What are different tools available for web testing?

Web testing as we all know is defined as the software testing which focuses primarily on web applications and web sites. A complete testing of web server and applications is needed before they are presented live to the customers or clients.

Web testing mainly addresses the issues like web security, functionality of a particular site, feasibility and accessibility to the users, ability to handle traffic.

Nowadays there are several tools available for web testing. The most common and popular today being the “WAPT” abbreviated form for the web application performance tool.

What is WAPT?
- WAPT tool has been specially designed for testing the web related interfaces and web applications.

- Furthermore this tool can be effectively used for load testing, stress testing and performance testing of web sites, web applications, and web related interfaces.

- This tool tends to simulate a situation of virtual users.

- There are many challenges faced by WAPT and it is used for determining the compatibility of the browser, operating system and windows applications during the backend testing.

- This tool carries out tests via three kinds of loads namely:


1. Increasing user load
2. Constant user load
3. Periodic user load

These days some frameworks are available that give a tool box for testing the web applications.
Open source web testing tools are also available for web testing. The 2 very most common open source web testing tools are:


- HTTP test tool
It’s a tool based on scripting of the protocols. It is used for testing HTTP protocol based products.

- Apache j meter
It’s a tool programmed in java language. It is basically used for performance measurement and load testing of the web severs and web applications.

Next in the queue of web testing tools are web testing tools based on windows operating system. Few of them have been listed below:

- TOSCA test suite
It’s a software tool and has been designed for automated execution of regression testing and functional testing of the web applications.

- Testing anywhere
It is also an automated testing tool and it has been designed in such a way that it can perform any kind of testing from anywhere via automation feature.

- Test complete
This is another one in the line of automated testing tools. It was developed by the Smart Bear Software firm.

- Silk test
This is also an automation tool and has been designed specially for testing the functionalities of the web enterprise applications.

- Ranorex

- IBM Rational Functional Tester

- HP quick test Professional
It is an automated testing tool specially designed for functional testing and regression testing of the web applications and interfaces by HP.

- HP load runner
It can be called as a software tool from HP designed to carry out automated load testing and performance testing for web servers, web applications and other related interfaces.

Many web testing tools are available for Load testing and Performance Testing of web applications and web sites. Some have been listed below:

- Tsung:
Open source web testing tool. Tests load for multiple protocols.
- Performance Xpert
Performance testing and load testing.
- Load UI
Open source cross platform load testing tool.
- App view web
Cloud computing based performance testing tool.
- Sand storm
Load testing tool which supports testing of mobile, email and web protocols.
- Multi mechanize
- Load 2 test
- Xceptance load test
- Site Blaster
- Load intelligence
- Load storm

Some java based web testing tools have also been designed:
- Arquillian
- RTI
- Your kit java profiler
- Visual VM
- LAPSE
- Check marx
- Windows licker
- Cobertura

This is not the end of the list. Still there are many more. A new and improved tool is being developed every now and then.

What are different aspects of web testing?

The term “web testing” defines itself well. So, web testing can be defined as a kind of software testing aimed at testing the web applications. Its entire focus is up on web applications. A complete testing of web applications is required before they go live because this helps in addressing the issues of the application well.

The following issues are generally addressed in a typical web testing:
- Security of web applications.
- Basic functionality of the site under testing.
- Accessibility to the users who are handicapped as well as those who are fully able.
- Readiness for handling the expected traffic.
- Readiness for handling the expected number of users.
- Ability to survive a massive spike in user traffic.

A web testing tool called “web application performance tool” or WAPT (as it is abbreviated) is used to test the web related interfaces and applications. These web applications testing tools are used extensively for load testing, stress testing and performance testing of web applications, web servers, web sites and other web related interfaces.

The web application performance tool in a way simulates virtual users which will repeat either specified URLs or recorded URLs. It allows users to specify or mention the number of times the virtual users will have to repeat either specified URLs or repeated URLs. This measure makes it easy for the web application performance tools to check for the performance leakage in the web application or the web site being tested.

Though the web application performance tools face various challenges during testing, they should be able to check for the following aspects:

- Compatibility of operating system with the web application or the web site.
- Compatibility of the browser with the web application or the web site and web server.
- Compatibility with windows application wherever required during the back-end testing.

Web application performance tools allow the users to specify how the virtual users are equally involved in the whole testing process as well as in testing environment.
There are following 3 types of user loads:
- Increasing user load:
In this type of user load the number of virtual users is increased from 0 to 100 step by step. It is called RAMP.
- Constant user load:
In this type of user load the number of users is kept constant or maintained i.e., a specific number of users only can use the application.
- Periodic user load:
In this type of user load the number of users is increased and decreased from time to time.

Web security testing is another aspect of web testing which determines whether the web based application requirements are met or not when the web applications or web sites are subjected to malicious data input. The user interface of web applications can be tested by using frame works that provide a tool box for testing web applications. Nowadays some open source web testing tools are also available. Few of them are:
- HTTP test tool: This tool is scriptable protocol test tool and is used to test HTTP protocol based products.
- Apache J meter: It’s a tool programmed in java for performance measurement and load testing.

There are some windows based web testing tools available these days. The tester should first develop a web testing check list before carrying out the web testing. The check list should include the following:

- Usability testing: Tests how the users use the page, and other controls.
- Functionality testing: Tests links in web pages, database connections, and forms used in web pages.
- Interface testing: tests web server and application server interface.
- Compatibility testing: tests compatibility of browser, OS, mobile and printer.
- Security testing: tests the security of the web server and applications.
- Performance testing: includes web load testing and web stress testing.