How Test Coverage Accelerates the Success of Mobile Apps

To measure the number of apps tested using test cases is known as test coverage. Did you know that nearly 88% of app uninstalls are due to their buggy and glitchy nature? To improve the app install rates, there is a need to eliminate the bugs and create apps of exceptional quality. Hence, testing becomes an integral part of the app development process that decides the success/failure of the app along with other parameters. It is thereby clear that testing is an inevitable part of the development process, but from a business perspective, it’s important to measure how much of the app is tested. 

As test coverage provides the metrics of the testing process, it helps in improving the overall quality and aids in the success of the app. As it increases the rate of success, organizations are also investing in test coverage practices to monitor and streamline the testing process, thereby, working towards building high-quality apps. Let us understand test coverage in detail and the benefits of implementing it to improve the app’s success.

What is Test Coverage?

As we are aware that mobile app testing is implemented to test the apps for their functionality, and usability, it is also important to understand the metrics used to evaluate testing. Test coverage plays an important role in improving the testing process and contributes to the app’s success. It is the process of determining whether different test cases are covering all the parts of the application code. Test coverage measures how much of your app is tested with a set of test cases to check for any errors or flaws in running the application. For example, if 50 test cases are created but only 45 of them are executed, then the test coverage is 90%. Test coverage also determines the quality of testing; hence, it is one of the critical parameters that determine the app quality.

Having a test coverage tool and testing your application with a well-planned strategy along with other factors like time constraints, target setting, and team capabilities will decide the effect of your test coverage. When you carry out the test coverage, there should be a realistic approach by focusing on the key components of the mobile application that will be used the most. Code coverage, OS coverage, manual testing, and test automation are the other important factors that must be looked upon during test coverage.

Why is Test Coverage Important?

Test coverage is important as it is an indicator of the app quality. By implementing test coverage, one can examine the efficiency of the test and get more scope to improve the process. Furthermore, test coverage tracks the quality of testing and provides a quantitative measurement of the process. This is highly significant as it finds out inefficient test cases and allows to improve the quality.

Test coverage is important for the benefits it offers:

Reduced time and cost: Implementing test coverage allows the testers to detect the bugs earlier in the software development lifecycle. Detecting errors early means reducing the number of reworks and saving the time and cost that goes into it. Hence, it ensures that errors are identified within the stipulated time without exceeding the budget while delivering quality apps.

Higher coverage: To ensure the test coverage is high, more test cases are created. This practice allows the testers to run the test more efficiently and identify all the bugs across the process. High test coverage leads to creating quality apps that offer a seamless user experience ultimately leading to higher ROI.

Discovering hidden challenges: While performing tests with more number of test case, it tests deeper into the process to check for any hidden bugs, making the process resilient and bug-free.

Removes inefficient cases: Test coverage targets the test cases that are inefficient and do not add value to the process. Removing inefficient cases will improve the code quality which will further improve the app quality.

Improved ROI: With test coverage in place, the number of bugs reduce drastically, giving accurate test results. This scenario improves the overall quality of the apps which will eventually increase the number of app downloads. A quality app offering a seamless experience keeps the users engaged, such well-performing apps will offer higher ROI.

Accelerating the app’s success: Test coverage provides the metrics of app testing, thereby, allowing to improve the testing process. Improved testing increases the number of app users which is directly linked to the success of the app.

Points to consider while performing test coverage

• To maximize the effect of test coverage, appropriate test coverage tools should be used
• Performing test coverage before launching your mobile app will prove beneficial in various aspects
• Using test coverage tools can achieve maximum efficiency
• Double-checking the intuitiveness and UI/UX throughout the test coverage cycle if you are expecting an exemplary performance
• Series of test coverage to be performed for enhanced functioning of the mobile app
• Use of real devices in the test coverage will prove to be more efficient
• With repeated test coverage, you can reduce errors, lags, bugs, or other defects such as battery drain that might dissatisfy the users.
• Code test coverage can be performed to check the code based on which the mobile application was built, which verifies the extent to which the code is executed.
• Code test coverage tools can be considered to evaluate the code, which will ensure a minimum percentage of unidentified bugs and reduces the chance of any bugs being detected in the code.

Conclusion

Test coverage is an important aspect of the overall developmental process as it provides metrics for the testing process you have incorporated. It is a critical factor that measures the testing efforts and ensures the quality is well-maintained. When the quality improves, it eventually accelerates the success of the app. Hence, test coverage is also an important parameter that determines whether the app is going to be successful in the market, or just fail.