Checklist For Mobile App Testing

Every mobile application, irrespective of its category, has a common goal of creating an impeccable user experience. App users want to see something new and innovative. And even though the great user experience is the most important, it only comes with quality. 

To ensure quality, mobile app testing is essential. In this blog, we will discuss a step-by-step mobile app testing checklist. 

Step 1: Cross-Platform Compatibility

Your android application may run fine on Oreo (Android 10) but the same might not be the case with Marshmallow(Android 6.0). This is where cross-platform testing comes into the picture. 

You should ensure to test your application on all the possible combinations of operating systems, screen sizes and resolutions that the app users might be using. This ensures that the app will behave uniformly across all devices.

Step 2: App Integration

A mobile app interacts with many features – both in-app as well as mobile device based. The app should be compatible with all the possible settings and configurations. These may include screen resolution, orientation, different versions of operating systems, camera, motion sensor, etc. 

Step 3: Application Type

A mobile app generally falls under three categories – native, web, and hybrid.

i. Web app testing : Optimized for mobile browsing and server-driven, the web apps should be tested for UI to ensure that all the elements of the app are aligned for different screens and resolutions. Since the mobile apps have limited storage space and power supply, test for memory utilization as well as battery usage. Avoid excessive usage of JavaScript  – this might drain the mobile’s battery.

ii. Native and Hybrid app testing : Although driven by different technologies, native and hybrid apps share similar functionality, and hence, their approach to testing. Functional testing is the key player here  – run functional tests to validate key aspects such as screen orientation, gestures, compatibility, connectivity, performance, and interruptions such as calls and push notifications.

Step 4: Front-End Testing

Front-end testing validates the features available on the UI of an app – testers check the functionality of the mobile app’s GUI. This includes testing the menus, dropdowns, navigation buttons and gestures, forms, and other features that are used by the end-user. 

Front-end testing will ensure that the app under test will perform on different browsers and devices. Perform unit, regression, performance, integration, and acceptance tests on the app for comprehensive front-end testing.

Step 5: Back-End Testing

Back-end or database testing deals with the server-side of the mobile app. Today, most of the mobile apps are API-driven. Data is populated via REST APIs displayed in the UI. Use a proxy to track the app’s requests and responses. Perform SQL, performance, and security testing to prevent deadlock, data loss, etc.

Step 6: Storage

Mobile users want to have all their important apps on the go. However, the devices do not have enough storage to fulfill the need of installing high-resolution apps. 

Keep an eye on the app size with every release. You should not be in a situation where the end-user might not download the app only because of its large size.

Step 7: Network Compatibility

Run the app on different network conditions to measure its performance under weak signal and data transition. To test for network performance, consider the following aspects:

i. Jitters
Occurs during a delay in data collection. As the data travels in the form of packets, these packets may disperse while moving from the sender to the receiver. Hence the data becomes scrambled and this is called jitters. In such cases, the app should notify the user to either resend the data or wait for the system to respond.

ii. Packet Loss
During complete packet loss, make sure that the app resends the data request or notify the end-user. Rather than keeping the user waiting, the app should prompt the app user to try again.

iii. Network Speed and Type
Network speeds vary from time to time – ideally, this should not hamper the user experience. Check the app on different networks and speeds. Validate how the app behaves when the mobile app moves from mobile data to WiFi and vice versa.

Step 8: Mobile App Flow

A good mobile app flow is the one that needs no explanation and can be understood at the first go. The user flow can vary based on how the app responds to different devices and operating systems. For example, to simply log in to an app, a user may choose from fingerprint, face identification, or login via username and password. Validate all the possible capabilities in order to ensure the best possible digital experience to the users.

Step 9: Mobile App Automation

Automation can increase the productivity of your testing process by manifolds. Tools like Testsigma enable you to create custom IDEs, in-house scripts, and cloud testing frameworks to detect bugs and errors. 

Automate for iOS and Android from the same place, without setup hassles. Try Testsigma Today

Step 10: App Security

Due to the diverse operating system components, mobile app security can look quite intimidating. However, you can follow these common steps to mobile app security.

i. Secure the source code and database

ii. Perform Input Validation

iii. Perform Penetration Testing

iv. Use Cryptography

v. Prevent Client Side Injection

vi. Implement HTTPS – SSL/TLS Security Layer

vii. Protect Local Storage Data

Common Types Of Mobile App Testing

Usability Testing Ensures that the app is easy to use and offers the desired user experience.

Compatibility Testing Ensures that the app performs well on different devices, browsers, screen sizes, and OS versions.

Interface Testing Testing of menu options, navigation, gestures, transitions, buttons, history, and settings.

Services TestingTesting the online and offline modes of app.

Low-level Resource Testing Validating local database issues.

Performance TestingTesting the app performance by switching to and from mobile data to WIFI, data sharing, battery usage, etc.

Operational Testing Testing of backups in case of data loss during app upgrades.

Installation TestingValidating the installation and uninstallation of the app.

Security TestingTesting the data protection capability of the mobile app.

What do you think about this checklist for Mobile App Testing? Would you like to add a point to this list? If yes, which one? At Testsigma, we have a team of highly experienced QA engineers who are well-versed with the latest tools and technologies to take care of all your mobile app testing needs. Want to see the ROI of mobile app testing with Testsigma? Book a demo with Testsigma now.