Testing of Web Applications
WebApp testing is a collection of related activities with a single goal: to uncover errors in WebApp content, function, usability, navigability, performance, capacity, and security. To accomplish this, a testing strategy that encompasses both reviews and executable testing is applied throughout the Web engineering process. The following topic categories are considered here:
General Testing Resources
Testing/QA Articles and Papers
Navigation and Configuration Testing
Usability Testing
Security and Performance Testing
Testing Tools
Books
General Testing Resources
Web QA and Testing Resources
A List of testing and security testing resources. Recommended.
Software Testing - Web/eBusiness
Links and other information sources for testing of WebApps has been assembled by Software Testing and Quality Engineering.
Testing tools resources-I
Links to many papers and tools.
Testing tools resources-II
Pointers to technology related information that has webApp testing relevance.
Resources for Planning and Testing for Application Deployment
An annotated list of testing resources.
Security Testing Resources
Articles on penetration testing, ID attacks, cookie mods, and others.
Testing Articles
A collection compiled by StickyMinds.com.
Testing/QA Articles and Papers
• WebApp Testing
Web Site Testing
An in-depth paper by Ed Miller that covers most important aspects of WebApp testing. Recommended.
Systematic Testing
This site "describes some approaches, techniques and tools" which are required when testing WebApps.
Testing Your Web Application: A Quick 10-Step Guide
Introductory discussion.
Web Testing: Complete guide on testing web applications
An introductory discussion with pointer to other articles.
Testing GUI Applications
An in-depth paper that considers many testing methods that are is applicable to WebApps.
Object Oriented Test Strategy for Web Applications
A slide show that address WebApp testing from an OO perspective.
A Strategy for Testing Web-Based Software
A research paper that review techniques for WebApp testing.
pdf: Going Faster: Testing The Web Application
A general article on the importance of WebApp testing and the strategies that can be applied.
pdf: Testing Web Applications
A slide presentation outlining basic testing issues.
pdf: Testing and validation of web-based software
This research reviews the techniques for testing of web applications and gives a strategy to use the testing techniques meeting the challenges of testing web-based software.
Use Validators and Load Generators to Test Your Web Applications
Testing to ensure browser standards compliance.
pdf: Testing Web Applications by Modeling with FSMs
"The paper illustrates the finite state machine for WebApp testing technique with a running example of a Web-based course student information system and introduces a prototype implementation to support the technique"
Acceptance Testing of Web Applications with PHP
"n this article I introduce the topic of Acceptance Testing (aka Functional Testing), something more PHP programmers should be starting to practice."
Easy Automated Web Application Testing with Hudson and Selenium
"This article looks at one way of cracking the problem of regression testing (retesting previously working parts of an application following a new build) a modern web application, using two superb open source projects: Hudson and Selenium."
Testing Ajax Web Applications
An in depth slide presentation.
Load Testing 2.0 for Web 2.0: Simplifying Performance Validation for Rich Internet Applications
This downloadable white paper helps uncover the many unknowns around stress testing Web 2.0 applications.
Java-centric Testing
Articles on testing in a Java environment
• WebApp Quality
The Website Quality Challenge
A paper by Edward Miller that addresses the "very special nature of the WWW and WebSites" and the "unique software testing challenges" that WebApps impose.
Quality Checklist
Is your WebApp "good?" This checklist will help you to find out.
Evaluating Content Quality on the Web
This paper discusses mechanisms for evaluating the quality of content obtained from a WebApp. A quick checklist is also available to assess content quality.
What Makes a Great Website?
This article provides answers to this question.
pdf: Making Quality a First-Class Citizen in Web Engineering
In this paperwe discuss the specific characteristics of Web applications. We explore quality-related challenges in Web Engineering and discuss a set of quality-related research issues
pdf: The use of Trade-offs in the development of Web Applications
The use of trade-off methods such as QFD will help to prioritize the “right” requirements and to resolve conflicts between them
pdf: Towards Reconciling Quality and Agility in Web Application Development
"In this paper we empirically address the tension between quality and agility (speed) in web application development describing a set of software disciplines that were added to Extreme Programming to improve web software quality without sacrificing development agility."
pdf: A Case Study to Identify Quality Attributes Relationships forWeb-
based Applications
This paper presents a method to investigate and identify the relationships of quality criteria in the development of web-based applications (WBA).
Quality Attributes in Mobile Web Application Development
This paper deals with a quality model for mobile web applications. Available after free registration.
Measuring Quality Attributes of Web-based Applications
This paper has been designed to predict the Web metrics for evaluating the reliability and maintainability of hyperdocuments.
pdf: Web Software Applications Quality Attributes
This paper discusses some of the unique technological aspects of building web software applications, the unique requirements of quality attributes, and how they can be achieved
pdf: Exploiting Conceptual Modeling for WebApp Quality Evaluation
This paper discusses the use of conceptual modeling as a quality evaluation tool.
Navigation and Configuration Testing
• Navigation Testing
Navigation Testing
A brief overview of Navigation testing.
Testing the Navigation
Another brief overview of navigation testing.
Menu Navigation and Website Testing
A brief quality checklist for navigation testing.
Navigation and Information Architecture
A brief discussion of testing methods for IA.
Resource Path Testing
A detailed paper that presents "a systematic strategy and framework for system testing called resource path testing (RPT)."
Case Study: Keyboard Navigation - Scrolling
An example of a test procedure that outlines tests for scrolling through content in the browser window. Another example of tabbing.
• Configuration Testing
Configuration Testing
An outline that identifies all key objectives, tasks, preconditions, post conditions and work products for configuration testing.
Web Application --> Configuration --> Testing
Articles that address each of the important tasks.
Testing the Configuration
A generic article by SAP that has direct relevance to webApp configuration testing.
Configuration Testing
OPF articles and guidelines.
Configuration Testing With Virtual Server
An article provided at MSDN with specific reference to the Microsoft Virtual Server.
pdf: Efficient Configuration Test Automation Using Virtual Machines
"There are over 7000 possible configurations of Operating Systems, Browsers, Screen Resolutions and other unique characteristics" This article addresses the problem.
Usability Testing
Usability Testing Resources-I
A wide range of pointers to usability information.
Usability Testing Resources-II
A wide range of pointers to usability testing information.
Web Site Usability Resources
Links to broad range of usability resources including testing.
Usability Testing
An in-depth paper on usability testing.
Usability Testing Basics
A brief article that discusses basic usability testing concepts.
Conducting Usability Tests
An in-depth discuss of UT including a delineation of UT steps and links to other resources.
Methods and Tips for Usability Testing
Focuses on methods of observation as a user interacts with a WebApp.
Is Website Usability Testing Necessary?
Testing the "real-world issues" that separate good from bad sites.
Usability 101: Introduction to Usability
Jakob Nielsen's website. Not tsting specific, but required for every usability tester. Recommended.
Remove Stumbling Blocks by Usability Testing
An introductory article
Testing GUI Applications
Has many guidelines relevant to navigation testing.
Why You Need to Test Your Web Site with Real Users
A brief, but worthwhile article.
Why You Only Need to Test With 5 Users
Jakob Nielsen makes the argument. Recommended.
8 guidelines for usability testing
Elementary guidelines that must be understood.
10 Tips to Improve Web Site Usability Testing
Pragmatic guidelines derived from practical experience.
OJR's 'five guide' to do-it-yourself website usability testing
It's not DIY neurosurgery-you can do it yourself.
Web site usability testing: recommended procedures
Presented in outline format, contains useful guidelines.
Usability Testing for Library Websites
An in depth online pamphlet by Elaina Norlin that is specific to one application domain but has lessons for all domains.
Usability Testing - Case Study
Contains forms, original and redesigned UI, and more.
Usability Report
A report that outlines the result of usability testing. Also contains pointers to the old WebApp and the WebApp UI that was redesigned as a consequence of the finding contained in the report.
Security and Performance Testing
• Security Testing
Security issues and testing
A comprehensive FAQ addressing all aspects of server-side and client-side security. Useful for both design and testing purposes.
Security Issues
Articles on security issues in a Java environment.
Security Testing Resources
A hotlist containing a number of useful security testing resources.
Web Application Security: The Truth About White Box Testing vs. Black Box Testing
"This paper will demonstrate black box or dynamic testing is ultimately the appropriate solution for "truly" securing Web applications."
Application Security
Pointers to articles on security issues and tools.
Incorporating Web Application Security Testing Into Your Quality Assurance
A brief discussion with useful guidelines.
Penetration Testing for Web Applications (three parts)
"Provides the penetration tester with an overview of Web applications - how they work, how they interact with users, and most importantly how developers can expose data and systems with poorly written and secured Web application front-ends."
Performance Testing
Performance Testing Introduction
An in-depth introduction to the subject. Recommended.
Performance Tools
Describes a suite of products that address performance testing. Also provides a useful overview of the technology.
Beyond Performance Testing
This paper, developed by Rational Corp., considers "what happens after initial test results are collected, the part it takes a human brain to accomplish."
Testing - Web Application Assessment
A simple table the summarizes Threat & Vulnerability areas.
Performance Testing Guidance for Web Applications
"This guide shows you an end-to-end approach for implementing performance testing. Whether you are new to performance testing, or looking for ways to improve your current performance testing approach, you will find insights that you can tailor for your specific scenarios."
pdf: Introduction to Web Application Load Testing
A slide show presenting a reasonably detailed discussion of the subject.
Load-Testing Web Applications
An indepth discussion of WebApp load testing.
Testing Tools
Web Site Testing Tools - 1
"More than 250 tools listed in 12 categories."
Web Site Testing Tools - 2
A hotlist of dozens of WebApp testing tools across all major WebE testing categories.
Top tools for testing Web application security
Brief discussion and links to security testing tools.
Resources for load and performance testing
Whitepapers from a tools vendor.
TestingWebApplications
A set of links to OpenSource tools.
pdf: Testing Web Applications with Scripting Languages
A slide presentation that outlines key tools.
Load Testing Tools
An article discussing Microsoft's Web Application Stress Tool.
Selenium Testing Tools
Am open source WebApp testing tools set.
Books 
