August 2019 Summaries

The use of a cloud-based mobile device lab has several benefits, including reproducing tests on real devices, running apps quickly and replicating performance. With the increasing number of mobile users, it is essential for software developers to test their applications on various devices and operating systems. A cloud-based mobile device lab offers a cost-effective solution to address device fragmentation and ensure proper coverage across different devices and OS versions. By using a cloud-based lab, developers can reduce the complexity of infrastructure, device maintenance, and continuous testing, while also improving app performance and user experience.

Testing on Google Chrome - Latest Versions, Beta, and DevSauce Labs provides emulators for versions of Google Chrome from version 26 to most recent beta and dev releases, along with tools and integrations to help test applications continuously. With the vast majority of web browsers having over 50% market share, it is crucial that web pages render properly across all different browsers, operating systems, and mobile devices. Sauce Labs offers a wide variety of browser combinations covering Mac, PC, iOS, and Android, available for instant testing in the Cloud, allowing developers to automate testing across multiple versions of Chrome and reduce testing time by up to 10x with highly scalable tools.

The importance of a well-defined Service-Level Agreement (SLA) for software testing cannot be overstated. An SLA serves as a written contract between the quality team and development team to ensure everyone understands the engagement, service of work, and expectations from the provider. It helps establish a mutual understanding of services, areas prioritized, responsibilities, guarantees, and warranties provided by the service provider. A clear SLA emphasizes quality across the entire software development lifecycle, providing peace of mind and reducing risk. By defining quality metrics and target measurable results, an SLA enhances communication and relationship between customer and QA team, enabling them to decide where to focus time and resources. The SLA also helps in identifying areas for improvement, such as reducing testing technical debt, automating the right things, and speeding up testing in the CI pipeline. A well-crafted SLA can save time and money for both provider and customer, supporting good communication and relationships between the two parties.

Test coverage refers to the percentage of browser/OS combinations tested on, with 100% coverage being unrealistic due to infinite possible combinations. While setting a goal for test coverage can provide assurance that an application runs properly within most environments, it's essential to make this goal feasible and contextualize it based on how many platforms are supported by the end users. Factors like platform support, automation of tests, and app bug-proneness should be considered when determining the level of test coverage. A general guideline is testing against at least five platforms, but this number can vary depending on specific circumstances, with some apps requiring more or fewer tests due to their complexity or interaction with hardware.

Virtual USB (vUSB), a new addition to the Sauce Labs Real Device Cloud, allows users to conduct manual or automated testing as if there is a real device connected via a USB cable on their computer. This service simplifies the connection process and works within any network condition, without requiring additional plug-ins or modifications. vUSB also offers a range of features such as live debugging, performance monitoring, pre-build testing, and compatibility with various automation frameworks like Appium and Espresso. It provides users with line-by-line debugging capabilities, real-time log access, and the ability to test an app before packaging a new version, all without cluttering their workspace with physical devices.

A headless browser allows you to make use of its non-graphic features without the overhead of a graphical user interface. This can be particularly important when it comes to saving time and resources, as rendering even simple web pages can be significant. Headless browser testing is script-driven and easy to automate, making it ideal for high-volume automated testing and streamlining testing processes. It can also catch early functional/performance issues before they affect page design, reducing potential costly redesigns. Additionally, headless browsers have low resource overhead, allowing for small-footprint testing in cloud environments or on minimal physical machines. They don't require reinventing the wheel when it comes to testing, and their scriptability makes them well-suited for automation. However, they may not be suitable for visually testing page rendering or user interaction with the GUI.