Visual testing is a type of software testing that examines the visual aspects of a user interface to ensure they are functioning as expected.
It focuses on the look, feel and usability of an application and involves checking that the design, layout, and other visual elements meet the requirements.
Visual testing helps to identify issues such as incorrect layout, incorrect image sizing, missing text and visual artifacts.
Visual tests can be performed manually or with automated tools.
Why Visual testing is needed?
Visual testing is needed to ensure that the UI looks the same on all devices and browsers, as inconsistencies can lead to user confusion and a poor user experience.
Visual testing is needed to detect potential usability issues that may not be discovered through automated testing. For example, when a user changes the font size of an application, visual testing can help detect potential layout issues such as text overlapping, buttons being cut off, and other similar issues. Visual testing ensures that the application looks and functions correctly for all users.
Suppose let's assume a new website has been created that makes it easy to buy things like electronic gadgets and accessories online. Unfortunately, when it went live, some people had trouble using it on their phones. Visual Testing can help fix this problem by testing the website on different devices and making sure everything looks and works properly.
How Visual Testing actually works?
Visual testing is a form of automated testing that compares the expected design of a digital product with the actual design. This type of testing is used to ensure that a product’s user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design is consistent across different systems and platforms.
Visual testing works by taking screenshots of a product’s UI on different devices, browsers, and operating systems. These screenshots are then compared against a set of baseline screenshots that represent the expected design.
If the comparison reveals any differences between the actual and expected design, the visual test will fail.
The baseline screenshots used in visual testing are typically created by a designer and are used as a reference for the product’s desired design.
The comparison process typically involves comparing colors, fonts, images, layout, and other design elements. Visual testing can help identify issues with design consistency and can be used to ensure that a product works as intended across different systems and platforms.