Page 126 - SOFTWARE TESTING & QUALITY ASSURANCE

Unit 8: Web Site Testing

Some of the elements which can be tested during white box testing are explained below:
1. Dynamic Content: Dynamic content is nothing but graphics and text that varies depending on
some conditions.

Time of the day, the user’s preferences, or user specific actions.

The developers may use a simple scripting language such as JavaScript for the content in the
Web page and embed within the HTML. This is known as client-side programming. For
efficiency, most dynamic content programming is placed on the Web site's server. It is called as
server side programming, and it would require the tester to have access to the web server to view
the code. The dynamic content created should be checked if it is as per the designer’s
expectations.
2. Database-driven Web pages: The Web pages that display catalogs or inventories are database-
driven.
E-commerce Web pages

For database-driven Web pages, the HTML provides a simple layout for the Web content.
Subsequently, pictures, text descriptions, pricing information, and so on are taken from a
database on the Web site's server and plugged into the pages. A tester would have to check if the
content from the database is correct and relevant to the columns of display.

Sources of data for database-driven Web pages are:

1. MySQL
2. Interbase
3. Microsoft SQL Server
4. Microsoft Access

5. Oracle
6. Other databases
7. XML Web services

3. Programmatically Created Web pages: Many Web pages, especially those with dynamic content,
are programmatically generated. To create these pages, a Web page designer may type entries in a
database and drag and drop elements in a layout program, press a button, and generate the HTML
that displays a Web page. If you are testing a Web site that contains programmatically created
Web pages, you should check that the HTML creates it as per the designer’s expectations.
4. Server Performance and Loading: Popular Web sites might receive millions of hits per day. Some
people may download data from the Web site's server through the computer’s browser and some
may simply browse for reading the information. If you want to test a Web site for performance
and loading, you need to find out a way to simulate millions of connections and downloads. An
automated load and stress testing tool like HP’s quality center would help you simulate multiple
connections.

5. Security: As we have discussed in the previous section, Web site security issues should always be
given much importance. This is because hackers keep trying new and different ways to gain access
to a Web site's internal data. Financial, medical, social, and other Web sites that contain
personal/confidential data are especially at risk and require closer knowledge of server
technology to test them for proper security.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 119