Some Tips and Tricks for Testing the Website
Written by
Mohit Bishnoi
Front End Developer
Neha Rai
Front End Developer
Table of contents
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Building a robust and user-friendly website involves multiple aspects, from UI/UX design to maintaining clean code and organized folder structures. It's not just about making things look good; it's also about ensuring everything works smoothly, efficiently, and reliably. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, keeping a few key principles in mind can make a big difference in your workflow and the quality of your final product. Here are some tips and tricks for testing and optimizing your website across these dimensions.
Testing UI/UX
UI (User Interface) testing is essential to ensure that the visual elements of your website are displayed correctly and function smoothly across various devices and browsers. Effective UI/UX testing not only verifies that buttons, forms, and interactive elements work as expected but also contributes to a seamless and intuitive user experience. Here are some core areas to focus on.
- User Testing
- Visual Regression Testing
- Accessibility Testing
Tip: Conduct usability tests with real users to capture genuine feedback on how they experience and navigate the website. Observing real interactions can reveal unexpected pain points and help prioritize fixes based on actual user behavior.
Trick: Use tools like UsabilityHub or Lookback.io to record user sessions. These tools allow you to see exactly where users might get confused, struggle with navigation, or fail to complete tasks. Reviewing these interactions can give you direct insights into usability issues that may not be apparent from your own testing.
Tip: Use visual regression testing to catch unintended visual changes across versions of your site. Even small design updates can impact the look and feel of other elements, and visual regression testing helps you ensure that any updates don’t disrupt your intended design.
Trick: Utilize tools like Percy or Chromatic to capture full-page screenshots of your website. Compare these screenshots to your original designs by uploading them into Figma or similar design tools, where you can annotate and comment on any differences. This visual feedback loop ensures that updates don’t inadvertently break your design or introduce inconsistencies.
Tip: Make accessibility testing a priority to ensure your website is usable for everyone, including people with disabilities. Accessibility testing improves the inclusivity of your site and also helps you comply with legal accessibility standards.
Trick: Use automated tools like Axe, Lighthouse, and Wave to scan for accessibility issues. These tools will help you identify areas needing improvement, such as color contrast, keyboard navigability, and screen reader compatibility. Fixing these issues not only broadens your website’s accessibility but also contributes to a better user experience for all users.
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Code Quality
Ensuring high code quality is essential for a functional, scalable, and maintainable project. Code testing involves catching errors, bugs, and inefficiencies early, and keeping your code clean. Below are some core practices that contribute to better code quality:
- Code Reviews
- Using TODO Comments
Tip: Regular code reviews not only ensure quality but also foster knowledge sharing within the team.
Trick: Use platforms like GitHub or GitLab to streamline code reviews. These platforms allow team members to review each other’s work, leave feedback, and suggest improvements. This collaborative process is invaluable for catching errors that may go unnoticed by the original developer and for promoting best practices. With consistent code reviews, your codebase stays cleaner, more efficient, and easier to manage.
Tip: Use TODO comments to mark areas in your code that need enhancement, bug fixes, or additional features.
Trick: In VS Code, the TODO: prefix helps flag parts of your code that need attention. This practice not only serves as a personal reminder but also keeps your team aware of pending tasks. Tools like ESLint can be configured to highlight TODO comments, ensuring that important tasks don’t go overlooked.
Example:
<div class="d-flex flex-column gap-4 gap-lg-3 custom-container">
<!-- TODO: Rename this class to follow underscore naming convention -->
<p class="mb-0 description text-black">
<span class="op8">
<!-- TODO: Clarify class name for better readability -->
</span>
Tip: Use linters and code for matters to ensure your code adheres to consistent standards.
Trick: ESLint and Prettier are invaluable for JavaScript projects. Linters like ESLint automatically check for syntax errors, detect code issues, and enforce consistent standards, while formatters like Prettier keep your code visually organized. Together, they help prevent common mistakes, improve readability, and maintain a clean codebase.
Example of ESLint output:
< ERROR: src/components/custom-ui/IconBox.jsx
Line 20:19 - Missing semicolon (Parsing error)