schedule the tests and limit the time spent on each session to help teams focus and make the testing more effective.3. Define testing technique to be usedThere are three ways of performing exploratory testing: Ad-Hoc Testing, Session-based Testing, and strategy-based Testing.A. Ad-HocAd-Hoc is not the tester’s go-to way of applying an exploratory testing strategy. Anyone can perform Ad Hoc testing, even though they have zero testing skills. All they have to do is to try the product, without any instructions & expectations. Thus, this method can help only report the bugs but not follow up on the tester’s actions.B. Session-basedSession-based exploratory testing, on the other hand, is the most common method of performing. In this method, the tester will schedule each session and provide a period of time (let’s say, 30 minutes) for each session. After each session, the tester has to document all the details like the session number, date, name of the tester, risks associated, bugs uncovered, test coverage, total time spent on the session, and any other details that are required.C. Strategy-basedStrategy-based exploratory testing is, by far, the most used technique. Testers will craft a strategy to apply techniques like setting limit values and equivalence partitioning while creating test cases. Based on the tester’s skills and knowledge, he/she will choose the technique that is more appropriate for the given scenario.4. Recording resultsBy the end of each session, the tester will prepare documentation explaining how to reproduce a bug that they uncovered during the session. The results of each session should also be recorded.5. Reviewing results and adding them to the learningAfter performing exploratory testing, all the testers who took part in the process have to discuss and review the results. These reviewed results can be added to the scripts for future use.If you are looking out for accurate, efficient, and cost-effective exploratory testing services, then QAonCloud is the best option for you. Get in touch with us today! Take a look at our offerings to know more about our services."

"Upcoming trends in Software Testing: There is an assumption that software development is all about speed. Whoever delivers first-to-market features and updates stands to consolidate the industry in the long run. While the belief is indeed valid, an equally important but often ignored part is ensuring the software is bug-free. The reason being that users often abandon a crash-prone, insecure application within their first use. But, testing is a tedious process, which often eats into 35-40% of the development time. Quick delivery and meticulous testing are often at odds, and project owners need to balance them to achieve deliverables on time. Adding to the complexity, some new technology is always around the corner that changes the equation, and the software testing industry has plenty emerging. Keeping up with current trends in software testing will help technology leaders retain an edge over the competition and cater to the ever-changing consumer interests with unmatched speed. Here are the rising trends of 2021 and beyond that we consider has the potential to transform the software testing industry-AI in Software TestingThe repetitive and pattern focused nature of software testing makes it a ripe target for AI disruption. In most cases, AI makes software testing efficient by automating repeatable actions so that software testers can focus more on complex test scenarios. A combination of AI techniques can optimise recurrent software testing activities such as modelling, test data generation, software exploration, and failure detection.Artificial Intelligence has many inherent advantages; algorithms generate tests much faster, and the coverage is more thorough. It enables developers to push new updates more often and helps them focus on the challenging and creative aspect of software development. Artificial intelligence-powered test automation differs from traditional automation testing in the sense that, AI-driven test bots are in perpetual uncertainty and do not act under any tools or frameworks.Some applications of artificial intelligence in software testing-User Interface Testing: Test bots assess the visual aspects of the application with image-based learning of app screens.Declarative testing: It is a context-driven testing process in which the test bots drive the test process based on the intent of the test.Self Healing Test Automation: AI-test bots will automatically detect code and property changes to the application and rearrange tests automatically, known as "self-healing".Multi-experience testingGartner terms multi-experience development platform (MXDP) as a new age “middleware” that allows developers to build a single application encompassing AR, VR, IoT, voice, touch, gesture and more. It simplifies the development process by enabling enterprises to rapidly scale applications across different modalities, devices and operating systems. While it is an exciting frontier for the software development domain, it throws up new challenges from a software testing perspective. Firstly, QA teams need to ensure a user faces consistent experience across voice, gesture, touch and virtual interfaces. They have to develop a cross-functional approach with cross-platform tools to cover all the test cases effectively. Increased complexity, such as integration barriers, will add to the project time and cost.Scriptless AutomationScriptless testing, also called codeless testing, is a test software that allows testers to create automated tests without coding or scripting. The tests can be built using model, keyword, object or data-based approaches. Scriptless test automation enables testers to rapidly create automated tests around the functionalities of the software application with little coding knowledge. Codeless automation testing has many inherent advantages over script-driven automation tools, such as selenium. Most scriptless tools in the market provide ready-to-use test case automation templates that allow instant test deployment. Business users also need not spend time maintaining and debugging scripts; the scriptless software automatically does it for them. The speed of test execution it enables makes it a perfect companion for agile development.However, the convenience and speed-to-market come at the cost of increased project expense as most tools come at a steep price.Testing with ContainersIntroduced in 2013, Docker containers have generated considerable buzz in their ability to transform CI/CD pipelines. Containers help developers run isolated applications in a shared virtual environment. Unlike Virtual machines, which require a dedicated operating system and gigabytes of storage, Containers share the same operating system among them and need just a few megabytes of storage to run an application.This capability gives DevOps teams high flexibility to run and scale a large number of applications with minimal resources. However, due to the perceived insecure nature of the infrastructure, they are yet to be widely utilised in testing and production phases. The recent updates in container security and increased adoption will see containers play an important role in later stages of SDLC, and it has significant implications on the software testing process-Ability to run parallel tests: Container environments can run multiple applications simultaneously, enabling QA teams to run parallel tests and speed up the testing process.Eliminate bug reproducibility worries: With containers, QA teams can share instances of application images directly to the dev team which captures the bug, instead of bug reports which may complicate bug reproducibility.Greater control over system-level requirements: Dev team can set up system configuration for a particular image with greater flexibility, which can simplify detecting system-level defects.The growing RaaS problemRansomeware-as-a-Service (RaaS) is an emerging phenomenon in the software security domain. RaaS is ransomware software that any non-tech malicious entities can rent out to hack into computer systems. The problem is so rampant that two out of every three known cyberattacks is a RaaS model. In the US alone, RaaS attacks have reached 145 million in 2020, a 140% increase y-o-y.Among ransomware attacks, phishing is the most common method used to lure unsuspecting workers. Suppose one of the employees falls for a hack and downloads the ransomware. In that case, the attacker uses the port to gain access to the entire business internal network and servers by disabling firewalls and antivirus software. After a successful attack, the hackers will hold the whole company hostage for a ransom.Since the onset of the pandemic, businesses are especially vulnerable to RaaS attacks due to an increasing number of employees working remotely. Since it has decentralized hacking expertise even to the most technically ignorant malefactors, businesses of all sizes must prepare for highly sophisticated cyber attacks.Foldable Smartphones, the least discussed trend in software testingEvery new technology undergoes its adoption cycle. The consensus in the mobile industry is that foldable smartphones are in the “trough of disillusionment” stage and set to become sought after display type in the near future. According to DSCC, foldable displays have risen over 450% from 2019 to 3.1 millions units. Foldable smartphones fall under the premium category, so app developers must prioritise a seamless experience for their most valued customers. For software testers, foldable smartphones are not just another device they need to check compatibility for but also presents a new workflow. Users will expect that the apps they are accustomed to will work perfectly in a foldable screen environment. So, the app creators must work towards presenting content seamlessly in an extended display. Some notable differences that will impact the testing process in foldable smartphones-Make sure the application supports all three view forms- split-screen mode, free form mode and picture-in-picture mode.Multi-resume support: In foldable phones, users can run multiple applications at once on the screen. Test the application’s performance in a shared resource environment.The app should function coherently in smaller folded screens as well as larger main (unfolded) displays. ConclusionSoftware testing is a continuously evolving field. Adopting emerging technologies on the cusp of transforming the industry will give you an enormous advantage over your competitors who aren’t doing so. However, your business need not carry all the risk of implementing the technology alone. QAonCloud follows the industry’s best practices and is at the forefront of adopting the latest software testing trends that give our customers unparalleled speed and flexibility. Contact us to know how we can help you in your journey."

"Introduction To Outsourced QA Teams: The amount of competition in the tech industry is enormous. Every other day, we see a slew of innovative products hit the market. Gaining a competitive advantage over competitors is only feasible when startups effectively offer their clients/customers what they need. (i.e., high-quality goods). Large corporations will have high-level teams dedicated to finding bugs throughout the development process. However, when it comes to an entry-level startup, they usually do not have such groups, and thus their chances of fading away from the market are significantly greater. But Why Do SMEs Need Outsourced QA Teams? Despite significant financial and time investment, many early SMEs frequently fail in the market. Many factors can cause a startup to fail, but the most important is "Releasing low quality and user-unfriendly applications to the market." The only way to ensure your product's success is to ensure that it falls in line with all quality standards. But, most in-house teams will lack the time and resources to conduct comprehensive QA testing. And that is why the errors leak into the finished product. To avoid this, startups must seek assistance from expert teams to survive in the market and focus on other critical tasks. However, finding and hiring the right team to serve the purpose consumes a lot of time & money. In this scenario, the obvious solution is to 'Hire the best QA outsourcing partner.' But how do startups manage and get the most out of their outsourced QA teams? This article will walk you through the challenges that founders face when working with offshore QA teams, as well as how they can overcome and successfully manage QA outsourced teams. How Early Stage Startups Can Manage Outsourced QA Teams Effectively Challenge - 1 : Finding a Trustworthy Outsourced QA partner Solution: The most critical challenge a startup may face is locating a trustworthy outsourced partner who can keep the startup's critical product information safe and secure. When entrusting a project to an outsourcing company, the trust serves as a foundation. They have less control and supervision over the testing processes conducted by the outsourcing team than an in-house team. There are numerous companies in the market today that offer excellent quality assurance services from which to choose. Startups can also explore various business directories to find the best service providers based on client reviews. Therefore, we recommended that entrepreneurs check the reviews of the outsourced company and its services from genuine sources. Examine its previous projects, the outcomes of those projects, and overall client feedback. Bonus Tip: Asking employees and coworkers for suggestions is also a good and more accessible option. Remember to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before disclosing any confidential information to the QA team. This contract will assist the company in safeguarding critical product information. Challenge - 2: Communication Barriers & Lack Of Opportunities For Open Discussions Solution: Lack of effective communication among the teams can be a nightmare for many startups. Especially while the teams are working with outsourcing companies, from understanding the requirements, planning, developing strategy, and reporting the last bug, communication runs like a thread. That is why it is crucial to search for a partner who has strong technical skills and good at communicating and understanding. Optimizing a product’s quality may call for more quality assurance checks. In such a case, startups must provide detailed documentation regarding the product changes they decided to make and the expected outcome of the testing process. Give the outsourced team a clear idea of your objectives, products, and business. If training is to be provided to them, do it for free. Create ample room for discussions to clear any further doubts. Also, massive delays may occur when there is a possible miscommunication between the testing team and the dev team during their feedback exchange calls. Therefore it is necessary to make sure both outsourced and the in-house teams are communicating to bring both the teams to the common ground. Request the dev team, in-house QA team (if any), and the outsourced QA team to use communication tools like Slack. Appoint someone as the responsible person of contact and clarify their role to them. Set a time and date to have a sprint planning & summary call. Finally, have a good project management tool that suits best for the startup. If there are any more differences between the dev and outsource team, encourage teams to discuss them openly. Challenge - 3: Missing Deadlines & Unclear Workflows Solution: When startups start working with an outsourced team, the time zone differences may lead to delay in the testing process. This can lead to missing deadlines. The time difference is a huge challenge when working with teams in different parts of the world. It is vital to align your business speed to the speed of the market. Especially when you are in the software industry! A good QA team should always try to keep up with the deadlines and be able to deliver the bug reports as early as possible. This will give the dev team a lot of time work on the bugs and fix them. When your outsourced partner has a workflow already in place to align the actions of the external QA team with those of the in-house team, avoiding the delays becomes easy. By having clear workflows, we can reduce confusion regarding the tasks to be done, roles and responsibilities of each team member. We can also understand the workloads of each team member, and optimize resources. To facilitate the cooperation between teams, the startups should also provide information from their end about the project management approach. They should also be able to identify the stage of SDLC that their project is currently in and should communicate the same to QA outsourcing company. Challenge - 4: Results that don’t meet expectations Solution: Sometimes, the expected results may vary from the actual results. Even though the client has explained all his requirements and the outcomes he is expecting out of the testing process, the results may vary. Because everyone has their own perspectives of quality checks. Therefore it is important for the QA team to understand the problems the startup is looking to solve, the criteria of evaluation of the testing process, the timelines, allocable resources, etc. Similarly, it is the QA team’s responsibility to inform the applicable testing types and achievable benefits from these testing types. It is up to the client to decide on how often the outsourced team should perform regression & retesting and how often they release builds to the market. Challenge - 5: Lack of control Solution: It is quite common for someone who opts for QA outsourcing services to worry about control over critical aspects of the testing process. So, QA vendors must provide a detailed demonstration of the process as well as a report. This report should contain details like testing methodology, the process, test results. Clients can also specify what exact information and the format of presentation they would like to see by the end of the testing process. Also, the startups can create some performance metrics that help in measuring the performance regularly. These metrics can be either time-based or project-based. Creating some benchmarks/performance indicators is very important to monitor the progress of QA teams. Conclusion: Managing an outsourced QA partner can be tricky and complex. But using some fruitful techniques as mentioned in the above blog post, can give a smoother working experience."

"In the past decade, mobile applications have become an unavoidable part of our life. From ordering food to booking tickets, we have apps for everything. AppAnnie says, last year, consumers downloaded more than 218 billion apps worldwide in 2020, a 7% rise from 2019. The numbers appear exciting, but in fact, 1 out of every 4 users will abandon an app within the first use. Today, mobile users want apps to be stable, occupy less storage, load quickly. Seeing how it is cheaper to retain users than acquiring new ones, product leaders should prioritize user engagement and establish App retention rate as a key metric. What is the App retention rate? 'Retention rate' is the percentage of app users that return to the application within three months of their first install. We can calculate an average retention rate over 30 days from when the application gets installed. If many users abandon your product within this period, it would mean that your app does not match their expectations. Reasons to focus on retention rate: Mobile users are quick to install a new application, but what matters the most to the users is if the apps match their requirements, and provide it in a convenient way. Retention rate can help you measure this aspect. There are over 5 million+ mobile apps vying for user attention, and it does not take more than 5 seconds to identify a similar one like that of your product. User acquisition is expensive, and only a quarter of users come again to the app, and the rest lose interest. It's known as the "churn rate," meaning a percentage of users leaving the app during a period. 5 Reasons why your retention rates are Crashing Users uninstall apps when they are not satisfied with the app, and they do not want to waste their time and money on under-quality products. We must now explore some of the factors that will finally lead your customers to say 'Hasta la vista' to your applications. Huge Size: If your product takes up too much storage space, it is more likely that your customers will uninstall it. Due to this reason, many companies generally don't focus on making products that are too large. Your customers may find your product interesting in the initial stage. But once they realize that it is hogging a large amount of space on their mobile device, they will start looking for a smaller and better alternative. Loading speed and complicated UI: Users like to see the app opening within 2-3 seconds of tapping the icon. A simple app that is quick in loading, with simple instructions, is easy to use contributes to the application's success. Privacy Deficient: Hackers pose a significant threat to apps of any type and popularity. Users expect apps to be secure with high-quality protection. So, apps that make them feel insecure will refrain from making in-app purchases and give out negative reviews on the app store. Finding a better alternative: Every app developer claims their app to be the best in the market, but it is the view of the end-users that matters. Close to 29% of app uninstallations happen because the user finds a better app with more enhanced features. The older app will get deleted to save space and the threat of losing data. Misleading buttons and tap objects: In some apps, we see button-like images that are misleading. And in some instances, the actual call-to-action is not visible or accessible enough. It irritates users more than we expect and results in uninstalling the app. How can QA help in Retaining Users? The above-discussed problems occur when you are in a hurry to launch an app before your rival can. It might give you a quick fix and success to your business, but quality cannot concede in the longer run. For better user engagement, testing the app for device compatibility, security, accessibility, and high performance is a must for any app development team. Test the app for promises: Before launching an app, we must test if it can do what they promise to perform. This action makes it possible for the customer to have any disappointment and enhances your business's integrity. Bug-free experience: A thorough QA testing gives you the confidence to push for a bold product launch. You can feel assured that the QA process will have flushed out most technical glitches. While at production, we cannot make any significant changes to the system. So, proactive QA testing will give you a confident implementation. Increases User Engagement:  A smooth, bug-free application attract users, improves engagement and increases positive reviews on the app store. Likewise, experiencing frequent crashes and freezes is unpleasant to users. According to a survey by Techbeacon, 53% of the users uninstalled or deleted an app because of it. QA helps to reduce the risk of glitches and boost an optimistic experience. Better Security: Every app asks for some user data. So, the information stored is prone to online hackers who are waiting to steal it. Online security is a hot topic, and users insist on keeping their data safe. They do not wish to provide it to any external bodies without their permission. Before launching the app, conduct QA testing to fix security loopholes. And avert potential PR disasters that will impact your brand image. Saves Money: Rushing to Launch the app without testing can cost you in many ways. Any uncovered bugs will cause app penalization, bad reviews, and a poor user retention rate. Moreover, it is expensive to fix defects in apps that are in production. Organic Referrals: Organic leads are the best referrals. When the existing users invite their friends to use the app, they come with an open mindset. They will be aware of the benefits and value proposition of the app. Business know-how says 54 % of chief executives opined that customer referrals as their most valuable source of leads. When you have a bug-free, safe and smooth app, customers will gladly bring their friends to your app and fuel continuous growth. 2020 User Engagement Benchmarks For years, retention is a pain point for marketers, and 2020 is not an exception. The average retention rate decreased this year by 12%. The pandemic has caused a swell in app downloads, but the app retention rate slumped because of the intense competition. Key findings: The quality of apps in Apple's IOS stands out 42% higher than Android's. App remarketing can boost revenue and save costs in the long run. Apps that run remarketing campaigns proved to perform better than apps that do not. Developed markets deliver higher quality apps for users with 80% higher retention rates. (Source credits: Appsflyer) Final words Laying down everything on the table, I recommend you hire a QA outsourcing agency. It is best to see your app with an unbiased pair of eyes before launching and check it in a critical mindset. Automated testing with the help of QA testing tools will save a lot of your time and energy. You can focus on your core competence and leave the hassle of QA software testing to us. We at QAoncloud, follow Quality assurance best practices to fix bugs, giving your users an exceptional experience, and ensuring data security. These vital points help to enhance your user engagement and improve retention rates."

"A Penetration Test is a simulated external hacking into your own application to identify security vulnerabilities. By carrying out simulated attacks, you can uncover weak points through which a hacker can gain sensitive information. A weak point can be anything from system glitches, possible human errors, and susceptibility to brute force attacks. Nowadays, due to the increase in the incidents of data breaches, it is in your organization's best interest to conduct Penetration Tests at least once per year. Penetration Tests must be absolute and thorough, if you miss any of the security loopholes in your system, it can and will be exploited by egregious parties. To conduct an effective penetration testing process, follow the infographics below that explain the 5 phases of hacking into your own IT systems: Planning and Reconnaissance, Scanning, Gaining Access, Maintaining Access and, Analyze and WAF Configuration. It is important that you make detailed notes on tests performed so that the results can be validated and resolved. Click on the infographics to know more about how QAonCloud can help you make your IT systems Secure, Scalable, and User Friendly."

"Introduction To Security Testing & Security Testing Tools From individuals to federal bodies, cyber attackers are eyeing every small opportunity to steal valuable data. This data is Personality Identifiable Information (PII). We saw a lot of real-life examples,  like Facebook and Equifax. A single vulnerability has caused them to lose both revenue and reputation. What do security incidents like this teach us? Web security is crucial and even the best system is not safe from it. Website security testing tools play a vital role in detecting vulnerabilities, threats. We can feel impact of the gravity only after experiencing a breach. Imagine the information which your valuable customers trusted you with, sold in Darknet. This information reaches some shady figures with evil machinations. The trust-based relationship that you so carefully built over the years is dissolved in an instant. The owners take ample effort to secure their system and serve their clients better. Confidentiality and Integrity play a major role in any relationship What is Security Testing? Security Testing safeguards your software from vulnerabilities, threats, risks posed by intruders. By detecting the weakness in the system beforehand, you can avoid potential loss of information, revenue, and reputation at the hands of nefarious entities. Therefore, we need to first understand, The Open-Source Security Testing Methodology Manual (OSSTMM), and how it delivers a scientific process for the accurate description of business security that can be used for penetration testing, ethical hacking, and security testing. Open-Source Security Testing: OSSTMM is a peer-reviewed methodology for security testing, maintained by the Institute for Security and Open Methodologies (ISECOM). The manual is updated every six months or so to remain relevant to the current state of security testing. ISECOM focuses on verified facts to perform testing methodologies in their organization and can know they are making fact-based decisions. To enumerate, each security testing method is explained in brief. They are as follows: Vulnerability Scanning Security Scanning Penetration Scanning Risk Assessment Security Auditing Posture Assessment Ethical Hacking 1. Vulnerability Scanning Vulnerability scanners are automated tools that help in checking if systems are intact. Enterprise networks are subjected to vulnerability scanning both internally and externally. External vulnerability scanning is performed from outside their network edge. It determines exposure to attacks of servers and apps that can be accessed from the internet. An Internal vulnerability scan is performed to find out the flaws that hackers could take advantage of. It also helps in identifying spread to different systems and servers if they get access to the network. 2. Security Scanning Security Scanning consists of identifying network and system weaknesses. It helps in providing solutions to reduce these risks. Can be performed by both as Manual and Automated Scanning 3. Penetration Testing Penetration Testing simulates an attack from a malicious intruder. Involves evaluation of a particular system to check for possible exposures from any external hacking. 4. Risk Assessment This Testing involves the assessment of security risks observed in the software applications. Risks are categorized as Low, Medium, and High. Proposes control measures to reduce the risk. 5. Security Auditing Security Auditing performs internal Inspection of Applications and OS for security flaws. Line by line inspection of code audit recommended. 6. Ethical Hacking This is different from other testing methods and it is hacking an entire Organization's Software system. Unlike malicious hackers, the intent is to expose security flaws in the system to fix them. 7. Posture Assessment Posture Assessment is a combination of Securing Auditing, Ethical Hacking, and Risk Assessments to show the security posture of an organization. When to do Security Testing? It’s consented, that the cost will be more if we defer security testing after implementation. So, it is crucial to involve security testing in the earlier SDLC phases. Practices Of Security Testing We can take the below to prepare and plan for Security Testing: Security Architecture Study:  Understand the business requirements, security goals, objectives against the compliance of the organization. Classify Security Testing: Collect system setup information used for the application like Operating System, technology, and Hardware. List the Vulnerabilities and Security Risks. Threat Modelling: Identify the threat and break them into smaller parts. We need to think like an attacker to derive the threat modelling matrix. Test Plan: Create a Test plan by deriving the activities, timelines, and resources needed. Security Test Tool Identification:  Security testing is not always manual, sometimes we need to automate too. This is the heart of our article and will explain it in detail later. Security test tools available in open source and paid range. Test Cases Execution: Security test execution divided into 4 groups: Dependency, User Interface, Design, and Implementation. Attacks of each stage were conducted. Problem report: This is a vital element as it provides proof of the vulnerabilities, the seriousness of the vulnerability, and the manipulated consequences. Perform Post-mortem: The entire security team will take part and analyse how they missed the bugs during the development. By identifying how the security loopholes are skipped, suggestions for process enhancement can be made. The Security testing team will have the following members: Hacker – Will access computer systems or networks without authorization. Crackers - They break into the system to steal or destroy data. Ethical Hacker – Performs activities like a hacker but with authorization from the owner. Script Kiddies/Packet monkeys – Hackers with less experience and a programming language skillset. Security Testing Tools The List of open-source security testing tools are as follows: Netsparker Immuniweb Vega Wapiti Nogotofail Acunetix W3af SQLMap ZED Attack Proxy (ZAP) BeEF (Browser Exploitation Framework) Let us find out what is unique about each of these tools and how it can help you keep your software system secure- Netsparker: One-stop shop for all web security needs. Integrated with any type of test and development environment. It uses a proof-based Scanning technology. It has a unique automation feature to identify vulnerabilities, verify false positives and finally reducing huge man-hours. ImmuniWeb A Next-gen platform as it employs Artificial Intelligence to enable security testing. Security Teams, Developers, CISOs, and CIOs benefited. This security testing tool has a one-click virtual patching system that assists continuous compliance monitoring. Multilayer Application Security testing is an attraction and checks website for compliance, server strengthening, and privacy. Vega The Vulnerability testing tool is written in Java. Its automated scanner powered by a website crawler facilitates quick tests. Intercepting Proxy aids tactical inspection by observing and monitoring client-server communication. Detects vulnerabilities like Blind SQL injection, shell injection, etc. Detection modules written in JavaScript helps to create new attack modules as and when required with APIs. Wapiti This is a command-line application. Crawls through web pages and thus identifies the scripts and forms where data injected. Detects vulnerabilities like file disclosure, database injection, file inclusion, cross Site Scripting, weak .htaccess configuration. On finding an anomaly, it raises warnings. Google Nogotofail Network traffic security testing tool. Checks application for known TLS/SSL vulnerabilities and misconfigurations. Checks if they are vulnerable to man-in-the-middle (MiTM)attacks. Acunetix Its vulnerability scanner pioneered automated web application security testing. Black box scanning and SPA crawling techniques performed by AcuSensor and DeepScan. Its in-built vulnerability management system helps with the generation of various technical compliance reports in addition to the vulnerability scanning. W3af It’s a web application audit and attack framework effective against over 200 vulnerabilities. Assists in limiting total exposure of a website to malicious elements. Used to send HTTP requests and cluster HTTP responses. Has both a graphical and console-based interface. So, we can protect the website in less than five clicks. Output logged into a console, file, or via email. SQLMap It is a Penetration testing tool, powered by a detection engine to identify SQL injecting flaws. Seven levels of verbosity support offer ETA support for each query. Fingerprint and enumeration features are valuable in streamlining. ZED Attack Proxy (ZAP) One more open-source penetration testing tool – developed and maintained under OWASP. Suited for both manual and automated testing. Available for all OS – Windows, Linux, Macintosh. Stands as a middle-man proxy between the tester’s browser and web application. Used to intercept and moderate the transmitted messages. Key features include - AJAX spiders, Fuzzer, Websocket support, and REST-based API. BeEF (Browser Exploitation Framework) Helps in detecting application’s weakness using browser vulnerabilities. Uses client-side attack attributes to verify the security of an application and issue browser commands like redirection, changing URLs, generating dialogue boxes, etc. Expands scan circumference beyond usual network perimeter and client system to analyze security system standards. Intruder An Enterprise-grade vulnerability scanner, easy to use. Runs over 10,000 high-quality security checks across your IT infrastructure including – Configuration weaknesses, application weaknesses, and missing patches. Proactive scans for the latest threats, save time and keeps businesses of all sizes safe from hackers. AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud connectors enabled. High- Quality reporting and API integration with your CI/CD pipeline. Wireshark Network analysis tool formerly known as Ethereal. Provides minute details about network protocols, decryption, and also packet information We can see the retrieved information through a GUI or the TTY mode TShark Utility. Final Words There is a prevailing myth that Security policies are only applicable to bigger organizations. But the fact is - Security-first approach is critical for an organization of any size to make a highly vulnerable place like the internet safe for your customers. QAonCloud has rich expertise in Web security testing catering to your diversified needs and also have vast experience in serving clients across industry verticals and Organization sizes by using various security testing tools based on client requirement. Reach out to us to get a free consultation. Let us together keep the system and our clients safe."

"Test cases For automation testing - Introduction We are in the Automation era, as we could see each and everything is shifting from manual to Automation. From withdrawing cash to parking lot tickets, there is nothing in the digital world that doesn't need Automation. So, can testing projects escape this change of world? Definitely NO! But why has it become a necessity than a luxury? Obvious reasons like a more significant number of users and performance quotient. We as individuals look forward to efficiency and quality of work from the service providers. More people use the same way technology than before. So, to achieve production and service vast number of users testing must take a step ahead. What Is Automation Testing? Automation testing is a technique in software testing where we use a software tool to test the test cases and compare the outcome with the expected result. This is just an automation process of the age-old manual testing. This way, we could benefit from the following: Save time. Improve test coverage. Increase ad-hoc testing. Reduce cost and Maintenance. Why Automation Testing? Is Automation testing a replacement for Manual testing? No. It just compliments the manual testing. So, like manual testing, we need a plan, strategy, and monitoring process, and the critical item is choosing the suitable test cases for automation testing. Let us investigate the significant advantages of automation testing: To prepare Test Data. To execute tasks like Regression tests. Works better with complex logical test cases. Helps in managing cross-platform test cases. Complex test cases are difficult to be performed manually. Repetitive iteration of the test cases if the number of executions is not known. Challenges Of Automation Testing We know automation testing is going to save costs and time. It tends the team to rush and automate everything they can. So, we will not be sure of which test cases to automate or which to ignore. I would say the primary challenge in automation testing is to choose the correct test cases for Automation Testing. As there is no hard and fast rule for the same, we can help you with our experience of selecting the right test cases. Testers generally find Automation a threat, but it helps them do their work more efficiently and maximize production. According, the World Quality Report in 2019, 24% of teams still struggle to decide on the exemplary test scenario. I hope by the end of the read, you will have an idea of how to choose the test cases for Automation and have a successful testing journey. What Is A Test Case? A test case is a detailed document with the specifications, input, steps, testing conditions, and expected outcomes for executing a software test on the application. Typically, there are two test cases – one with a positive test case where input is correct and the other with a negative test case where the input is wrong. It helps us to check how the application reacts to both scenarios. This way, multiple test cases are combined into a test suite for testing and Maintenance. Identifying The Correct Test Cases For Test Automation A valuable brainstorming on the testing requirements and testers capability will go a long way in achieving the desired results from the Automation testing. The critical factors upon choosing automation test cases are as follows: Execution Time  Test Frequency Resources Requirements Subject to Human error The Downside of Automation not compromising on the ROI. Now we can see each factor in detail and understand how to choose the correct test cases for Automation – Execution Time: If you feel the test case will take more time than done manually, it will be a perfect choice for automation testing. This way, we can use our testers to perform the testing efficiently. Also, we can handle large data sets with a limited number of testers. Test Frequency: When we need to repeat the test significantly, the ideal option would be automation testing. Tests like regression tests are vital for Automation testing as we need to run with every application building. Resources Requirements: Resources include – OS, Browsers, Devices, and Databases. The user involvement required in the test will primarily decide if there is any need to automate test cases. The higher the involvement lesser it qualifies to automate. Subject to Human Error: When we feel there is a chance of significant Human error while performing the test manually, we can include those test cases in the test suite for automation testing to enhance the quality of tests and less time consumption. The Downside of Automation not compromising on the ROI: Basically, the downside of automation testing includes implementation cost, maintenance cost, and Human intervention. Value of ROI has time, insights, and the human resources saved. When the Value (ROI) outweighs the downside, it qualifies for the correct test cases for automation testing. Test Cases For Automation Testing We have arrived at the core of the article to evaluate what tests will be ideal for automation testing. And most importantly, what should not be automated? Test Cases To be Automated Some tests that we highly recommend for Automation are as follows: Regression Tests Performance Tests Data-Driven Tests Unit Tests Integration Tests Functional Tests These are just a few suggestions, and its subject based on the application and your team's strength. Regression Test: Tests like smoke tests, sanity test, requires more time and significant human resources. So, this automatically qualifies for automation testing. If done right, this gives developers the ability to check that the entire system works flawlessly after a code change with limited to no human supervision. Performance Tests: Tests like the Load test a Stress test is highly repetitive and time-consuming. Also, to achieve the entire exposure, it's tedious and tends to compromise on quality. This way, we have an ideal candidate for automation testing. Data-Driven Tests: Data-driven tests are prone to human error as there will be positive and negative input. There are chances of missing data on the application's crucial components wherein they will have a more significant impact in real-time. A data-driven automation framework will help to perform efficiently. When the tester is highly skilled and can handle the application well, data-driven tests are perfect for automation testing. Unit Tests: Unit tests are highly reusable and low maintenance costs. Therefore, highly suitable for automation testing. It is easy as we can use many host frameworks to implement regardless of any programming languages. Integration Tests: Integration tests involve different modules and interfaces; Automation helps us ensure everything is working well as expected and instant feedback. This way, we can find where the actual problem persists if we failed to achieve the desired outcome. Fast, reliable, and highly efficient. Functional Tests: Functional tests are well established in the automation testing category as they have a whole host of tools and frameworks that can match with our development code-base. We recommend automating the functional testing fully and the best approach for automation testing. Test Cases Not To Be Automated As we all know that Automation is the best solution for Quality, Speed, and Efficiency, we should not rush and automate every test case. That can backfire, and it will be hard to clean up the mess. Exploratory Tests: These tests do not have a concrete framework or criteria for the application to evaluate. It, when automated, can give confusing outcomes or sometimes false outcomes. These are less reliable and do not qualify for automation testing. Usability Testing: The software cannot mimic human emotion and reaction to the application. So, this can be highly misleading and a wrong choice for Automation. Intermittent Tests and Low-Risk Tests: Just because we have the privilege to automate does not mean we need to automate every test case. There are chances of unpredictable outcomes in these tests. Anti-Automation Tests: The best example of an anti-automation feature is CAPTCHA. There is nothing more to elaborate, and this example is self-explanatory why we should not automate this. Final Words On "Test Cases For Automation Testing" I hope this article would have taken away the myth that automation testing is a threat to testers. It is a boon and an added advantage to increase the speed and quality of the testers. Automation testing will evolve and spread across environments in the future. So, getting skilled and understanding the basic idea of choosing the correct test cases for Automation is the foremost step in beginning automation testing. This way, we can maximize the outcomes, save time, and provide reliable, efficient results. Considering the opportunities evolving from AI/ML integration, it is evident that Automation testing will have a brighter future."

"Introduction To Usability Testing Of Website Our Website users are a mixture of three generations, the '80s,'90s, and 2k. They have evolved from different transactional habits, and they also have a different approach towards technology. But the best part is technology has met all three expectations and standing firm and continuing to move forward. So as product developers, we have the responsibility to meet their needs and give them a feel-good experience throughout. To achieve this, before implementing the website or any UI to the vast crowd, we need to do usability testing of the website. This way, we can control the risks and save a lot of money. What Is Usability Testing? Usability testing helps us test the website’s functionality by real users and how they approach to complete the flow of tasks with minimal help. Why Usability testing of Website Is Important? Reveal the pain points of the user. Identify the areas of confusion. Seizing opportunities to improve the overall experience of the user. User Testing Vs. Usability Testing We generally tend to confuse between User testing and Usability testing. So, a brief description about the same is as below: 1. User Testing This is more of a discussion or testing about your business/product idea. E.g., If you feel there is a demand for organic products in your location, the business owner extends his service by creating online booking to that audience as he does not have a physical shop in that state. 2. Usability Testing After you have drafted the plan to open an online business to that audience, this comes into action. We give the audience a set of tasks to use our product and understand how accessible we are and their overall experience in executing the search to the transaction. We might now feel that the trained developers would have checked the website before bringing it to the customers, so why is usability testing of the website vital? Why the buzz? Here, we need to understand that people with in-depth knowledge can go blind to real-time website usability issues. So, the ideal crowd to do the usability testing would be real-life users. Ordinary people will be of varied IQ and experiences and therefore we can see various approaches when they use the website. It will help us to enhance our website experience. Some everyday observations during the Usability testing of the website: Were they able to understand the site or they get confused? Feeling lost in the middle of the site. It helps to learn about user's behavior and preferences. Usability Testing Methods When there is a process in place, we would have derived some strategies and techniques to achieve the results—developing the below-mentioned methods keeping end-users interest in focus. We can classify the first two testing methods we have discussed as Moderated testing: A. Guerrilla Testing It is the primary form of testing to go into a public place and ask people about our prototype. We choose test participants randomly. It is low-cost testing but efficient as we can get real-time feedback and emotional impressions about our concepts. B. Lab Usability Testing It is done in unique environments like laboratories and supervised by a moderator. Moderators are professionals who look to obtain feedback from real users. These moderators also facilitate participants through their tasks by asking questions and giving responses to their difficulties. Compared to Guerrilla testing, this is much costlier as you need to organize and run in a secure environment. Some risk factors in moderated testing are we need to invest in choosing efficient moderators. In lab testing, the users might not be having a usual behavior as it is a controlled environment. C. Unmoderated Remote Usability Testing A usability testing of a website is done without a moderator, mostly remotely. Test results are quick, robust, and inexpensive. The Cost of unmoderated testing is lower. More natural user behavior can happen as they are in their comfortable environment. We use unmoderated usability testing when you need larger samples to prove critical findings. For example, when you have a particular hypothesis and need to validate a large segment of users, it helps better. D. Contextual Inquiry It's less a usability testing method and more of an observation method. The Product team asks questions about their user experience with the product and then observes to question them while working in the environments. Contextual inquiry helps to find helpful information like a workspace, personal preferences, and habits. This info helps the product team to give a tailored experience. There will be no immediate opinion provision; instead, participants are watched, observed, and taken notes to offer detailed reports later. E. Phone Interview Moderators will guide the users to complete a task on their device, and instant feedbacks are collected. We use this test to achieve results from users in a different part of the globe. Also, to conduct this test, we need trained moderators with good communication skills. F. Card Sorting The Card sorting technique helps when you want to derive an optimized architecture of your product. It is a comparatively uncomplicated technique where you place concepts on cards and allows the users to manipulate the cards into groups and categories. Once the users sorted and arranged the cards, we ask them to explain their logic to understand the reasoning. This usability technique of the website will help the product team to organize their contents and features. It would be a hypothesis, so it's mandatory to validate with real users. Data-informed decisions can be achieved using this technique. G. Session Recording This usability testing will have anonymous users. When they are interacting with the site, we record Their interactions live. So, we can understand what content and features interest the users. Mostly Session recording technique complements the other mentioned techniques rather than a standalone. A/B testing vs. Usability Testing Of Website - Confused often? It is another common testing technique that takes a similar avatar like that of usability testing, but when investigated deeply, we can clearly understand the difference as below: A/B testing – This technique helps us to identify which version of the page converts better. Usability testing – The usability testing of a website helps identify issues that stop the user from having a fantastic experience. Usability Testing Tools How to use Website Usability testing tools effectively? Choose the appropriate tool which meets your requirements. Test with your target users Gather Feedback Based on the information from peers in Usability testing who have 15+ years of experience, we have suggested the below tools: 1. Loop11 This usability testing of the website tool helps to unmoderated remote usability testing. The features consist of: It supports testing on PC, mobile, and Tablets. Screen recording with video and audio features. Inclusive of varied metrics like task completion rate, click stream analysis, System usability, and so on. 2. Usabilla When our motive is to achieve usability testing, we first must prioritize the user journey, and the best tool to achieve the same is Usabilla. Four significant concerns to validate user journey analysis – Ease to use. Integrity Efficiency Accuracy Usabilla fits rightly to prioritize these qualities and helps us to validate the same. 3. Website Content Readability – Juicy Studio We insist website readability is one of the critical features for a great user experience. Though a web app is not content-centric, a user interface problem can affect retaining the customer. So, we suggest Juicy Studio analyze the readability of all given content. It works based on various readability algorithms. USER EXPERIENCE User feedback is ideal to improve the user experience of your website. Few points to address before suggesting a tool are: Sense of Fulfilment Useful Quotient Emotional Quotient Based on these scenarios I would suggest the following tools to grade the user experience by getting actual feedback- UserVoice User Report Final words on Usability Testing Of Website - I would like to conclude by giving the benefits we get when usability testing of the website is accomplished: Saves money and time in the long run for development projects. It strengthens the product's potential to succeed and retain the market. Customer Retention Emotional connectivity Performing Usability testing enables us to effectively enhance our product before and during the development. So, we suggest anyone who creates a product should be aware of the benefits and importance of usability testing."

"Test Data Generation - Introduction Test data generation is a critical aspect of the software testing life cycle. Tests like Stress Testing, Performance Testing, and Load testing require a huge volume of data to produce proper results. Thus, testers constantly need to look for ways to generate a large amount of data in addition to the ones they are already collecting & maintaining. Testers must also ensure the test data are valid, credible, and reliable. According to an IBM study, up to 30% of the test failures are directly the result of improper test data. This makes the process of managing and creating test data a labor-intensive and cost-intensive exercise. This could eat up to 30-60% of the resources of testing projects. Moreover, the recent advances in data privacy laws require testers to exclude Personally Identifiable Information (PII) from test-case projects. This keeps real-time production data out of most testers' hands. It raises the challenge of generating fictional yet realistic privacy-compliant test data. So how do testers generate an adequate volume of test data accurately within a short time frame? Some innovative test data generation solutions to this complex situation have come forth, which we will cover in this article. Test Data Generation Techniques 1. Masked Production Data: Using live production data may be a tempting shortcut to generate quick test data, but this method is highly vulnerable to breaches and violates existing privacy laws. However, it doesn't mean you should stay away from production data. By anonymizing and masking GDPR sensitive PII, you can create a quality, highly representative data set quickly. If you do not have production data readily available, you can quickly try out the following methods to generate a large volume of realistic test data. 2. Automated Test data generation and 3rd-party tools: Test automation tools such as Selenium allows testers to reach an adequate amount of data by automating data generation. Time constraints are not applicable in this method, and Web APIs will improve the data's volume and accuracy. Testers, however, need to spend more time defining test cases while using automated testing tools. In addition to open-source testing frameworks, various 3rd party testing tools have emerged in the market.  to help testers generate quick test data over time. These tools have in-built test scenarios that cover a wide range of use cases. Most of these tools create highly accurate data based on the parameters set, freeing up time for testers to carry out the testing process. These tools are quite expensive, and you need to consider a tradeoff between time and cost. 3. Based on Mathematical models: The latest iteration in data generation techniques, mathematical modeling, or path selection modeling generates data based on the test data generator's predefined paths. It uses a mathematical approach to data generation which works in the principle of: for a program X and user flow Y, inject data A, such that A follows the user flow Y. Some of the popular path data generator models are the Random test data approach, chaining approach, and assertion-oriented approach. To acquire large-scale adoption, path selection model testing shows enormous potential to replace manual testing methods in their entirety. Final Words on Test Data Generation Test data generation techniques are constantly evolving, and testers need to be aware of the latest approaches to build quality software. The techniques discussed can tremendously reduce the time to generate reliable test data and make the testing process efficient. If you need help in adopting the latest best testing practices, reach out to us at QAonCloud."

"Reasons Why Tech Startups Fail The millennials are too tired of 9 to 5 jobs and a monotonous lifestyle for a decade now. They have a good skill set and corporate experience, which pushes, them to open startups with the knowledge gained from their work environment. But does everyone see success in venturing startups, and what are the difficulties they face to be consistent in their entrepreneurial dreams? Let us see the top 10 reasons for tech startups fail and how we can recover and be ready with measures to overcome the failures: Top 10 Reasons Why Tech Startups Fail 1. Fear Of Losing For us Humans, the greatest fear is to lose in anything we do. It is the same in business and has high stride in startups because they are amateur to business and would have never predicted any losses. Learning how to take a loss and move on would be an ideal key for the business owners to stay consistent and can neutralize the tech startup fails in the longer run. There is an enduring saying on Wall Street, "Cut your losses short and let your winners run," which applies even to the startup cultures to be successful. Founders have to understand the risk associated with the business and predict the loss that might occur. Then they have to apply the  best strategy to minimize the loss and move forward. 2. Lack Of Investors Capital is the primary entity for any business, and it is the same for tech startups as well. What may go wrong here? We would have planned our finances, and still, some tech startups go through a rough phase. It is where we must talk about the values of the founders and the brand. Investors may not be on the same page with the founder's values. They will lack the basic understanding behind the values derived. There is another unsung investment to be talked about when we consider tech startup fails in recent days. Guess what? The answer is investing in the skills of our employees. The workforce is the biggest strength of any organization, so investing in your employees' skills would go a long way in our business success. Hiring a suitable candidate for the organization in terms of values and skill set is ideal for a successful team. What is a company without a team, right? I guess we will give it a thought. 3. Poor Marketing We all would have observed this pattern of only 10% of the tech startups making it to their business journey's 10th-year mark. Maybe outwardly, we wonder all are doing the same thing, but the reason for this difference in performance. So, what they are doing differently? Yes, it is the Marketing. We see the high-performing brands still invest in their marketing strategies consistently through their journey even after ranking No.1 in their field of expertise. A great marketing plan plays a vital role in taking their brand to a different level, reflecting in the potential lead and productive sale closure. Efficient Marketing strategies and understanding the market need to go hand in hand to avoid tech startup from failing on a larger scale. It will also help the brand presence stay in the market rightly available for the customers(users). 4. User Unfriendly Products "Customer is King" "Customer is always right" is a famous saying of any successful entrepreneurs, and marketing gurus never open a speech without stating these phrases.  So, for any successful business, Users of the Product  (Customer) is the destination of all our efforts. The startups might not have a protocol or a case study to refer to or understand the user needs. It may lead to tech startup failures as, by the time they know the consumer's mind, we fail to perform their timely needs. To avoid this, we should consciously pay attention to Customer feedback from the initial stage of the development. This way, we can earn the clients' integrity and neutralize the tech startup's fails and stay in the market consistently. 5. Lack Of Networking "No man is an Island" is an important saying when it comes to business. If given a chance to read about the famous business tycoons and successful individuals, we can see a trend of causes that have contributed to the strong networking channels created over time. So, do we jump out and start making connections? Definitely No. Connections that are relevant to our niche are what we need. Invest in good networking programs and create a long-term relationship with mutual benefits. We will get noticed when we make relevance in our connectivity and when people start seeing us, it will open the path to newer opportunities. Like-minded intellects always share unique ideas, which will set free the creative talent. Even when you go towards a failure, innovation would have risen. 6. Lack Of Focus Majorly all tech startups will thrive on climbing the top positions and set a brand image for their company. In the urge to try, they also try to tackle everything at the same time. So not shifting focus on one problem at a time and being the best at one niche will stop you from fails. We hear about tech startups fail very often, and one important reason would be this. Any new innovators who would love to have their startups will benefit from the wise knowledge shared by experienced tycoons talking about this same focus. They say, "chose your Niche" and be the best at it. It will only elevate your business to the next level and not detract you from the process. 7. Business Model and Testing We have the skill, created contacts, and yes, we can bang on hit the bull's eye. But still, why 1 in 10 tech startups fail? Primarily it would be because of the lack of a business model. We have concentrated on selecting a good team, have all the infrastructure in place. Provided high-quality skill training to the employees and fixed a niche.  After doing all the above still, tech startups fail because they did not test their business model or did not have a useful business model. They should have a scalable way to acquire customers and monetize them. When we get new ideas, always put them into the business model canvas and test them before implementing them. 8. Not Listening To Customers' Needs Founders should always think of "What is the trend? What do we need to succeed in the Current Market? " Do not ever fall into the assumption trap. We think this is what is suitable for the customer, but his needs would be different. Stop assuming and start Testing. Always before implementing any new feature, do your A/B testing. This way, we can save a lot of money and sustain the threat of failure. 9. Vision and Passion A good visionary becomes a good leader. We all know about Dubai how it raised from the barren deserts to one of the world's wealthiest countries. It all became possible only because of their visionary ruler. He did not fear the current problems, he found ways to tackle the present issues, but he always had a future craft. Similarly, a startup needs a visionary leader and a passionate team to move forward. Handle the existing problem and never stop running towards your goal. 10. Bad Debts In the initial stage of our setup, we will agree to work on credit and eventually get into a financial crunch. Ideally, we need to build customer relationships and bring in work to stay in business. But we cannot ignore the fact that our company will suffer in the longer run. So always validate the client's reputation before issuing credit. We can accept post-dated cheques, and if it bounces back, what can be the turnaround ways to recover the money. Announce the right incentives and offers to the clients if they pay in advance. Recognize your employees with incentives when they bring in cash in advance. Final Words Pat your back! If you are already implementing all the above qualities in your work environment. For others, do not forget to choose the right investor who is at the same pace with you and passionate about your values, choose the best team, don't lose focus, and never underestimate your customers. Always their needs will be our priorities. Good Marketing will keep you elevated in the market and rightly available at the right place at the right time. If you have noticed any other characteristics followed by a successful startup, we would love to listen to you. As we said, networking is the super-hero to stay in the market and keep innovating."

"Introduction To Banking Application Testing We live in a digital age when everything we need is literary at our fingertips. With recent innovations and advancements in technology, the banking industry is also going through digital evolution. But the complexities tangled in the functioning of a banking application and the amount of crucial data these apps are holding made these apps the most advanced and complex enterprise solution. Customers, through these applications, can make all types of transactions like paying bills, making deposits, investing, transferring funds, balance verification, etc., Customers are also sharing their crucial personal and financial data to access these banking applications. This calls for the need to test the banking applications under various test environments to deliver a high performance that meets customer's requirements. Furthermore, banks need to develop a robust reporting system to secure the customer's day-to-day transactions. Testing a banking app helps banks to ensure that these apps are working efficiently. It needs a witty team experienced in software testing, particularly with banking domain expertise, to craft an effective banking application testing strategy. The strategy should be to cover mobile, cloud, internet, and other features of the application. First, let us have an understanding of Banking application testing. What is Banking Application Testing? It refers to the process of testing banking apps for functionality, performance, and security. The main aim of testing banking applications is to ensure that the app runs smoothly with no errors and remains secured. According to our domain experts, here are some main characteristics of a banking application in general. Characteristics of a Banking Application: The following are the main characteristics of a banking application, according to our banking domain expert. There must provide proper integration of banking app with other applications like trading accounts, bill payment utility, credit cards, etc., The processing of transactions should be fast and secure. Must support thousands of user sessions from multiple locations at once. Systems should have massive storage capacity. Capability to perform high audits while troubleshooting customer issues The app should be able to handle complex workflows. Should support multiple Operating systems and platforms like Windows, Mac, Linux, and so on Able to provide support for multilingual customers Systems must support multiple service sectors and payments systems. Disaster management mechanisms must be Foolproof. Areas To Focus For Achieving Best Results In Banking Application Testing: Software testing is very crucial to assess whether the banking application is working efficiently and seamlessly. Testers often face nerve-wracking challenges while testing a banking app. In this article we tried to shed some light on the critical areas that require more focus to achieve the best results in Testing a banking application software. 1. Checking User Interfaces And User Experiences Banking Softwares generally have a user-friendly and intuitive interface since most bank employees lack computer skills. The UI of the app should contain simple graphic attributes like buttons, icons, fields, etc... The application interface should be so that the bankers won't have a hard time creating or adding new client profiles, assigning them new banking outputs, managing everyday banking operations seamlessly, etc. Having user-friendly interfaces can save a lot of time for bankers, thereby forming a positive relationship. So, it is advised for testers to put their full focus on testing User interfaces and User experience thoroughly 2. Checking Application’s Performance The primary issue that could affect the user experience is performance. This is why every banking company must provide their customers with an application that performs well under different network conditions. This also includes the time taken by the app to respond to customer interactions on different devices. Testers also should focus on additional vital areas like CPU, RAM usage, Battery consumption, Data Consumption, sensitivity to operating system versions, and other factors. Check all the parameters to make sure that the app can provide incredible performance. 3. Testing For Security Vulnerabilities No matter what industry a company belongs to, if they work with customer's crucial data, the company must ensure data security, confidentiality, and protection against data leaks. Particularly in the banking sector, data security and integrity should be the top priority. Therefore, security testing is mandatory while testing a banking application. This calls for in-depth knowledge in security testing and the ability to craft a comprehensive test strategy that checks for possible vulnerabilities. QA team should have experience dealing with banking software to test the app and assess potential security risks in the future. In Online banking systems, it is much needed to simulate possible issues by performing load & stress testing and performance testing. 4. Testing Functionality Of The Banking App Banking apps are complex due to the thousands of modules and dependencies between these modules. Due to this reason, it might take more time and resources to test a banking app. The app should create, update, integrate, and delete internal and external operations in the banking process chain. A tester should test all the dependencies of the modules and the boundary sections. It is recommended to combine API with functional testing to avoid flaky tests, if any, to minimize setup costs, and to keep functional testing short and focussed. 5. Testing Specific Scenarios in Banking Not all industries are the same. There are some unique sets of scenarios that apply only to specific industries. Mobile banking applications have specific scenarios that are unique for the banking industry, which cannot be observed or applied to any other industry. For example, cheque scanning, fingerprint authentication for transactions, Rooting or jailbreak device identification, SSL pinning, OTP requirements and so on. Due to this, our domain experts suggest testing all use case scenarios. Final Words on Banking Application Testing A tester should always test an app from a user's perspective. And that is why testers should understand the application and list out the categories for which a user uses the banking app. By shifting more focus to the areas mentioned above, a QA engineer can increase his testing speed and help the banking company provide high-quality mobile banking apps to their customers on time. If you have any more queries, feel free to talk to our experts today!"

"Product risks and Project Risks - Introduction "A Project is a solution to a Problem, Solving which you get a working Product" - Anonymous Many people will often have a puzzled look on their faces when they hear the terms; Product risks and Project risks. Many individuals find it difficult to understand. Henceforth let us try to understand it. So, first, let us see what Project and Product are? Product: A Product is like 'All set to Use.' Companies usually manufacture the products and sell them to different customers or may also provide it for free. If If a customer asks for a customization, like changing color, title, appearance and would like to have additional Functionality, companies can customize the product based on their customers needs/requirements. Here are a few examples for better understanding: Buying a flat after the completion of construction. But for this situation, you can make minor changes like paints and interiors only. Google products like Gmail, Drive (Free sources), Oracle products like Databases, etc. Project: A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result to achieve an outcome. Often, we gather the requirements from a particular client outside the company. Here are some examples: Buying a flat before construction. Here as per your wish and need, you can do the construction. Developing a new product or service Product Risks and Project Risks What Is Product risk The risk which is associated with the software is The Product Risk. It results from problems that occur after the delivery of product. The products risks are also known as Quality Risks. Characteristics Of Product Risks Functionality as per client requirements Reliability of software Performance Efficiency Usability Security of software Compatibility Ease of maintenance Portability Examples Of Product Risks 1) Software doesn't work according to users' desires. e.g., A user wants to purchase an item and adds it to his Cart. During checkout, the item goes out of stock and its value is deducted from the Cart. However, the application did not display any message to the user about what went wrong. 2) Tight timelines that make individuals work in a hurry and perform more mistakes. What Is Project risk The risk associated with the testing activity, endangering the test project cycle, is The Project Risk. In other words, it is an uncertain event or activity that can impact the project's progress. To manage project risks, we have to apply concepts like identifying, prioritizing, and managing the project risks. Examples Of Project Risks 1) Due to the lack of system admin postponement in fixing the test environment. 2) Test Environment is unavailable. Risks are unavoidable in a business, yet it is crucial to guarantee that the effect of risk ought to be least. Content Contributor: Ranvitha Rao, QAonCloud"

"Multiple Device Testing - Introduction Today, we can see how the technology involved in mobile is swiftly evolving. Mobile phones have now developed from primary devices for communication to a gadget that can do anything. Ultimately, millions of apps are entering the market. Regularly, millions of people use various types of apps. There are apps for every aspect of our lives, ranging from photos; music to office applications and games and fitness and health. These suggest that today, applications dominate our planet. Mobile phones have customized the choices in our lives practically. Our mobile phones occupy a crucial part of our lives today, and we are more mobile than ever before! There are multiple mobile devices, browsers, and operating systems that you need to consider when designing an app. Henceforth, the applications require testing based on functionality, security, usability, etc. It increases the overall efficiency of apps on all fronts while at the same time increasing the user reliability factor. Why Testing On Multiple Devices Is Essential? It is essential to check your apps on various operating systems and versions because users have various OS versions installed on their phones and tablets. We will find a large number of different Android OS versions in the market. Also, in older devices, newer versions of Android or ios are not installed. For Example, some features may work on Android OS version Lollipop (5.0) correctly, but not in OS version Oreo (8.0). Therefore, to make sure that features work in all Android versions and ios, we need to test the applications on different OS versions. Hence, we need to test the apps on different device models to ensure that a flawless application is delivered to the end-users. Softwares/Tools To Perform Multiple Device Testing Let us look into some best options to test your website/apps on various mobile devices. 1. Browser Emulator URL: Check the Developer Tools by hitting F12 on the page Cost: 0$ For Example, in Chrome, open your app, go to Tools→Developer Tools→Toggle Device Tool Bar [ Mobile Icon]. You are ready to check your app on any given list of devices. In the same way, open any browser, Hit F12 to go to the developer console, and open the responsive design [mobile icon] to check your website on various devices. It is the most simple and best emulator solution for necessary app verification on multiple devices. 2. Mobiletest.me URL: http://mobiletest.me/ It is used to test your websites in smartphone & tablet emulators. All that you have to do is to launch the URL and select a device to start. Free Trial: Available Subscription: $9.99 per month What you Get with subscription: One price, unlimited testing. Only $9.99/m per user. Tests your websites on more than 100 devices Responsive & Mobile emulation modes. Unlimited sharing of your tests. 3. Screenfly URL: https://screenfly.org/ Cost: FREE - Open Source We use Screenfly to test your website on various tablets, mobiles, and also television screens. One adds of this tool is you can also customize screen size. 4. AWS Device Farm URL: https://aws.amazon.com/device-farm/ Cost: AWS Free Tier / Pay what you consume There is a huge list of real devices available for testing on AWS Device Farm. With Device Farm, you can interact with real Android and iOS devices from your browser or run automated tests written in popular frameworks like Appium, Espresso, and XCTest. 5. Test Project URL: https://testproject.io/ Cost: FREE - Open Source Test Project is a Cloud Hosted, and Community Powered end-to-end automation platform for web, mobile, and API testing. Unlike selenium, it eliminates the complexity of managing and installing drivers for each platform and browser that you need to test. Test Project's AI-driven capacity makes the script identify the elements if something breaks. 6. Samsung Remote Test Lab URL: https://developer.samsung.com/remotetestlab/ Cost: FREE If your testing is specific to Samsung devices, here you have a solution. Samsung has made its devices available to the public for testing through the Samsung Remote Test Lab. Check on the requirements to connect to the test lab, register with your email id, and you will get an option to choose the device, OS version, and some limited period. 7. The Firebase Test Lab URL: https://firebase.google.com/docs/test-lab Cost: FREE - Pay as you go The Firebase test lab allows you to test your app on devices hosted in a Google data center. Firebase has several virtual and real devices where you can run your tests. Firebase offers a lot of customizations, which you can do as per your requirements. Test lab also has free automated tests called Robo tests that can create tests on your app. You don't have to write any code or configurations for using the pre-existing Robo tests. Firebase works for Android, iOS, and web apps as well. Final Words On Multiple Device Testing I hope this article helps you with some of the device testing options. Mobile device testing is a challenging job, and you have lots of options to choose from. Do let us know if you find some exciting tools for multiple device testing. We are happy to hear from you. Content Contributor: Ranvitha Rao, QAonCloud"

"In terms of software testing, the year 2020 had plenty to offer. A big trend this year was artificial intelligence alongside automation. The trends have begun to migrate to new verticals as we head toward 2021. Software testing has been driven to a new stage now by the need to develop quality software. The trends in Software testing are evolving. You can sense the shift is in the air already. Many Companies/businesses are starting with Agile, DevOps, etc. Let us discuss where the software testing industry is heading to stay one step ahead in the coming year (2021). trends. Top Trends In Software Testing Industry - 2021 1. Automation for Mobile App Testing: We can see a rapid/flourishing growth in the use of handheld devices and apps. There are millions of smartphone applications listed in various play stores with different operating systems today. Also, the development of more and more complex technologies that are capable of handling multiple consumer needs. It requires checking from end-to-end. So, in mobile app testing, the trend of increased automation persists until 2021. 2. Testing IoT (Internet of Things) With the latest technological advancement, the Internet of Things is getting bigger. The critical focus of the IoT testing will be safety, usability, compatibility with the systems, data integrity, performance, and scalability. According to a survey, IoT is expected to see a significant increase in growth and testing. We cannot ignore the testing of IoT in 2021. 3. Automation for API and Service Test The use of APIs is increasing every day. QA team has to ensure that the APIs interact well and are operating independently. Test Automation on the API and service level will rise as we go on into 2021. 4. More info/data, better quality product In Software Testing and Quality Assurance, data plays a vital role. Test teams are now looking for ways to successfully process data into specific observations, validating it against multiple standards such as precision, accuracy, duplication, and completeness. More and more data aims to boost a product's quality and will undoubtedly be on the rise in 2021. 5. Blend of Manual and Automation Testing Testing applications without human(manual) testing is insufficient since some things cannot be addressed by automation testing. There has been an increase in automation and the need for automation testers in recent times. Like user experience, usability, design, etc., various aspects cannot be covered by automation. Therefore, when it comes to the Software development process, the balance for manual and automation testing is the testing future. So, the trend for 2021 will be the search for the right balance between manual and automation testing. 6. Robotic Process Automation As the name implies, it features Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Cognitive Computing. For better process performance, RPA is used to automate data-intensive and repetitive tasks. RPA is undoubtedly going to be something you need to follow in 2021. 7. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) The Davos Economic Forum has declared AI and ML as the trendiest approaches that will become the main drivers of the next industrial revolution. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence implementations are expected to continue throughout the testing industry in the coming year and beyond. 8. Blockchain Testing For banking, automotive, cryptocurrency, blockchain technology is critical. The main goal of Blockchain Testing is to provide the highest level of protection for any economic transaction. 9. Agile & DevOps In the Software Development industry, Agile and DevOps are trending topics. Most companies noticed Agile and DevOps methodologies' advantages and used the Agile Framework and DevOps process for software testing. These models allow the tech team to produce high-quality IT products, obtain a quick review, and reach the market more quickly. This trend will stick in 2021, for sure. 10. Key Testing Tools In the software development process, testing tools play a vital role. In 2021, the use of Open Source tools for software testing will increase."

"Importance of Customer Experience Testing Do you know who has the supreme power of authority in any business in the Digital world? Well, you guessed it right. “THE CUSTOMERS” A customer who has a positive and happy experience with business always remain loyal and stay with the product for a longer period. According to research by American Express, 86% of customers are willing to pay more for a better experience. Remember, “word of mouth travels fast!” So, if a company wants to outperform its competitors, it should invest in the best teams, processes, and technology along with a clear customer-focused vision. An effective customer experience testing strategy plays a vital role in reaching the business objectives with the best customer experience. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE TESTING In today’s digital world, end-user delight has become paramount for every business. The customers are the ultimate decision-makers and thus have the power to make/break a business with the social media channels available today. The customer experience testing needs to be a continuous process as the user expectations of a product/service are continuously evolving.With the increased emphasis on product quality, the companies have to strengthen the quality assurance solutions to go in-line with the present market competition.QUALITY IS THE BACKBONE OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. Customer experience testing is different from regular exploratory testing. Even though verification-driven testing is the fundamental element of testing, the organizations should also give equal importance to continuous quality processes to cope with current trends like DevOps and continuous delivery.The QA team should keep in mind the following points to design the best customer experience strategy: Understand the target customers Learn to live the customer’s journey. Think from the customer’s point of view and understand their behavior and intent behind the product interaction. A customer journey map helps assess the different testing needs like functional, performance, security, data privacy, etc. Remember that these factors differ according to demographics. User-Centric approach A user-centric approach to testing helps identify the defects long before the application goes into production and eliminates the negative impact on the customer experience. Automation Accelerate and enhance the testing methods by using automation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), coupled with automation, help test and monitor the end-end digital user experience continuously. Effective test strategy A well-defined customer experience test strategy based on the user analytics and customer data helps the QA team to understand the customers from all perspectives and ensures coverage of the maximum user flows. User Analytics User analytics are very important in understanding customer behavior and gives us a better insight into his preferences. This way, the QA team should concentrate on the most widely used flows, transactions and devices. Focus on Performance The performance parameters should also be given importance in conjunction with the functional behavior of the system. Remember, this is a fast-moving digital world, and if your product’s performance in terms of velocity is not satisfactory, then the business might end up losing its customers even though it is functionally good. Example: Let us consider a user coming to an e-commerce website to purchase a product.Here, the QA team should validate the customer experience in three stages. Pre-Purchase Purchase Process Post-Purchase In the Pre-Purchase phase, the team should focus on the aspects like: Accessibility of the application Compatibility Contact details User Interface Available information Options Look and feel of the app Product details Available offers, if any Screen navigations User intuition In Purchase phase, the tester should focus on the following points: Screen Navigations Confirmation Messages Cancel Transaction Mode of Payments Transaction Failures Secured Payments Shopping Cart Response Times In Post-Purchase phase, the tester should focus on the following points: Order Status Delivery Times Shipment Tracking ID Proper package Invoices Return Policy Order History These are just a few validation points. There will be many more checks once you enter into the application while testing. Final words- Customer experience Testing A positive interaction, communication, and trust are significant for any business to keep their customers longer. Quality of service is what makes your customers happy. It is said that 60% of users will not return to a website once they have had a bad user experience. A business cannot let its customers go to their competitors, which will significantly impact their revenue. So, implementing the best customer experience test strategy, quality standards, and methodologies is a must for any product before it hits the market."

"fintech application testing infographic Fintech Fintech is about the idea of the financial sector going digital. To put it merely, Fintech is anywhere where technology applies in financial services. Today, we can perceive how the financial world is changing quicker than at any other time! The tools provided by fintech are changing how many consumers track, oversee, and facilitate their finances. Everyone with a smartphone utilizes some mobile payment. For instance, applications like Phonepe, PayPal, google play permit users to transfer money through the internet or mobile technology; this is nothing but fintech. Why do we need Fintech Application Testing? Financial Technology is, by and large, progressively utilized in many industries to make processes like mobile payment, loan management, bank security, money transfers, fundraising, etc. Thus, it turns out to be crucial to check fintech applications that involve any money transfer, third party payment gateways, sensitive financial data, and so on; Henceforth, before the application's release into the market, testing of these fintech applications are necessary. Let’s look at some of the characteristics of Fintech Application Real-time processing Batch processing Fintech applications can run a massive number of simultaneous sessions at a specific moment. Data that is exceptionally private and significant is outfitted with disaster management. Keeps everyday exchanges' track in a recording section. Transactions are quick and secure. Information is critical. Thus fintech has data recovery systems. To discover the error/mistake, it has troubleshooting features. How FinTech is changing the financial industry? Biometric sensors:  FinTech in the banking industry has brought numerous advancements, and biometric sensors are one of them. Biometric sensors alongside Iris scanners are two technological advancements that ATMs are seeing. E-Wallets:  Some of the significant e-wallet companies in the world are Samsung Pay, PayPal, Android Pay, and Apple Pay. These wallets are utilized for plenty of purposes, specifically P2P payments, top-up and utility charges, booking tickets, etc. This is where the fintech application testing comes to play. Mobile Banking: Most of the banks today have mobile applications that have a user-friendly interface. Additionally, banks have also introduced mobile apps that recognize the fingerprint of the user. Conclusion: In the coming years, the growth of fintech will increase rapidly, replacing old methodologies with new technological ones. With retail banking software, financial core banking software, and many other components, it is all set to become even more prominent. The future of fintech will be bright in the upcoming years and so is the Fintech Application Testing!"

"At the point when you start to find out about test automation, you may go over the expression "Test automation framework". Perhaps some of you get overwhelmed with this term and start to feel that it is something that is tough to understand and considerably more hard to execute. The Test Automation Framework  is nothing but  a set of rules. Firstly, let us understand what the Test Automation Framework is? It is a platform where all the required sets of tools, libraries, and all the specialized components for Test Automation in a sole spot are what we call Test Automation Framework. Let's see an example for better understanding. Suppose you go to a railway platform and you want to board a train, then all the necessary information regarding how to get in and out of the train will be available at a single place, which makes it easy to board the train. Like there is an information center, ticket counter, and a resting area all at a single place. Imagine if these were in different far places, then it would not be easy to board a train. Similarly, the automation framework will provide all the required features for test automation in a single destination! The testing framework is responsible for Executing the tests Reporting the results Why do we need an automation testing framework? Imagine when you have to run a bunch of codes multiple times with different builds to test the application again, and again, it is very time-consuming! So, this is where we need the hand of automation testing Framework because it helps the team to organize test suites and also helps to improve the efficiency of testing. Manual Test takes a lot of time than we think it would, and that is an apparent reason why we need a Test automation framework. The Test Automation framework provides the user with various benefits that help them develop, execute, and report the automation test scripts efficiently. Types of Test Automation Framework Now Let's have a look at some of the most popular test automation frameworks: 1. Linear Scripting Framework: The other name for the linear scripting framework is the 'Record and Playback' Framework. It is considered the simplest of all frameworks. Small-sized applications are tested using this Framework. It follows a simple approach with no reusability. In this process, the tester records each step, such as navigation, user input, or checkpoints, and then automatically plays the script back to conduct the test. For each test case, the creation and execution of test scripts happen individually. Pros: No need to write custom code The fastest way to generate test scripts Cons: Lack of re-usability Maintenance is considered a hassle. 2. Modular Testing Framework: In this Framework, the complete application under test is broken into smaller, independent modules. Then the tester creates test scripts individually. A key strategy in using the modular Framework is to build an abstraction layer so that any changes made in individual sections won't affect the overarching module. Pros: Test scripts are reusable. To make changes, if any, to the application, we need to fix only the test scripts of the particular individual module, and hence there is no need to touch other modules. Cons: To set up this Framework, programming knowledge is necessary. Does not use multiple data sets. 3. Data-Driven Testing Framework: In this Framework, testers can store the data externally. It allows us to create test automation scripts by passing through different sets of test data. Test Data is read from the external files (Excel Files, Text Files, CSV Files, ODBC Sources, DAO Objects, ADO Objects). Pros: Saves time Multiple data sets are for test execution. Cons: Need a significant amount of time to set up this Framework. Testers who work on this Framework need to have hands-on programming language to develop test scripts. 4. Keyword Driven Testing Framework: It is also known as table-driven testing or action based testing framework. In a keyword-driven test, the documentation of the functionality of the application-under-test should be in a table. It performs automation test scripts based on the keywords specified in the excel sheet. Keyword, Application Map, Component Function are the three essential components of the Keyword-driven testing framework. Pros: Doesn't require much programming skills. The code is reusable. Cons: It is complex and time-consuming. Initial Set up the cost of the Framework is high. 5. Hybrid Testing Framework: As the name suggests, it is the combination of two or more previously mentioned frameworks.  We can adapt a hybrid framework to get the best test results. In the current market, most of the teams are building this Framework. Pros: Quickest and less costly approach to build automation scripts because of code re-usability. Useful to automate any application. Cons: For common code and business logic code, there are no separate function libraries. To maintain reports for test results, error logs there is no reporting mechanism. Final words: The above-mentioned framework is the most common frameworks in use by the testing  fraternity. Test automation using test automation framework has numerous points of interest (advantages), for example, quicker defect identification, reusable test scripts  and least intervention by  people while running the test scripts. Henceforth, Test automation Framework plays a vital role in automation testing and is an essential part of any successful automation testing process. So, choose the Framework that suits best to your project."

"Tools for automating MAC: Before looking at the best tools for automating MAC stand-alone applications, let's have a glance at 'Standalone application' ! A standalone application is an application that runs locally on the device and doesn't require anything else to be functional. All the logic is built into the app, so it doesn't need an internet connection nor any other services installed. They are not bound to any specific platform, and there is no need for installing them, which makes them a better solution for your problem no matter what platform you are. Well, there are a limitless number of tools available for automating Mac standalone applications. But, we are listing out the very best tools only! "Tools that help you work smarter, not Harder," Tweet Automator: "Don't repeat yourself"! If you are already fed up by doing the task repeatedly, and it's so boring, then there is a solution for it! Apple has developed an automation framework called "Automator."It has been around for more than a period of ten years!  It is free and comes along with OS X and provides a drag and drop Graphical User Interface to automate the tasks. This makes the work super easy. You do not need any scripting knowledge as automator workflows are easy to create with the GUI. For example, When you are very busy, you don't realize how many apps you have opened. And it is very time-consuming to close all the apps by yourself. But with the help of Automator, you will be able to quit all the apps at once! The Automator library consists of hundreds of actions that help you to create workflows.So, a workflow is nothing but a series of actions to be performed for a task.These actions can interact with the applications of macOS. To perform the tasks using an Automator, you need to trigger the workflows. A hotkey, a folder action, a Services trigger, or an application are some of the triggers. Source: https://support.apple.com/ Tools for automating MAC - automator Now let's have a look at the types of workflows you can create using Automator! Workflow: It is nothing but a collection of one or more actions. It can be run from within an Automator. It can run as an application and is triggered by folder action, service action, voice command, etc. Application: Application is a standalone workflow. These are self-running applications. It runs when you open it or drop files or folders on to it. Quick Action: You can add these Quick Action workflows to Services Menu, Touch bar and finder window. Service: This triggers workflow as a part of the Contextual Services menu. They accept text or files from the current application or the Finder. They appear in the Service Menu. Image Capture: This workflow runs in the Image Capture Application. Dictation Command: We can run the workflow using a specified voice command, such as opening a specified file. Calendar Alarm: This workflow runs when a calendar event occurs. Automation workflows can save you from repetitive tasks  like typing, clicking, cursor movements, image resize, rotation and many more.Also, whenever you have multiple applications that perform action on  the same file, you can use Automator. Keyboard maestro: Keyboard Maestro is a premiere automation software for   macOS that allows you to customize your computer.  It is termed as the most powerful Mac automation app available that can automate any tasks, Control applications and manipulate text/images.It can automate tasks that range from simple to very complex using its hundreds of  Built-in actions. Here, you can create a macro by adding any number of actions from the list of actions available in the software.The actions are combined using Full Flow Control with variables,controls and loops.Scripted actions like apple script,javascript, python etc., can also be used .The macros are triggered by many triggers like hotkey,Application,Folder,Login,Remote and many more. Source: https://www.keyboardmaestro.com/ The three major functionalities of Keyboard Maestro includ Automate Any Tasks : It can certainly automate anything right from a simple task like launching a page to trivial complicated tasks like multi-application reporting systems. Control Apps: It can control the apps like open the app,play music,typing your email,open specific documents etc.,It can also help you to fill the forms and generate the reports. Manipulate text and images: It handles texts and images by transform texts, filter clipboards, file downloads ,create images with text ,extract text from images etc., APPLE SCRIPT: Applescript is a scripting language used to automate the mac actions and applications.It comes as a built-in application with macOS and is simple & powerful.Experience in any programming language is beneficial for the users of Applescript.But, the scripting language is like english-like verbs,nouns and articles, which is easy to understand.“Say”,”tell application”,”display dialog” are examples of simple commands in this script.If you have repeated and time consuming manual tasks, then applescript is a best solution. Source: https://macosxautomation.com/applescript/ TextExpander: Quoted "The Indispensable Typing Shortcut Tool For Busy People"; we can find Mac version features through this. Also, it can create snippet groups, assigning abbreviations, and also can add predefined groups here. It helps to configure the keyboard shortcuts, which expands automatically to significant texts. This tool can be a massive time saver when you are doing repetitive writing tasks. It allows you to save texts, phrases, or even entire paragraphs as shortcuts. For example, if you want to type out your email address, you have to type the alternative that you have given, and it will display your entire Email. Conclusion: Automating the manual and repeated tasks makes your life easier and  improves the speed,accuracy,scalability and consistency. The right choice depends on your need. But, each tool has its pros and cons. So, before you pick the best tool for you, be sure that it satisfies the requirement.All these tools are well documented and easy to understand. Content Contributors: Swetha G, & Ranvitha Rao, (QAonCloud)"

"Mobile Application Security Testing services Content Contributors: Ranvitha Rao and Berlincon What Is Mobile Application Security Testing Mobile Applications are used all around the world by millions of people. In fact, there is an increased demand for smart mobile applications. Consequently, the popularity of mobile apps is growing at a rapid rate. As a result, it has attracted the attention of hackers. According to a mobile app security report, 80% of popular android apps and 75% of popular ios apps were hacked, among free apps. Mobile Apps are incredibly vulnerable to security risks & therefore it is crucial to identify and fix these risks at an early stage. Why Is The Mobile Application Security Testing Needed? Well, there are over a billion device users around the Globe. More people rely upon these applications. Therefore, it is clear that these devices are no longer just means of communications. For example, they work as a camera, calendar, notebook, and much more. Thorough testing of these Mobile apps helps protect vast amounts of users' sensitive data from unauthorized access and thus it is very important to secure mobile applications. Henceforth, to deliver a completely secure app to the end-users, we need Security Testing. Typical Challenges in Mobile App Security Testing Here is an info graphic showing the major challenges  of mobile application security testing: Types Of Mobile Application Threats 1) Application-based Threats In most cases, users may unknowingly install a malicious app that may have access to Data. For example, Vulnerable applications, Privacy Threats, Malwares, Spywares are some of the Application-based threats. 2) Web-based or Data-stealing Threats Due to malicious applications, sensitive information like contact, user data could be damaged. For example, browser exploits, phishing scams, and drive-by-downloads are some of the most common threats mobile apps might come across. 3) Network-based Threats Went we send Data from one device to another, sensitive data could get exposed because of improper security measures. Wi-Fi sniffing, network exploits, etc. are some of the examples of network-based threats. Tool kit for Mobile App Security Testing There are many tools available in the market, namely: Zed Attack Proxy ImmuniWeb® MobileSuite Kiuwan QARK Drozer Conclusion Mobile technology is here to stay, so we have to undertake responsible security measures to prevent security breaches. When developing a mobile app, security testing must be the topmost priority of organizations. Hence, if we ensure proper security measures, we can reduce or limit vulnerabilities. At QAonCloud, we provide mobile app testing services as per your requirements. Secure Your Mobile Apps Throughout the Lifecycle, i.e., From Development Through Active Use. Also Read: Mobile app testing Process: Explained Step-By-Step What Is Mobile Apps Testing? Why Is It Important? How to Select the right mobile test automation tool"

"Biggest IoT testing challenges Content Contributors: Ranvitha Rao & Pooja B K Information is a great way to reduce waste and increase efficiency; that's really what the Internet of things provide. -Kevin Ashton, the Father of the Internet of Things. overcome IoT Testing Challenges The term "Internet of Things" was first coined by Kevin Ashton, a British Technology Pioneer, in 1999 in one of his presentations. His concept was mostly based on RFID (radio frequency identification) technology to connect devices. This concept has slowly evolved since then, and today's IoT has become massively popular. Moreover, this has become a reality with the growth of the Cloud. What is IoT? Why is this one of the top tech buzzing words? Well, the Internet of Things has been transforming the world completely. It is a network through which all the physical devices are integrated with software and also connected to the internet to exchange information or data. Through this, We can control any device without human interaction. The use of the internet is increasing day by day. Therefore, the concept of using the internet of things has a higher weight than others. Moreover, any physical device gets converted to an IoT device if it is connected to the internet for controlling. It also helps to manage your tasks smoothly and reduces the human workload. Now, in this blog post, we give you a few examples of such devices in the present world. Smart Phones, Smart Home devices like smart kitchen appliances to advanced surveillance cameras, Wearable health monitors like smartwatches, continuous glucose monitors, Smart factory equipment like driver-less transport vehicles, Smart retail, etc., are few examples of smart devices. IoT technology is growing exponentially. According to experts, by the year 2025, there will be around 41.6 billion connected IoT devices. IoT Testing Challenges With the scaling-up demand for IoT devices in the market, the need for efficient testing services also increased. It is vital to test the quality of a device before it enters the market, as any minor defect in the product could cause significant damage to the users and the business. With a whole new level of approach for IoT devices, the testing team should focus on the key areas to curtail the complexities. With the increase in the number of devices, along comes Challenges. Testing has its challenges. Let's take a look at some of them. 1) Security Issues Security and data privacy is the first and main aspect of any product in the market. As IoT simplifies the lives of many, the number of security risks is prone to increase exponentially. The time to market pressure might lead to more vulnerabilities. So, the tester should think earlier and perform security testing for all the components involved in the system. The testing should focus on multi-factor authentication, authorization, security patches, security of connected devices, data security, strong password management policy, etc., As we know, vast amounts of data transmit between connected devices. So it is imperative to test in-depth to avert and shut out attacks and risks. 2) Network Issues It is required to have a robust network infrastructure and high-speed data transfer techniques for the emerging needs of IoT devices. Testing different network protocols & mechanisms for the device to server connections such as MQTT, HTTP, COAP, and WebSockets is next to impossible. Therefore, it is important to have in-depth knowledge of end-use scenarios, domain knowledge, and automated test suite. Also, ensuring the reliability of these networks is crucial. The QA should test these devices across different network conditions with the help of network virtualization. Measuring performance by various metrics such as battery and memory consumption, CPU usage, dropped connections, long waits, etc., is crucial. 3) Expensive Test environment setup Setting up the entire ecosystem for the IoT is another costly and challenging task. The QA should focus on the cloud and virtualization solutions to create a perfect test environment. A comprehensive test strategy should be built to validate the humongous number of things, software, hardware, etc., 4) Software & hardware Integration: IoT testing is not only about the testing of the software part, but also ensuring the integration with the hardware components. Multiple devices and several Softwares are well- integrated to form a complete IoT system. So, Interoperability testing is a must due to its complicated architecture. The QA should ensure that all the components work together according to the requirements and ensure the combination of products and networks enables seamless communication. 5) Lack of Standardization of IoT system It is challenging to test IoT devices when there is a lack of uniform standardization of IoT systems as most IoT device manufacturing companies build devices as they want. In turn, this makes it difficult to use the devices and creates problems for the users as they may have to compete and often conflicting standards. The common standardization problems occur in an IoT system at four levels, namely, platforms, connectivity, Business Models, and the applications. In general, testers conduct the testing based on the use case and the device system's intended use. There will be a lack of standard testing procedures at all levels, and that is why it is the major IoT testing challenge. 6) IoT Device Diversity There are different types of IoT devices available in the market today. These diverse IoT devices and applications demand in-depth knowledge of testing techniques and strong testing capabilities. It is necessary to maintain consistency in the performance of the applications across all devices simultaneously to achieve better user experience. Testers must develop the best test strategy by understanding architecture. In case, the system depends on a third-party service, there is a possibility of test failure due to the changes in third-party services. But those failures can be detected through automated tests. IoT Testing Challenges Conclusion: The Internet of Things has the potential to connect different devices, making human life much more comfortable. Also, the testers can not move ahead with the traditional testing process and they have to develop new skills in the relevant domain. Creating conventional test methodologies, executing the right practices, automation, and overall knowledge of software, hardware, networking, protocols, security, etc., are essential for the testing team to check this connected world."

"Regression Testing and Retesting sound very similar, but they are two different terms used in different situations in Software Testing. Regression Testing and retesting meaning What is Regression Testing? Regression Testing is a type of software testing used to check the change of code/defect fix does not impact the originally working functionality of the application. The regression test cycle consists of a set of test cases that verifies the new functionality of the application as well as the existing functionality to make sure that the changes do not break the application. Regression is exhaustive in nature and hence automation is preferred in many cases. It is always advisable to create an automated regression suite and run them as often as possible for each build/release. For example, If a  build 2.0 releases with a list of new functionalities in the release notes, then the tester will perform a regression testing on the basic functionality of the application to ensure the new functionality does not impact the existing functionality. The tester also checks the new code changes with a list of new test cases. When is Regression Performed? In general, the testing team performs regression testing in the following circumstances: When the developer implements a new feature or a new requirement to the existing functionality. When the development team changes the code to fix the defects. Change of requirements A new patch fix to the code Application configuration changes Performance issue fixes In the case of agile projects, the tester should run a regression suite for each sprint. What is Re-Testing? Re-Testing is a type of software testing used to execute the previously failed test cases in the new environment to check the defect-fix. When a defect fix occurs, the tester executes the corresponding test cases and re-tests the defect to ensure the functionality is working as expected. For example, If a  build 2.0 releases with a list of fixed defects in the release notes, then the tester will re-test all these fixed defects and executes the related test cases which failed in the previous build to confirm the defect fix. Difference between Regression Testing and Re-Testing: Here we list out a few differences between these two confusing terms in software testing. Regression Testing Re Testing Ensures a change of code in the software does not affect the working functionality Checks if a previously failed test passes in the new build after defect fix Performed for passed test cases Performed for failed test cases Happens after/in parallel with Retesting Happens before Regression Testing Checks for unexpected side-effects Checks for defect-fix Automation is possible Automation is not possible Defect verification is not a part of the Regression Testing Defect verification is a part of ReTesting Conclusion Regression Testings help to improve the overall quality of a product and ensures the user experience. Many automation tools like Katalon Studio, Watir, Selenium etc., are available in the market and they provide the best automation solution to your regression suits. Performing and expanding the regression test suit for each build helps to identify and eliminate the defects in the early stage. Re-testing, which runs before the regression ( sometimes in parallel with Regression) helps to verify the previous defect does not occur in the new build, thereby ensuring a defect-free application."

"best mobile test automation tool Mobile test automation has become indispensable in the software development industry. Testing a mobile application through mobile test automation helps development teams to progress faster and without breaking existing features. Testing out each and every feature on different devices, operating systems, and versions is difficult and very time-consuming for test engineering teams. Also, the cost involved in building infrastructure and testing teams to test their mobile applications is more. That is why most of the development teams are opting for mobile test automation as this saves a lot of time, effort and money. Teams can concentrate on other important things. There are a lot of automation tools that are available in the market, using which we can test mobile applications effectively. But how do we choose the right automation tool? By the end of this article, you will be able to decide and select the right mobile test automation tool that can help you test the mobile apps. Also Read: Why Is It Important To Test Mobile Applications? Types of Mobile Test Automation Tools Generally, there are three types of automation testing tools, namely, Open-source Tools Commercial automation testing tools, and Custom Tools Types of Mobile Test automation Tools 1. Open Source Tools These are Free platforms that allow testers to access or use source code. Testers can also modify the source code without incurring any costs or charges. These open-source tools can be used at any phase of the testing process, including test case management, bug tracking, debugging, etc. The main disadvantage of Open source tools is limited features when compared to Commercial Test automation tools. Examples of Open-Source Tools include: Selenium Appium Cucumber Test Project Robotium Watir FitNesse Soap UI 2. Commercial Tools: These tools are specifically designed for commercial purposes. These tools are mainly used by large organizations and enterprises as these tools provide extended features and support. Some of the best Commercial test automation tools include: Lambda Test Browserstack TestComplete Testsigma Katalon Studio Micro Focus UFT 3. Custom Tools There will be particular characteristics for the test environment and testing process, the open-source or commercial mobile test automation tool cannot fulfill. In such a case, the organizations will consider developing a custom test automation tool. As these tools are explicitly developed, these tools are considered to be the costliest option. These tools are used rarely. How do people Select The Test Automation Tool The first thing that you have to keep in mind before choosing an automation tool is, there is no “one size fits all” test automation tool available. In other words, not every tool fits for every development environment and pipeline. One tool may work well with one project but not with others. Always try to implement a sample app, which contains all the elements of the production app, in the test automation tool. If the tool is able to handle and interact with the elements and fulfill all your requirements for the sample app, you can consider that as a right mobile test automation tool. Customizing a test automation tool requires basic programming skills. you might be using a record and replay tool, but that will ultimately land you in nightmares if you fail to fix broken scripts. So, it is always advisable to learn programming languages. The following checklist will help you find the test automation tool best suited to your testing process. Checklist To select Right Mobile Test Automation Tool It is important to assess the following checklist before we choose a tool to automate mobile app testing: Supports native, hybrid, and web apps Supports testing in multiple languages Supports various mobile platforms (Android, iOS, windows phone, etc) Supports all the UI elements and the change of orientation of the app from the landscape to portrait & vice-versa Does the tool support proper object identification methods? (native, image, text or coordinate) Can the tool execute the test cases on real devices as well as on emulators and simulators? Will the tool be able to take screenshots during the execution of tests? Can the tool be able to give a report along with the screenshots at the end of the tests? Will the tool be able to execute test-suite on several different devices simultaneously? Does the time taken by the tool to execute tests suits your requirements?  Supports Performance Testing  Supports Security Testing  Does it Support Interoperability Testing   Ability to Record and Playback  Does the tool have required library functionality like Zoom In/Out, Swipe, etc., Conclusion https://www.qaoncloud.com/Choosing right automation framework for mobile application testing, is a very critical task. Our Domain Experts will test your applications, across all platforms with the right mobile test automation that fits your purpose and meets all your requirements. Talk to our Test Experts to discuss your requirements in detail."

"top database testing service providersData Everywhere!Today we have humongous data available. Everybody is Online either making a transaction or surfing the Internet. And that generates a massive amount of data every minute. For example, Google processes 24 petabytes of data every day, whereas Twitter processes 400 million tweets per day.So with these complicated databases and enormous amounts of data, back-end Testing becomes a crucial step towards high-quality software. Furthermore, we often forget how important the Back-end Testing is.  What is Database and Database Testing? The Database is an organized collection of data. It is organized so that it can easily be accessed, updated, and also managed. For example, the Railway reservation system, files on your computer hard drive, etc.Therefore, the kind of software testing that examines schema, tables, triggers, etc. of the Database under test is known as Database Testing. Man believes in what he sees, but a coin has two sides; similar is the case with UI and database. A major misunderstanding that we have about testing is that we believe it constrains to Front-End UI only. Still, every information stored in the Backend is equally essential while testing. Validations for Database Testing 1. Data Mapping: In Software systems, data moves from Front-End (User Interface) to Back-End (Database) and vice-versa. Usually, the data entered by the user is mapped to corresponding table in the database. 2. ACID Properties Validation: ACID is an acronym which stands for Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation and Durability.Atomicity:  This means that the transaction either Passes or Fails. It is also known as All-or-Nothing.Consistency:  Represents that the database remains valid after the completion of the transaction.Isolation:  This means that multiple transactions can run without impacting each other.Durability: Represents that once a transaction happens, no external factors like power loss or crash can change it.3. Data Integrity: Performing the CRUD (Create, Retrieve, Update, and Delete) operations on data, should display the latest information on the Interface.4. Business Rule Conformance: Complexities in data mean more complicated components like constraints, triggers, procedures, etc. So, Tester will have to come up with a proper SQL queries to validate these complex objects. Types of Database Testing Structural Testing: It deals with table and column testing, schema testing, stored procedures, and views testing, checking triggers, etc. It can also involve testing your DB servers.Functional Testing: It includes checking the functionality of the Database (DB) from the end-users point of view. White box and Black box testing are the most common type of Functional Testing. Moreover, the main focus is on how data is mapped from Front-End to the Data.Non-Functional Testing: – It includes load-testing, risk testing, stress testing, and minimum system requirements, and also deals with the performance of data. Testing Process (Explained step-by-step) The process for Database Testing is as follows:Keep the environment ready.Carry out the test.Examine the test result.Validate based on the expected output.Report the findings Database Testing Tools These tools save time and also helps Tester to find issues in a short period.DataFactoryMockupDataDTM Data GeneratorMS SQL ServerSQL TestOracle SQL DeveloperNoSQLUnitSeLite Conclusion The Database is the main and the most important part of almost every application. Hence, Testing it helps to identify the issues before the application is released for End-Users."

"selenium for automation testingContent Contributors: Susmitha.S & Jayasurya.A (QAonCloud)Jason Hugins created Selenium in 2004 at ThoughtWorks. Since then Selenium has grown into one of the best open-source tools for automation testing of different web-browsers. For testing web applications, Selenium is a portable framework.   Selenium Suite is a collection of 4 different components:Selenium Integrated Development Environment(IDE)Remote Control(RC)Selenium WebDriverSelenium Gridsuite components 1. Selenium IDE Selenium IDE(Integrated Development Environment) is a straightforward tool in the Selenium suite. Therefore, It is easy to install and learn. Moreover, you can use Selenium IDE without any programming knowledge. You can record and playback the test actions easily with this browser plug-in. Just add the extension to your required browser. And then you are ready to start your recording through the GUI(Graphical User Interface) provided by Selenium IDE. 2. Selenium Remote Control(RC) The Remote Control(Selenium RC) is a tool used to design the UI test. It is a testing framework that helps the user to develop the test cases in any programming language. Besides, Selenium RC works based on its components. The components of the Selenium RC are Selenium server and Client libraries. RC Server is like a mediator between browser and selenium commands. Furthermore, Selenium RC supports different programming languages like C, Java, Pearl, PHP, Python, and Ruby. Due to RC’s complicated architecture and limitations, another automation Framework Selenium Webdriver was developed. RC is still available, but the support can’t be availed. 3. Selenium WebDriver As discussed above, web driver is a replacement for RC with a simple architecture.  This architecture just needs an IDE to write the code and a browser to perform the test. Selenium Web-Driver permits you to execute cross-browser testing. It does not require any server to interact with the browser unlike RC. Besides, it directly calls the web browser which makes it faster compared to RC. The only drawback here is that it can not generate automatic HTML reports like selenium RC. It supports all programming languages that RC supports. And also each browser has its own web driver like Chrome Driver, Safari Driver, etc., 4. Selenium Grid Selenium Grid is a testing tool that is used in combination with RC. It specializes in running multiple tests across different Operating Systems and Browsers. Grid 1 and Grid 2 are the two versions of Selenium Grid. But nowadays, we only focus on Grid 2 because, as it supports RC as well as Webdriver scripts. Grid 1 can automate only one browser Per RC  and Grid 2 can automate up to 5 browsers per Remote Control. REASONS TO CHOOSE SELENIUM FOR AUTOMATION TESTING 1. FRAMEWORK AND LANGUAGE SUPPORT When a customer chooses a tool for automation testing, they need to make sure whether the tool supports all major languages in software automation testing or not? Selenium supports all major languages like Java, Python, JavaScript, C#, Ruby, and Perl programming languages for software automation. When we write your script in any one language, it will convert it into Selenium compatible codes. Every Selenium supported language has dedicated frameworks. It helps to write test scripts for selenium automation tests. 2. EASY TO USE Selenium script is not like a sophisticated algorithm. To begin with selenium automation testing, the customer has to be satisfied with the documentation on the selenium website. In the Firefox browser, the Selenium IDE extension can record and play the functionality to generate the Selenium script for reference. Also, Selenium supports parallel test execution. 3. CROSS-BROWSER AND CROSS-DEVICE TESTING SUPPORT Like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Opera, and Edge are the commonly used browsers, and selenium script is compatible with all these browsers. For every browser, we need not rewrite the script, just the same script for all browsers. And Selenium web driver can work across multiple devices and can write automated test cases for testing on Blackberry, Android,iPhones. 4. WORK WITH THE VARIOUS OPERATING SYSTEMS Selenium is a very portable tool that supports and works with different operating systems especially like the Windows, UNIX, LINUX, etc. Hence, if you create test suites in any platform like Windows, you can execute the same test suites on other platforms like UNIX or LINUX. 5. LESS HARDWARE USAGE When you compare with other vendor automation tools like QTP, UFT, etc., you will find that the Selenium requires less hardware. Besides, Selenium is free and has a zero license cost. 6. EASY TO IMPLEMENTATION Selenium provides a user-friendly interface that helps to create and also execute test scripts effectively and efficiently. There are a considerable number of communities available to help in case of any need. 7. FLEXIBILITIES  Test management is vital in the testing life cycle. It becomes more comfortable and also more efficient with selenium features like regrouping and refactoring of the test case. Undoubtedly, Selenium is more flexible and usable compared to other automation testing tools. 8. OPEN SOURCE AVAILABILITY Selenium is the open-source availability and also helps to customize the code for better code management. It is a publically accessible automation framework and at no cost, and thus we can use them for good causes. Selenium is the most usable web automation tool because it quickly generates test scripts to validate functionality. 9. REUSABLE AND INTEGRATION Usually, Selenium automation test suites are reusable. Therefore, it can be tested across multiple browsers and operating systems. 10. ADVANCED BROWSER INTERACTION Selenium Web drivers also make it possible to simulate the advanced interaction like clicking the browser back and front button. And also, there are No such open-source tools that can’t provide automated testing for this kind of scenario. Talk to a Quality ExpertWant to discuss your requirements today with a quality expert?  GET STARTED"

"virtualization in software testingSoftware testing is an essential & comprehensive part of the software development process. Therefore, the amount of time and money that a company invests in testing will have an ultimate effect on the end product. A tester has to perform different tasks in the process of testing a product which includes tasks specifically preparation of test environment, performing testing, and reporting bugs. Hence, preparation of the environment will often consume a lot of time and money. In the case of website testing, a tester has to ensure that the software is working as intended on all the possible combinations of memory, OS, browsers, and versions of such browsers. Doing that with the help of actual hardware will add up to the cost of the company. Also, it takes a lot of manual efforts.Virtualization is a smart solution in this scenario. Through Virtualization in testing, we can provide a test environment where the testers can indeed test the software on all possible configurations and a single hardware system.Customization is easy in these Virtual systems. Testers can customize the system based on the client requirements.Hence, if we properly implement Virtualization in software testing, we can simplify our testing methods.Did you like our content? Read more informative blog posts here.QAonCloud is a software quality as a service platform. We offer a complete package of various automated testing solutions. Talk to our Experts today!"

"Health and fitness for busy people Content Contributors: Ranvitha & Pooja, (QAonCloud) Health and fitness is the key to a long, active, and enjoyable life. There is a saying that ''Health is the actual wealth that a person can retain''. But, in the case of busy working people, their tight schedule becomes more difficult to maintain their health and to be fit. So, here we are to remind you how important your health is? And how can you be healthy & fit in your busy working schedule? Importance of Health and Fitness For Busy People As we all know that Health and Fitness play a vital role in each individual's life, so health should be the top priority for you and do anything to hustle and stay fit. The longer, harder, and more often we exercise, the higher the health benefits, reducing the risk of deadly diseases such as cancer, heart attacks, and diabetes, based on scientific research. Staying healthy and being fit seems like an uphill struggle. Well, if you manage some time in your day and walk uphill, that would do a miracle to health. But when it comes to busy working people, their priority level towards health has decreased. Health and fitness for busy people Toss out your fitness routine in the busy life schedule In fact, busy & fitness doesn't go hand in hand. With a bustling lifestyle and hectic work life, it is obvious that we will take our body and mind granted. The busier we become, the shorter our days seem. Hence planning for any fitness routine will be tossed out. Saying always "busy" is just a state of mind where it all depends on making a priority. So, don't let your busy routine stop you from being healthy and fit. To build your healthy lifestyle, it requires discipline at first so, start with your physical workout soon after bed and consume a pack of nutrition in your breakfast. This routine will help you to maintain your physical health and fitness. How Our Testers Maintain Their Health & Fitness at QAonCloud: Health & Fitness for busy people at QAonCloud Here are 7 great health hacks that you can get into without having to sacrifice anything else you need to get done. 1. Give priority to your fitness: Fitness defines a person's state of being fitted and the quality of well-being. Regular exercise activates your energy system and leads to a higher level of consciousness. So, make sure your physical and mental health condition is healthy and fit enough to perform daily activities with your full potential. 2. Find some different ways to exercise: If you feel that you are too busy and you don't have time for exercise, then try out some easy tasks at your workplace. If you sit for hours in the workplace, being at your chair, move your legs both clockwise and anticlockwise for some time. Sometimes use the staircase instead of lifts or elevators; it will promote good blood circulation. Try to avoid watching the system continuously; it will dehydrate your eyes, causing irritation and redness in your eyes. You can blink your eyes frequently and, for a while, look on distance objects further than your desktop. 3. Keep a hygienic environment around you: Though hygiene seems like common sense, personal hygiene at any place is quite important. One Personal benefit of having good hygiene is having better health. The surrounding environment should be squeaky clean to surround yourself with positive vibes and aura. Unhygienic surroundings can make you feel stress & mood off, prompting you to distract from your work activity or by decreasing your activeness towards work. So, keep your surroundings neat and clean with positive energy. 4. Get a regular health checkup: Regular health checkup is to ensure that you are free of diseases and to identify early signs of any health issue. Having a health checkup is also to examine your lifestyle to see what improvements can be made in your diet and physical activity. So, in your busy schedule, try to go for a checkup once or twice in a month to know about your health condition so that you can improve it further. Nourish your health and body correctly to enhance your performance in any activity. 5. Live a stress- free life: According to George F. Burns, "A stress-free life is a vital key to longevity." Stress became a significant and common problem for many people, which leads to an unhealthy lifestyle. For a stress-free life, exercise is the best remedy. Along with this, do yoga, meditation, or any other alternatives which will impact your overall internal and external body. 6. Make your To-do list: Make a habit of making the list of things that you want to do in your spare time. Once the file is ready, arrange it according to your priority. Try to do at least three things from those lists so that it helps you to remain fit throughout the day. 7. Recreation: One more thing you can do to stay healthy and fit in your busy work life is to engage yourself with some recreational activities. It's an activity of leisure for enjoyment and amusement, which is an essential element of human psychology and biology. Below are some of the best recreational activities: Early morning walk or cycling Visiting amusement parks Another incredible way is to listen to your favorite music. If you strive to find a new time to get to the gym or to get to a dance class, then assimilating exercise into your lifestyle might help you to stay fit and healthy even when your schedule is so hectic. Health and Fitness For Busy People - conclusion Conclusion: Health and Fitness For Busy People Our body releases chemicals called endorphins while we exercise; these trigger a positive feeling in the body, which will uplift our mood. Physical Fitness is mental fitness. Regular exercise will boost up and bring positive changes to your life. As well as it will enhance your confidence & Self-esteem. Hence creating a lifestyle, focusing on health and fit, along with your day to day life is just like making a personal investment. It will give you tremendous benefits. ''To move towards the liberation of a happy and healthy life, Remove what binds you by doing exercise or yoga''. Talk to a Quality Expert Want to discuss your requirements today with a quality expert?  GET STARTED"

"website testing - the guide for QA engineers Here is an infographic on Website Testing We can't ignore the fact that the internet has become an integral part of our life. People are making decisions by googling the information on the Internet. Therefore, having or hosting a website for the organization is no longer an option but mandatory for all kinds of businesses to stay relevant in this fast-changing market. It is every organization's responsibility to host a website that is informative, user-friendly, and accessible to anyone around the world. To ensure the Accessibility, Security, and functionality of a site, thorough testing of the website is very necessary. It is required to perform End-to-End testing on the web-based systems to make sure that the system is fully functional and is acceptable to real-time users before it goes live for end users. UI design and functionality are the two major areas to focus in testing web applications. Hope this infographic is informative to you! You can read more QA related topics here https://www.qaoncloud.com/blog You might still have some questions in your mind. Please don't hesitate to leave them in the comment section. Our team will be more than happy to answer them. Share this content with your colleagues and friends on social media. Talk to a Quality Expert"

"e-commerce testing techniques intoduction:Planning, designing, and finally building an eCommerce website is a time taking and complicated process. If we take no step to ensure the functionality of the app, all the efforts and the time spent to build the application will go in vain. Testing an eCommerce website requires domain knowledge and different website testing techniques. In this article, we have mentioned some critical e-Commerce testing techniques that can fuel up your testing process. Structure Of An E-com Site: e-commerce testing techniques Any e-com website will have a standard site structure and theme, that includes:A HomepageSearch Results PageProducts PageOrder FormOrder Confirmation PageLogin PageAccount Management PageFeedback on the buying experience In addition to these above-mentioned pages, e-com businesses might have more web pages. But the journey of a typical online customer would be mostly around these pages. And also that's where we have to do rigorous testing. The ideal way of testing e com site is to test individual services like product search, customer service, booking portal services, payments and account management services, etc., We should test the integration of all these individual components thoroughly. Hence, We should ensure best customer experience at the end of the testing. e-commerce Testing Techniques - Key Areas To Focus: Continuous testing is crucial in e-commerce website / mobile application Testing. Ensuring software reliable performance and by maintaining the optimum quality of the website/application can help in making customers happy. Therefore, the process of testing requires a tester to pay more attention to every minute detail of the web application.The testing process, which we usually carry out to test web applications, is also applicable in e com testing. In addition to that, we also have to consider some generic techniques that are specifically for an e-commerce business. The following are the key areas to focus and to apply the best e-Commerce testing techniques: e-commerce testing techniques 1. The Functionality Of Application (homepage, product details page, categories page) Before performing functional testing of the application, we need to have a basic understanding of e-commerce application, be it a website or a mobile app.Any e-commerce application will have pages like Home page, Products page, category page, Shopping Cart, etc., which plays a crucial role in providing users an excellent buying experience. Also, there will be search algorithms that let users search for the product and sort & filter options. What A Tester Should Test? Test whether the slideshow that appears on the homepage (HERO IMAGE) is clickable and is taking users to the relevant page. Also, verify whether the  Check the loading and playing speed of the slideshow and compare it with the loading speed of the rest of the content.Verify the functionality of the sort option. The user should be able to sort based on brand, price, reviews/ratings, etc.Search based on attributes of the product, brand name, or product name and also verify the results are relevant.Select a product and go to the product details/information page. Check display images of the products are correct and also the specifications, reviews, checkout & delivery options and make sure every element is functioning as it is intended to be.Also, check the navigation functionality by going through the categories and subcategories.See and verify compatibility with different browsers and platforms. The application should have language support for global customers.Finally, the system should be able to handle run-time errors. Ensure that the system is displaying the proper message in case of any run-time error. 2. Pricing & the shopping cart functionality Products should be tagged to the price tier before they are set up in the system. The end users must see the correct prices of the products, or else it will lead to substantial business losses. Also, check the performance of the shopping cart by adding or removing the items from the cart. What A Tester Should Test? Check whether the correct prices of the product are being loaded into the system.Add one product to the shopping cart and then see whether the amount shows any difference in the price of the product after adding it to the cart.Check whether the application of discounts to the cart is correct, and also the amount is shown correctly. Verify updation of prices by adding multiple items, editing the number of items, and removing some products from the cart.Finally, perform negative testing. Try to skip the payment in the middle of the purchase process & verify whether there is any deduction of money from the user's account. 3. Testing the order creation flow The primary purpose of any e-commerce site is to allow buyers and sellers to make buy-sell transactions effortlessly. So, it is essential to ensure that the app is proving a fantastic buying experience. The tester needs to place himself in the buyer's shoes and test the order creation flow from a user perspective.   What A Tester Should Test? Start by verifying whether the user can select the desired product based on the attribute of the product (color, size, seller, etc.).Verify whether the user can add one or more products to the cart and also to wishlist.Sign in to the application and check whether the user can buy the added products in the cart after making a successful payment.Check whether the order is placed successfully, and a proper order number is created for end-users to track the order.Also, check whether the verification note was sent to the buyer upon order creation. 4. Checkout Process & Payment Gateways Payments are one of the most crucial functions that require multiple tests to ensure the proper functioning and provides safety to all the online transactions made in the application. Nobody likes to get stuck on the payments page or to see a page saying 'Payment Failed. Please try later'. So, we have to ensure a smooth, safe, and secure payment process. What A Tester Should Test? It is the tester's job to find whether the price is showing correctly on the checkout page.VAT, Delivery charges, Discounts and coupons, if any, should be applied correctly and the final amount should be right.Make changes in the products in the cart, try different coupon codes, change the shipping address to see the difference in delivery and shipping charges.Place the order using all the supported payment methods and see if payment is successful.Validate certain crucial features like coupon code/ gift card redemption and discounts.Find whether generation of the invoice has happened, and the same is sent in the mail to the buyer.In case of a canceled order, check whether the refund is made. Reflection of the same should be there in the same payment method. Also, verify whether the generation of receipt of the refund. 5. Security and Vulnerability Assessment Verifying whether the e-commerce application is prone to any severe securities issues is very important. Pages like login and registration contain essential data of the buyer. It is imperative to protect such information. What A Tester Should Test? Verify the session expiry feature and see whether the user's confidential data like his bank account details, credit/debit card details, and also other sensitive information.Ensure that all the data transmissions and exchanges between the user’s device and the application server are happening through HTTPS protocol. Encryption of the sensitive data like session tokens, credentials and the transmission of the data should occur over a secured channel only.Verify whether there is any data loss during the transmission and make sure that in case of any loss, the recovery systems are working perfectly.The error messages should not reveal any personal information of the user.Find the cookies and the data stored in them. Check whether the encryption of the data is successful and no storage of passwords in the cookies.At QAonCloud, we leverage advanced technologies &  comprehensive testing frameworks to deliver unparalleled E-commerce testing services. Talk to our Quality Expert"

"As we all know, the world is continuously moving towards digital transformation. It has been happening for the past many years. But now, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, the IoT, and so many do you think there is a need to shift from Traditional Quality Assurance to Digital Assurance? The answer is a definite 'Yes. QA must be able to keep up and move away from its traditional approach to face the new challenges. Digital Assurance is the most demanding testing approach to meet digital transformation needs. So, what is Digital Transformation? What are the challenges faced by Traditional Quality Assurance? Also, How does the Digital Quality Assurance meet the expectations? Well, there are many concerns and many questions in addition to digital transformation. Let us try to find out the answers one by one. WHAT IS DIGITAL ASSURANCE? Digitalization is an outcome of technology-induced changes in the business process of organizations. It helps an organization to do its business better, faster, and cheaper by standing ahead of its competitors. So, digital solutions and services provide a better customer experience. Airbnb and Uber are the best examples of Transformation. WHAT ARE THE DIGITAL ASSURANCE TECHNOLOGIES? Here are some widely used technologies in business transformation. SOCIAL MEDIA SOCIAL MEDIA not only delivers the content but also monitors the customer interactions to find out the recent trends and customer requirements. Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin collect a massive amount of content. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Artificial Intelligence set standards. At the same time, it thinks just like humans to make intelligent decisions. Self-guided vehicles and Chatbots are examples of AI. BIG DATA Big Data is for making data visualization to make better business decisions. Netflix, Amazon uses Big Data visualization. CLOUD COMPUTING Cloud Computing is to store, manage, and process data in remote servers rather than the local computers. Apple's iCloud, Google cloud platform, Microsoft Azure, etc., are cloud computing service platforms. Internet of Things Internet Of Things (IoT) is to transfer the data over the network without human-human also human-computer interactions. Smart TV, Smart Watch are examples of IoT devices. What are the challenges faced by Traditional Quality Assurance? How does Digital Assurance meet the expectations? From the ages, quality assurance is only meant to certify the functionality of the software, hardware, and networking components. And the results of traditional QA testing depend on the production defects and from the surveys of the client's customer's feedback. But, Today, the customer experience represents the brand, the quality, and the value of an organization. Customer experience plays a crucial role in the digital transformation phase and hence the demand for a reliable Digital Assurance strategy from the QA. Apart from Quality Assurance, Digital Quality Assurance should be able to address the following challenges: SPEED ASSURANCE The organizations want to reduce time to market while delivering flawless products. Automation, as always, plays a crucial role in the testing market. As the traditional approach does not suit the testing of the trending IoT systems, the companies make their frameworks to accelerate the testing process. Digital QA does not only focus on advanced test automation but also involves more use of Artificial Intelligence-based components in test automation solutions. QA should provide Custom Automation Solutions to speed up the process. ASSURE RISK-FREE BUSINESS Failing to predict market risks on time leads to the failure of businesses. RIGHT TIME and RIGHT TOOLS play a significant role in doing this job. Digital QA is not only committed to testing but also predicts the future. Yes, The testing team does predictive analysis to identify the impact of changes, which reduces the costs of correction at a later point of time. A continuous QA process leads to improved customer experience. Hence, future predictions of market risks is a significant factor in DQA. BRAND ASSURANCE The brand is a crucial factor in any organization. And, the DQA should test the ''Real Customer Experience'' to maintain and enhance the company's brand value. Because Good customer experience always leads to the profitable growth of the organization. SECURITY ASSURANCE ​Security assurance is an essential part of testing. And, the protection of sensitive user information against data breaches and vulnerabilities is a necessity. So, we need to have continuous supervision to find any security gaps. Including that, Digital QA must provide security to all digital assets like photos, videos, electronic mails of the customer. PERFORMANCE ASSURANCE Performance plays a significant role when any new technology rolls in. As there is a need to prepare a well-defined performance strategy, the performance validations should go hand -in - hand with the development cycle. CONCLUSION As the Digital business chain is expanding, it's getting critical to consider quality assurance of any project to make sure the consistency of customer experience. Digital assurance testing is driving a higher focus on QA and Quality Testing. This shift is not only about using new digital technologies but,  also about being creative and effective in using new digital technologies & ahead of the competition. Connect with our experts to leverage the methodologies, techniques adapted by our testers for effective QA through digital assurance. Also, follow @QAonCLoud to read more about Testing."

"Defects, errors, and bugs are the nightmare for any software company. Defects may occur during the development process, but the identification of such defects should happen before releasing the build. Software testing is the only process through which we can identify them. Identifying bugs in an application is not an easy task. It requires a lot of skills relating to the tools, techniques, and also domain expertise. Here in this article, we have jotted out some basic and essential software testing skills that can help you to test applications effectively.As per Wikipedia, "Software testing is an investigation conducted to provide stakeholders with information about the quality of the software product or service under test." The following are the top 6 testing skills that are highly essential for any leading software tester. Apart from the above-mentioned skills, a software test engineer should also have some basic characteristics and also software testing certifications through which the tester can excel in his career. Having automation testing skills will always be an added advantage!We at QA on Cloud, have a team of domain experts vetted and experienced in software testing. We work around the clock and across the globe, to help our clients release a bug-free product.Liked what you read in this blog post? Don't miss reading this articles too! 5 Ways To Improve Your Testing Skills"

"What is going to be the future of software testing? Here are the emerging and latest testing trends that are going to happen in 2020.According to Gartner, by 2020, the costs involved in developing the IT industry will grow from 3.76 to 3.87 trillion dollars. Therefore, we are going to witness a lot of changes and technological advancements in the IT industry. This burdens entrepreneurs with expectations as everyone is aiming for high Return on Investment (ROI). Software industry has a lot to offer, only if you know how to reap its' benefits.Continuous research coupled with new advancements in software industry will help entrepreneurs reap more returns. These new advancements will always come with complexities that can be avoiding through testing. A recent Nelson Halls’ report states that testing accounts for 24% of the software industry spending. With the Digitalization taking over the world by storm, Software testing is also growing enormously. Enterprises figured out that the deployment of bug-free software is possible only through the collaboration between the QA team and the developer team throughout the development process. Organizations' focus has now been shifted to shaping and expanding QA teams & the test environment.We have asked an essential question to our testing experts. 'What trends do you think would critically affect testing & how software testing and quality assurance industry is going to be like in 2020?'Based on their past experiences and also through the observation of advancements in the IT sector, especially the software testing industry, they have cast a few predictions on the current software testing trends in the industry.  Top 5 latest testing trends in 2020 1. AI & ML Powered Testing Comes Of Age AI is spreading its wings in innovative technology. We can expect massive growth in AI in the upcoming years. According to Statista, the total market revenue of AI technology is $14.69 billion in 2019. It is expected to grow further to $118.6 billion by 2025. AI in testing is not a new concept. It has always been on the software testing radar since 2018. AI and ML became the main directions of software testing and test automation. so, we can't deny the fact that testing became smarter and faster after the implementation of AI. QA Testers are applying Artificial intelligence coupled with machine learning in Test automation to predict the quality of the tests performed, to write and also to prioritize test cases, to interact with the apps and websites, and so on.One of our test experts opined that in 2020, application of AI and ML in software testing helps to:  Optimize test suites to find and reduce unnecessary test cases,  Prediction of main test configurations like key parameters, user behavior, and key focus areas. Identification of test cases which are to be automated. Identification of key application points that are highly risky and prioritize regression tests. Understanding Requirement Traceability Matrix based on the keywords in RTM, to ensure maximum possible requirement coverage.The more we use AI and ML in software testing, the faster and reliable results we get from testing. But that doesn't mean that AI will be stealing the spot. Software testers are the one who has to find whether the AI-extracted data is statistically justified. 2. Big Data Testing Most of the business sectors have shifted to data-driven technology. These sectors include industries like technology, healthcare, banking, retail, telecom, and so on. The majority of the decisions in these industries are being taken based on the enormous volumes of optimized data. Because of the massive shift of various sectors towards the data-driven world, our experts say that the Big data testing will grow exponentially in 2020.Enormous volumes of data are being created every minute. In the light of this enormous data, evaluating the Performance and the functionality of the data are the main challenging tasks in Big Data Testing. It is imperative to ensure that the tera bytes of information are verified correctly before performing testing. Considering the amount of data, it is quite challenging to verify and test the data in a given time. Testers require more time to test, and also need more tools to ensure quality.In 2020, we can observe the rise of new platforms that help testers do big data testing in less time. 3. QAOps Development We know that DevOps is a set of software development practices that combines Development and IT Operations so as to shorten the software development lifecycle (SDLC). DevOps helps teams to focus on more important tasks like building features, fixing bugs, and releasing frequent updates.DevOps helps the Developer team and the business operationalists to collaborate. Similarly, QAops abridges the collaboration between Test Engineers and developers teams through the integration of Software testing into the SDLC. Through this QAOps, QA engineers will work in alignment with developers throughout the continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) process. 4. IoT Testing IoT market has been burgeoning. Previously, there used to be a thing called 'IoT-Device.' But now, every device, every product is a part of the Internet of Things (IoT) Technology. Devices that communicate are not only limited to computers, laptops, and smart mobiles but also include objects that have been equipped with chips to gather data over the network. So, we can say that the entire IoT market is depending upon the software, and thus, this is going to be the latest testing trend for 2020.According to norton.com, there will be more than 21 billion IoT devices in the market by 2025. According to a blog post by Symantec, We may observe the usage of IoT devices to direct other Botnet-powered distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. So, it is necessary to perform IoT testing. Monitoring communication protocols & operating systems requires a lot of time. QA teams should equip themselves with knowledge relating to IoT devices; the usability, scalability, and also Performance of such IoT devices.IoT testing will help us assess the safety, to test the compatibility of versions, to evaluate data integrity, to monitor the delay in connection, and to perform scalability testing. 5. Test Automation & Agile Teams Today, the IT sector is increasingly dependent on Automation. The software testing industry is no exception. Our experts said that 2020 is going to be a year of transition in the software testing industry and that we can see a continuous rise in the adoption of automated testing practices.  Many enterprises are using Agile and DevOps processes to achieve 'Quality At Speed.' Test automation has become a significant component in the Agile & DevOps process to perform repetitive tasks, to detect quality bugs faster, to provide continuous feedback loops and thereby ensuring test coverage. Test Automation will not eliminate manual testing. Some testing types, such as Exploratory testing or usability testing, need to be carried out manually. Performing manual testing, along with Test automation, will help robust QA teams to squeeze the most out of software quality assurance. Henceforth, we should no longer consider test automation as functional. We have to consider it as a full-cycle requirement. Final Words on the latest testing trends In short, software testing and quality assurance are going to witness a lot of changes and advancements in the coming future, just like any other development element. That's our list of latest testing trends in the software testing industry in 2020. Did we miss anything? Please share your thoughts on the latest testing and QA trends in the comment section.QAonCloud is a QA-as-a-service based company. Our dedicated testing team provides the digital economy with Test automation services that are reliable, Cost-efficient, and also effective."

" Do you know that there are some Chrome extension for testing to make your QA easier? Yes, we know that there are numerous challenges erupting from inability of testers to perform their task effectively including time consumption. But these google chrome extensions for testing can make things easier and increase your productivity in testing. Extensions are small software programs, which enable the users to customize browser functionality & behavior, as per their preferences. It provides cool features, high functionality, excellent user interface, and a wide variety of extensions for various types of domains, enhances its further abilities. These make the tool powerful for both development and testing community. WHAT DOES A CHROME EXTENSION MEAN FOR TESTING? The tiny widgets that can be installed on your Chrome browser and help you accomplish your testing objectives are known as Extensions. They take away the tedious work. These are lifesaver tools used for QA Testing, as they assist the testers in increasing their efficiency and make life easy. WHY DO WE NEED A CHROME EXTENSION FOR TESTING?​ Using Chrome Extensions for testing software, can help you to block ads on Web pages, add pages to a third-party bookmark service such as Evernote, or translate text. There are plenty of extensions available in the store for productivity, customization, shopping, games, and more. But with so many extensions available out there in the Chrome store, it's quite challenging to choose the best extension that fits the purpose of testing. Don’t worry! Here we have come up with a list of top useful chrome extensions for Testing software to fuel up things for you which in turn increases your productivity. Chrome Extensions for Testing Software products Ghostery Ghostery is a powerful privacy chrome extension in API testing. This extension blocks ads, stop trackers, & speeds up websites. It uncovers all the trackers on a web page and also provides an option to disable individual trackers. Also, it anonymizes data to protect your privacy. Postman Postman Chrome Extension for testing API is the go-to tool for testing API requests – particularly RESTful APIs by sending a request to the web server and getting the response back. It is a single, unified tool that has API documentation & integration tests in one place. Also, It helps in conceptualizing the results of the API in action, without  the requirement of writing any code. It allows users to set up all the headers and cookies the API expects and checks the response. It gives the ability to set-up and switches environment variables on the go and also saves you plenty of time. Postman has a low learning curve. Therefore, you can test APIs in lesser time. Clear Cache Is it a hassle to clear browser cache in chrome browser when you are in the middle of Testing? This chrome extension for Testing allows you to clear browser cache from the toolbar. Be it the app cache, downloads, file systems, form data, browsing history, local storage or passwords, this extension allows you to customize which data you want to clear and clear cache for you in a blink. Bug Magnet This is a handy extension, that gives you access to a whole bunch of tools that helps in performing exploratory Testing. Through a right-click on any field of the web application, it brings up a context menu with predefined values such as in emails, names, phone numbers, and postal zip codes. So, when you plan for exploratory Testing, you don't have to make-up any test values for field value testing. Bug Magnet does it for you. Bug Magnet chrome extension in Testing is a huge time-saver and most of our test experts recommend it. Give it a try! WhatFont If you need to identify the name of the fonts used on a webpage, then this extension makes it a child's play. Hover over the text, and it shows the font name. WhatFont is a simple chrome extension that sticks to its name – easily find fonts on any web page. Bonus: Wave Accessbility Tool This is a tool that provides visual feedback on the accessibility of your web content. This tool injects icons and indicators into your page to find the accessibility. No other automated tool is capable of telling you whether your page is accessible, but the WAVE facilitates individual evaluation and keeps you informed of the accessibility issues. Use this chrome extension for Testing to check if your site and applications are compliant to web accessibility standards. Screencastify Screencastify is a screen-recorder extension for Chrome, we could use while Testing. It allows capturing user behavior & activity on any web page as a video that you can share with developers as test evidence. Talk to our experts today and know more about the chrome extensions we use for our clients."

"Do you know these statistics on Cybersecurity for 2019? According to a report on cyber threats by Verizon revealed that there is a huge increase in the amount of data that is being hacked/breached in the workplace. With the increase in the amount of data, number of users, and the systems, the rate of cyber crime is also increasing each day. So, it is crucial to take a look at these statistics. STATISTICS ON CYBERSECURITY 2019-2020 A study shows that by the year 2020, the cost of damage due to cyber attack may reach $5 trillion. That is why it too essential to ensure that your business process is up-to-date and ready to ward off cyber attack. Additionally, recent cybersecurity statistics suggests that most companies have poor practices of protecting data at work place. This makes the system vulnerable to data loss. To fight against cyber threats it's imperative that companies need some awareness. They also need to understand the practices to prevent such cyber crimes. These stats are needed to realize the real dangers of the virtual world. In order to give you a better idea, here we have jotted down the 5 must-known statistics. Know them and stay constantly vigilant to these threats. As the digital platform continues to grow in scope, the threats will continue to grow as well. Keeping  the cybersecurity statistics above in mind, you can develop your own strategy. Clearly, developing a strategy for comprehensive cybersecurity is a task that all businesses must take special care of. No matter how big or small they are! Liked our infographic presentation of these stats? Do share this with your friends on social media. At QAonCloud, we strive to make the world a better place by providing testing services to budding software companies. We provide tailored solutions to your problems, as per your requirement. Talk to our experts today!"

"Connecting buyers and sellers through the internet are made possible with the help of e-Commerce. The E-commerce websites are designed to have a rapid interaction with customers and then to provide quick solutions to them through the products/ services. But the customers can easily get turned down if your e-commerce website or application provides them with poor user experience.Online customers became more delicate Now-a-days. If they find any minor issue or error on the e-commerce website or application, they probably will leave your business ad in the worst case, may look at other alternatives. Online customers are looking out for the fastest, easiest, & extraordinary shopping experiences. This is why the verification of the quality of applications through testing in e commerce is very critical. Testing In E commerce E-commerce sites are virtual places where buying and selling of goods and services occur through an application. E-commerce is a software or an app that allows B2B and B2C transactions through the internet.Processes like Marketing goods/services, inventory management, fund transfers are done digitally through an application.As money is involved in the process, People should feel secure and also be able to operate the application smoothly because nobody wants to toss out their credit card or bank information, without ensuring the safety. Therefore, testing interface quality and security are very critical. Meticulous attention should be paid to essential factors like the functionality of the product, the correctness of the system in calculations, payment gateways, site performance, and usability, and soon. Because even a tiny flaw can result in a very significant loss of business revenue.The e-commerce sites and applications should meet high-quality standards, as these are very similar to any other banking application. Testing all the features of the application will help us ensure that it doesn’t have any bugs and also to ensure that it gives a better customer experience. Testing in e commerce adds value to the product by providing conformity to the requirements of the clients. The objective of testing in e-commerce The global revenue in e-commerce businesses is growing each year. As per the latest reports from statista, E-Commerce sales accounted for 14.1% of all retail sales worldwide. And this will reach 17.5% by 2021. Since this sector is more profitable than any other industry, there has been significant growth in the number of online stores.The objective of testing in e commerce industry is to ensure Software reliability, Quality, System assurance, and optimum performance & capacity utilization. Software Reliability Software Reliability refers to the ability of the software to perform critical tasks like collecting and securing customer data, providing payment gateway to function correctly in a given environment, for a particular amount of time. Testing software reliability will provide us with insights into many problems in software design and functionality. Software Quality Software Quality is the degree of conformance to the correctness of program logic & implementation. Testing each module while writing or modifying will help us to increase the quality. Verifying boundary conditions and test values & performing interface testing to find functional errors will prevent complex problems. When the user is trying to check out, and the application shows inaccurate tax, and shipping charges lead to abandoned carts. So, testing in e commerce is very critical to increasing the quality of the product. System Assurance System Assurance helps in delivering quality products after the conformance of requirements. The interdependence of the parties (bank, clearinghouse, and the customer) involved in the system makes the process more complicated. If there is an error in the system, all the parties may lose much money, and in the worst case, the e commerce business can lose its reputation. The primary purpose of System Assurance is to increase the organization’s confidence in the e commerce system and also the processes.Ensuring Optimum Performance and Capacity utilization of the components of e commerce system is possible only through the testing in e commerce system. Planning and performing Stress or capacity testing to be sure that the system is capable of performing flawlessly even at peak usage. Advantages These are some of the benefits of performing testing in e commerce industry:Ensures that the system is safe and secure.Helps in making the e commerce application bug free.Enables organizations to offer customers, transparency in all activities.Helps organizations to increase conversions and ROI.Ensures the performance, usability, accessibility, & other features of the sites in the given environment. Major Challenges Invigorate change in technology brings in new features and better functionality. In order to test new features, the tester has to set the environment according to the changes in technology. This makes the testing process difficult from time to time.Simulating all kinds of customers, from a new customer to experienced customer, to meet the needs of testing. And also simulating business environment to buy goods, calculating taxes and shipping charges, and making credit card payments.Tight time frames and budget limitations.Difficulty in the integration of third-party systems in the testing process.Compliance with security guidelines to safeguard confidential data like customer data, bank/ credit card details, & identity. Conclusion Undoubtedly, E commerce testing is a challenging task to perform. The difficulty is due to the complex nature of the e commerce system. But we know how to overcome these challenges to help e commerce businesses make the best quality product.At QAonCloud, we have qualified e commerce domain experts who can test all the functionalities of your e commerce applications. Talk to our experts today!We will explain the types of testing and the key areas to focus on testing in e commerce industry, in the next blog post. So, keep visiting this site."

"Introduction to Cypress Testing ‘Technology make our life easier’, but how about the people who are behind the success of this Technology. Yes, the developers and testers also want to make their lives easier. Even though there exist many tools to speedup the development /testing process, many say that Cypress has made it much easier. What is Cypress? What makes Cypress so unique? Lets us check on the pros and cons of this End-End testing framework. Well, Cypress is one of the most popular opensource, front end automation testing tool, which can be used by both developers and QA engineers. The architecture is mainly designed to suit the modern web applications built using JavaScript frameworks. The main advantage of Cypress is that it can basically test anything that runs on the browser. You do not need any remote commands through the network. It runs in the same loop as your application and hence cypress can be termed as Fast, Easy and more reliable .So, Cypress is purely a non-selenium framework. You don’t have to take the pain of multiple installations/dependencies before you start the work. Cypress comes out as an all-in-one framework, just run the .exe and that’s it. You are ready to start the work. image source: cypress.io Cypress helps to automate       Unit Tests       Integration Tests and       End-End tests. Cypress Testing Services: When you go through the Cypress.io website, we find that cypress provides two services. Cypress Test Runner, which is free and can be locally installed. It is open source and no limitations. Dashboard service is like a web application, which gives more insight into the test runs. It provides features like parallelization across machines, automated load balancing etc., There are a variety of plans in Dashboard service, a free plan, open source plan and paid plans. But, the locally installed Cypress Test Runner would serve the purpose in most of the cases. Cypress Test Runner: The Cypress Test Runner allows you to see the commands as well as the application at once. image source: cypress.io Dashboard Services: The Dashboard gives an overall view of runs, setting up the projects etc., image source: cypress.io What makes Cypress Unique? We have listed a few points to claim that Cypress is unique in its own way. Here is the list, though it is not complete. Free: Cypress is Open source and no limitations/restrictions. Architecture: Complete new architecture built from the ground up that can overcome many shortcomings found in the existing open source tools. Target Audience: It is made especially for developers and QA engineers. Time Travel: Cypress takes screen shots at every step .So, you can go back and see what happened at each step. Debugging: Time travel makes it easy to find out where the failure occurred and debugging can be done by the familiar chrome dev tools. Automatic Waiting: No need of any sync/wait statements as Cypress automatically waits for commands/assertions before moving on to the next step. Installation: Fast and easy set up and you do not have to install any dependencies separately as cypress is fully baked and ready to serve. Documentation: A very well written documentation is available on the cypress website which makes it easy to understand. Cons of Cypress Testing Cross-Browser Support: Cypress works only for one browser i.e. Chrome. But, the cross browser support will be an upcoming feature as per the Cypress website. Supports only one language ‘JavaScript’ Only one Testing Framework ‘Mocha’ is allowed. Conclusion: The main target of cypress seems to be the front-end developers, who can run their Unit, Integration and End-end tests with ease. Using this tool is a relief for the front end developers as they use JavaScript and cypress tests can be written only in JavaScript. The drawback of cross browser testing may not impact the developer because there are not many differences between the browsers and testing in Chrome might be enough for their job. Cypress, on the other hand, may not fulfil the general purpose of the automation testers. You may not be able to use cypress for indexing the web, scripting 3rd party sites, performance testing etc., you cannot do much outside the browser, like connecting to the database. Though there are a few workarounds, still it is a painful job compared to the ease that cypress gives with the front-end automation. Cross-browser testing is something which is expected out of automation scripts. We should wait on this feature to be completely developed in Cypress. Still, for small companies where the users need general end-end testing with only one browser (chrome) cypress can be implemented."

"User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is nothing but an end to end testing which the user for a particular period of time prepares. It is the final step before rolling out the application. This helps you identify if the software is able to handle real-time business scenarios or not. Some companies call it acceptance testing while others call it Final Acceptance Testing (FAT), while others name it as Red Box Testing (RBT).  The generic way of  UAT often occurs before a client or a customer accepts a new system in software development. UAT is one of the final stages of a project. Usually, when  the company develops the product, the user tests the application before accepting the application from the developing company.  So, How does this User acceptance Testing work?  To ensure effective user acceptance testing, we create Test Cases.  This User Acceptance Testing creates Different test cases at different requirement levels. These number of test cases ensure the user the proper coverage of all the scenarios during the testing process. User acceptance testing is similar to the black box type of testing. But UAT requires more than two end-users to process it. The company tends to undergo the various types of testing processes before getting into user acceptance testing.  the application goes through unit testing, integration testing, system-level testing. However, most of the bugs have already been fixed before user acceptance testing.   So, the main focus of this user acceptance testing is on the functionality and usability of the application rather than the technical aspects  Companies who tend to have a software, approach a software developing company. they give the requirement significantly describing how they want their software to be designed. However by testing the application the end-user gains some kind of confidence in accepting the application. The specific focus of this UAT testing helps the end-user check if all the requirements have been fulfilled by the developer.  TYPES OF USER ACCEPTANCE TESTING : Alpha & Beta Testing Contract Acceptance Testing Regulation Acceptance Testing Operational Acceptance Testing Black Box Testing   ALPHA AND BETA TESTING :  Alpha testing :  It is to perform at the developing organization’s site by an independent test team. Alpha testing mainly focuses on finding bugs before releasing the product to the real users or the public. Beta testing:  Beta testing mainly focuses on  Pre-release test performed by the potential or existing customers or operators at their own locations. This type of testing usually done after alpha testing. Focus on finding customer's feedback/suggestions.    Contract Acceptance Testing: The objective of the CAT is to test if the developed software meets the pre-decided and mutually agreed specifications in the contract. The project team works on defining the relevant criteria and at the same time agrees to work on a pre-defined contract.   Regulation acceptance testing : This type of testing is necessary to test the developed product against certain rules and legal regulations.  Compliance acceptance testing is the other term for regulation acceptance testing .   Operational acceptance testing : Operational acceptance testing (OAT) is a common type non-functional testing. The main  usage of this type of testing is in maintaining and developing the projects. OAT may sometime include activities like checking the backup or the restore facilities   Black box testing:  One of the types of user acceptance testing is black-box testing. One of the common testing which is applicable to almost all the levels of testing like unit testing, integration testing and system testing and acceptance testing as well. Black box testing basically examines the functionality of an application without looking into its internal structures or workings.   Tools Used for User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Usersnap Java  Watir, and more Usersnap – Your testers will love it Usersnap is a great solution for asking alpha and beta testers for feedback. In fact, it creates bug reports and gives you visual feedback in the browser itself. That being the case Usersnap tool helps you to discuss with your team to come up with better solutions.  Fitness tool: It is a java tool used as a testing engine. It is easy to create tests and record results in a table. Users of the tool enter the formatted input and tests are created automatically. However, the tests are then executed and the output is returned back to the user. Watir : It is a toolkit used to automate browser-based tests during User acceptance testing. Ruby is the programming language applicable for inter-process communication between ruby and Internet Explorer.   DO YOU NEED SOMEONE TO GIVE YOU A SOLUTION THAT ACTUALLY WORKS FOR YOU?  QAonCloud brings out the best output for you ensuring you the requirements and your expectations are fulfilled. "

"Testing industry is growing. With the increased growth in the industry, the basic knowledge of testing is not sufficient anymore. The demand of 'Domain Knowledge' in software testing is rising. Domain knowledge has become a crucial factor for a successful project. While there are many software tools, methodologies, and approaches existing in the market, there is one more critical aspect of software testing, which would help the tester to achieve his best. That is the DOMAIN KNOWLEDGE. So, what is a Domain? The domain is nothing but a specialized discipline or a field. A person having proficiency in a particular domain is considered as an SME (Subject Matter Expert) in the IT industry. Generally, in any software organization, the projects are categorized based on the domains they work for. Some call it as verticals, like Insurance ,Banking,Healthcare etc., What are the different domains in the market? Many software domains exist in the market. Here are some major domains in the industry. BANKING INSURANCE HEALTHCARE E - COMMERCE TELECOM AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURING REAL-ESTATE, CONSTRUCTION & ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION Hospitality, Travel & Tourism ENTERTAINMENT Importance of Domain Knowledge In Software Testing Is domain knowledge essential only for a developer? NO, it is equally essential for a QA tester too. Quality of the testing can be improved when the person who tests the application has sufficient domain knowledge along with the technical skills. A person without domain knowledge can also test the application, but the testing capability gets better by having the relevant expertise. Domain knowledge would help in Perceiving the terminologies used in the business to understand the application functionality. For Example, you can easily test a banking application when you know the functionalities like Account Summary, Funds Transfer, etc., It makes your day to day job activities easier. Helps you to get into a project easily When you don’t know the concept, then you tend to focus on the wrong things which are time-consuming for your testing If you want to stand out of the crowd, the only choice left for you is to become a domain expert. Then, you will definitely be considered as a value add to the project. How to gain Domain Knowledge? So, one can gain the domain skills by Going through various tutorials on the web. Focus on understanding the business of the application and think like an end-user. Attend domain training sessions conducted by your company and write the internal certifications. It will help you in moving to a project which you would prefer. External certifications in each domain would help you for a better career. For example, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) certification helps you to get into Healthcare projects. LOMA (Life Office Management Association) is also popular when it comes to the insurance domain. We at QAonCloud, have  expertise in various domains. You can talk to our quality experts."

"By now, you might have come across the buzz words like AI, Machine learning and Big data. Out of these, Big data is the term which has exploded over the past few years. To understand the big data, we need to understand what it actually constitutes. So, Here are the 5 Vs of Big Data. THE 5 Vs OF BIG DATA Big Data is changing our world completely and there are no signs of fading away in the near future. There is no doubt about it.   The data which is being fed and stored into the big data might be overwhelming. To make sense out of this data, we have to know the 5 V's of big data, which acts as a basis of understanding the bigger picture. The five V's are as follow: Volume - Volume refers to the incredibly large amounts of data generated each second. Velocity - It refers to the pace at which large amounts of data which we generate, collect & analyze. Variety - Variety defines the different kinds/types of data that is being stored and analyzed. Veracity - It is nothing but the quality or trustworthiness of the data. Value - Value refers to the total worth of the extracted data. we at QAonCloud, offer reliable big data testing services that comply with international quality standards. We perform testing across various platforms. Send us your requirement today or talk to our quality experts!"

"We are already aware of the fact that Google has released Android 10, which includes many new features. But are you sure that your app is ready to migrate to android Q?Do you think that this newer version of Android will have any impact on the existing apps? Do you think your app is ready to experiment with Android Q? WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF ANDROID 10? Even though you don’t want to target Android Q just yet, Some of the features of this new version  are going to impact your app. So, you have to use all of those impacting features to give your users the best experience. Our experts opined that the old apps will have more impact than ever, keeping in mind, the number of new features that Google is offering in this new version. It is important for the organisations to update the apps in such a way it supports all the behaviour changes & features it offers. Now it is the responsibility of all developers to build an amazing UI/UX for the best experience of the users.In this blog post, we are going to take you through all the features that you need to add to your new build and also steps to do while you migrate to Android Q. So, stay with us and read the article till the end. OK! But, How Do I Enhance My App Before I Migrate To Android Q Well, Android version 10 has brought us many features, which aims to improve the UI/UX of the Android. If you are not aware of what new features to look out for, Read our blog post here. (link).The following are the things to take care of, if you want to increase the number of downloads and ratings of your app on the App store. 1. It’s Okay To Go Dark - Reduce Eyestrain & Boost Visibility (DARK THEME) Dark theme refers to a color scheme that uses dark background and light-colored text. Android is introducing Dark Mode at system level. That means, the dark mode applies to Android system UI and also to all the apps running on the device. There is also a feature called ‘Force-Dark’, which will let the system to create a dynamic dark version from the existing theme.  source: developer.android.com Dark Theme will reduce eye-strain, boost visibility in low-light conditions. It can also help in reducing power usage on smartphones with OLED screens. You have two options to make use of this dark theme. One is to build your own custom dark mode for your app or to support Force-dark.Caution: Don’t forget to get your app tested thoroughly if you have decided to support ‘Force Dark’ feature. We have a team of experts you are already performing mobile app testing on various Android 10 devices. 2. Gesture navigation for increased accessibility We have to bid farewell to the navigation bar. Android 10 introduces a full gesture navigation mode that allows users to use apps in full screen. Full screen gestures are known to deliver rich and immersive experiences. Navigating through edge swipes is the new trend! Don’t want to update your app to target Android Q? Then be prepared to get affected by the device’s navigation settings. In the worst case, user may also uninstall your app. source: androidauthority.net If you don’t want your users to uninstall your app or give you bad reviews, just because of the compatibility issues, then you have to ensure that your app is compatible with the complete gestural navigation. But before you release your app to the market, get your app tested thoroughly.During the testing you need to check whether the gestures are triggering any other app controls like, displaying menu or showing buttons etc., Do not let any of your app’s UI elements interfere with the gestural navigation. 3. Optimize Your App For Foldables Android 10 is built to support multiple devices, including the devices with fold-able screens and secondary screens. It also supports a plethora of screen aspect ratios as the screen size may differ from vendor to vendor.Create apps to support multiple devices and It is better to test the app on multiple screen aspect ratios, 1:1, 16:10, 4:3, 16:9, 5:3, 3:2, 21:9 etc., source : developer.android.com The multi-resume feature is another highlight of Android 10. ‘Multi-Resume’ is a feature that allows multiple apps to be in the resumed state. Make sure you use ‘OnResume’ and ‘OnPause’ methods to handle UI perfectly.  4. Make Your App Support 5G Network Android 10 supports 5G network which gives users a super-fast network connectivity with lower latency than ever. Your app should be able to cope up with the 5G network speed, so that your user would get faster access to the info on your app.  5. Check For Bio-metrics Authentication Capability Now google is providing users with an implicit authentication API, which allow them to authenticate their identify using “hands-free” bio-metric verification methods, like facial recognition, voice recognition or iris authentication. But, even though the user verified his identity successfully, they still have to confirm it by tapping on a dialog box, to finish the authentication process. Google has also made some changes to this and gave an option using which you can request the system to remove the Confirm button.If your app uses biometric modalities for authentication, then make use of this feature perfectly. 6. Capture Audio with ‘Audio Playback Capture’ The new AudioPlaybackCapture API helps you to capture audio from other applications. This is helpful for you, if you are creating screen recording apps. If your app contains some copyrighted content and you don’t want third party apps to capture the audio, you can also prevent them from capturing audio! 7. Transcribe The Audio Using ‘Live Captioning’ With Android 10, Google is bringing out another new feature called Live Captioning. This is a revolutionary accessibility feature that transcribes the audio which is being played on your screen. It applies to text and all formats of pre-recorded videos. This is useful for people with hearing disability. Don’t forget to add this functionality to your app.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPv1PkjJ-J0 8. No More Navigating Away! - Settings Panel API Using this you can display settings of the device over your app content. Through this API, users will be able to alter the device settings without being redirected to or launching the settings app. source: migrate to Android Q-settings panel API Through this API, the developers also can change Wi-Fi status or any other important device settings without navigating away from the app. 9. Keep Your Users Secured! - Privacy Changes Android 10 introduces a number of privacy changes. Google has given users greater control over their data than ever. These privacy changes have the potential to affect your app’s behavior and in the worst case, may completely break your app and make it obsolete.This feature gives users more control over when an application can access their location. Whenever an app requires user’s location information, the users can see a dialog asking whether the user wants to share their location information. They can also choose to share this information, when the app is running in the foreground ONLY or any time ( Foreground and background). They also have an option to deny location permission altogether. Final Words: Verify whether your application is providing the best user experience and is compatible with Android Q before you migrate to Android Q. Publish your app to Google Play as soon as possible as it can gather feedback before your competitors get all your user base. Our Team has already started testing apps on Android Q and helping clients to migrate to Android Q. Get a free advice from our Mobile app test engineers at QAonCloud. Content Contributors: Sasi Kumar & Divya G"

"Do software testers really need a testing skills to stand out ? YES! Because “What sets you apart can sometimes feel like a burden and it’s not. And a lot of the time, it’s what makes you great.” Quality determines everything about a product Infact, it is the major priority for all software products. With the booming software industry, the demand for perfectly skilled testers is increasing day by day. This is a big opening which freshers from college are entering into nowadays. Most of the Youngsters do not take any exclusive course on software testing at their undergraduate level. So, when they enter this field, they might know only the basics involved. But, that won’t be enough to improve in this field which is currently earning wide recognition. Having said that, If you want to stand out of the crowd, then, it is not only necessary for you to learn the technical concepts but also grow creatively. This will take you through the in’s and out’s of improving your software testing skills HERE ARE FEW TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR TESTING SKILLS Follow this mantra and keep practicing testing . Because Practice is what makes you learn more and improve your testing skill . In each, it is the performance of a dedicated precise set of acts, physical or intellectual, from which comes shape of achievement. We, at QAonCloud, have a team of experts who are qualified and experienced in testing mobile applications. They will help you make your customers satisfied. If you liked what you read, Share this infographic with your friends on Social Media."

"‘State Transition Testing’ is a black-box testing technique. State Transition Testing is useful when a system shows different responses to the same input, depending on current condition and previous history. State Transition Diagrams and Tables: Representation of State Transitions will be in the form of ‘State Transition Diagrams and Tables’. A ‘State Transition Diagram’ shows all valid transactions in pictorial format. The ‘State Transition Table’ shows both valid and invalid transactions in tabular forms. State, Event, Transition and Actions: An event occurs through a condition. A condition is nothing but an input value given to a field. The event results in a transition from one state to another. Thus, a change of state results in an action (OUTPUT). So, In other words, a ‘State Transition Testing’ is a “technique used to test the ability of software to enter and exit from specified states through a set of valid and invalid transactions.” A state diagram consists of: State Event Transition Action Example: The State Transition Diagram for a Login Screen is as shown below: User account gets locked after three unsuccessful attempts. If the user gives correct login credentials in any attempt, then it has to display the homepage. The State Transition Table for the above scenario is defined as below: The test cases are as follows: TC001: S1->S2->S5 TC002: S1->S2->S3->S5 TC003: S1->S2->S3->S4->S5 TC004: S1->S2->S3->S4->S6 The State Transition applies to any transactional software like embedded software, web software, control systems etc. State Transition Coverage: State Transition Coverage % = Number of identified states or transitions tested / The total number of states or transitions in the test object. ‘n-Switch Coverage’ represents the ‘Number of Transactions Covered’. If we test a valid sequence of one successive transaction at least once, then we call it as 100% 0-Switch Coverage If we test a valid sequence of two successive transactions at least once, we call it as 100% 1-Switch Coverage And so on... "Round-trip coverage" is applicable where sequences of transitions form loops. So, we will achieve a 100% round-trip coverage when we test all loops from each state back to the same state. The minimum acceptable coverage is to make sure that every state is visited and also every transaction is traversed. Sometimes, a transaction can be traversed more than once in order to execute another transaction in line. Advantages Pictorial and Tabular Representation helps to understand the system effectively. Gives a better idea on the overall test coverage. Limitations We cannot use this technique if the system is not sequential. It works very well for small systems, but gets complicated as the system gets bigger with multiple interfaces. ISTQB Sample Question: Question 1 : Based on the given State Transition Diagram of a switch ,which of the following test case is invalid? Options: OFF to ON ON to OFF FAULT to ON ON to FAULT Answer: Option 3: FAULT to ON Explanation: Here, options 1, 2 and 4 are valid as the transitions occur based on the diagram. Option 3 is not valid as the transition is either ON to FAULT Or FAULT to FAULT and not FAULT to ON. Question 2 : Given the following state transition, which of the following series of state transitions below will provide 100% 0-switch coverage. Options: A,B,E,B,C,F,D A,B,E,B,C,F,F  A,B,E,B,C,D A,B,C,F,F,D Answer: Option 1 : A,B,E,B,C,F,D Explanation: Transitions A,B,E,B,C,F,D cover all the states at least once."

"The wait is over! Google has finally rolled out the final version of its new operating system, Android version 10, to the world on September 3, 2019. This version has landed on Pixel devices and some new mobiles.From a user perspective, getting a new version of Android is exciting. For developers and testers, updates in Android brings mixed feelings.You may ask, ‘WHY?’Does it affect the compatibility of the existing apps in the app store? The answer is a ‘YES.’ So, Start prepping your app before your competitors do. Make your existing app compatible with the new android 10.To shape your app to make it compatible, you need to understand all the new features of android 10. There are a lot of new features, API’s and new behavioral changes, which can affect your app when running on Android. This version of Android is set to come to a device near you.In this article, we are going to explore all the new features of android version 10. We will also have a look at some APIs that help you migrate your apps to this new Android OS version. What’s new in Android version 10? Android 10 is designed to create an innovative platform with machine learning and support for new creative devices like foldable and 5G enabled smartphones. The primary focus in this version of Android is the privacy and security. With over 50 features, Google is now providing users with more protection and control.Here are some of the new features to look forward to in Android 10. Gesture navigation (No Back-Button) Google finally bids farewell to the boring navigation staple of Android. Android now supports full gesture-based navigation, using which we can swipe up to go to the home screen; a swipe-up and hold reveal multitasking menu.Swipe from either the left or right edge of the screen will let you go back to the previous menu. Whereas, a swipe and hold from the right or left side of the screen will take you to the last app in the background.This version allows users to enable the full-screen gesture navigation, which will impact every application installed on the device. image source: developer.android.com Supports 5G Networks Gone are the days of 4G. Now it’s the era of more speed and less latency. 5G networks promise to maintain consistency in delivering faster speed and lower latency. Android 10 supports 5G networks by extending the API’s to get more out of 5G and to give immersive experiences to the users. Better Multi-Display Support For Foldable Devices Foldable devices are undoubtedly one of the greatest innovations in the history of smartphone technology. This version supports multi-windows and displays across all devices and provides support to maintain a stable app state as the device folds and unfolds. The main aim was to optimize for foldable devices of all sizes. Smart reply in notifications Android 10 uses machine learning (ML) to predict and suggest contextual actions such as smart replies or opening maps for an address, etc., via notifications. Google claims that they have created this app, keeping user privacy in mind, and the complete ML processing will only be on the device. You will always have an option to disable this feature. System-wide Dark theme in Android 10 Google is now getting behind the dark mode trend. In the new Android version 10, Google has introduced dark mode to both the system UI and the Apps. There is also another feature when you activate the battery-saving mode, and the dark mode will automatically be enabled. Google has also released a screenshot, through which we can understand, that the dark mode will also affect Google products like G-mail, google podcasts, search, etc.,The dark mode is designed to reduce the stress on the eyes and to improve visibility in low-light conditions. It uses a dark background and light-colored elements in the foreground.Watch this video Background Location Permission This feature extends the transparency & the control that users will have over their location data and the permissions they give to the apps.Now in this new android version 10, you can share your location data only when you are using apps. That means, you will receive a reminder, whenever an inactive app accesses your location data. So, you will have full control over your location data and you are the one who can decide whether to share your location in the background or not. Live captions For the sake of deaf people, closed captions are very much needed. To make them understand what is happening or being said in a media like podcasts, video, or a game, where words are spoken, Android version 10 introduced the ‘Live Captions’ feature. Live captions automatically provide real-time captions, of the media, which is playing on a smartphone of the user. Machine Learning Speech modules are used in Android 10 to make content more accessible with just a single tap.Watch This Video Final Words : Get Your App Ready For Android Version 10 So, what features do you like the most? Share your thoughts in the comment section. Also, read our blog post on ‘How To Make An Existing App ready for Android Q?’ to know what you need to do to ensure that your app is compatible with this new update."

"A Happy customer is  the lifeblood of every business. Why do 90% of American businesses close their doors after 10 years?It is mainly due to improper customer service.A good business is all about customer satisfaction. If there is no customer satisfaction from a company, then you can't survive in a competitive environment. Customer service shouldn't just be a department. It should be the entire company. Similarly keeping your customers happy should be the overall motive of a business.Be it a business to business or business to customer, both the organization and your customer should be satisfied with the quality of the company's output.So now, how to make a customer a  happy customer?Also, what can you do from your end to make sure target customers choose you over others?How do you delight your customers? HERE ARE FEW BUSINESS TIPS TO MAKE A HAPPY CUSTOMER Before you know to make your customer a happy customer,Any business you take, be it a sole proprietorship, or a partnership firm, or a non-profit organization or a family business or any type as such. A company cannot run without customers. Depending upon what type of business it is your customers vary. So know who your customers are.For a business to be successful and reach the right people for your business. It is essential to focus on your targeted buyers. YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE DIFFERENT PEOPLE You are an individual. Your company is not a copy of some other company. You have your way of dealing with your business. Your company is different from your competitors.Similarly, your customers are also unique. Not all your target customers need to think the same way. Different people have different opinions and needs. What may be the need for one may not be the necessity for the other. ADAPT CHANGES Change is inevitable. Customers always look for betterment. People still want to lead a happy and relaxed life. To make their life easy, they look for products that give them comfort. So the more you adapt to customer's wants and needs, the happier they' ll be. You need to step into their shoes and find their future wants. Customers always look into the product as a solution to their problems. KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS As we have already told you, you need to know your targeted audience first. Then you need to figure out what is essential note that makes your customers choose your competitor over you. Bring out the feature that makes you stand out for your business from others.Sometimes the experience matters. At times the convenience you provide may delight them . Sometimes, the way you portray yourself ( your company) to others. Know what your customers prefer and work on it. You can take a survey from your customers, do some sample tests, and figure out what works for your business and your consumers. SERVE THEM RIGHT It is the primary factor that the buyers have to be benefited by you. Of course, you need to look into the profit factor as well, but that shouldn’t be the only motive. Always remember that your customers are the king of the market. The time when people bought what was available in the market has gone. Now people sell what the buyers want. Yes, the tables have turned. You cannot do a monopoly business in today’s world. Serve them right. ACCEPT YOUR DEFECTS It would be best if you were quick and easy to access. And you need to ensure there are no mistakes from your end product and services. In case the customer finds any fault or defect. We need to accept our imperfection and apologies for the service. Now, what can we do to compensate for our error here? We can't afford to lose a customer like this often. Can we?You can make the replacement for free. Such offers will make buyers happy. It makes them feel they are valued. It makes them think that we are a company for care for the quality of our product as well. Conclusion One should not think if this brand is worth to take an effort. Your customer is your biggest asset. Once lost, it is challenging to regain them. Make your first impression attractive, and like our companies. At the same time, don’t disappoint your customers by any fake promises. Focus on your products’ quality. Concentrate on your targeted customer. Let your business be cost-effective. And then you are good at running a business."

"Do you know how to perform Load Testing? Why do you need it?Let us take the pleasure of explaining what a Load Testing is! We are going to give some tips on how to perform testing for your e-commerce business.Holiday season is approaching!This is the busiest season for every B2C company. If your B2C business is online-based, then brace up for the traffic wave, that is going to hit your site soon. Even your mobile app will see heavy traffic and will experience more load than your website. But before that let me ask you a simple question. Are you sure that your mobile app can take the load?To ensure, you have to perform load testing on your mobile app.Here are some tips for you, presented in an infographic form. Also, Read this Article to know why it is very important for you to get your mobile app tested.  Don't have in-house experts to perform load testing? Hire our testers today!We, at QAonCloud, have a team of experts who are qualified and experienced in testing mobile applications. They will help you make your customers satisfied.If yo liked what you read, Share this infographic with your friends on Social Media.Sharing is caring and its free!!!"

"Do you know that there is an ideal way of testing mobile applications? In this blog post we are going to explain the entire Mobile app testing process. The extensive use of mobile devices, has made mobile devices as a door to the digital world. Mobile devices became our virtual friends. We have witnessed an upsurge in the usage of mobile devices and applications. People are approaching their mobile devices to perform their tasks quickly. Keeping this in mind, almost all businesses, whether it is e-commerce or manufacturers, healthcare providers or a university, have started delivering mobile solutions to their customers. Now-a-days businesses are more focused on developing robust and reliable apps. Why Mobile App Testing? QA plays a crucial role in mobile application development. Sending an app to the  user with all the features embedded into it is not enough. Mobile app testing should be done before releasing your app in the market for the end user to use. Testing will ensure that the app runs smoothly on all types of devices without any possible glitches. Therefore, rigorous mobile application testing is the most important step you should take to increase the number of downloads of your app in the AppStore. Mobile app testing Process: It is important to know the step by step procedure of testing application software developed for mobile devices. When we develop an ideal mobile app testing process, we will be able to find errors, breaks and bugs which are present in a mobile application. It is always confusing for anyone to know where to start the testing process. So, we have decided to reveal and explain the process we follow. We, at QAonCloud follow this mobile app testing process to test mobile apps of our clients. Steps in Mobile App Testing Process We have divided the mobile app testing process into 6 steps for your better understanding. Step 1: Requirement Analysis The first and foremost step in the mobile app testing process is Requirement Analysis. During this phase, we have to know what are the requirements of the client. That requirement may be either functional or non-functional. For example, Incase of a banking application, the functional requirement will be - When a customer selects ‘View Balance’, he should be able to see their latest account balance on the screen. A non-functional requirement of a banking application will be ‘every page of the system should load and be visible to the user within 5 seconds’. In this step you should be able to answer the following questions as well: Is the application interacting with any other app? What are the functional features? What is the type of the mobile app? (Native, Web or Hybrid) What are the limits of testing? Is the testing limited to front-end or does it include back-end as well? How much space or data does the app need? Is the app compatible with multiple networks? Is the mobile app handling the load well? Ensure that you answer all these questions before you proceed further. Prepare a document on requirement analysis and pass it across your team. Step 2: Test Strategy and Plan Planning is the key to success. During this phase you have to make sure you have proper communication with your team members. Discuss about their roles and assign the tasks. Plan the process based on the client requirement analysis. Make sure your team is ready to execute testing. Craft a test strategy and prepare a test plan document and explain the importance of the test plan document to your teammates. Test plan document is a document that describes the scope of testing, test strategy, objectives, effort, schedule and resources required. Test plan document is a guiding document of the whole testing process. Ensure that your test plan document contains the following in it:  Scope (Inscope and Out of Scope) of the tests Well defined Test Objectives Which testing levels you should focus on. Test schedules to monitor testing process Risks and mitigation plans that exists while testing a mobile application Entry and Exit Criteria Test metrics to estimate the efforts in testing Defect Logging tools and Bug reporting tools to be used Roles and responsibilities Test environmental needs Deliverables, Test Artifacts etc., Step 3: Identifying testing types Identify the testing types which we require to test the mobile app. We have to perform testing of mobile apps, to ensure the functionality, usability, compatibility, performance, security etc., based on the requirements of the client. Step 4: Test Design Based on the Requirements Document / Use-Case Document / Business Rules, develop appropriate test cases and prepare a test case document for all features and functionalities of the app. Based on the client requirement, add special cases to the test case document. Special cases include: battery usage, Speed of the app, internet data requirements, memory status etc., Step 5: Test Execution: Manual and automation testing Create Test Suites for manual test execution and test scripts for Automation. Test execution Can be done through any one of the following options: Real devices or Emulators / simulators or Cloud platform The test suite should include the following: Detailed instructions for each set of test cases Information related to system configuration to be used during testing. We love to test apps on real devices as it is the most reliable approach, which gives the most accurate results. Testing on real devices gives us insights to actual performance of the application. Based on client requirement, we will also use emulators / simulators like Bluestacks. Our favorite mobile app testing tools include, Appium, Charles proxy and Crashlytics. Step 6: Bug reporting The entire process of mobile app testing process should be recorded and double checked before crafting the final report. Testers must submit the most ideal bug report that includes all the information which helps developer to be able to reproduce the bug and then finally close the bug. The bug report should include the following: Information uncovered through tests Quality and amount of efforts Types or levels of testing performed Time taken to complete tests Incidence reports and the stats derived from them. Overall quality of mobile application Include key points describing whether the mobile application is fit for use, whether it meets acceptance criteria. Submit accurate and complete bug report using bug tracking & reporting tools like Bugzilla, Jira, Mantis, Phabricator etc., Conclusion Mobile application testing may seem confusing and time consuming. But by carrying out rigorous testing at each stage of mobile app development cycle, can guarantee you a fully functional mobile app. Before you execute testing, it is always advised to craft a mobile app testing process and follow all the steps without any fail. Want to hire a tester to test your mobile application software? Talk to our experts and get your app tested today! Grab an opportunity to get a FREE Detailed Test Strategy and Plan for your mobile application in less than 48 hours."

"Decision Table Testing is a Black Box test design technique (behavioral or behavior-based technique), used where different combinations of test input conditions result in different outcomes.When a system has complex business rules, then the decision table testing technique helps in identifying the correct test cases. As a result, it helps us to validate if the application/system can handle all the possible combinations of input data. The Decision Tables consists of CONDITIONS and ACTIONS which are also termed as INPUTS and OUTPUTS of a system. The representation of Conditions and actions will  be in the form of Table. Usually, we represent the decision rules as True/False or discrete values or numbers or range of numbers. The decision table or Cause-Effect Table is a technique, generally applied when the requirements/business rules are in the form of tables OR flow charts. The main and the most important objective of Decision table testing is to ensure the overall test coverage without missing any possible relation. However, while creating the decision table coverage, it is essential to consider if there exists any boundary values check. In such cases, Equivalence Class and Boundary value analysis also play a vital role as a complementary to Decision Table. COLLAPSED DECISION TABLE TESTING: When we try to validate the system with all possible combinations of data, the table becomes vast. Validating with huge data is a very time-consuming factor and also sometimes become impossible to test. Hence, the tester should follow specific rules to reduce the test data without affecting the test coverage intelligently. Once a decision table is made with all the combinations of condition and actions, the table is shrunk by deleting the following columns: Impossible combinations of actions and conditions Possible, but infeasible combinations Combinations that do not affect the outcome The minimum coverage for a decision table is at least one test case per a decision rule. Coverage % = The number of decision rules tested by at least one test case / The total number of decision rules. Example: Consider a ‘Login’ Page Functionality. Here are the business rules. On entering correct combination of ID & Password, user should be able to login successfully. User is not allowed to login when any or both of the ID & Password are incorrect /blank. In such cases, it should show ‘Invalid Credentials’ message. We created the following combinations of Conditions, Actions and the respective rules in the decision table. In the above table, there are 2 conditions - UserID, Password 2 Actions – Login Successfully, Error showing ‘Invalid Credentials’ and 3 Options -- Blank, Valid, Invalid. So, the total number of test cases are as follows: You can collapse the above decision table based on certain rules as above. So, let us try to reduce the number of test cases. Rules 1,2, 3, 4, and 5 cover the same action Item “Invalid Credentials” with options Blank and Invalid. Hence, we can consider any one of these test cases TC01 OR TC02 OR TC03 OR TC04 OR TC05 Rules 6,7, and 8 cover the same action Item “Invalid Credentials” with options Valid and Invalid. Hence, we can consider any of these test cases TC06 OR TC07 OR TC08 Rule 9 covers the action item “Login Successfully” with all valid options. Hence, we should consider the test case TC09. Finally, we will collapse the Decision Table as shown below: Advantages of Decision Table Testing: Helps to identify all the important combinations of conditions. Otherwise, we may overlook. Identification of any gaps in the requirements is possible. It is useful at any test level where the software behavior depends on a multiple combinations of conditions. Conversion of complex business rules into simple decisions tables which the business users, testers and developers may use. Limitations: The decision table test case design technique is challenging when there are no requirements or no well-designed requirements. The tables becomes more complex as the number of input values increase. Sample Question from ISTQB: Question: One of the most important test goals for your project is to have 100% decision coverage. Therefore, we have to execute the following three tests for the control flow graph shown below. Test01 covers path: A, B, D, E, G Test02 covers path: A, B, D, E, F, G Test03 covers path: A, C, F, C, F, C, F, G Which of the following statements relating to the decision coverage goal is TRUE? Answer Set: Decision D has not been tested completely. 100% decision coverage has been achieved. Decision E has not been tested completely. Decision F has not been tested completely. Explanation: In the diagram ,there are following four conditions/decisions: A, D, E, F The Test_01 covers A->B, D->E and E->G Test_02 covers A->B, D->E, E->F and F->G The Test_03 covers A->C, F->C and F->G. Hence coverage in case of condition A is complete (A->B by Test_01 and A->C by Test_03), condition E is covered (E->G by Test_01 and E->F by Test_02), Covered condition-F (F->C by Test_03 and F->G by Test_02 and Test_03). The no coverage of Condition D, there is only D->E by Test_01 and Test_02, but D->F is not covered. Hence 1) TRUE: D was not covered (see above) 2) FALSE: 1 of 4 decisions was not covered (see above). So, there is only 75% decision coverage. 3) FALSE: E has been fully tested/covered (see above). 4) FALSE: F has been fully tested/covered (see above)"

"What is mobile apps  testing? Why do we need to test our mobile apps before deploying them in app stores? Mobile technology is undoubtedly a disruptive technological invention and has become an integral part of human life. As per a recent survey, people in the USA are spending more than 90% of the mobile time on the apps. In July 2009, only 65000 apps were on the app store. Now with the new businesses entering the digital world, there has been an increase in the number of apps in the app-store to 3.5 Billion!In fact, Enterprises of all sizes are using mobile applications technology to fuel up their operations and to satisfy their customers. This will let customers get access to a plethora of apps to choose from. But will the customer install your application of all the alternatives that are available in the app store?Will they be able to use it easily? How can we ensure that the app is of best quality? How can you increase the number of downloads of your mobile app?This shows us that there is a need to deliver the best quality mobile app. MOBILE APP TESTING:According to Wikipedia, “Mobile application testing is a process by which application software developed for handheld mobile devices is tested for its functionality, usability and consistency.”Today we are living in a digital world, and all the generations have clanged to the mobile revolution. People used to switch ON their laptops or desktops for everything they need to work on. Now, they are choosing mobile devices, as they are convenient and provide quick solutions. Hence we should test the mobile applications before we hand them over to customers to use.Basic characteristics of a highly efficient mobile app:From the conception of the idea of a mobile app to planning and writing code, there are a lot of elements that will affect the efficiency of a mobile app. So, here we are, giving some insights into what makes a mobile app highly efficient.  Uniqueness and Simplicity in design Great UI Fast loading time and performance Compatibility across various mobile platforms Payment gateways and securing data associated with it. Etc., Types of Mobile Apps:There are 3 basic types of mobile applications, namely, Native apps, Web apps and hybrid apps. Native apps: Developers develop the Native apps exclusively for a single mobile OS. For example, apps built for iOS will work only on iOS devices. Similarly, apps developed for Android, Windows phone, Symbian or Blackberry respectively, cannot be used on other platforms.  Web Apps: These are server-based apps, which will allow a user to access websites on their mobile devices using internet browsers and connections. Usually, developers develop web apps either in HTML or JavaScript or CSS. Hybrid Apps: Hybrid apps are known for their cross-platform compatibility. As their name suggests, these apps are a hybrid, having the pros and cons of both native and web applications. These apps are easy to develop but lack in performance and speed compared to native and web apps.Why do we need mobile apps testing?QA has become an integral part of almost all digital products. In case of mobile app development, QA is more critical. Overlooking mobile apps testing and QA, in the development process will result in breaks, bugs, errors and in worst-case scenario, a bad customer experience. Delivering a high-quality mobile app in a given time frame is possible only through continuous & rigorous testing. As the market is very fragmented, Mobile application testing became very intricate. Quality is the key to app success.  Ensuring the quality can be possible only when we perform mobile app testing on multiple devices, networks, operating systems and in different environments. Therefore, performing comprehensive testing on a Mobile app helps us in delivering high quality app, as the process involves testing functionality, usability and consistency.How a mobile app differs from a desktop app?Usually, we do testing in case of desktop apps on the CPU whereas in case of mobile apps, we test apps on handsets like Samsung, iPhone, Blackberry etc., Desktops use broadband connections or Wi-Fi. But mobiles use 3G / 4G or Wi-Fi connections which makes the mobile apps testing more challenging. Also, the mobile apps should be compact in size as the mobile devices will have less memory and screen-size compared to the desktop. The automation testing tools which we use to test desktop apps might not work for the mobile apps. Availability of different operating systems, screen sizes, models and hardware configurations like touch screens, are making the testing process even more complicated. So, the testing process should be in such a way it results in the creation of highly efficient, and best in the quality mobile app and thereby you can increase no of downloads, app ratings and customer satisfaction.Types of Mobile app testing: Usability testing Compatibility testing User Interface testing Security testing Operational testing Localization testing Performance testing Installation testing Functionality testing  Recovery testing Also read : How to select the right mobile test automation toolChallenges of Mobile app testing (Infographic)Here is a graphical presentation of common challenges we face while testing mobile applications Bookmark and keep visiting our blog to learn more about software testing."

"The art of testing software applications is progressing rapidly. Within the blink of an eye, time flies. Technology? Growth is the watchword. Everyday someone or the other is creating something. But when you look at it only very few of the creation Is being recognized. Why is that? People show interest in other creation only when they can relate it to their life, only when they have a necessity for the new product. And only when the product is really worth the use. Here the product we talk about is the software. While developing the product, there is an imperative step that has to be given equal attention as developing the software is testing the software. The business of the product suffers if software testing is not done properly. Here are some keen things to keep in mind before you start testing software applications. 1. There is no such test called a failure : We all know the words Thomas Alva Edison said when his test case for his greatest invention the electric bulb. “ I have not failed, I just found 10000 ways that won't work to light an electric bulb.” similarly do not ignore the final test result when it says “fail”. because every failure is a stepping stone for success. Every test case provides a solution for the software to work perfectly. 2 . Test coverage:  Break down your test coverage into smaller modules. That makes your work organized. Categorize your test case in certain parts. that way you can try to reach the maximum test coverage if not 100 % 3 .Testing software application is your cardio Test your application in such a way you will find some bug. Don’t have a lethargic mind while testing. The more you test the more you find. 4 . Think out of the box Thinking out of the box is one of the good quality for a software tester. What could be the possible errors to occur ? group all the test cases into regression testing. this helps in a lot of time-saving when comes to manual regression testing. 5 . Be a responsible tester Keep track of all the changes you have made at the time of testing.  At the time of releasing the software, you need to ensure that you remove all the test changes you have made in the code for the purpose of testing. 6.  Give your software testing a SWOT analysis Prioritize your testing. Segregate the testing according to the risk. associate the priorities with high to low risk. it helps you to analyze the work more effectively and efficiently. 7. Focus on the solution, not the problem. It is common to provide a bug report which says where the problem is located. But be a good tester by saying why the problem has occurred. And give a proper reason and solution for rectifying the bug in the future. So, before you start to test a product, just remember that your mindset is as important as your effort."

"Is there anyone in the software testing world, that does not know about the upcoming new trends like AI in Software Testing? There is absolutely nobody in the tech world, who has not heard about artificial intelligence and machine learning. We are using the AI and Machine Learning in our everyday life, either consciously or unconsciously. Not sure? Do you know Siri of Apple or Amazon’s Alexa? YES!? Those are all examples of AI and ML-based applications. AI is the most potent and also the power-packed buzz word, which stands as the face of our advanced tech future. AI in software testing: Using machine learning and artificial intelligence, we can unlock the power of crucial data like project documentation, test-artifacts, defect logs, results of tests performed, production incidents, etc., With the help of AI in software testing, we can undoubtedly drive automation & innovation to improvise the QA efficiency. The improvement will be beyond our expectations when compared to traditional testing. What Does ‘AI in Software Testing’ really mean? The only process that guarantees customer satisfaction of using an application is Software Testing. Software testing helps in protecting an application against all the possible potential failures that might finally lead to a defective software product. AI Era In Software Testing Industry Has Already Begun? The complexity of Software development life cycle and the reducing delivery period are increasing at an alarming rate. Correspondingly, there is a need to provide instant feedback and evaluation to the development team. On the other hand, when the developer adds new changes to the code, the existing code, which has already gone through testing, might stop working. So, after every addition made to existing code, new tests are to be conducted for that code. Also, the Tester may always face a plethora of problems and waste a lot of time figuring out perfect solutions for all those problems. It is time for the testers to stop working harder and start working smarter. The software testers are left with no choice than to adapt and make use of AI in Software Testing and become smarter. Does AI In Software Testing Will Fuel Up The Testing Process? The ‘surface area’ of software testing has been expanded significantly. One application will interact with other application using APIs and thus will grow into a sophisticated thing day-by-day. But these complexities may not always be in a linear trend. So, the traditional methods of software development and delivery, lack of fueling innovation. Even though there is a reduction in the delivery period, the technical complexity in the software development and testing process is also increasing. 1. Testing Becomes A Smart Process It is possible for the organizations to cope up with the accelerating pace of testing through AI. Whereas, the manual testing process cannot achieve the accelerating pace, no matter how hard we try. Also, manual testing too expensive in terms of time and money we spend. And that is where the AI comes into the picture. It helps tester in writing script, analyzing large amounts of data sets, as well as sorting log files, faster. 2. Changes Can Be Identified Easily The regular updates in the algorithm of Artificial Intelligence will help testers ensure that even the smallest change made or occurred, especially in the source code, can be identified easily in no time. As a result, we can check in the source code and notify the development team if there is any failure on their side. 3. We Can Improve Accuracy Of Testing AI, when employed in the software testing, we can derive great results in terms of accuracy of the testing process. Even the most experienced tester might miss some crucial bugs and may make mistakes while carrying out the testing. It might require to conduct repetitive manual tests to remove the bugs and also to increase the test coverage. Therefore, AI helps to automate the scripts to run and execute the same steps in the same order. 4. AI Helps You Go Beyond The Manual Testing If a testing department wants to execute a controlled web application testing with more than 1000 users, it will be nearly impossible. But with the help of AI, one can stimulate thousands of interactive users throughout a network or web application. 5. AI Can Increase Overall Test Coverage AI, coupled with software testing, can increase the depth and scope of the tests. It will ultimately lead to the overall improvement of the quality of software. We can put test suit optimization, UI testing enhancement, increasing traceability, analyzing defects, prediction of the next test in order to determine pass/fail outcomes, etc., into the actual working. AI induced software testing can help us take a more in-depth look at the memory and file contents, internal programs and also the data tables. Software should behave as it is expected to behave and with this in mind, testing is performed. The Final Words: In brief, the ultimate aim of using AI in Software Testing is to make the world a better place, by making the testing process more accessible. As a result, we can create the best quality software. We can also execute thousands of test cases in every test run resulting in coverage, which is impossible to get with manual tests. We can expect the testing process to take lesser time in the coming days, because of AI in testing, . So, it saves both time & money and thus helping testers focus on making the software better."

"  Boundary Value Analysis and Equivalence Class Partitioning are the most common technique in Black-box Testing Techniques for test case design. Both are used to design test cases for validating a range of values for any given input domain. Both these techniques are used together at all levels of testing. Exhaustive testing is not possible in all cases. So, a tester should concentrate on validating at least one value from a data set to find out the possible errors, if any. WHAT IS BOUNDARY VALUE ANALYSIS? Boundary Value Analysis (BVA) is a Black-Box testing technique used to check the errors at the boundaries of an input domain. The name comes from the Boundary, which means the limits of an area. So, BVA mainly focuses on testing both valid and invalid input parameters for a given range of a software component. If (Min,MAX) is the range given for a field validation, then the boundary values come as follows: Invalid Boundary Check   { Min-1 ; Max+1 }    Valid Boundary Check   {Min; Min+1 ;Max-1;Max }     Example of Boundary Value Analysis : Requirement: Validate AGE field, which accepts values from 21-60. We verify the following Boundary Value Test cases: TC001: Validate AGE by entering  20 [ Min-1]: Invalid Boundary Check TC002: Validate AGE by entering  21 [ Min]: Valid Boundary Check TC003: Validate AGE by entering  22 [ Min+1]: Valid Boundary Check TC004: Validate AGE by entering  59 [ Max-1]: Valid Boundary Check TC005: Validate AGE by entering  60 [ Max-1]: Valid Boundary Check TC006: Validate AGE by entering  61[ Max+1]: Invalid Boundary Check The main advantage of Boundary Value Analysis is that the testing time is less as the tester will analyze the data only at the boundaries.  Since this technique cannot concentrate on the errors that exist in the center of the input domain, it is always advisable to use BVA with a combination of Equivalence Class Partitioning. EQUIVALENCE CLASS PARTITIONING (ECP) :  Unlike Boundary Value Analysis, in Equivalence Class Partitioning, the input domain values are partitioned into equivalent classes. It validates at least one value from each partition. So, the test cases are designed to cover at least one set of data from each equivalent class. Thus, it reduces the number of test cases. In other words, ECP concentrates on the possible errors at the center of the input domain instead of the boundaries. Example: An online pharmacy website has the following offers for its customers. If the cost of the medicines is  $1 – $25, then a 0% discount If the cost of the medicines is $26 – $ 50, then a 5% discount. 10% discount  if the cost is $51 – $100. A 15% discount, if the price is more than $ 100.    Here, the Equivalence Classes divides the following into valid/invalid cases."

"Though the importance of online privacy and security of data has been instilled in us often, most individuals have given a deaf ear to it. In a  country like the U.S, cyber fraud is one of the fastest-growing scams in the category of crime. Do you think that dumping your PC with cookies and installing anti-virus software makes your data entirely secure? No. Nowadays, it has become a common practice for individuals to store their data and card details on various websites. This makes the usage on such websites more accessible and quicker. While some websites store their customer’s data on a highly secure platform, there exist a lot of sites from which data can be easily hacked. On the other hand, some websites misuse the data by selling it to third parties. We give our details/payment details on sites without knowing whether it is safe or not, and it ends up getting misused. Now more than ever, as our lifestyle and day to day routine work grow exponentially with the Internet and technology, We need to take personal action to protect our online freedom.  MEASURES TO PROTECT ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY OF DATA: Online privacy and security is not only a matter of serious concern for individuals but companies as well. Cybersecurity helps the business to build trust among their clients and employees. It has been one of the strategies in building the reputation in the market and also spreading the awareness of minimizing the cyber risk and maximizing customer’s trust. Here are some of the measures and tips to protect your business and its data. 1. Protect it while you Collect it: While individuals should do proper research about a company before giving their details on its website, it is essential for the companies to have a highly secure database so that individuals trust them in giving their details. This also helps companies to increase their customer base. 2. Keep track of your data Companies should restrict customer data access to a few employees as this can help in easily monitoring the utilization of such data, thus preventing any form of misuse. 3. Never fail to think from the hacker’s shoe Every company should also analyze various ways by which their data can be hacked and should devise a solution for each issue . The company should always be cautious and store the data with enough layers of protection 4. Dont underestimate the power of a common threat: Many start-up businesses fail to realize that they are the most targeted ones by hackers. A survey shows that 85% of the grooming businesses don’t pay much attention to cybercrimes. They think that hackers mainly attack the large companies as the small businesses don’t have any valuable information and they end up compromising on having a secure platform for the data, thus losing hundreds and thousands of dollars to cybercriminals. 5. SET up a firewall: ‘The easier it is to crack the data, the more danger you are in.’ Spam filters will weed out malware and phishing scams — many of which are aimed directly at businesses — keeping your email safer and easier to use. Employ a firewall to keep criminals out and sensitive data in. 6. Earn your stakeholder’s confidence You should give an assurance to your people that they are in a secure environment, That their personal information is not disclosed in anyways to outsiders. You can also mention the procedures and precautions you use to protect the data at the time of joining the work. This helps your organization to gain confidence from employees and trust from your customers. 7. Scan all the devices: Before you insert any new tool, be it USB or a Pendrive, make sure it doesn’t have any virus. Scan the device before you use them, else, even a protection software cannot stop a virus from entering your system 8. Updating is significant: Do you know why it is difficult to hack an ios device? Because it updates to a new version frequently and each version keeps fixing all possible bugs and errors and also brings an add on a security feature Similarly, it is our responsibility to upgrade to the latest version of the anti-virus software we use and never procrastinate such upgrading. This is because, the more layer you add in protecting your privacy, the more distant you are from the attackers. 9. Online privacy and security on all devices Devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops contain sensitive information. These are the devices that most of the standard companies and employees use at their workplace. In case this device is stolen or lost; the rightful owner should make sure that the information, which is in the device is immediately deleted since all files are stored on the cloud and can be accessed from anywhere. This will prevent such information from being misused in the hands of the wrong people. 10. Educate your employees : Mostly Employees handle the data of the customers. Many organization provides a separate laptop to its employees. So it is the employees’ responsibility to complain about any issue with the device they are handling. Conclusion Individual online data privacy has been a matter of public concern over the last decade. The phenomenal growth of the Internet has spawned several new concerns about protecting the privacy of individuals. It is a shared responsibility to protect internet privacy. As we all know, Online data breaches are not something new to us. But in recent times the damage it causes, and the risk of reaching us in increased drastically. Security and privacy both are important for every individual. Fifteen years ago, all the IT teams of the company started inoculating anti-virus software on our desktop computers. Now the battle has shifted to the cloud, and we have to begin walling off our digital communications, much of which is now mobile. The more people that inoculate themselves from malware, spear-phishing attacks, or hacker intrusions, the safer we all are. Moreover, I believe that we’ll see more companies become proactive about improving customer trust and transparency around cybersecurity and data protection, aiming to minimize the “soft” costs of breaches that, in today’s security environment, are inevitable."

"Want to know what a bug or a defect life cycle is? Did you find it difficult to understand? Here we are to simplify it for you. “Don’t fix bugs later; fix them now.” – Steve Maguire That’s so true. We should not wait to fix a bug. But to fix and close a bug, you need to understand the basic lifecycle of a bug. To close a bug, it must have been through all the stages of the lifecycle. But What exactly is a Defect and a Bug? The defect is a variation caused between the actual results and the expected results. A bug is an abnormal behavior of the software. A bug starts when the defect is found and ends with it’s closure. Closure of the defect is done after ensuring that the defect is not reproduced.   What is a Defect Life Cycle (DLC)? Another name of the DLC is ‘Bug Life Cycle’. The Cycle represents a journey or a set of stages that a defect goes through. It starts right from the identification of a defect and till the closure. The number of stages of a bug life cycle is not consistent across all organizations. It varies from company to company, and also from project to project, depending on various other factors like policies, the model used in the software development process (e.g.: Agile), Timelines, Structure of the Team etc., The software defect life cycle is also governed by the software testing process that is being followed and the defect tracking tool the organization is using. Defect Life Cycle or A Bug Life Cycle – Diagrammatic Representation The following diagrammatic representation shows us the various stages of an extensive Bug life cycle. STAGES OF DEFECT LIFE CYCLE The following are the various stages of a defect/bug life cycle: New: When a tester identifies, logs, and posts a new bug for the very first time; The status will be recorded as ‘NEW.’ Assigned: Once the bug is logged and posted by the tester, the team-lead of the testers will approve and assign it to the developer team lead or directly to the developer who owns the functionality of the defect. If the bug is assigned to the developer team lead or a dev lead, he will then approves it and moves the defect to the developer.   Open: When the developer starts working on fixing the assigned defect, the status will be assigned as ‘OPEN.’ Fixed: When the developer makes all the necessary changes and verifies such change in code, then the status will be updated as ‘FIXED.’ Pending Retest: The fixed defects will then be available to the tester to retest. As this testing process will be pending from the tester’s end, the status will then become ‘Pending Retest.’ Retest: The tester will then retest the code, to find whether the developer fixed the defect. He then changes the status to ‘RETEST.’ Verified: Tester retests the code after the defect/bug is fixed by the developer. During the retest, if there is no bug detected in the code, then the status will be assigned as ‘VERIFIED.’ Reopen: If the bug is still present in the code even after the developer fixed it, the tester will change the status of such defect to ‘REOPEN.’ The bug will once again go through the life cycle. Closed: If the tester finds that the defect is no longer exists, then the tester will change the status to ‘CLOSED.’ Duplicate: If the defect has appeared twice, or if it parallels to the same concept of the previously raised and closed bug, the status will then become ‘DUPLICATE.’ Rejected: In case the developer opines that the defect is not a real defect, then he changes the status to ‘REJECTED.’ Deferred: If the defect/bug found is not of a high priority or is not a part of the current release, but it is expected to be fixed in the next build, then the status will be ‘Deferred.’ Not a Bug: If there is a presence of a bug/defect in the code, but it does not affect the core functionality of the software application, then the status assigned to the defect is – ‘NOT A BUG.’ Conclusion Some organizations may opt for a Simpler Life Cycle, which may not contain all the stages. Are we clear? Do you have more doubts? Drop us a comment or a mail to know more."

"Black-box Testing is a software testing technique performed usually without the knowledge of internal coding OR the structure of the Application Under Test (AUT). Blackbox testing is also known as Behavioral Testing and these tests are both Functional and Non-Functional. We can use Black-box Testing Techniques in the following test levels. Unit Testing Integration Testing System Testing Acceptance Testing Black-Box Testing Techniques Black-box Testing Techniques are usually performed by the QA Team. The following Black-box Testing Techniques are used by the testers to design the test cases. Error Guessing Boundary Value Analysis Equivalence Partitioning Decision Table Testing State Transition Testing Graph-based Testing Comparison Testing Error Guessing:   Error Guessing is an intuitive and also an ad-hoc test case design technique based on tester’s experience, intuition, previous defects etc., So, we design the test cases, based on the tester’s experience and thinking capability i.e the tester should guess the scenarios that the developer might miss in the coding part. Error Guessing has no specific rules. But, there is a possibility to uncover some major defects which we may miss during the formal testing process. Example: Here is an example for Error Guessing. Suppose, we have to validate a newly added text box in the application screen. Here, the requirement specification is “The text box should accept only two-digit numeric values.” The tester can come up with the following test cases based on the Error Guessing Black-box Testing Technique. In the above example, the tester is validating the field in all possible ways, to ensure that they have inserted the text box field properly, based on the specification. Here, the tester does not have any idea about the back-end coding part, but, still, he is able to verify the code by entering different combinations of the input data, thereby assuring a proper validation of the given requirement. Please follow our blog to see the other black box testing techniques with a detailed explanation as well as examples."

"Do you know that there are pitfalls of software testing which fails the entire software testing process? Here are the most common pitfalls that many professional software testers are succumbed to. Software Testing is the last line of defense to detect defects in software and also to remove them before the release. A Tester invests a lot of time in projects to make a product the best of it’s kind. Numerous reports of software problems have proven that regardless of the efforts of testers, testing often fails in practice. This is due to the ignorance of some pitfalls of software testing. According to recent reports, a significant share of software engineering research is dedicated to software testing. Testing typically identifies only 25%-50% of defects during the process. This is why most of the delivered software products are with hundreds and thousands of residual defects. So, testers should look out for most common pitfalls of testing and avoid them. There is still a great potential to improve software testing in practice. Follow our blog for more tips for software testing. Also, check our latest blog post on cybersecurity awareness. Next week, we are going to post another exciting content. So, stay tuned!"

"Why Automation Testing is the best?     Software testing and quality assurance teams struggle a lot to deliver the best quality software products. But the software when reaches the end-user will still have some defects. What is Automation Testing? Automation Testing is a software testing technique, used to check whether actual results of the product are matching with expected results. In this technique, test engineers will use a tool to execute test case suite. Why You Should Migrate? Software testers sit in front of computers for hours to carefully execute all the test cases manually. Testers will go through all the application windows, trying all the possible input combinations. They will compare the actual results with expected results and records their observations. Manual testers will repeat those steps often so that they can find any changes in code that might have occurred. Automation Testing Tools will help testers to record, and playback pre-recorded actions & finally generate a report. Once the test cases are created, they can be repeated and can also be extended to any other similar project. We, at QA on Cloud, provide various Testing services which are reliable and reasonably priced. Hire a Tester today! Talk to our team to get more details."

"Software glitch !!! The most familiar word we hear every day in today’s broad digital landscape. Software glitches, data breaches, and system breakdowns are the nightmares of every global enterprise in the digital world. Software glitches happen all the time, which threatens and puts the brand value of a global enterprise in danger. So, avoiding software errors is very necessary to produce the best quality software and to satisfy end-users. Global companies became much more proactive than before and looking out to secure their applications as well as their client's confidential data.Recent reports showed that more than a billion people became victims of the software glitches across various industries and domains. The Global average cost of a data breach for 2019 is $3.92 million, which is 1.5 per cent more when compared to 2018. Therefore, we need to avoid the occurrence of these breaches and glitches before it hits the market. Software testing can reduce the occurrence of these Glitches and thereby ensures that the best quality has been shipped to the market. What Are Software Glitches? The term ‘Software Glitch’ was first defined in 1965 by an astronaut John Glenn and his team. It refers to “the failure of a program, to complete its functions or to perform a set of functions properly.”  Wikipedia defines ‘Glitch’ as “A short-lived fault in a system such as a transient fault that corrects itself, making it difficult to troubleshoot. Fixing most of these glitches is possible in the earlier stages. But finding Some glitches is too difficult. We can find them when it is too late or after the occurrence of enormous collateral damage. But, Avoiding these glitches is possible through rigorous testing procedures before the application hit the market. Here are the top 5 software glitches of the software industry, which throws a light on the importance and significance of testing. Top Software Glitches & Breaches which could be avoided with Testing We must give more importance to Software Testing and Quality Assurance in the software development process. We have to carefully craft strategies and plans related to Software Testing, so as to find the glitches in the software. 1. Software Glitches in Fiat Chrysler – January 2018 A small software glitch made Fiat Chrysler Automobiles recall 162,000Chrysler Pacifica Minivans, a model which was released back in 2017. A tragic accident happened in 2017, resulting in a crash death and 2 injuries.It was reported that the software glitch caused the vehicles to stall abruptly and temporarily disable the side airbags steering, that resulted in the accident. The software glitch caused the engine control module to compromise, which resulted in a sudden drop. Above all, the automobile sector is a sector where continuous testing is very important and mandatory as it is highly life-sensitive. The software should be continuously tested and upgraded in real-time. Therefore, Strategic QA and testing must be implemented to avoid situations like this. 2. Welsh NHS IT Failure – January 2018 A software glitch in NHS computer systems left doctors unable to access patient’s crucial data like contact details, major health reports, including blood tests, and also X-rays. Later, the Welsh department of health and social services revealed that the problem was due to system failure in two data centers.Due to this, the staff was unable to contact the patients for shuffling their appointments. This software glitch has undoubtedly created a significant disruption.Conducting continuous testing to check the flaws, and to upgrade the software, can help us in avoiding situations like this. 3. Canva Security Breach- May 2019 The Australian tech company and designer’s favorite online tool, ‘Canva’ too suffered from a data breach. This incident took place on May 24, 2019. Data related to 139 million users has fallen into the hands of hackers.After that, Canva Reported that the hackers accessed some crucial user information like usernames, names, email addresses, country, passwords, etc.,Certainly, for companies like Canva, securing sensitive user data using encryption methods should be of high priority. But what’s more important is to check the system and applications for any vulnerabilities.A better security testing strategy to safeguard critical data and to ensure a robust backup is very important for all kinds of institutions and organizations. security testing and network penetration testing helps organizations to find out all kinds of vulnerabilities in the system. 4. Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp Crash – July 2019. Communication apps, namely, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, experienced a significant downtime which lasted for more than 15 hours in the first week of July. More than 80% of users took to Twitter complaining about not being able to log in, load, send, and receive content via WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter. A technical glitch in WhatsApp, Insta, and Fb, led to an outage, which in turn led to the inconvenience among millions of users. Testing and Quality Assurance (QA), is an integral part of Mobile app development. Ignorance of the critical nature of mobile app leads to the presence of bugs in the software. Therefore, executing mobile app testing procedures like load testing, performance testing, and functionality testing should be conducted to avoid embarrassing problems. 5. British Airways IT System Glitch (airways) – August 2019 We can assure you that your customers will be unsatisfied if they find glitches in your software. Especially if you own airline business. British Airways’ system glitch forced tens of thousands of users to cancel their tickets during the busiest month of August 2019. Nearly 90 short-haul flights got canceled across Europe, and the UK, due to this computer glitch. This problem had also affected the mobile app of British airlines. Functional testing and continuous testing are critical. High traffic businesses like airlines, need to carry out continuous testing procedures and integration to experience seamless and smooth operations. Final Words To sum up, in this software world, delivering the best quality and increase brand value. That is why at QA on Cloud, we want to help you deliver quality software that your end-users would love. We provide various testing services to identify errors, glitches and also bugs as quickly as possible. Our Team of testers have expertise in conducting various testing procedures using tools based on your requirements. We might not save the world, but hopefully, we’ll save you a bit of your time. To read more about our Software Testing and QA services, check out our services page. Talk to our experts today. "

"Are you aware of the most common principles of software testing?Software Testing = Quality + Reliability.In the last decade, the software field is growing very rapidly. The users have become more demanding and faster applications are being sought. While businesses invest a lot of time and money on developing such software, they refuse to invest on its testing. This can have minor to major repercussions. During the development phase, a software can have umpteen number of risks. Why not mitigate the known risks through software testing? SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF SOFTWARE TESTING Testing is an integral part of software development as it ensures a bug-free application. It gives an assurance to the user about the software quality. If this process is skipped, it might lead to huge problems in the future because even a small bug can provide access to the hacker to steal all the important data. Hence, it is necessary to remove all the bugs from an application before delivering it to the user. And to do that you need to understand some basic principles of software testing.There are different ways to perform the software testing. But a software tester should choose the exact strategy and method so that we can achieve optimum test results. A well crafted strategy involves a set of principles and practices. we have to follow them without any fail. Talk to our experts today, to know how we do testing and what process and principles we are following."

"The most important question people ask, “Is the salary of a software tester, same as that of a software developer?” The world is transforming continuously. The demand for digital products is also very high. Software testing and development are the only industries, people would love to know because of the rising demand for testers and developers in the market.   SALARY OF A SOFTWARE TESTER AND A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER Some of the most important questions we hear from the people are as follows: A tester or a developer? What should I become? How will my career be in IT industry as a tester? Why should I choose QA or software testing industry? How will I become a Good Tester?Is it true that ‘the testing is only for Non-technical people’ and ‘Testers don’t need much skills as Developer do’? Will I get enough Recognition as a Tester? But don’t panic! We are going to answer all these questions right here and will also discuss the salary of a software tester and a developer! Do you know the difference between software development and software testing?   SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT: According to the Wikipedia, ‘Software development’ is a process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and additional bug fixes in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. In short, software development refers to activities involving computer programming. It also includes conducting research, developing, prototyping, modifying, engineering, re-engineering, and maintenance, which are necessary to manifest a software product. WHO IS A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER? A Software Developer is a person who will analyze, design, create, maintain and finally, upgrade programs for users across many platforms like a computer, mobile, laptop, tablet, etc.   Types of software developers: There are two types of software developers, namely, Application Software Developers and System Software Developers. Application Software Developers are the developers who design custom software products for both businesses as well as for the other end user. The System Software Developers are the persons who develop the system which takes care of the basic functioning and also the performance of computers. E.g., Computers run on Operating Systems. These operating systems are known as system software. System Software Developers will build an interface and thus allows users to interact with other computers. SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS OF A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER: To become a software developer the person should have the following qualifications: He/She should additionally possess a bachelor degree or masters in computer science or software engineering or in any other field. Should have strong analytical, communication, and also problem-solving skills. Finally, he/she should be creative, innovative, and expert in database management, program testing & other related software. SOFTWARE TESTING: Software testing, on the other hand, is a process of making software free from bugs and errors and thus making it better before releasing the product to the end-user. In other words, software testing is a set of activities performed with the intent of finding errors in the software. Software testing, on the other hand, is a process of making software free from bugs and errors and thus making it better before releasing the product to the end-user. In other words, software testing is a set of activities performed with the intent of finding errors in the software. Software, once created and ready to release for the end users, will be tested with the requirements with an intention of finding bugs. The ultimate goal of software testing is to detect errors and bugs and also to verify whether the software is performing as per the specifications. In other words, testing is a process done through operating the software under a controlled environment, to check whether the actual results of the software, match with the expected results WHO IS A SOFTWARE TESTER? Software tester tests the software products. Tester’s job is to run a software, analyze it and also to find errors and bugs in the software through various techniques. Thus, testers are responsible to check whether the code, written by the developers is working as it is intended to. Software tester tests the software products the developers have created. Tester’s most important job is to run a software, analyze it and find errors & bugs in the software through various techniques. So, Testers are responsible to check whether the code, written by the developers is working as it is intended to. QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS REQUIRED TO BECOME A SOFTWARE TESTER Generally, there is a myth that software tester need not have any qualification to test the software. But that is not true. To become a pro Software Tester you need to do some certifications and also should satisfy the following requirements: Should have a bachelor degree either in computer science or mathematics or engineering or in any other related field. He /she must have expertise on UNIX, Linux or Windows. Should be an excellent communicator, be it either verbal or non-verbal . Furthermore, he/she should also be able to perform multiple tasks in less time. He/she should know programming languages such as Java, JavaScript, C#, C++, Python, etc. COMPARISON: SALARY OF A SOFTWARE TESTER VS THE SALARY OF A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER The salary of a Software Tester and a Software developer differs from person to person, country to country and also from a company to company. The average compensation includes bonus, incentives, overtime, and other allowances. AVERAGE SALARY OF A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER: The average annual salary of a software developer based on the experience is as follows: (source: www.payscale.com)     source : www.payscale.com Experience of 0-5 years – average salary- $67,000 5-10 years – average salary – $ 80,000 10-20 years – average salary – $ 90,000 Experience > 20 years – average salary – $ 97,000. We can observe a positive trend in salary with growing experience. A software developer should have java, C++ programming language, and javascript, to get paid above the average. Skills like SQL and C# language are also in demand, but compared to the above-mentioned skills, these pay less than the market rate. AVERAGE SALARY OF A SOFTWARE TESTER: The average annual salary of a software tester based on experience is as follows: (source:www.payscale.com).   Experience of 0-5 years – average salary- $47,000 5-10 years – average salary – $ 68,000 10-20 years – average salary – $ 75,000 > 20 years – average salary – $ 82,000. With the increase in the numbers of years of experience, the average salary is also increasing. By comparing the average salary of a Software Developer and the average salary of a Software Tester, we can see that the developers are earning little more when compared to Testers.   Conclusion: But some testers are earning more than what a developer with similar experience is making. A Software Tester should acquire negotiation skills along with the certifications in order to get pay higher than the market average. ]"

"Cybersecurity awareness promotes the basic understanding of cyber crimes, cyber threats, and cyber risks. It informs citizens about the best practices and proactive measures when confronted with cyber risks.The internet is like a busy road with lots of traffic moving in all directions. This traffic is called data. The games, videos, cartoons, emails travel all over the internet as data. While the internet seems spectacular from the outside, it has many unknowns on the inside. It is important to use it very carefully to stay safe. Our generation lives on the internet, and as a user, we generally fail to understand that some people work hard to secure our data. Technology is advancing, and so is the cybercrime. If you work on the computer, you should also be aware of the basic cybersecurity techniques. Here, we try to bring in some basic understanding of the cybersecurity for an amateur.   WHAT IS CYBERSECURITY: We have physical security like locks, fences, and police officers to minimize crime in the real world. Similarly, we need Cyber Security to reduce crime and harm in the virtual world. Cybersecurity specifically focuses on securing computer systems and their components like hardware, software, and other essential data, which should be inaccessible for unauthorized users. Cyber Security protects the data and acts like a saviour trying to bring peace and justice to the cyber-verse. Its purpose is to defend those valuable data throughout the entire life cycle of the cyber attacks Who needs to protect their data? Whenever there is a lot of information stored on computers about people and sensitive things, it needs to be protected. The businesses, government, banking, financial, energy, manufacturing companies, educational institutions, media outlets and finally, we the people, come under a cyber risk. These industries have to secure their money, reputation, and personal details and information of them, their customers from their competitors or any outside person as such. CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS VULNERABILITY AND ATTACKS : Cybersecurity demands focus and dedication. The digital world is developing with new technology every day, and so are the threats and risks. Virtual crimes are dominating all the industries affecting the business and their employees. When a cybercriminal is trying to hack an organization, he will come up with hacking techniques that are highly effective. There are several ways an attacker might try to cause harm. Here are some scenarios of types of common attacks seen today.   MALWARE:   Malware is like a disease to your software that comes with no prediction. It comes with different methods to attack your system like a torrent of water from a firehouse.   What does this malware do?  Malware makes money off you illicitly without damaging your hardware or network equipment physically. One of the functions of the malware software is to slow down your system, that is, it reduces the speed of the operating device. You can see random ads and spam emails popping up when you are working online. Those are the malware threats.For instance, if you see your system often displaying the blue screen of death (BSOD), it is high time to protect your order.Powerful malware can encrypt your password, delete your data, hijack core computer functions, and even spy on your computer without your knowledge and permission. Adware, spyware, a virus, worms, trojans, ransomware, exploits, etc., are some of the most common forms of malware software that affects your device. PHISHING :    Phishing is a trick used on the victims to trap one’s passwords, credit card details on their own. It is the easiest and effective way of cybercrime.  The hackers pose as a trusted institution to get personal and sensitive information of an entity or a user as such. They send an email saying emergency or as an SMS text or a phone call or as a link. The social network has now become the leading site to target phishing attacks. Targeting the online payment systems has now scared the users to use the technology effectively. Though awareness of phone phishing and SMS phishing is worldwide. We fail to protect ourself from targeted attacks like spear-phishing, which costs plenty and is also a critical threat to business.  CRYPTOJACKING: How does it feel when someone takes money out of your pocket and calls it “mine”? Similarly, cryptojacking is the secret use of a computing device to mine bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies. Hackers run hidden cryptocurrency mining scripts without notice. This way of attack is comparatively easier than other methods of cyberattacks. It doesn’t require hacking knowledge or significant technical skills. Cryptojacking kits available are cost-effective. Hackers see this cyberattacks method to be cheaper, more profitable than ransomware. If your system gets heated faster, runs slow or makes noises, there is a high chance that it is affected by cryptojacking.  SQL ATTACK: A standard language used for manipulating and accessing databases is known as SQL, commonly pronounced as the sequel. SQL stands for Structured Query Language. This programming language can execute queries, as well as create new databases, insert, update, and delete records. But, it is also a prevalent form of hacking a web application. User dynamically uses stings that cause SQL injection attacks. To avoid such attacks, it is recommended to use parameterized queries or stored procedures. To exploit anyone of the SQL vulnerability, an SQL injects the attack that runs a malicious code to the SQL server.  CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS:       There are certain things that every user should know:  Getting anti-virus software up-to-date is mandatory. Closing out the browsers after each use makes the window to shut the browser. Hence, this avoids the system to run the browser in the background. Without verifying the destination, they should never click on the links and adds. Report the spam mails and pop up ads if it is recurring when working online. Do not give access to your password and personal information to anybody. Testing is necessary when the system’s speed is slow or when the fan runs fast or a lot of heat generates when the software runs. Users should conduct crypt audit and have their computers checked on a regular basis. It helps the business to protect their system. Nowadays all our work are system-based and there are a lot of cybercriminals to steal your uniqueness, so it becomes our responsibility to secure our device.  "

"Software development and testing use a straightforward concept called Requirements Traceability Matrix. Once you understand it and see the examples in this article, you will understand that the Requirements Traceability Matrix is an easy concept and you will use it effectively in your project.   The implementation of requirement traceability or the more it gets implemented in your project depends on your project lifecycle. OBJECTIVE :   People will try to come out with more and more features or requirements to a project when the project starts. The goal of the Requirements Traceability Matrix is to ensure, all new features meet the projects higher-level business requirement which in turn meet the business objectives.  WHAT IS REQUIREMENTS TRACEABILITY MATRIX : RTM’s shown as a table or a spreadsheet that maps the test cases against each requirement. It is one of the important and necessary documents in test artifacts. Just like every other test artifacts in software testing RTM also varies between project to project and company to company. Most of the organizations use just the requirement ID and the test case ID’s in the RTM. It is necessary to update the RTM whenever there is a change in requirement WHAT IS THE USE OF REQUIREMENTS TRACEABILITY MATRIX? When you look at the table we will come to know whether all the requirements have been covered by your test cases or not:  Determines whether all the requirements are being covered 100% or not. Easy to determine the impacted test cases for regression.  Prevents us from missing any functional requirement.  Helps us to identify the importance of a particular requirement based on the mapping table.  Can be used as a tracker in case of requirement changes. Makes our life easy when we are going over the test case review. TYPES OF REQUIREMENTS TRACEABILITY MATRIX Requirement ID and the test case ID is used by most of the organizations in the RTM. It is essential to update the RTM whenever there is a change in the requirement. 1. FORWARD TRACEABILITY: Forward traceability is mapping requirements to test cases. It ensures that the project progresses in the decided direction. It makes sure that each requirement is testing thoroughly. 2. BACKWARD OR REVERSE TRACEABILITY: Backward or Reverse Traceability Matrix is mapping test cases to requirements. It ensures whether the current product remains on the right track. It also makes sure that we are not expanding the scope of the project by adding other functionality that is not specified in the requirements.  3. BI-DIRECTIONAL TRACEABILITY: Bi-directional Traceability Matrix is mapping requirements to test cases and test cases to requirements. It ensures that all the specified requirements have appropriate test cases and vice verse. It is the combination of both the forward and backward traceability. EXAMPLE : In the below table,  Req1, Req2, etc., are the requirements of a project. But many organisation gives other names according to your software requirement specification like 1.1 or 1.0.1. You can have anything as a requirement ID. Every requirement will have a unique ID. Similarly, for test cases also. Each test case has a different ID. It can be TC001, TC002, etc. Here, the test case has several requirements to be tested. The above example requirement  REQ1 has two test cases – TC001, TC004  REQ2 has  two test cases – TC001, TC003 REQ3 has four test cases – TC001, TC003, TC004, TC005 REQ4 has only one test case – TC004 REQ5 has three test cases – TC002, TC003, TC004., and so on.   CONCLUSION: RTM indicates the relationship between each requirement and each test case. It is a many to many relationships. Which means one requirement may not be covered by a single test case. It may take one or more test cases to test that requirement. PRO TIP: RTM implementation should be a priority in every project. If not, then you will end up with the chaos, having multiple requirements and numerous test cases if not then, you have to go through every test case and requirements to figure out the relationship, which consumes a lot of time. So, it is necessary to create RTM as early as possible in a project. Requirements Traceability Matrix is just a summary of the relationship between requirements and test cases. RTM cannot have any texts. It should be in the ID."

"​ TOM DEMARCO says, “ you can’t control what you can”t measure.” Test artifacts are a set of documents, which the tester of a software project gets during the software testing life cycle (SDLC / STLC). It is to monitor and also to control the process and product. It helps to drive the project towards the planned goals without any deviation. DIFFERENT TEST ARTIFACTS IN SOFTWARE TESTING : There are different kinds of test artifacts. Not all the software products will go through every process mentioned below. The following are a set of test deliverables that are commonly prepared during the process of software testing. TEST STRATEGY : The first or foremost step in test artifacts is to design a strategy. Test strategy explains the way the testing should happen. It gives a set of guidelines on how to determine the scope, documentation formats, test process, and client communication strategy. Once the strategy is set, the test manager decides on what module to test. Only after the preparation of the test strategy document, the testers can proceed with other artifacts and testing process. The test strategy should be standard throughout the process. The tester needs to make sure they are working according to the planned approach. TEST PLAN : “To plan is to act.” A test plan is a detailed document that outlines the test strategy, testing objectives, resources required for testing, test schedule and test deliverables. Test planning describes the scope, scheduled in the test activities. It also allocates the task for each test environment. It measures the amount of risk involved in the process. Test plan contains the test ID, the features to be tested, the entry and exit criteria and then the type of testing. TEST CASE: When you need to execute a particular function or a feature in the software application, we require test cases. We give a set of conditions to each test cases, and the tester determines if the input satisfies the defined objective in software testing. In general, the QA team is responsible to write the Test cases. The Test cases will examine the expected and actual result and gives a pass or fail status at the time of execution. These test cases usually contain the title, description, test steps, expected result, and actual result. It is essential to write the test cases as it has a significant impact on the testing phase. Let us look at some places where we can use the test case. TEST CASE  1: To check results on entering valid user ID and password. TEST CASE  2: Checking results on entering the invalid user ID and password TEST CASE  3: To check whether the login button works without entering the login ID. TEST CASE  4: Try to log in without providing any password and check the response. TEST DATA: It plays a crucial role while doing actual testing. It contains both positive and negative data to perform positive/negative testing. We work on the test data in database or .xls or .csv file or any other format and use that while doing testing. Most of the companies get real-time historical data from the client and use it while testing. REQUIREMENT TRACEABILITY MATRIX:   It is a document which ensures that every requirement has a test case. We write test cases taking the requirements as the basis and then we execute those test cases. If we write the test cases regardless of the test environment, then we cannot test specific features which might have some bugs associated with it. To ensure that we cover all the requirements, we write the traceability matrix. The requirement matrix changes from company to company and project to project.   TEST COVERAGE MATRIX: Test coverage assures the quality of the test. It benefits you in preventing defect leakage. Gaps in requirements, test cases, defects at the unit level and code level can be found easily. We can accomplish it by transforming the ad-hoc defects into executable test cases. TEST SCRIPTS: To achieve the objective of each test case you would write a test script. A test script is writing a set of chronological steps to validate a test case. We use a programming language like JavaScript, Perl, Python, Ruby, Tcl, Unix Shell Script, VBScript and others for Automation testing. Sometimes we write scripts in human language which is used mostly in manual testing. TEST LOG: After executing the test case we have to report in the Test Log document. It consists of percent of test case pass criteria and percent of test case fail criteria. In addition, this criterion is useful in exit criteria to take the decision of whether we have to stop testing or not. In other words, Test Log is a repository to store pass/fail test cases. DEFECT REPORT: The tester identifies the defect and creates a defect report to state the problem as clearly as possible so that the developers can replicate the defect easily and fix it. The document contains the products name, test Id, the project release version, the summary, the results, remarks, the defect severity, defect priority, etc. The report also mentions the testers name and details to report the defect effectively. TEST CLOSURE REPORTS: This is the final document in test artifacts. This document gives a consolidated version of the software testing life cycle. It the report on the testing activities. The benefit of this report is to communicate the system status to the stakeholders about the project and the team. The testing team discuss and analyze the artifacts and evaluate the test cycle completion criteria. It identifies strategies that have to be implemented in the future. The entry criteria in this phase are test case execution report, opened and closed test defect reports. The exit criteria are the test closure reports signed up by the client and test metrics. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Some important activities in this phase: Evaluate test cycle completion criteria Prepare test metrics Documentation of the learning from the project Prepare test closure report Deliverables in this phase : Test closure report and Test metrics."

"Do you think getting a software testing certifications is necessary? Let us know why it is really needed to get certified. After that, we will see different types of software testing certifications.  Every newbie who wants to kick-start their software testing career will have one dream in common.  That is to become a Professional Software Tester.  However, to survive in this competitive career, you not only should possess characteristics of a software tester. You should also show some distinct skills.  Software quality Assurance Certifications will help you stand out of the crowd. This in turn can help you get a job with higher remuneration. But, remember!  Getting a software testing certification benefits you only when such certification is recognized internationally.  Also, there is a massive demand for software testers with certifications. Your question of ‘Certification or No certification?’ is going to be answered here. So, keep reading until the end. WHY DO WE NEED SOFTWARE TESTING CERTIFICATION? If you are looking for growth in your career or looking for new opportunities, then do some software testing certifications. Getting a certification is the only way through which you could differentiate yourself from the rest of the crowd. Your certificate stands as proof of your technical ability, skills, and expertise. Consequently, the possibility of an employer selecting your resume in the initial stages of screening is higher. He will also consider you as an essential asset of the organization. Also, there is a possibility of getting higher pay compared to those without certification. Certification is certainly a valuable tool to gain practical skills and knowledge to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical things. To sum up, certifications can help you keep up with the new advancements to get your dream job. Which Certifications Are In Demand? If this is the question that is running in your mind now, then here is the answer you need. Here are some top software testing certifications, which have the potential to land you in your dream job. TOP SOFTWARE TESTING CERTIFICATIONS These certifications can also make you a pro software tester: 1. ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) – Foundation Level – CTFL 2. CAST (Certified Associate In Software Testing) 3. CSTE (Certified Software Testing Engineer) 4. CSTP (Certified Software Test Professional) 5. CMSQ (Certified Manager of Software Testing) 6. ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) – CTAL 7. CSQA (Certified Software Quality Analyst) 8. ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) – Expert Level BEGINNERS LEVEL : (NEWBIES TO 5-YEAR EXPERIENCE) 1. ISTQB Software Testing Certification – Foundation Level – CTFL ISTQB is one of the best software testing certifications that have a global impact. This certification also has the ability to bring you the desired recognition.  Headquarters of the ISTQB is located in Belgium. However, the ISTQB has its testing exam centers all around the world.  So, you can write this exam in your own country. If you are planning to work abroad, then this is the one for you.  This certification is a favorite of many companies in the USA as well. Eligibility: Everyone Fee: nearly$230 Exam format: 40 multiple choice questions to be answered in 60 minutes Level of Difficulty: Moderate How to apply: connect with your National or Regional Board or visit ISTQB website. More details: Click Here 2. CAST (Certified Associate In Software Testing) The Quality Assurance Institute of the US, located in Florida, provides this certification.  The CAST (Certified Associate In Software Testing) certification is one of the best certifications. If you dream of working in the USA then this is the one you should get. Eligibility: The board will send you books after a successful registration. You don’t need to take any special training. The books sent by the institute alone is enough to get a good score in the exams. Candidates who possess: 1. A 3 or 4 Year degree from an accredited college 2. A 2-year degree in college and 1-year experience in IT 3. 3-year experience in IT Fee: $100 Exam format: 100 multiple choice questions to be answered in 75 minutes Level Of Difficulty: Easy How to apply: Login or register in the customer portal and then proceed with the application. More details: Click Here INTERMEDIATE LEVEL : (6 TO 8-YEAR EXPERIENCE) 3. CSTE (Certified Software Testing Engineer) This certification is provided by the QAI (Quality Assurance Institute) of the USA, which is accepted worldwide.  Getting these software testing certifications in your collection is a must if you want to face the job competition. Eligibility:  Applicant should possess one of the following: A 4-year degree from accredited college-level institution and 2 years’ work experience in the IT field He/she Should have done a 3-year degree from accredited college-level institution and 3 years’ work experience in the IT field  Must have completed a 2-year degree from accredited college-level institution and 4 years’ work experience in the IT field Six years’ work experience in the IT field. Note: He/she must be working or have worked in the IT field within the past 18 months Fee: $350 Exam format: The CSTE examination consists of two parts of 6 questions each. The time given to answer these 12 questions is only 2 1/2 hours. The candidate must secure at least 70% on the average of both papers. Level Of Difficulty: Fairly Difficult How to apply: Candidate must register and log in to the customer portal to pay the fee. More details: Click Here 4. CSTP (Certified Software Test Professional) – Professional level Do you at least five years of experience and are looking for a better position in your career?  In that case, this certification will embellish your resume.  This certification is provided by the International Institute Of Software Testing. Eligibility: Candidates should hold an active CSTP Associate level certifications. Candidate should possess an active CTFL or CSTE Certifications. In addition to the above, The applicant should have completed four days of training as follows: Three days of training to cover 3 areas. Namely, Area #3 (Managing the Test Process), #4 (Test Execution), and #5 (Requirement Analysis and Requirement-Based Testing). At least one year experience in a software testing-related job. Also, the candidate needs to get a letter of support with the signature of the candidate’s supervisor. The letter should have a clear description of the candidate’s role and responsibilities over the past 1 year or more. Fee: $50 (USA) for the first two attempts and $100 for every retake of the exam after the second attempt. Exam format: descriptive exam in which the candidate must secure at least 80% to get the certification.Note: The certification, once awarded, is valid for three years. So, after three years, you have to retake the exam. Difficulty: Easy How to apply: Go to the CSTP site and then carry on with the registration process. More details: Click Here ADVANCE LEVEL : (8 TO 11-YEAR EXPERIENCE) 5. CMST (Certified Manager of Software Testing) This certification is considered a worldwide standard for the assessment of skills, competencies, and capabilities of a tester. That is why it has a huge demand. ELIGIBILITY: Each applicant must: A. Hold an active CSQA Certification (recommended, but not required). B. Should be working in the field related to the certification designation. AND should satisfy any ONE of the three conditions: 1. A Bachelor’s degree from a recognized college-level institution & 4 years experience in the software quality assurance field OR 2. An associate degree & 6 years experience in the software quality assurance field OR 3. Eight years of experience in the software quality assurance field. Fee: $450 Exam format: The examination consists of two parts of 6 questions each. And the time given to answer these 12 questions is 2 1/2 hours. The candidate must secure at least 70% on the average of both papers. Level Of Difficulty: Fairly Difficult How to apply: register and log in to the customer portal and then proceed with payment. More details: Click Here 6.ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) – CTAL Candidates who have cleared the foundation level exam of ISTQB, can go for this advanced level certification. Getting an advanced level certification is a little complicated thing when compared to the foundation level certification. But you can do it with little effort! ELIGIBILITY: Candidates who have cleared the foundation level (CTFL). Fee: nearly $250 Exam format: The test will have three parts: Technical Test Analyst; Test Analyst and Test Manager. There will be 65 questions to be answered in 180 minutes. Candidate must pass all the three subjects to get the certification. Level of Difficulty: Fairly Difficult How to apply: Go to the ISTQB site and select your region. After that register and connect with your National or Regional Board and pay the fee. More details: Click Here EXPERT LEVEL – ( 11+ YEARS EXPERIENCE) 7. ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) – Test Manager It is the expert level exam which is being conducted worldwide by ISTQB. Have you completed the foundation and advanced levels? Do you want to expand your knowledge base?  Then this software testing certifications is a must! Eligibility:  The candidate should have completed the Foundation level certification. And should also have: Advanced certificate as per the desired expert module A minimum of 5 years of experience as a tester. At least two years of experience in the selected Expert level Fee: nearly $375 per exam Exam format: This exam will be conducted in 2 sub-modules – Assessing test process and Implementing test process improvement. The ‘Assessing test process’ module contains 25 multiple type questions in 45 minutes.  ‘Implementing Test Process Improvement’ module will have three questions. The candidate should write answers for 2 out of those three questions in 90 minutes. Level of Difficulty: Difficult How to apply: Connect with the National or Regional Board of ISTQB or visit the ISTQB website. More Details: Click Here 8. CSQA (Certified Software Quality Analyst) Getting this certification represents your expert level skills in Quality Assurance field and the IT profession.  With this quality assurance certification in your resume, you can receive the required recognition in your career.  There is also a possibility of getting placed as an advisor to the management. ELIGIBILITY: To qualify each applicant must meet ONE of four prerequisites listed below: Should have a 4-year degree from an accredited institution along with a 2-year experience in the IT field Must complete a 3-year degree from an accredited college-level institution along with three years experience in the IT field. Should have completed a 2-year degree from an accredited college-level institution & 4 years experience in the information services field. Six years of experience in the information services field. AND He/she should be working, or have worked at any time within the 18 months before the date of applying. Also, he/she should have worked or working in a field covered by the certification designation. The applicant should adhere to the Code of Ethics, which outlines the expected ethical behaviors by the ISCB. Fee: nearly $400 Exam format: The examination consists of 2 parts, which are computer-based exams.  Part-1 consists of only 100 objective type questions to be answered in 75 minutes.  Part-2 will contain 12 short answer/essay questions which are to be answered in 75 minutes. Candidate should get 70% on an average to clear the exam. Level of Difficulty: Difficult How to apply: Log in to the CSQA website and register to proceed with the fee payment. More details: Click Here   Are you still wondering how and what software testing certification is better? Feel free to drop your query in the comment section. The more you ask, the more you gain!"

"Why is the ‘Tester vs Developer battle’ never-ending? The main objectives of testing include verifying and validating the product, finding defects before release and ensuring a quality product. The developers aim at creating the product and developing it to the best of their knowledge. Similarly, the tester aims at ensuring the product design is of good quality. A mindset reflects an individual’s attitude and way of thinking for a particular issue. Before we ascertain if a developer can do testing, let us understand the underlying psychology of a software developer. Why do I have to spend additional money for software testing? Who can rectify errors better than the developer himself? Software testing is not very important. Any coders can do software testing. Software testing is an additional expense for my business. Well, I’m sure at the end of this article your queries would have been resolved. It would be possible for you to agree a tester can test the application better than the developer himself. Most of the time, the developers don’t spend their time testing the complete software. They believe that the amount of testing they do is more than enough.   TESTER VS DEVELOPER: CAN A DEVELOPER DO TESTING??? A developer’s mindset may include some of the elements of a tester’s mindset. But successful developers are often more interested in designing and building solutions than contemplating what might be wrong with those solutions. In most of the cases, the developers test their application to a certain extent. They can find errors functionally. All developers can do unit testing. Once they find the error, it is easy for them to fix the bug. But the developer finds testing the software as a strenuous job. They don’t put much effort in checking the application in depth.  They are confident enough to skip the bug without testing. According to the source, more than 50 percent of today’s software is running either with errors, bugs, faults, or defects. Any application with such an output is a failure. It means most of the software in the world is defective. Defects in a software/ an application do not sit well with users and lead to user dissatisfaction. This, in turn, results in poor goodwill and fall in reputation for the business. REASONS WHY EVERY SOFTWARE SHOULD HAVE AN INDEPENDENT TESTER When the developer runs an application, he has to ensure if the application runs similarly in other devices as well. For example, when an application is run in Windows the same application might not run in iOS.  A different set of coding might require the developer to run the same software in Windows and iOS devices. The testers break down the errors into separate parts, and then they jot down its relationship step by step.   1. FOR A DEFECT-FREE END PRODUCT: Every business, whether it is a start-up or an advanced business, will employ a developer to create software for his company. Similarly, it is essential to hire a software tester to test the application before it is used in production. 2. TO FIND ALL THE LOOPHOLES: Testers use different software tools. It makes the process of testing easy. Automation testing detects human errors quickly. The developers manually test the product, which may not work out for most of the testing types. It is always recommended to hire an individual application tester, to find all the loopholes in software. 3. TO ENSURE QUALITY: Testers are an independent third-party who will have a user perspective of the application. Most of the testers try to make the application user-friendly. They will have more in-depth analysis of software. Even a good QA team cannot guarantee a 100% bug-free software. However, an independent tester will ensure that the software is of superior quality, even if all bugs cannot be eliminated. 4. TO INCREASE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: The developer and the tester should work towards the same goal. The end product is going to be in the hands of the user. So, the motive of the developers and testers should be to satisfy the end users. CONCLUSION: Even if you are a smart, self-proclaimed great developer, You might hate the testing process, Even though if you’re used to spending months in developing and days in coding and hours in rectifying, You need a powerhouse for your software. That powerhouse is software testing. It is necessary to understand that developers and testers are two sides of the same coin. It becomes illogical to pursue the concept of a “Tester Vs Developer” battle. If not for testing, the application might result in a failure, which puts all or most of the development process into waste. For the desired product, you may need the development process. But for a quality-assured, defect-free, satisfactory product, testing is what we need. If you are a business user or a developer and agree with this, give a thumbs up and comment below.  "

"Are you a software tester? If yes, please allow us to appreciate you for your efforts in delivering a quality product. But, do you think you possess all the characteristics of a good tester?‘DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A GOOD SOFTWARE TESTER?’ ‘WHAT CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD SOFTWARE TESTER DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE?’This is one of the most asked questions in interviews. One may list out their technical skills to prove that they are good at testing. But there is much more than just technical skills. We have jotted out some of the skills and characteristics of a good tester. We prepared the list after carefully observing and reviewing a couple of professional testers. So, start evaluating yourself based on this list of traits mentioned below and upgrade yourself from a NORMAL tester to a GOOD tester. Remember! You are always invited to add other characteristics of a good tester in the comment section and it’s free!Software testers are the ones whom people, as well as the software industry, believe in. They are the people who ensure the peace of mind for the end users and strive to achieve end-user satisfaction. Software testers often face hostile situations in their work due to the amount of risk involved in finding bugs. Therefore to overcome and also to prevent such situations a software tester should develop these characteristics. 1. DON’T BELIEVE – QUESTION EVERYTHING! A good software tester should always be skeptical. Don’t believe that the code which you received from the developer is bug-free and best in quality. Any Software / product can be accepted as the best in quality software / product, only when it meets the end user requirements with the quality standards. One cannot understand the business unless they ask some questions like: What are the client Requirements What are the Changes in functionality of the software How well are bug-fixes done What is the effect of fixing bug etc., 2. BE PATIENT UNTIL YOU PRODUCE QUALITY PRODUCT A good tester will be patient and never compromise on the quality. You have to love testing and should develop a passion for delivering the best quality products. You may find a bug and report it to the developer. But he may not accept the defect as he expects his code to be correct. In situations like that, the tester should be patient and communicate the defects/failures in the system, along with supporting proofs, in a constructive way. Concentrate only on providing a better end-user experience so that you can become a good tester. 3. DEVELOP ANALYTICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING Analytical and Creative Thinking is one of the most important characteristics of a good tester. Think out of the box and understand the requirements to define a clear test strategy. Every bug will have a root cause and follows certain patterns. To find the root cause, to report it and finally to make the product bug-free, you must develop analytical thinking. 4. BE PROACTIVE AND MANAGE SCHEDULES ‘Early Bird Gets The Worm’. So, always start early and be proactive. Do some research on the product so that you can understand the product well ahead. Start from analyzing requirements, and prepare test cases, plans, and strategies. Concentrate on finding the defects in the earlier stages of the testing cycle. Organize your work, manage your schedules and try to meet your deadlines. You must know how and what to prioritize before the test execution. Pro Tip: Always prioritize work based on the amount of risk involved, testing environment and requirements in the testing process. 5. WORK ON COMMUNICATION SKILLS Poor communication leads to breakdowns and affects the quality of the product. A good tester should always be able to communicate well with other programmers, test managers and customers. To do that, he must possess strong verbal and written communication skills. With exceptionally good communication skills, a tester can become a good team player, as he will be able to put across their ideas to the other party without any difficulty or shyness. 6. ‘TEST TO BREAK’ ATTITUDE IS THE KEY You must develop a test to break the attitude. With this attitude, a tester can develop a suitable test approach by pushing the software to its extremes to see where it breaks. Start with an assumption that the software is full of defects which in turn helps you to explore the depths of it. Pro tip: If you have coding experience, think of all the possible loopholes that might have in the system code. 7. HAVE A HUNGER FOR VALID BUGS The characteristics of a good tester also include the hunger for valid bugs. As a good tester, you should never give up and always explore the software to find as many valid bugs as you can. 8. PAY ATTENTION TO EVERY MINUTE DETAIL, CO-RELATE AND THEN ACT Pay attention to every small detail and try to look deeper. Keep track of all the details and relate them to the real world scenarios. Observe and then act based on the observations. This way you can generate new ideas. 9. LOOK THROUGH THE EYES OF AN END-USER Software products are developed for the end user. The end user may not be a technical person or a person who is an expert in the domain. Therefore You should know and understand them. Prepare test cases, strategies and execute testing as an actual customer. Remember! ‘Doing whatever that make the end user happy’ is the basic nature of a good tester. Because the satisfaction of the end user is the main goal of every tester. 10. HAVE A GOOD EAR FOR SUGGESTIONS A tester should not only be able to communicate well but should also have good listening skills. He should welcome suggestions and feedback to improve the quality of the product. 11. MASTER ALL THE REQUIRED TECHNICAL SKILLS AND HAVE GOOD DOMAIN KNOWLEDGE Gain technical skills according to the requirements. Learn how to use new tools in the market. Gaining knowledge in multiple domains will be an added advantage. 12. ENSURE MAXIMUM TEST COVERAGE A good tester will ensure maximum test coverage in terms of production quality, risks involved and requirement coverage. 13. DON’T STOP LEARNING The software testing industry is evolving and improving every day. Keeping that in mind, You should never stop learning new technologies and domains. A good tester will always upgrade himself with the latest improvements or changes in the industry. Upgrade yourself by doing some certifications in the market. Pro tip: Make a learning schedule and learn every day. Habituate it! SO, WHAT MORE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD TESTER DO YOU HAVE ON YOUR MIND? Mention them below so that we can add them to the list. If you liked the article, Don’t forget to share this post with your friends and colleagues on social media."

"Is it really important to get services like Software Testing and Quality Assurance in the software industry? The answer is certainly ‘YES’! Do you know? On average, about 15-50 errors occur per 1000 lines of code. Software Testing and Quality Assurance can help you ensure your software or application is 99.9% bug-free. Errors became a part of our daily lives. Errors may occur in our thoughts, actions and also in the products we make. Likewise in software programming, the number of errors that could occur for every KLoC (1000 lines of code) is more thus making the product defective and useless. But we hate to incur expenses due to the occurrence of these errors. ‘To err is human’ but we say ‘To rectify/prevent is Testing/QA’. QUALITY ASSURANCE (QA) AND SOFTWARE TESTING? – WHY DO WE NEED THEM? No matter how advanced our software development process gets, we simply can’t ignore the increasing importance of QA and Software Testing. A developer tests whether an application is performing properly with the help of basic test cases. Whereas a tester tests the application as an actual end user and pushes the application to its limits to find bugs and to report it to the development team. QUALITY ASSURANCE (QA) : Quality is a complex word to understand. But we can put it this way for better understanding. ‘Quality’ is an attribute which acts as a measure to find whether a product or service conforms to requirements. In other words, Quality means ensuring the products or services which are released for end users are free from defects, errors or any substantial variants. ‘Assurance’ is a positive declaration given by the management of the organization on a product. In other words, Assurance is a testimony stating that the software will work without any glitches and as per the expectations of the client.  QUALITY ASSURANCE (‘QA TESTING’): It refers to all those planned activities which primarily focuses on improving methodologies or processes to provide the best quality products or services to the client, with respect to functionality, design, durability & reliability of the product. QA testing gives confidence to the client through a guarantee that the product will work the way it is meant to be. In other words, Quality Assurance is a systematic process of managing the quality of the product so as to meet the expectations of the client. SOFTWARE TESTING: When an application is programmed to perform a set of functions, It is expected to work in the same way. In addition to the outcome of such functions, the quality also needs a software tester to validate it before the user gets to use the software. Software testing ensures that the application works without any functional errors. Most of the time when an application is running, the user gets off due to these errors and faults that the software carries along. Software testers test the applications as a user to ensure it is user-friendly. Software testing is an internal process. Testing teams conduct various examinations to identify all the technical and functional errors so as to make sure that the application is error free. Firstly, it is mandatory to implement Software testing in the early stages of software development. Because the software bugs could be expensive and dangerous. TYPES OF SOFTWARE TESTING: 1. Manual testing 2. Automation testing Manual testing as the name itself says humans test the software. It requires manpower to observe the error and is user-friendly. It is best to use for minor changes in the software. Testing methods like Exploratory testing, ad-hoc testing, usability testing are the areas where manual testing is put in the best use. On the other hand, Automation testing is an advanced level of testing where the system does the work. In automation testing, the testing tools, along with testing software, and scripts will run those test cases. In the case of Regression testing, Load testing, Performance testing, and Repeated execution automation testing are put to best use. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOFTWARE TESTING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE: Both Quality Assurance Engineer and Software Tester aims to make software Error free. Let us see how these terms differ in a tabular form. PARTICULARS QUALITY ASSURANCE SOFTWARE TESTING MEANING All those activities that help to ensure the software conform to the specifications of the client constitute Quality Assurance (QA). A process of exploring a system to find and also to report defects in software. AIM The aim of Quality Assurance is ‘To Verify The Quality’ Whereas the aim of Software Testing is ‘To Validate The Quality’. ORIENTATION It is Process-Oriented as it focuses on improving processes used to create deliverable works. It is Product-Oriented as it involves checking the quality of the product. TYPE OF ACTIVITY It is a Proactive / Preventive activity. It is a Reactive / Corrective activity. FOCUS The primary focus is on Quality Control and assuring the quality of software. Main focus is on the Actual testing, Inspecting and finding bugs in the system. TEAMS INVOLVED The Whole Project team. Testers and testing teams WHAT THEY DO Manages software products and product life cycles Finds and reports bugs. IN SIMPLE TERMS QA helps to make sure they do the right things. Software Testing evaluates the actual results of the things done. Conclusion: QA focuses on improving the processes to deliver Quality Products to the customer while the  Software Testing focuses on ensuring the quality of a product or service so that the software becomes better. So finally we can say that both Quality Assurance (QA) and software testing go hand-in-hand and play a major role in software development and thus making a quality/bug-free product."

"With the advent of new and better methods, the software QA testing market is witnessing a massive paradigm shift. To remain relevant in the dynamic business ecosystem, it is necessary for the organizations to bring improvements in their testing framework. As a result, the businesses have been continuously upgrading their testing ecosystem and adapting to the new and upcoming software QA testing trends. These trends have not only revolutionized the computing world but have also enriched the end user experience. According to a survey conducted by KPMG India, about 40% of the software businesses believe that the ever-evolving mobile testing platform is the essential QA testing trend. The remaining 27% believe that cloud-based testing is the real game changer. With all these facts in mind, let’s have a quick look at some of the significant testing trends and try to understand why they are so relevant. SOFTWARE QA TESTING TRENDS THAT YOU MUST ADOPT ASAP 1. IOT IoT has inherently emerged as one of the critical software QA testing trends in the domain we are currently thriving to survive in. In the magical world of IoT, a dedicated software controls the hardware system, which connects to the internet, and all other functions emerge from it. It may initially sound great, but there are several vulnerabilities attached to it as well. Around three-fourths of the systems that connect to the Internet of Things stand vulnerable because of security-related issues. Therefore, it is imperative to test the connected products for functionality, security, and improvement in quality. 2. SHIFT TO QUALITY ENGINEERING Quality Engineering introduces techniques with the help of which we can handle testing and automation processes more swiftly. The earlier testing approach used to be through, but lengthy at the same time. With the advent of quality engineering, the overall process becomes more streamlined than ever. That is why the testing teams can focus more on removing the bottlenecks earlier than expected. 3. DEVOPS Although a new concept in the field of emerging businesses all over the globe, DevOps has received a tremendous amount of support in the past few years. It is due to the enhanced functionality and process time reduction capabilities. Apart from improving the overall performance of testing methods using an organized set of principles, DevOps emphasizes on automation and integration of testing functions and is giving high competition to newly emergingsoftware QA testing trends. 4. BIG DATA TESTING Today’s golden generation calls for platforms that require terabytes of data which the clients and users are uploading. We need a positive approach for handling and managing such a humongous amount of data. Big Data Testing has made this task more accessible by making it possible to test large amounts of data comprehensively. The primary aim of QA testing revolves around dealing with large amounts of data. So, that is where Big Data testing come into play where traditional computing methods are not useful for processing a large number of data sets. 5. MOBILE TESTING Although it is a new domain in software QA testing, mobile testing has emerged as one of the essential tools. With the emergence of several devices, OS platforms, and types of software running on a single app, it has become quite challenging to test mobile applications as compared with testing websites. The businesses are also expecting sophisticated testing practices from the QA testing organizations to stay relevant in the mobile market. Also, considering factors like the cost and market readiness, mobile testing is undoubtedly going to be one of the most comprehensive tools in the field of emerging software QA testing trends. 6. TEST AUTOMATION Software testing takes up almost one-third of the product development lifecycle. And to deliver quality products to the end customers within tight timelines, it is essential to automate the test framework.According to the World Testing Survey, conducted by KPMG, about 68% of the IT players believe thatTest Automation is the next big thing in software QA testing. Moreover, test automation also proves out to be better in terms of both quality and cost. 7. INCREASE IN USE OF OPEN SOURCE TOOLS Businesses are in vital need of tools and techniques that prove out to be beneficial in software testing. Apart from being available free of cost, open source tools are easily accessible to the public. They come up with an additional advantage of being more flexible and easily customizable than other expensive proprietary stuff. Your test automation can prove out to be convincing. You can enjoy the freedom to design the way you want and have your say in developing the algorithm. In spite of being less secure, the open source tools are still among the emerging trends due to their flexibility. CONCLUSION: Improvement in testing processes is mandatory for thriving as well as excelling in businesses worldwide. The frameworks discussed above also provide high-level quality assurance along with useful organizational ideas for the testing community. Therefore we can say that these trends have not only shifted us towards better computing experience but also helped us in getting better, updated products. Adjusting with the changing dynamics of these software QA testing trends is the need of the day to stay ahead of others in the fast-paced ecosystem of today."

"Software QA testing, without a doubt, is the backbone of the SDLC process. Besides reducing risks, a comprehensive and thorough approach to testing can help you identify problems. It can effectively reduce the time to fix, the time to market, and therefore, the overall cost. Before you ship your product to the market and into the hands of the users, it is critical that you step back and objectively evaluate the effectiveness of your QA testing strategy. WHAT IS AN EFFECTIVE QA TESTING STRATEGY? For starters, an effective QA strategy is one that can be measured. The key, however, is identifying what to measure and what to ignore. Equally important, if not more so, is measuring the efficacy of the entire testing process. In this post, we look at five key indicators to evaluate if your own business’s QA testing strategy is effective. 1. TEST PLANNING AND EXECUTION PRODUCTIVITY These measures help you assess the effectiveness of your test planning and execution strategy. The test planning productivity parameter is the ratio of the number of designed test cases to the total effort for their design and documentation. Similarly, the test execution productivity is simply the ratio of Number of Test Steps (Or test cases executed) to the Total Effort for Test Execution. An effective QA testing strategy has high Test Planning and Execution Productivity values to ensure the planning and execution of a higher number of tests per tester per unit of time. 2. DEFECT LEAKAGE The Defect Leakage metric measures the percentage of unidentified defects that occurred during System Testing (ST). In other words, this is a measure of finding errors after the deployment of software. 3. ERROR DISCOVERY RATE It is the ratio of the total number of defects found to the total number of test cases executed and measures the overall deficiencies identified per test case. The higher this number, the higher the coverage of the test case. 4. DEFECT REJECTION RATE  It is the ratio of total defects rejected by the development team to the total errors identified by the testing team. This metric helps us understand how well the testing team understood requirements. It also tells us how many rejected errors are due to a lack of understanding of the needs. This parameter can also be measured using the bug acceptance rate. A lower defect rejection rate, and in turn, a higher bug acceptance rate shows that the testing requirements were clearly understood and integrated into the QA testing strategy. PERCENTAGE OF AUTOMATION  The more automated tests there are in place – the more likely it is that you’ll identify critical defects introduced to your software while ensuring minimal human resource overheads and manual efforts. Ideally, you can focus on improving this parameter as the QA team evolves and matures. However, a target of 20% of automated test cases is a good starting point. It is important to note here that an effective test strategy is one where automate not only the tests but also the testing process. This process of automation improves the rate of execution of the test plan while reducing the time and effort spent on regression testing. EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS OF QA TESTING STRATEGY It is necessary to define deliverables and milestones. You should be able to define your comprehensive testing plan, testing cases, and metrics for your product. It is interesting to note how a range of factors that can affect these parameters. For instance, effective project management and domain expertise can ensure the achievement of test planning and execution efficiency optimally. To achieve higher error discovery rates and lower defect rejection rates, one cannot question the importance of professionals. These people are technically proficient and possess adequate domain knowledge and exposure to automate efficiently and handle unforeseen test scenarios. To increases the efficacy of the QA process, it is vital that you document and structure your strategy well. It should use tools for tracking and managing defects and for the creation and execution of test cases. HIRING AN EXPERT OUTSOURCED QA TESTING AGENCY Hiring an expert outsourced QA testing agency can be a strategically important business decision so that you can focus your energies on the core product while leaving the rest to the experts. While considering an outsourced QA partner, you need to ensure that your partner has an understanding of the QA process. He should have the resources to implement an effective and comprehensive QA testing strategy to track and measure. QAOnCloud’s services are specifically to help businesses achieve goals faster while ensuring the fastest onboarding, guaranteed cost reduction, and improved product performance.  Write to us to know more about our  software testing services and how they can help you."

"Is it better to opt for an Outsourcing Software QA Testing? Software QA testing is, without a doubt, one of the critical phases in the entire process of any software development project. The users wish to consume more and more content every day, and the businesses have to respond to this craving by constantly boosting their testing activities. As per a recent survey conducted, we require almost a quarter to half of the total cost of a software project for finding and fixing bugs. Another examination discloses that offshore vendors can save nearly three-fourths of the total in-house expenses involved in the QA and testing function. The businesses, thus need to continually scale up their QA testing strategies and consider the paradigm-shifting option of outsourcing software QA testing. IS OUTSOURCING SOFTWARE QA TESTING A COST SAVING SOLUTION? National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released a statistic in which they said that the US-based companies spent around $60 billion on fixing defects involved in software post-release stage. They also stated that transferring the QA and testing to a third party can save almost $20 billion. Let us take a closer look at the reasons because of which outsourcing software QA testing has become a vital solution for cost savings. 1. MINIMIZED OPERATING COSTS: The current economic condition has pushed the organizations to focus on the bottom line of the expenditure spectrum. Business leaders consistently focus on areas which would result in cost reduction and lessen the pressure on top line revenues. It is also one of the surest ways for a company to get far in terms of profit creation. To incur lower operational costs, efficient business managers opt for outsourced testing professionals. These skilled experts provide the most trusted and customizable services at the most reasonable prices. They keep absorbing the high level of fluctuations arising in the software complexity and market demand and ensure timely delivery while keeping your IT budget at its minimum. 2. SAVES YOU FROM REVENUE LOSS: As soon as the software products start to reach the end users, they begin to evaluate it informally. When the customers spot any difficulty while executing, the word about their lousy experience starts to spread fast. And then you will start losing customers, and your revenues start to plummet. The decision of outsourcing software QA testing can help organizations mitigate this problem as the method of continuous testing employed by the outsourced professionals will surely spot and correct the software anomalies and influence your bottom line revenues. Once it becomes evident that you tested your product on all the testing parameters, the market will accept it wholeheartedly. 3. CUTTING UNNECESSARY COSTS: Smart businesses understand the importance of cost avoidance. They are aware that the problems detected during the later stages of the product development cycle tend to be more expensive. You may end up rewriting the software programs and reestablishing the entire design framework to remove the bottlenecks. You can avoid the unnecessary costs if you render your tasks to the individuals who are experts at performing extensive groundwork in QA testing. Their customized testing solutions can detect errors at the earliest and provide robust solutions to tackle all the vulnerabilities. It proves out to be a significant factor in favor of outsourcing software QA testing to avoid unnecessary costs. 4. COST SAVING IN HR: Training and development of professionals for in-house software testing require resources on a substantial scale. On the other hand, outsourcing software QA and Testing play a significant role in saving the costs of investment. Since the third party is assigned to perform the functions, they are entirely responsible for the cost-cutting and benefits involved. Overall, you manage to achieve the best possible results without getting into the trouble of establishing in-house testing capabilities. 5. SAVING OF INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS: The software testing vendor takes care of the entire investment required for building sophisticated hardware and software to perform testing. This will, in turn, helps the organizations easily save their infrastructure cost. Their advanced cloud-based testing methodologies are capable of being fully automated and smoothly take care of all your worries.   CONCLUSION: Corporations are experiencing a lot of pressure to thrive in the harsh economic environment prevailing in today’s ecosystem. The field of outsourcing brings enormous opportunities for industries, particularly in the field of software development. You can increase product quality significantly once you transfer the QA and Testing functions to skilled third-party professionals. In addition to these factors, businesses can also be made profitable by avoiding the costs involved in post-deployment errors. So, successful outsourcing initiatives prove out to be the game changers in integrating organizational functions and eliminating budget overruns across projects."

"$3.62 billion! That’s how much an average data security breach costs a company in 2017. In today’s interconnected world of business and technology, you cannot afford to take security for granted at any stage of product development. Especially the security in QA testing! A security breach not only places an organization’s IP, technologies, and other sensitive information potentially worth thousands of dollars at risk. It also endangers the personal information of customers. In the light of compliance and regulatory requirements such as the GDPR, failure to meet data security requirements can result in penalties. And such penalties can be potentially devastating for an organization. Such security breaches can be catastrophic for any business and can severely hamper the reputation of an organization while undoing and damaging years of hard work and brand building. In this post, we discuss why security in QA testing should be on top of your business strategy. WHY SECURITY IN QA TESTING SHOULD BE GIVEN THE TOP PRIORITY IN BUSINESS STRATEGY? In a rush to get products to market, we often ignore security in the critical QA testing phase of the software development and delivery process. Quality and software se