Test File Upload | What it is & How to Perform?

In the dynamic landscape of software development, ensuring robust functionality has become paramount. One critical aspect often overlooked is the seamless handling of file uploads. Whether it’s an e-commerce platform processing product images or a cloud-based service managing user documents, the ability to securely and efficiently handle file uploads is crucial.

This blog will help you understand why file upload testing is important and how test automation can make this testing quick and efficient. Let’s dive in.

What is Test File Upload?​

Test File Upload in software testing refers to verifying the functionality of file upload features in a software application. This testing is typically performed by testers or developers (in the case of unit testing).

The QA testers must test the file upload functionality to ensure that users can successfully upload files (such as documents, images, videos, etc.) to the application and that the uploaded files are processed correctly.

Some examples of applications where we upload files include Amazon, Google Drive, and LinkedIn.

Why do we need to Test File Upload Functionality?

File upload testing helps ensure that the file upload feature of an application works as intended, allowing users to submit files and ensuring that those files are handled properly. 

This testing is crucial in applications that allow users to upload files, such as document sharing platforms, content management systems, and e-commerce applications.

Let me explain it in simple terms with an example scenario.

Example Scenario

Picture this: you’re using your favorite app or website, and you want to upload a file – perhaps a photo, a document, or even a video. It seems simple, right? Well, not quite.

Behind the scenes, a whole dance of processes is happening. The application needs to ensure that the file you’re uploading is the right type and size and that it won’t cause any hiccups in the system. It’s like the digital version of making sure your suitcase fits in the overhead compartment! 😜

Prerequisites of Test File Upload

When conducting file upload testing, make sure to have certain prerequisites in place to ensure thorough and effective testing. Here are some of the key prerequisites for testing file uploads:

• Create a dedicated testing environment that closely mimics the production environment.
• Prepare a set of test files with varying sizes, formats, and types. These files should cover a range of scenarios, including small and large files, different file types (For example, images and documents), and potential edge cases.
• Understand and document the maximum file size that the application supports for uploads. This information is crucial for testing scenarios involving files of different sizes.
• Select a test automation platform to automate file upload testing to eliminate manual errors and reduce testing time.

• Determine which file types the application allows for upload. Some applications may restrict certain file formats (For example, .exe files) due to security concerns.
• Test under various network conditions to simulate real-world scenarios. This may include testing on different types of connections (For example, high-speed, 3G, and slow networks) to assess how the application handles uploads under different circumstances.

By ensuring these prerequisites are met, testers can conduct comprehensive and effective file upload testing, which helps identify and address any issues related to this critical functionality in an application.

How To Test a File Upload Functionality – Manually And Automation?

You can test file upload both manually and using automation. Let’s discuss both ways to understand the pros and cons of each method. That way, you can easily identify the best way to test file uploads.

Manual Testing

The simplest way to do file upload testing is using the manual approach. 

1. Open the web page in the browser where you want to test file upload.
2. Write test cases for every scenario and prepare test data for those tests.
3. Execute each test case you have created and mark your observations in a sheet.
4. To make sure we have tested different file formats, upload and test different files with different formats (For example, PNG, PDF, JPG, Docx, MP4, etc.)
5. Verify that only the correct extensions pass the test cases. To do so, you should perform both positive and negative testing. That is, you need to use both valid and invalid data for testing. 

Let’s take LinkedIn as an example. A professional networking platform that we all use in our day-to-day lives. 

Most of us would have opted for LinkedIn jobs while looking for new opportunities. LinkedIn’s Easy Apply permits users to upload their resume only in a few formats (PDF, DOC, DOCX). That is, when you try uploading other formats, LinkedIn will not permit that action. To verify this functionality works correctly, testers have to perform file upload testing using various and invalid inputs as follows,

• Valid data – PDF, DOC, DOCX 
• Invalid data – JPG, PNG, XLS, etc.

This manual testing approach might look very simple in the beginning, but the number of test cases can increase up to 100 or more when you expand the test scenarios. In the long run, this will increase the project budget and buggy software, as repetitive manual testing can be error-prone. Alternatively, automated testing is the best option to solve this issue.

Automated File Upload Testing With Testsigma

Testsigma is a unified, low-code, cloud-based, AI-driven test automation platform that helps you automate tests for web, mobile, desktop applications, Salesforce, and APIs – all in one place. It makes your automated testing 10x faster and accelerates your release cycle with a 30% reduced development cycle. 

Not just file upload testing, Testsigma makes your entire functional testing faster and more efficient with low-code automation. Below is a quick overview of how Testsigma can accelerate your functional testing in a few minutes.

Sample Test Cases To Automate

Below, I have listed some file upload test cases. These can be quickly and easily automated via Testsigma.

• Verify that the upload file button or link is available on the application.
• Verify that the file upload button or link is clickable.
• Verify that the entire button, including the button text, is clickable.
• Verify that the button text for file upload is correct or not.
• Verify that upon clicking the Upload button, a window opens to select a file.
• Verify that the uploaded file name appears correctly after the upload is complete.
• Verify that the file extension is shown along with the file name.

How To Automate File Upload Testing

Now to the how-to automate part using Testsigma,

• Once you log in, create/select a project and start creating test cases using appropriate NLPs.
• After test creation, you can quickly execute tests using the Run button.
• Once the test run is complete, you will get detailed test reports for analysis and insights.

Alt Text – Test File Upload Automated with Testsigma

Also, you can enable visual testing to identify visual defects, like design inconsistencies, layout issues, and alignment errors along with testing the upload file functionality in one run. This allows you to automate visual and functional tests simultaneously in one place. 

Choose wisely, instead of spending long hours writing and executing the above test cases manually, a test automation platform like Testsigma can automate it faster and more efficiently. Also, you can test file uploads for web, mobile, API, and desktop apps. The image injection option allows you to scan and test QR codes, as well. If you are testing a web application, then automated web testing is the best way to test the entire functionality of your web application. It offers several advantages over manual testing, like less time, cost, and resources. Sign up for a free trial and start automating your functional, UI, regression, and cross-browser tests in one place.

Test Cases For File Upload – Common Test Scenarios

Some of the most common upload file test cases to test the file upload functionality in any application include,

• Verify that the cancel button is working correctly. That is, clicking on the close button should close the window.
• Verify that users can select and upload multiple files if necessary.
• Verify that the order of uploaded files remains consistent.
• Validate that users can only upload allowed file types (For example, document file types like doc, docx, pdf, or image file types like jpg, png).
• Verify that an appropriate error message appears if an unsupported file type is uploaded.
• Verify that an error message displays if the user attempts to upload more files than the limit allows.
• Verify that the loader (loading graphics) appears while a file is uploading.
• Verify that a password prompt appears when attempting to upload a locked file.
• Verify that the file uploads successfully when a correct password is provided.
• Verify that an error message displays for an incorrect password on a protected or locked file.
• Verify that the file size is displayed below the file name.
• Verify that an error message appears if the file size exceeds the allowed limit.
• Verify that an error message appears for an empty file with no content.
• Verify the application’s behavior when uploading a file with an exceptionally long name.
• Verify that … (3 dots) appear when the file name is too long and does not impact the design.
• Verify that drag and drop functionality functions correctly for allowed file types.
• Verify that dropping a file does not open it in the browser.

Importance of File Upload in Web Testing

File upload testing is crucial in web testing because it helps ensure a high-quality web application that delivers a pleasant user experience.

It guarantees both the safety of user data and the application’s overall integrity. Here are five key reasons why testing file uploads is vital in web testing,

• Data Integrity,
• Security,
• User-Friendliness,
• Regulatory Compliance,
• Integration.

Conclusion

Testing file uploads is a critical part of ensuring the functionality and reliability of web, mobile, and desktop applications. The process may seem straightforward, but it involves a range of considerations, from file size and format restrictions to security and performance aspects.

With Testsigma, you can automate file upload tests with a diverse set of test data that includes files of varying sizes and formats, thus ensuring the application stands resilient.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you test uploading files using Selenium?

You can test the file upload in Selenium by writing test scripts in different programming languages like Java, Python, C#, .NET, Ruby, PHP, and Javascript. Here, I will write a code script in Java that will help you test uploading files using Selenium,

On the contrary, you can quickly test the upload file using low-code test automation platforms like Testsigma, so you can avoid the hassle of writing test scripts or downloading different applications to execute tests like Eclipse IDE, TestNG, or other frameworks.