Input fields and forms are the backbone of nearly every e-commerce store. Think about how often you land on a site and spot a 'Contact Us' page with a form ready for your questions. If you want your business to thrive, offering customers a way to reach out is essential. But with this convenience comes the risk of users submitting empty forms or flooding your inbox with irrelevant messages. To keep your forms secure and meaningful, it's crucial to run thorough test cases that ensure every form is properly validated before submission.
Keep in mind, not all forms are created equal, and neither are their test cases. The type of form, the number of input fields, and which fields are required all play a role in how you approach testing. Below, we'll explore the most common input fields found on websites, with a special focus on those used in e-commerce.
To make sure your required fields work as intended, let's walk through a variety of scenarios you can use to put them to the test.
#Contact Form
The first step is to clearly define which fields are required. This usually depends on the website owner's needs and specifications. Always review these requirements carefully and set the HTML required attribute for each necessary field.
These fields usually include Name, Last name, Address, and the Question fields.
Test what happens if you leave a field blank by entering a space with your keyboard and then clicking OK.
It's surprisingly common to submit a form filled with nothing but empty spaces, even when the required attribute is set. Typing a space can trick basic validation, leaving your form empty but technically 'complete.' To prevent this, add extra JavaScript validation to make sure required fields are truly filled out.
Boundary Value Analysis Testing
This approach focuses on testing the edges of your input limits. For instance, if a field accepts 1 to 10 characters, you don't need 20 test cases. Instead, use boundary value analysis to check just a few key scenarios at the minimum and maximum limits.
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Any number greater than 10 should be considered invalid.
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Any number less than 1 should be considered invalid.
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A 3-digit number should be invalid.
#Email Address Input Fields
If you are testing an email input field, you would need to make sure and verify the following things :
1. Verify that the email address contains @ sign
2. Verify that the email ID can contain “.” dot in the address.
3. Verify that the email ID can contain special characters in the email address.
4. Verify that the email can contain
#Search Form
A well-designed search form is a must-have for any thriving online store, making it easier for visitors to find what they need. To ensure your search form is both attractive and functional, keep these testing tips in mind:
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The search block and the search input field need to be visible and appear across all the pages.
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Implement autocomplete; as you type, autocomplete results appear.
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As you type inside the input field, the placeholder text should disappear.
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When you delete anything typed inside the input field, the placeholder text should appear
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The input field should accept more than 3-4 combined words.
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If special characters are not allowed, try typing special characters and see if there.
These are the most common input fields you'll find on any website, especially in e-commerce. Still, every input field can have its own unique requirements. Always review the specifications carefully before designing and testing your scenarios.
