Improving web application testing using testability measures

One of the challenges of testing web applications derives from their dynamic content and structure. As we test a website, we may discover more about its structure and behaviour. This paper proposes a framework for collection of testability measures during the automated testing process (termed 'in-testing' measure collection). The measures gathered in this way can take account of dynamic and content driven aspects of web applications, such as form structure, client-side scripting and server-side code. Their goal is to capture measurements related to on-going testing activity, indicating where additional testing can best lead to higher overall coverage. They denote a form of 'web testability' measures. The paper reports on the implementation of a prototype Web Application Testing Tool, WATT, illustrating the in-testing measure collection approach on 34 forms taken from 14 real world web applications. © 2009 IEEE.