So, I Have been asked to do some maintenance testing on websites. This is the first time I will be conducting this kind of testing. I just want to know, to what extent must the testing be done? what are the main things to look at during these tests? what test suites I can create in order to run such tests on a regular basis or whenever required to check for the same things each time? how detailed should these tests be compared to testing a new system?
What are the main things to concentrate on during these tests? I am using a tool called ghost inspector that runs automated tests. pretty simple straight forward using tool. I just want to know what are the boundaries I must be matching in order to have effective and good maintenance in an efficient manner.
I have not heard the term "maintenance testing" before. But, given that you're using Ghost Inspector, I assume you'll be doing "end-to-end" testing. Here are some things to consider before constructing and end-to-end test suite:
The first thing to do is to understand the various flows through the application and to rank those flows in order of business impact. Automate the most critical flows first. Next, gradually work your way down the list in order of business impact.
Keep in mind that end-to-end tests are expensive to run and maintain. Do not be tempted to test everything. That's what unit and integration tests are for. Just automate enough to be comfortable that the critical flows through the system are healthy.
As an example, consider an e-commerce website. What are the most important flows?
It might be sufficient to test just the checkout and shopping cart flows, though an argument could be made for the email acquisition features, as well, since email marketing is the lifeblood of e-commerce.
But, product display and inventory are clearly secondary concerns, as are login and order history. As long as users can give you money, the site is capable of generating revenue.