How To Write Test Cases For Footer

Test cases for footers ensure that this often-overlooked yet important component of websites functions correctly and consistently across various scenarios. Footers typically contain essential information such as copyright notices, contact details, and secondary navigation, making their proper functionality crucial for user experience and legal compliance.

This article will guide you through the process of developing comprehensive test cases for footers, covering key aspects such as content accuracy, link functionality, responsiveness, and accessibility. By mastering these techniques, you’ll be able to create robust test cases that thoroughly validate the usability of footers in your web projects.

Don’t miss: How To Write Test Cases

Don’t miss: Related Test Cases

What is a Footer

A footer is the section located at the bottom of a webpage, containing important information like copyright notices, contact details, social media links, and navigation links. It serves as a consistent point of reference for users, providing additional pathways to content and enhancing the site’s usability. A well-structured footer can improve user engagement by making essential information easily accessible.

UI Test Cases for Footer

• Visibility of Footer Elements
  • Objective: Ensure all footer elements are visible on different screen sizes.  
  • Preconditions: The webpage is loaded.  
  • Steps:  
    • Resize the browser window to various dimensions (desktop, tablet, mobile).
    • Ensure that the footer remains visible and does not overlap with other content.  
  • Expected Result: All elements of the footer (links, copyright, contact information) should be clearly visible.
• Link Functionality
  • Objective: Verify the functionality of all links within the footer.  
  • Preconditions: The webpage is loaded.  
  • Steps:  
    • Click on each link in the footer.  
    • Observe if they navigate to the intended pages or open corresponding actions (e.g., social media links).  
  • Expected Result: Each footer link should redirect to the correct page or perform the expected action without errors.
• Copyright Information Accuracy
  • Objective: Confirm that the copyright information displayed is accurate.  
  • Preconditions: The webpage is loaded.  
  • Steps:  
    • Locate the copyright notice in the footer.  
    • Compare the displayed year and company name with the current date and official company records.  
  • Expected Result: The copyright notice should reflect the correct current year and company name.
• Social Media Links Appearance
  • Objective: Ensure social media icons are displayed correctly in all browsers.  
  • Preconditions: The webpage is loaded in different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.).  
  • Steps:  
    • Check the appearance of social media icons in the footer across each browser.  
  • Expected Result: Social media icons should be consistently styled and visible in all browsers.
• Responsiveness of Footer 
  • Objective: Validate the footer’s responsiveness on mobile devices.  
  • Preconditions: The webpage is loaded on a mobile device.  
  • Steps:  
    • Rotate the device from portrait to landscape and vice versa.  
    • Observe the layout of the footer during both orientations.  
  • Expected Result: The footer should rearrange its content appropriately, maintaining usability in both orientations.
• Accessibility Standards Compliance
  • Objective: Ensure footer elements meet accessibility standards (WCAG).  
  • Preconditions: The webpage is loaded.  
  • Steps:  
    • Use screen reader software to navigate through the footer.  
    • Evaluate if all elements are properly announced and accessible.  
  • Expected Result: All footer elements should be identifiable and navigable by screen readers, providing an inclusive experience for all users. 

These test cases will help in assessing the footer’s functionality, accessibility, and overall user experience, ensuring it meets the necessary standards for effective web design.

Functional Test Cases for Footer

• Test Case ID: TC_Footer_01  
  • Objective: Validate that all hyperlinks in the footer are functional.  
  • Preconditions: The webpage is loaded.  
  • Steps:  
    • Click on each hyperlink in the footer.  
    • Observe the behavior and load of the respective pages.  
  • Expected Result: All hyperlinks should route the user to the intended pages without errors.
• Test Case ID: TC_Footer_02  
  • Objective: Check the presence of copyright information.  
  • Preconditions: The webpage is displayed.  
  • Steps:  
    • Inspect the footer contents for copyright notices.  
  • Expected Result: The footer must display current copyright information, including the year and the rights holder.
• Test Case ID: TC_Footer_03  
  • Objective: Assess social media icon functionality.  
  • Preconditions: The webpage is loaded.  
  • Steps:  
    • Click on each social media icon present in the footer.  
    • Observe if the appropriate social media page opens.  
  • Expected Result: Each social media icon should link to the correct profile or page for the respective platform.
• Test Case ID: TC_Footer_04  
  • Objective: Ensure correct display of contact information.  
  • Preconditions: The webpage is loaded.  
  • Steps:  
    • Inspect contact details provided in the footer (phone number, email address, physical address).  
    • Confirm that the details are accurate and up-to-date.  
  • Expected Result: All contact information should be visible, accurate, and properly formatted.
• Test Case ID: TC_Footer_05  
  • Objective: Validate the footer’s loading performance.  
  • Preconditions: The webpage is opened.  
  • Steps:  
    • Measure the time taken for the footer to load after navigating to the page.  
  • Expected Result: The footer should load promptly, not exceeding 2 seconds after the page load.

These detailed functional test cases will ensure the footer operates as intended, providing a seamless user experience while fulfilling its primary roles on the webpage.

Positive Test Cases for Footer

• Presence of Required Elements
  • Verify that all essential elements, such as copyright information, contact details, links to privacy policy and terms of service, and social media icons, are present in the footer.  
  • Expected Result: All required components should be visible without missing any information.
• Correct Link Navigation
  • Test all footer links to ensure they navigate to their intended destinations without errors.  
  • Expected Result: Each link should redirect correctly to the relevant page without displaying any 404 errors.
• Social Media Functionality
  • Check that each social media icon properly links to the corresponding profile or page and that it opens in a new tab as expected.  
  • Expected Result: Click on each icon should successfully lead to the intended social media platform in a new browser tab.
• Responsive Design
  • Test the footer’s responsiveness on different devices (desktop, tablet, mobile) and screen sizes to ensure it maintains its layout and usability.  
  • Expected Result: The footer should adapt seamlessly to various screen sizes, remaining visually appealing and functional.
• Loading Performance
  • Confirm that the footer loads within the designated performance standards upon page access.  
  • Expected Result: The footer should load within 2 seconds, ensuring a smooth user experience.
• Email Subscription Confirmation
  • If an email subscription form is included, test that entering a valid email address successfully leads to a confirmation message.  
  • Expected Result: Users should receive a verification or thank you message indicating successful subscription.
• Visual Consistency
  • Validate that the footer design aligns with the overall website theme and branding.  
  • Expected Result: The footer’s style, color scheme, and fonts should be consistent with the overall website aesthetics.
• Interactiveness of Elements
  • Ensure that any interactive elements within the footer, such as dropdown menus or accordions, function smoothly.  
  • Expected Result: Interactions should occur without lag, and the elements should respond correctly to user inputs. 

By conducting these positive test cases, we can ascertain that the footer not only meets functional requirements but also enhances overall user satisfaction and engagement on the webpage.

Negative Test Scenarios for Footer

• Email Subscription Failure
  • Test the subscription process by entering an invalid email address or leaving the field blank.  
  • Expected Result: Users should receive an error message indicating that the email entered is invalid or that the field cannot be empty.
• Visual Inconsistencies
  • Deliberately alter the CSS, such as the colour scheme or font sizes, while testing.  
  • Expected Result: The footer should exhibit errors in alignment with the overall website theme, indicating potential problems with the consistency of design.
• Interactiveness of Elements
  • Check if interactive elements, such as dropdowns or buttons, do not respond to clicks or interactions.  
  • Expected Result
  • No action should occur when these elements are interacted with, demonstrating failures in functionality.
• Broken Links
  • Click on any link in the footer that goes to a non-existent page or returns a 404 error.  
  • Expected Result: Users should encounter an error page, indicating a broken link that needs to be fixed.
• Social Media Link Failures
  • Attempt to click on social media icons that have incorrect URLs or inactive pages.  
  • Expected Result: Users should be redirected to a “not found” page or receive a browser error message indicating that the page is unavailable.
• Performance Delays
  • Introduce a network throttling condition to simulate slow internet speeds while loading the footer.  
  • Expected Result: The footer should fail to load within 2 seconds, indicating performance issues that can hinder user experience.
• Content Overlap
  • Test the footer’s rendering on devices with very small screen sizes or unusual resolutions.  
  • Expected Result: Footer elements may overlap or fall off the screen, leading to visibility issues and poor user experience.
• Duplicate Elements
  • Intentionally add duplicate items within the footer structure during testing.  
  • Expected Result: The footer should display duplicate elements, highlighting potential problems in the content management system or database entries.

Conclusion

In conclusion, writing effective test cases for a website footer is essential for ensuring a seamless user experience. By focusing on both UI and functional aspects, testers can identify any issues that may hinder navigation or user engagement. Positive test scenarios validate that the footer meets user expectations, while negative test scenarios help uncover any potential pitfalls. A thoroughly tested footer contributes significantly to the overall performance and user satisfaction of the website, creating a more enjoyable online experience for all users.

Related Posts – Test Cases