Testing issues for your website

Check and Verify your website -> An introduction to website validation

Attention should be given to the interactions between your created HTML pages, web services, encrypted communications, Internet connections, firewalls, applications that run in web pages (such as JavaScript, flash, other plug-in applications), applications that run on the server side (database interfaces, logging applications, dynamic page generators, asp, etc.).

The following major players take part in displaying your website:

1) Website pages code - HTML and the various extensions in the form of DHTML, JavaScripts, etc.
2) Web Server where your website pages reside
3) Client - the browser that displays the pages on the user screen
4) World Wide Web (WWW) on top of the Internet - the vast network of clients and servers and the interconnection - the linking of various networks for the mutual exchange of traffic - among them.

What are the expected loads on the server (e.g., number of hits per unit time?), and what kind of performance is required under such loads (such as web server response time, database query response times)? What kinds of tools will be needed for performance testing (such as web load testing tools, other tools already in house that can be adapted, load generation appliances, etc.)?

The following tests should be performed on a website - the first four at a minimum:

HTML validation - Which HTML specification will be adhered to? How strictly?

Browser compatibility - What variations will be allowed for targeted browsers?

Speed test - How will the website behave under different Internet access speed. High speed Internet connection is gaining more acceptance, but tests should be performed for dial-up as well.

Link Check - How will internal and external links be validated and updated? how often?

Security - What kinds of security (firewalls, encryption, passwords, functionality, etc.) will be required and what is it expected to do? How can it be tested?

Congestion test - How are browser caching, variations in browser option settings, connection variabilities, and real-world internet traffic congestion problems to be accounted for in testing?

Server Side Issues - Will down time for server and content maintenance/upgrades be allowed? how much? How reliable are the website's Internet connections required to be? And how does that affect backup system or redundant connection requirements and testing?

How extensive or customized are the server logging and reporting requirements; are they considered an integral part of the system and do they require testing?

Consistency - Will there be any standards or requirements for page appearance and/or graphics throughout a site or parts of a site??

Maintenance - How are flash, applets, JavaScripts, ActiveX components, etc. to be maintained, tracked, controlled, and tested?