Testing Applications on the Web: Test Planning for Mobile and Internet-Based Systems, Second Edition

Chapter 2. Web Testing versus Traditional Testing

Why Read This Chapter?

Web technologies require new testing and bug analysis methods. It is assumed that you have experience in testing applications in traditional environments; what you may lack, however, is the means to apply your experience to Web environments. To effectively make such a transition, you need to understand the technology and architecture differences between traditional testing and Web testing.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS CHAPTER

• Introduction

• The Application Model

• Hardware and Software Differences

• The Differences between Web and Traditional Client-Server Systems

• Web Systems

• Bug Inheritance

• Back-End Data Accessing

• Thin-Client versus Thick-Client Processing

• Interoperability Issues

• Testing Considerations

• Bibliography

Introduction

This chapter presents the application model and shows how it applies to mainframes, PCs, and, ultimately, Web/client-server systems. It explores the technology differences between mainframes and Web/client-server systems, as well as the technology differences between PCs and Web/client-server systems. Testing methods that are suited to Web environments are also discussed.

Although many traditional software testing practices can be applied to the testing of Web-based applications, there are numerous technical issues that are specific to Web applications that need to be considered.

The Application Model

A computer system, which consists of hardware and software, can receive inputs from the user, then stores them somewhere, ...