Section 1.1: Types of Tests

1. Cache Testing

   Web applications utilize multiple caches, such as Browser Cache, CDN Cache, Proxy Cache, and Backend Cache. While caching is beneficial, excessive reliance can lead to confusion about caching locations and methods. Thus, it’s essential to conduct cache tests on your web application.

2. Code Size Assessment

   Large JavaScript libraries can significantly impact response times. It's crucial to regularly measure and assess code size.

3. Complexity Evaluation

   Cyclomatic complexity gauges the intricacy of control statements (like if and for). Complicated code often harbors bugs; therefore, striving for simplicity in your code is advisable.

4. Code Duplication Check

   Copying and pasting code violates the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Fortunately, tools exist to detect such duplications.

5. Cross-Browser and Platform Testing

   Verifying functionality across supported browsers and platforms (iOS, Android, Desktop, etc.) is vital. Setting up the right environment for testing is crucial, and certain services can facilitate this process.

6. End-to-End Testing (E2E)

   This testing method verifies the entire web application experience from a user’s perspective, including interactions like clicking or typing. E2E tests can be unstable, so measures to ensure consistent operation are important.

7. Exception Handling Tests

   Testing for normal, semi-normal, and abnormal conditions is necessary. A semi-normal scenario occurs when a system is intentionally instructed to fail (e.g., an invalid form input), whereas an abnormal scenario involves unexpected errors (e.g., a timeout).

8. Flaky Test Identification

   These unstable tests can be addressed through resources like Google's documentation.

9. Integration Testing

   Integration tests verify the functionality of combined components, similar to unit tests. They can reveal issues not captured by unit tests alone.

10. Logging Verification

    It’s important to check that logs are generated at appropriate levels (INFO, WARN, ERROR) and ensure that the log library operates correctly.

11. Monkey Testing

    This testing approach involves random input to cover areas that may be difficult to systematically test.

12. Multi-Tenancy Testing

    Multi-tenancy means providing distinct experiences for different users. Each environment must be tested, particularly when subdomains are in use.

13. Mutation Testing

    This method checks if modifications in product code also affect tests. If a product code change passes existing tests, it indicates insufficient testing.

14. Chaos Testing

    This strategy involves testing the system's behavior under failure conditions.

15. Performance Testing

    Various metrics, such as CPU usage, memory consumption, response time, and requests per second (RPS), should be measured to ensure they meet established standards.

16. Property-Based Testing

    This involves semi-automatically generating test data to examine code functionality.

17. Regression Testing

    Regression tests ensure that changes do not adversely affect existing features. The scope of regression testing is broad, encompassing many test types.

18. Robustness Testing

    Web applications should be resilient enough to maintain basic functionality, even in the event of errors.

19. Security Testing

    Security assessments are essential for all web applications. While I won't detail specific tests, they should not be overlooked.

20. Smoke Testing

    This initial verification confirms that essential functions of the web application work correctly. It acts as a prerequisite for more detailed testing.

21. Snapshot Testing

    Capturing and comparing HTML snapshots allows you to verify that changes do not unintentionally alter the web application's structure.

22. Unit Testing

    Unit tests are designed to evaluate individual features, and passing these tests typically leads to further testing phases.

23. Code Coverage Analysis

    Code coverage metrics from unit tests should ideally meet an 80% threshold, including JS and CSS.

24. Visual Regression Testing

    Monitoring visual changes ensures that no design elements are broken.

In Summary

This exploration of testing methodologies highlights the necessity of selecting appropriate tests based on desired operational quality. It’s not imperative to test every aspect; prioritize what is most relevant for your web application.

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