Testing and Publishing a Website

Testing a Website

Testing a website is important to ensure its functionality and compatibility across different devices and browsers
A variety of different tests should be conducted to ensure that a website is ready for users
Essential aspects to be highlighted are broken links, load time, navigation, content, functionality, and integrity
Broken links tests ensure that all hyperlinks, anchor links and mail servers are working as expected
Load time tests are essential to ensure the website loads quickly. Slow-loading sites may deter users
Navigation tests are necessary to verify that all menus, buttons and links take the user to the correct places
Content tests confirm that all text and multimedia display as intended without any spelling or grammar errors, and that they are legally compliant
Functionality tests validate that all aspects of the website work as advertised, including forms, cookies and any other interactive elements
Integrity tests verify that there haven’t been any unintended changes during the development process

Once testing has been completed, the website is ready for publishing or going live
Publishing a website often involves uploading it to a web server using a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client
Consider the website’s domain name. This needs to be unique and ideally representative of the content or business
Also consider the web hosting plan. This plan provides the hosting service for the website
It’s important to associate the web server’s DNS (Domain Name System) settings with the website’s domain name
Factor in ongoing website maintenance. Post-launch activities include regular updates, adding new content and periodic re-testing
Establishing tools for analysis and tracking website performance can assist with ongoing improvement efforts