Page 128 - SOFTWARE TESTING & QUALITY ASSURANCE

Unit 8: Web Site Testing

8.4 Configuration and Compatibility Testing

This testing strategy for Web sites is used to test whether a Web site functions properly across different
hardware and software environments. The main purpose of this strategy is to check the simple
functional acceptance tests or a subset of the task-oriented functional tests on various combinations of
software and hardware configurations. Sometimes, it is carried out to create a specific test that considers
the error risks associated with configuration differences.
While testing for software compatibility configurations, the following are tested:
1. Versions of the operating system

2. Input/output (I/O) devices extension
3. Network software
4. Concurrent applications
5. Online services
6. Firewalls.
Checking for hardware configurations would check variances in the following:
1. CPU types

2. RAM
3. Graphics cards
4. Video capture cards
5. Audio cards
6. Monitors/Display devices
7. Network cards

8. Methodology in Connection
Apart from the above test issues, the following are also tested during compatibility checking
1. Various font sizes.
2. Browsers with Cascading Style Sheets CSS, JavaScript turned OFF, and pop-up blockers
3. Various screen resolutions and color depths.
4. Various memory sizes and hard drive space.
5. Different network environments.
6. Different printers (Printer-friendly versions)

Test your Web site to verify whether the user can use Web pages adequately in different browsers using
different operating systems such as Windows XP, Vista, Linux, and Mac on different hardware
platforms. The Web test engineers should consider various versions, configurations, display resolutions,
and Internet connection speeds to prevent the Web pages from ending up with awkward bugs.
However, an important point to remember while testing the Web compatibility is that you should first
identify the major customer group for whom the Web site is developed. Depending on the user group,
you must decide the main browsers and operating systems for testing purpose.

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