Tips For Mobile Application
Performance Testing
In today’s world, more than 50 percent of people have access to mobile phones, and about two-thirds of this segment use a smartphone (source: Statista). It further adds that the growing smartphone population accesses web content through their smartphones.
Thus, be it shopping, groceries, utility bills or government-related work, optimized websites for mobile phones automatically attract more online audience. There was a time when the listed activities functioned only with the help of a laptop or a desktop, but with the emerging smartphones’ penetration, this trend is changing.
With the help of mobile application performance testing, identification of bottlenecks at different layers of an application becomes easy. You can find and remove issues regarding database, network, and modelling. Problems in mobile apps depend primarily on their type. There are three kinds of mobile apps:
- Native apps – Apps designed to work specifically for a single operating system are native apps. These applications work on systems such as iOS, Android, and Windows.
- Hybrid apps – These Apps are the result of multi-platform technologies. These apps possess both the advantages and disadvantages of native and web apps.
- Web apps – Mobile web apps run efficiently on any operating system. It can be iOS, Android or any other browser on various mobile phones.
Performance testing on mobile applications varies significantly than web applications. It is obligatory to consider parameters such as network, users’ geographic location, performance on various devices, and user interface. Identification of performance objectives and their alignment as per requirements ensures proper authentication of an app’s design. You must follow certain tips for mobile application testing:
Testing On Real Devices
Organizations should avoid the use of emulation technology throughout the testing process of an application. Emulation technology does not consider the unique configuration of each mobile device. Whereas, testing on real mobile devices allows testers to test the primary issues such as connectivity problems, the functionality of devices’ various features, GPS, battery issues, and others.
The User Interface On Various Screen Sizes
Developing an application that performs consistently with varying screen sizes of mobile devices is a challenge. If the elements of the app do not align according the page, the user will remove the app immediately. To avoid these issues, modeling of the app to work on different screen sizes is necessary. If different models have the same screen size and user interface, testing on both devices becomes unnecessary.
Performance Of An App On Different Bandwidths
The speed of internet has a vital effect on the user experience of an application. Make sure to run an internet speed test. Mobile users with slow network connections can have trouble accessing the content of an application. It’s essential to consider efficient working of the app under both slow and fast connections. If some content of an app performs best with a high-speed connection, users must get the notification beforehand. They also must consider the geographic location of a user because not all networks provide similar types of connectivity at different locations.
The Necessity Of Automation Testing
Automation testing is crucial and more efficient for mobile application testing. By automation, parallel running of various tests across different platforms becomes easy. It helps in speeding up the test results and improves the time to market the app. Automation testing for mobile requires the right tools to enhance applications’ efficiency. As there are multiple operating systems (IOS, Android, Windows), choosing the correct tool is necessary. Some of them are:
- Appium (Android, iOS)
- Calabash (iOS, Android)
- Kobiton (iOS and Android device cloud)
- Monkey Talk (iOS, Android)
Using A Secure Device Testing Cloud
Use of a reliable testing cloud is mandatory for organizations with testers in different locations. While testing on devices is necessary, sometimes it is expensive. You can use the testing cloud to keep a check on the budget. Using cloud technology, testers in different geographic locations can access any information, whenever required. Private and secure clouds help enterprises in protecting their data and apps from security threats.
Test Apps With The Full Data Load
In most cases, testers do not test apps for full data load which they experience after the app launch. If an organization releases an application across multiple countries, it is essential for the testing environment to be flexible. As a result, it provides sufficient load on the app. If the app contains multilingual features and tests cover only a few languages, it may disrupt the app’s working. Applications’ working speed at full data load should be convenient enough for users to access it frequently.
Mobile application performance testing is a handy task. Use of both real devices and cloud platforms is essential for testing the functionality of the app. With the help of the right tools and testers, a good app can be developed. Efficient working of the developed app is a crucial factor for the growth of an organization.