What is Graphic User Interface (GUI)?
GUI is a standard application interface that abstracts the graphics features of the computer. Leaning complex command languages is not everyone’s cup of tea and here the GUI operating system came into limelight because of its easy access and less learning curve.
In a Nutshell
Microsoft Windows, Chrome operating system are the popular examples of a GUI operating system.
What is Graphic User Interface (GUI) Testing?
Testing graphical user interface of the computer under robust test plan to ensure it meets its specifications and to locate the defects is GUI testing. Main focus on GUI testing process is to verify if the application handles keyboard and mouse events well.
GUI testing is a “must have” step with the intention of supplying a positive user experience at great extent.
Things you need to do in GUI testing
- Screen validations, resolutions
- Size, position, and alignment of GUI elements
- Clear and well-aligned images
- Navigations (links)
- Drop down list boxes
- Grammar and spelling
- Error messages pop up or not
- Font, colors, and alignment of text
- Date and numeric fields
- Usability conditions and data integrity
- Required fields, required fields validation
- Abbreviations inconsistencies
- Progress bars
- Shortcuts
- Checkboxes are overlapping or not
Types of GUI Testing
Two measures for UI testing to check if a system is working as it’s supposed are: Manual Testing, Automation Testing. Whatever is your strategy make sure it should perform testing more accurately and within time constraints.
What are the Challenges with GUI Testing?
Times, money, efforts involved in GUI testing to find out bugs are a bit expensive and complex, especially when you are following manual testing strategy. Testing is followed by a proper and robust test plan including various test cases but testing with scripting is not sufficient in a user interface. Here are the few major challenges which QA team has to counter during UI testing.
- Several combos are used in GUI testing and it’s almost impossible to test each combination. Testing the whole application for combo through manual testing and automation testing is quite impossible.
- Clear, open and effective communication and a connection between software developers and testers are one of the biggest challenges.
- Regression testing is one of the major challenges with GUI testing. To deal with current functionality changes and previous working functionality checks is quite difficult when the application expands.
- To set the priority of test cases is also a big headache. How can testers decide which tests are more important than others?
- When to stop the testing process is another big defy in GUI testing.
What Features Should I Look for in a GUI Testing Tool?
Let’s take a look at what you might choose as your UI testing tool based on notable features mentioned below:-
1. Speed is the main concern while you’re selecting a tool for UI automation testing. Start hunting for other better option if your basic test suite takes more than 30 minutes.
2. While electing a testing tool makes sure you have a tool that captures CSS-related regressions automatically.
3. A tool with less learning curve is the best for beginners or non-QA staff.
4. In order to set up enterprise-grade QA automation solutions, it needs huge time, efforts. A tool for minimizing installation is a better choice.
5. A tool which can handle dynamic areas or third-party tools are the best testing automation tools for software testing.
6. One of the key features in GUI testing tool is that it should regularly keep up to date with the newest technologies available into the market.
These are the must-have characteristic of every modern tool used for automated user interface testing.
What are the benefits of UI testing automation?
1. Regression errors: Regressions contradictory with a precision of prediction. Proper and robust UI testing plan can supply regression errors. Purpose of regression testing ensures that previously resolved bugs continue to stay lifeless.
2. Consistency: An applicant can be consistent which has no learning curve for users. User interface testing improves the user experience which in turn assurance your consistency.
3. Increase efficiency: In automation testing, fewer resources are involved unlike in manual testing. Those resources can be applied to other more important things.
4. Up to date: A tool is upgraded after discovering every new bug which may lead to an erroneous model. Hence you will always stay up to date.
GUI testing process at initial stage and also the ongoing maintenance is a big time consumer in any application development. A team of skilled testers who can explore the application alongside the automated tests is the biggest inevitability in GUI testing.
