Performance >

Testing Your Web Page

The following is a quick checklist for testing your web page:

1. Print It
2. Turn Off Styles
3. Turn Off Images
4. Empty the Browser's Cache
5. Disable Scripting
6. Use Keys for Form Navigation
7. Check for Spelling Errors
8. Use the Validators
9. Test Using Different Browsers
10. Use a Testing Tool

1. Print It

Print your page on a black-and-white printer. Is it readable?

2. Turn Off Styles

Is your page readable without your styles? Using your browser's settings, disable colors, font styles, and font sizes. Your browser will redisplay the page using its default settings. Now see if your page is still readable.

If you have used color to highlight or identify information, can that information still be located? See Implementing Standard C and Implementing Standard D for more information on using color.

While your styles are turned off, play with different font sizes. These can be adjusted by changing your browser's settings. Is the page still readable when the largest font is selected? Are all fonts scalable?

3. Turn off Images

Does the page make sense without the images? Is the alt text displayed meaningful? If a client-side map is on the page, can all information be accessed without the image?

4. Empty the Browser's Cache

Your browser stores Web pages in a cache directory. Empty it, then go on-line and time how long it really takes to load your page. If it is more than 10 seconds, see if your page can be made smaller. For more information on making your page smaller, see Tuning Your Web Page.

5. Disable Scripting

What happens if you cannot run JavaScript? What does your page do? If it uses JavaScript, or any other script, test to see if the <noscript> contents display. Is that information consistent with what the remainder of the page displays?

Will your page still run without applets?

6. Use Keys for Form Navigation

For users who use keys and not the mouse, will your form work? Test it using the tab key and the control keys. Check your browser's documentation for a list of standard access keys.

7. Check for Spelling Errors

One quick way to do this is to copy the body text into a word processing program with spelling check capability. Correct all errors in the original file. This way, a screen reader will have less difficulty understanding the text.

8. Use the Validators

Decide which document type dictionary you want to use for validation: HTML 4 Transitional or Strict. Include a <!DOCTYPE...> statement at the top of your code. Visit the W3C and validate and clean up your code.

If you have a validator in your development tool, use it.

9. Test Using Different Browsers

Use a linear browser such as Lynx to stimulate how the page may be read by assistive technology.

You may also view a linearized version of your page by running it through DJ Delorie's Lynx Viewer, which simulates how Lynx may render your page.

10. Use a Testing Tool

Bobby™, an evaluation tool which generates a report, only allows one page at a time to be tested. You can use Bobby™ (free service) just to test a template. Or, you can download Bobby™ for a fee.

Another possibility is to use A-prompt™. A-prompt™ is an evaluation and repair tool.

See the Ratings section of this site for evaluations of the above tools.