A Guide to Mobile Application Testing: Best Practices & Challenges

We are living in the age of mobile marvels, where the use of mobile devices has become universal, and almost every person is using a smartphone or a tablet to stay connected, entertained, and informed. With the rise in popularity of these mobile devices, mobile applications have become an essential part of our lives, giving us access to a wide range of services and content.

However, with the increasing use of mobile applications, there is also a growing need to ensure the quality and performance of these apps. Mobile application testing has become an essential part of the mobile application development process to ensure that apps work correctly, meet user expectations, and provide a seamless experience to users.

According to the stats by Statista, The number of smartphone subscriptions worldwide today surpasses 6 billion and is estimated to further grow by 7.69 Billion in the next few years.

It makes it more essential to understand the importance of mobile application testing and how it can help organizations to develop high-quality mobile apps that meet the needs of their customers.

Today, we will discuss the importance of mobile application testing, the different types of mobile apps, and try to understand the overall mobile application development process and how mobile application testing can help to improve it.

So without waiting further let’s dive in.

Table of Contents:

• Mobile Application Testing: What is it & Why it matters
• An overview of the Mobile Application Development process
• Importance of Mobile Application Testing
• Types of Mobile Application Testing
• Techniques for Effective Mobile Application Testing
• Cloud Testing Tools for Mobile Application Testing
• Automated Mobile Application Testing Frameworks
• The  Challenges for Mobile Application Testing
• Best practices for Mobile Application Testing
• Wrapping Up

Mobile Application Testing: What is it & Why it matters

As the term suggests, Mobile application testing is a process used to evaluate the consistency, usability, and functioning of application software created for portable mobile devices.

Mobile apps have become essential for businesses to reach and engage with customers. As per the statistics, around 80% of customers delete apps that don’t meet expectations, 50% uninstall apps that take up too much space on their device, and 48% abandon apps that are slow, it’s clear why digital experience testing for mobile apps is essential.

This makes the testing even more crucial to ensure the success of these mobile apps. Typically, There are different types of mobile apps that require different testing strategies to ensure their quality and performance.

Different types of mobile apps include native apps, hybrid apps, and progressive web apps. Native apps are developed for specific platforms and require functional, performance, and compatibility testing. Progressive web apps are developed using web technologies and require compatibility testing across different browsers, devices, and operating systems.

Hybrid apps combine elements of native and web apps and require testing for compatibility, performance, and user experience. The testing for these apps is critical as it helps to identify bugs, performance issues, and usability problems before the app is deployed to users.

Overall, testing helps to improve the mobile application development process by ensuring that apps work correctly, meet user expectations, and provide a seamless experience to users.

It also helps to improve the efficiency of the mobile application development process by reducing the time and resources required to fix bugs and issues after the app is deployed. We will explore its importance and role in greater detail in the upcoming section and how it can improve the overall development process.

But first, let’s take a glance and try to understand the overall process of Mobile Application development and the steps that are involved in the development cycle.

An Overview of the Mobile Application Development process

Mobile application development is the process of creating software applications that run on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. The development process can be divided into several phases, each of which is essential in creating a successful mobile application:

In order to create a truly successful mobile application that meets the needs of its target audience, effective testing is crucial. By thoroughly testing the application for any issues or glitches, developers can make necessary improvements and ensure that the app provides a positive user experience.

Now that we understand the mobile app development process, Let’s try to explore the importance of Mobile application testing and how it can improve the overall development process.

Importance of Mobile Application Testing

With the increasing demand for mobile applications, it is essential to ensure that the application is thoroughly tested and is free from bugs and errors before it is released to the market.

Mobile application testing is a critical aspect of the mobile application development process as it helps to ensure that the application is of high quality and meets the requirements and expectations of the end-users.

It plays a crucial role in maintaining the app’s reputation and ensuring user satisfaction. Here are some of the key ways in which mobile application testing can improve the development process:

Identifying Bugs and Issues:

Mobile application testing helps identify bugs and issues before the app is released to the users. Testing the app across different devices, operating systems, and network conditions help testers identify issues such as crashes, freezes, and other bugs that can affect the app’s performance. By detecting these issues early in the development process, developers can fix them before the app is released, which saves time and resources and improves the app’s quality.

Improving User Experience: 

Mobile application testing is critical for improving the user experience of the app. Testing the app’s usability helps identify issues such as poor navigation, confusing layouts, and slow loading times that can negatively impact the user experience. Testing also helps to ensure that the app is responsive and easy to use, which is critical for user engagement and retention. By improving the user experience, organizations can increase user satisfaction and reduce the risk of users abandoning the app.

Ensuring Compatibility:

Mobile application testing helps ensure that the app works correctly across different devices and platforms. Testing the app on various devices helps identify compatibility issues that can affect the app’s performance on certain devices or operating systems. This helps to ensure that the app works correctly for all users, regardless of the device they are using. By ensuring compatibility, organizations can increase the app’s reach and improve user engagement.

Increasing Security: 

Mobile application testing helps identify and address security vulnerabilities in the app. Testing the app for security issues such as data leakage and unauthorized access helps ensure that the app is secure and protects users’ data and privacy. By improving the app’s security, organizations can build trust with their users and reduce the risk of data breaches and other security incidents.

Saving Time and Resources: 

Mobile application testing helps save time and resources by identifying and fixing bugs and issues early in the development process. By detecting issues early, developers can fix them before the app is released, which reduces the time and resources required to fix bugs and issues after the app is released. This improves the overall efficiency of the development process and reduces the risk of delays and cost overruns.

Performance Optimization:

Mobile application testing helps optimize the app’s performance by identifying areas of the app that may be slow or inefficient. Testing the app’s performance across different network conditions helps identify areas that may require optimization to improve the app’s speed and responsiveness. By optimizing performance, organizations can improve user satisfaction and reduce the risk of users abandoning the app.

Enhancing Functionality:

Mobile application testing helps ensure that the app’s features and functionalities work as intended. Testing the app’s functionality helps identify areas where the app may not be working correctly, such as broken links, incorrect data display, or missing features. By enhancing functionality, organizations can provide a better user experience and increase user engagement.

Continuous Improvement:

Mobile application testing is a continuous process that helps ensure that the app is always improving. Testing the app regularly helps identify new bugs and issues that may have been introduced with updates or new features. By continuously improving the app, organizations can keep up with changing user needs and preferences and maintain user satisfaction.

By this, we can say Testing mobile applications is a crucial step in the development process that must not be missed. Businesses may boost customer happiness and boost their income by making sure mobile applications are completely tested and error-free.

In addition, given the growing demand for mobile applications, it is crucial to make sure the application is stable and sturdy and can work seamlessly across different platforms and devices.

Types of Mobile Application Testing

There are several types of mobile application testing that app developers and testers can use to ensure that their app meets the highest standards. Here are the most common types of mobile application testing:

Functional Testing

The most basic type of testing that verifies whether the app functions as intended. This type of testing checks the various features and functionalities of the app, such as user interface, navigation, login, and registration.

Performance Testing

The process of checking how the app performs under different loads, network conditions, and memory usage. This testing includes load testing, stress testing, and speed testing.

Security Testing

Essential for mobile apps, as they collect and store sensitive user data. This testing ensures that the app is secure from unauthorized access and that user data is protected from hackers and malware.

Compatibility Testing

It ensures that the app works as intended across multiple devices, operating systems, and networks. It checks for compatibility with different screen sizes, resolutions, and operating systems.

Usability Testing

It is crucial to ensure that the app is user-friendly and easy to use. It includes checking the user interface, navigation, and overall user experience of the app.

Installation Testing

It checks the installation and uninstallation process of the app. This testing ensures that the app can be installed and uninstalled without any issues.

Localization Testing

It is performed to ensure that the app is tailored to the target audience in terms of language, culture, and preferences. This testing includes checking the app’s translation and localization, including the language, currency, date, and time formats.

Accessibility Testing

It is critical to ensure that the app is accessible to users with disabilities. This testing includes checking the app’s compatibility with screen readers, voice commands, and other assistive technologies.

These are some of the most common testing methods used by mobile app developers and testers. By utilizing these testing types, developers can ensure that their app is secure, user-friendly, and accessible to all users, irrespective of their devices and networks.

Now that we know the importance of Mobile Application testing let’s explore some of the techniques which are used for the effective testing of mobile apps.

Techniques for Effective Mobile Application Testing

To achieve effective mobile application testing, app developers and testers need to use different techniques that are specifically designed to test mobile apps.

However, each of these techniques comes with some pros and cons. Let’s try to explore some of the most effective mobile application testing techniques:

Manual Testing

It is a fundamental technique that involves human testers performing tests on the app manually. This testing involves simulating real-world usage scenarios to verify that the app functions correctly. Manual testing is crucial because it helps testers identify issues that automated testing might miss.

Pros:

• Human testers can identify complex issues that automated tools may miss.
• Testers can explore and evaluate the app’s functionality and user experience to ensure it aligns with business goals and user expectations.
• Human testers can provide feedback and suggestions for improvements to the app.

Cons:

• Manual testing can be time-consuming and expensive.
• It can be difficult to reproduce bugs and issues.
• The quality of testing may vary depending on the skill and experience of the tester.

Automated Testing

It involves using software tools to perform tests on the app automatically. This technique is efficient and can perform tests faster than manual testing. It is also useful for repetitive tests and regression testing, which involves retesting the app after modifications or updates.

Pros:

• Automated testing is faster and more efficient than manual testing.
• It is useful for testing large and complex apps.
• It is repeatable and consistent, ensuring that tests are executed the same way every time.
• It can be used for regression testing to ensure that modifications and updates do not cause new issues.

Cons:

• Automated testing cannot identify issues that require human intuition and expertise.
• It can be challenging to create effective automated tests, requiring significant time and resources.
• It may miss some issues that occur only in specific usage scenarios.

Exploratory Testing

It is an unscripted approach to testing the app. It involves testers exploring the app and testing different scenarios to identify any issues or bugs that might occur during normal usage.

Pros:

• Testers can identify issues that are difficult to detect using other testing techniques.
• It is an effective way to evaluate the app’s user experience and usability.
• Testers can provide feedback and suggestions for improvements to the app.

Cons:

• It can be difficult to reproduce issues found during exploratory testing.
• It may not be as effective for testing specific functionality or features.
• It may not be suitable for all testing scenarios, such as security testing.

Ad-hoc Testing

It is a technique that involves testing the app without following any specific testing plan. This testing approach helps testers identify issues that might occur in unusual scenarios or usage patterns.

Pros:

• Testers can identify issues that occur in unusual scenarios or usage patterns.
• It is useful for quick and informal testing.
• It can be performed by anyone with access to the app, without requiring specialized skills or tools.

Cons:

• It is not a comprehensive testing approach and may miss important issues.
• Testers may not have a clear understanding of what they are testing, leading to inconsistent results.
• It may not be suitable for testing critical functionality or features.

Crowd Testing

It involves using a large number of testers from different locations and backgrounds to test the app. This technique helps testers identify issues that might occur in different environments and usage scenarios.

Pros:

• It can provide a diverse range of feedback from testers with different backgrounds and expertise.
• It can be performed quickly and at a lower cost than hiring a dedicated testing team.
• It can simulate real-world usage scenarios, identifying issues that may not be apparent in controlled testing environments.

Cons:

• Coordination and management of a large number of testers can be challenging.
• The quality of testing may vary depending on the skill and experience of the testers.
• It may not be suitable for testing critical functionality or features.

Usability Testing

It involves testing the app’s user interface, navigation, and overall user experience. This testing technique helps app developers and testers ensure that the app is user-friendly and delivers an optimal user experience.

Pros:

• It can help identify issues with the app’s user interface and user experience.
• It can provide valuable feedback and suggestions for improving the app’s usability
• It can ensure that the app meets user expectations and aligns with business goals.

Cons:

• It may not be suitable for testing other important aspects of the app, such as performance or security.
• It can be time-consuming and costly.
• Testers may have biases that affect their evaluations.

Cloud Testing Tools for Mobile Application Testing:

Today, cloud-based testing tools have become increasingly popular for mobile application testing as they provide access to a wide range of real devices, offer cost-effective and scalable testing solutions, allow for collaboration and remote testing, and provide faster testing cycles.

By leveraging the power of the cloud, organizations can ensure high-quality and reliable mobile applications that perform well across multiple devices, operating systems, and networks, while reducing the time and cost associated with setting up and maintaining on-premise testing infrastructure.

Let’s explore some of the popular cloud testing tools used for Mobile application testing:

Perfecto

Perfecto is a cloud-based mobile application testing tool that allows you to test your applications on real devices. It supports both Android and iOS applications and provides access to a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and wearables. Perfecto can be used for both manual and automated testing and supports popular testing frameworks like Appium and Selenium.

Pros:

• Provides access to a large number of real devices for testing.
• Offers integration with popular test automation frameworks.
• Supports testing of both native and web applications.
• Provides detailed analytics and reporting for test results.

Cons:

• Expensive pricing model.
• Requires some setup time for initial configuration and integration.

pCloudy

pCloudy is a cloud-based mobile application testing tool that allows you to test your applications on a variety of devices and browsers. It supports both Android and iOS applications and provides access to over 5,000 real devices, including smartphones, tablets, and wearables. pCloudy can be used for both manual and automated testing and supports popular testing frameworks like Appium and Espresso.

Pros:

• Provides access to a large number of real devices for testing.
• Offers integration with popular test automation frameworks.
• Supports testing of both native and web applications.
• Provides detailed analytics and reporting for test results.

Cons:

• Can be expensive for large-scale testing.
• The user interface can be a bit overwhelming for first-time users.

Lambdatest

Lambdatest is a cloud-based mobile application testing tool that allows you to test your applications on a variety of devices and browsers. It provides access to over 2,000 real devices and browsers, including smartphones, tablets, and desktop browsers. Lambdatest can be used for both manual and automated testing and supports popular testing frameworks like Appium and Selenium.

Pros:

• Provides access to a large number of real devices and browsers for testing.
• Offers integration with popular test automation frameworks.
• Supports testing of both native and web applications.
• Provides detailed analytics and reporting for test results.

Cons:

• Can be expensive for large-scale testing.
• Some users report issues with test stability and reliability.

BrowserStack

BrowserStack is a cloud-based testing tool that allows you to test your mobile applications on a variety of devices and browsers. It provides access to over 2,000 real devices and browsers, including smartphones, tablets, and desktop browsers. BrowserStack can be used for both manual and automated testing and supports popular testing frameworks like Appium and Selenium.

Pros:

• Provides access to a large number of real devices and browsers for testing.
• Offers integration with popular test automation frameworks.
• Supports testing of both native and web applications.
• Provides detailed analytics and reporting for test results.

Cons:

• Can be expensive for large-scale testing.
• Some users report issues with the speed and responsiveness of the platform.

Kobiton

Kobiton is a cloud-based mobile application testing tool that allows you to test your applications on real devices. It supports both Android and iOS applications and provides access to a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and wearables. With Kobiton, you can perform manual and automated testing and collaborate with your team in real time.

Pros:

• Provides access to a large number of real devices for testing.
• Offers integration with popular test automation frameworks.
• Supports testing of both native and web applications.
• Provides collaboration features for team testing.

Cons:

• Some users report issues with device connectivity and stability.
• Can be expensive for large-scale testing.

Automated Mobile Application Testing Frameworks

Now that we understand the different techniques used for Mobile Application testing, let’s explore some of the frameworks that are widely used for the Automated Testing of Mobile Applications.

These frameworks provide pre-defined functions and APIs to interact with the mobile application, and they can simulate user actions such as button clicks, screen swipes, and data input. Here are seven popular Automated Mobile Application Testing Frameworks with their pros and cons:

Appium:

Appium is an open-source automation framework for mobile app testing, supporting both iOS and Android platforms. It comes with an easy installation process and uses the WebDriver protocol to interact with the mobile app and provides APIs in multiple programming languages including Java, Python, Ruby, and JavaScript.

Pros:

• Cross-platform testing for iOS and Android.
• Supports multiple programming languages.
• Easy to set up and integrate with CI/CD pipelines.
• Supports real devices and emulators/simulators.

Cons:

• Limited support for testing web and hybrid mobile apps.
• The high learning curve for beginners.
• Requires additional setup for parallel testing.

Espresso:

Espresso is a UI testing framework for Android apps, developed by Google. It provides a fast and reliable test execution by leveraging the Espresso Test Recorder tool to generate test code.

Pros:

• Developed by Google for Android testing.
• Fast and reliable test execution.
• Supports testing of complex UI components.
• Supports both Android and iOS testing.

Cons:

• Only supports Android versions 4.4 (KitKat) and above.
• Requires the app source code to be modified for testing.
• Limited support for cross-platform testing.

Robot:

Robot Framework is a generic automation framework that can be used for testing mobile apps, web applications, and APIs. It supports multiple programming languages including Python and Java and provides a range of pre-built libraries for testing different scenarios.

Pros:

• Supports testing of mobile apps, web applications, and APIs.
• Supports multiple programming languages.
• Easy to learn and use for beginners.
• Offers a wide range of libraries for testing different scenarios.

Cons:

• Limited support for mobile app testing on iOS.
• Requires additional setup for parallel testing.
• Limited support for testing mobile-specific features such as location services and cameras.

Calabash:

Calabash is an open-source automation framework that supports cross-platform testing for iOS and Android apps. It uses a natural language syntax for test development and supports multiple programming languages.

Pros:

• Supports cross-platform testing for iOS and Android.
• Allows testing of native, hybrid, and mobile web apps.
• Supports multiple programming languages.
• Provides pre-built libraries for common testing scenarios.

Cons:

• Requires the app source code to be modified for testing.
• Limited support for testing iOS apps on real devices.
• Limited support for testing mobile-specific features such as GPS and camera.

Selendroid:

Selendroid is a test automation framework for Android apps that supports native and hybrid mobile apps. It provides a built-in inspector tool for debugging and supports multiple programming languages including Java and Python.

Pros:

• Supports testing of native and hybrid mobile apps.
• Supports both Android and iOS testing.
• Provides a built-in inspector tool for debugging.
• Offers multiple programming language support.

Cons:

• Limited support for testing iOS apps on real devices.
• Requires an app to be built with Selendroid server integration.
• Limited community support compared to other frameworks.

XCTest:

XCTest is a native testing framework developed by Apple for iOS apps. It supports both Swift and Objective-C programming languages and provides a range of APIs for testing user interfaces, performance, and other features.

Pros:

• Developed by Apple for iOS testing.
• Supports both Swift and Objective-C programming languages.
• Support testing of both native and hybrid mobile apps.
• Provides a built-in recorder tool for UI testing.

Cons:

• Limited support for testing on older iOS versions.
• Only supports iOS testing.
• Requires Xcode IDE for test development.

Katalon Studio:

Katalon Studio is a comprehensive test automation tool that supports the testing of both web and mobile applications. It provides a range of built-in features for testing mobile apps, including object spying, recording and playback, and automatic generation of test reports.

Pros:

• Supports testing of both web and mobile applications.
• Provides built-in object spy and recorder for test development.
• Supports multiple programming languages.
• Offers integration with CI/CD tools

Cons:

• Limited support for testing on real devices.
• Requires additional setup for parallel testing.
• Limited community support compared to other frameworks.

Overall, each of these Automated Mobile Application Testing Frameworks has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the choice of the framework will depend on the specific needs and requirements of the testing project.

The Challenges for Mobile Application Testing

Mobile application testing can be challenging due to several factors such as the ever-changing mobile device landscape, device fragmentation, platform diversity, and constantly evolving user expectations. Some of the challenges and best practices for mobile application testing include

Device fragmentation:

With the variety of devices available in the market, it is challenging to test an app on all of them, making it difficult to ensure compatibility.

The issue of device fragmentation refers to the numerous types of devices available in the market with different screen sizes, resolutions, hardware specifications, and operating systems. This makes it challenging for app developers to test the app on all devices and ensure compatibility.

Operating system diversity:

There are multiple operating systems available for mobile devices, each with its unique features and functionalities, which makes it difficult to ensure consistent performance across all devices.

Mobile apps need to be tested on multiple operating systems, such as iOS, Android, and Windows, to ensure that they perform well on each of these platforms.

Network diversity:

Users access mobile applications through different networks, including 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi, and the quality of network connectivity can vary widely, which can impact the performance of the app.

Mobile app testing needs to be performed on different networks to ensure that the app performs well in all network conditions.

Rapid development cycles:

With Agile and DevOps development methodologies, mobile app development has become a continuous process, making it challenging to ensure the quality and completeness of testing.

The fast-paced development cycle makes it difficult for testers to keep up with the changes and ensure that the app is thoroughly tested before release.

Security concerns:

With the rise of mobile device usage, cyber-attacks targeting mobile applications have also increased, making it essential to test for security vulnerabilities.

App developers need to ensure that the app is secure and that user data is protected from unauthorized access by conducting thorough security testing.

Best practices for Mobile Application Testing

Now that we understand the challenges of Mobile Application testing it’s time to understand some of the best practices to overcome these challenges.

As we saw before, Mobile Automated mobile application testing is important because it helps ensure that mobile apps function as intended, providing a seamless user experience across different devices and platforms.

By automating the testing process, developers and testers can identify issues and bugs early on, allowing them to be addressed quickly and efficiently. This can save time and resources while improving the quality of the app. Additionally, automated testing can help increase test coverage and reduce the risk of human error, leading to more reliable and consistent test results.

Let’s explore some of the best practices with Automated Mobile Application testing that each and every developer and tester should follow in detail to help and ensure the quality and success of the mobile app:

Choosing the Right Tool

It is important to select the right tool for mobile application testing that supports the specific needs of your project. Evaluate the features, supported platforms, ease of use, and compatibility with your development workflow before selecting a tool.

Creating a Testing Strategy

Develop a comprehensive testing strategy that includes a plan for automation. This includes the types of tests to be performed, the devices and platforms to be tested on, and the expected outcomes.

Prioritizing Tests

Prioritizing the most critical test scenarios first ensures that the most important features of the app are tested thoroughly. This will help you identify and resolve issues earlier in the development cycle.

Testing on Real Devices

It is important to test on real devices rather than relying solely on simulators or emulators. This will help identify issues related to real-world usage scenarios such as device compatibility, network connectivity, and battery life.

Conducting Regular Regression Testing

Regularly running automated regression tests will help ensure that new changes or updates to the app do not negatively impact existing functionality.

Integrating with CI/CD

Integrating your automated testing with your Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipeline to ensure that tests are run automatically as part of the development process. This will help catch issues early and reduce the risk of bugs being introduced into production.

Monitoring Performance

Monitoring the performance of the app during automated testing to identify any issues related to speed, responsiveness, or user experience. This will help ensure that the app performs well under real-world conditions.

Collaborating with Development and QA Teams

Collaboration between the development and QA teams is essential for successful automated mobile application testing. Ensuring that everyone is aligned on the testing strategy, and working together to identify and resolve issues as they arise.

By following these best practices, you can ensure that your automated mobile application testing is efficient, effective, and delivers high-quality results.

Wrapping up

By now, it’s clear that mobile application testing is a critical process in ensuring that the app meets the desired quality and functionality standards.

Testing presents various challenges, such as device fragmentation, operating system diversity, and network diversity, which can impact app performance. However, by implementing the best practices such as device selection, test automation, and continuous testing, developers and testers can overcome these challenges and ensure that the app performs optimally.

Overall, mobile application testing requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a commitment to quality. By following best practices and being aware of the challenges, developers and testers can create high-performing, secure, and user-friendly mobile applications that provide an excellent user experience.

References:

https://medium.com/swlh/mobile-application-testing-challenges-and-solutions-d36585cc7642
https://medium.com/edureka/mobile-application-testing-51140ebe4a87
https://www.javatpoint.com/mobile-application-testing