GUI Testing for Mobile App Development

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Learn all you need to know about GUI Testing for Mobile App Development.

Before we talk about GUI testing in detail, let’s first find out what actually GUI is. GUI is the acronym for Graphical User Interface. This is a communication entity through which users interact with a program or system via images (including anything that interfaces without being in a text form) and graphic elements like any functional illustrations, checkboxes, radio buttons and even text fields and the screen controls like icons, buttons, menus, etc.

The concept of GUI Testing

GUI testing
Image source: Guru99.com

GUI Testing takes into account a systematic validation of the GUI elements. The process involved in GUI Testing includes different approaches and layers of validation to test different visual components and design elements of the app. No matter whether you are testing it manually or automatically, it is always going to take some time to test a GUI, as it takes a lot of programming and a lot of tracking and monitoring to check each and every visible resource present in the app for quality.

The Importance of GUI Testing

Everything your app has to offer reaches out to your users through its interface. It’s the only thing that is visible to the users and allows them to communicate with different features and resources and get their purpose served. And this is why it is so important to test the GUI for authenticity and quality, to ensure if the app is interfacing well with the users in all aspects and is not affected by any disarrangements and bugs.

What needs to be checked during GUI Testing

Here are the most important things that need to be checked while testing for GUI:

  • Where the GUI elements are placed in reference to the screen resolution and display formats
  • If the images are positioned correctly and are properly aligned as per the design layout and structure
  • Images used are rich and consistent in definition and clarity
  • Texts are aligned and placed correctly and are in an ideal text-to-image ratio
  • The fonts used in the app are legible and consistent in order and appearance
  • Demarcation and white spaces between different sections are properly done
  • Check if the GUI is displaying communication elements and executing commands properly

Methods of GUI Testing

Primarily there are 3 most popular and trusted ways of GUI testing:

  • Manual testing
  • Record and replay
  • Model-based testing

Manual Testing

With this form of testing QA engineers manually check the graphical screens referring to the requirements written in the business document and following the test cases. They manually check if all the graphic interfaces and components within are complying with different communication and presentation standards on various quality parameters.

The Record and Replay Method

GUI testing can be done in automated manner which is carried out in two different phases – record and playback. During the record phase, every step of the program is recorded as per the implemented testing guidelines. In the playback phase, every step that is recorded in the record phase is executed and checked for validity and accuracy.

The Model-Based Testing Method

Any system’s behavior and performance are hard to determine and predict if there’s no model to refer to test it. By referring to system’s graphical model and description it becomes possible for quality analysts to find out if the app is working as per standards or not. For this a workable model needs to be developed or referred to and identified for required inputs before it throws out results based on comparisons and performance tracking.

GUI testing tools

Here are some of the examples of open source tools to perform GUI testing:

  • Water
  • Dojo Toolkit
  • Sikuli
  • Selenium
  • Robot Framework
  • AutoHotkey

Final Words

GUI testing is not just one of the most important practices of quality assurance for mobile apps but also an indispensable facet of mobile application development which requires to be adhered with great commitment, meticulousness and practical approach. And to assure all these the methods, processes and tasks should be approached and executed in ideal conditions and under the guidance and supervision of experts. Remember, this is going to decide how much and how well you would be able to attract your users, so you need to take at as seriously and smartly as you can.

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About Author
Tushar Vijay

Tushar Vijay

A marketing graduate, a deemed strategist, a sure geek - Tushar is a fine blender of the art and science of writing. When it comes to tune up content with commerce, he knows the trick. For him, if words don’t make you think and beat, they are not worth your time. A crazy foodie, an unfailing jogger – that’s him off the desk!

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