Sandbox testing is no longer disposable. In the competitive ecommerce market, more and more companies need to verify their processes, this means ensuring the proper functioning of applications, programs and tools, especially where contact with customers occurs and thus guarantee their satisfaction. Which in the case of ecommerce also has to do with a frictionless purchasing experience.
Sandbox testing has emerged as a fundamental tool for perfecting ecommerce sites. But what exactly is the sandbox and why is it crucial to your digital commerce strategy?
In this article we will talk to you about what sandboxing is, what its importance is and how an ecommerce business can benefit from this practice.
What is a sandbox?
In technology, “sandbox” refers to a testing environment isolated from the production environment. It is essentially a safe playing field where IT engineers can experiment, test and make adjustments without affecting the actual functioning of the website or application.
Sandbox is also a testing environment that works as a hardware protector to prevent damage and cyber attacks. It is a term widely used in cybersecurity whose actions protect the operating system from erroneous code or malware.
What is a sandbox used for and how does it work?
The main purpose of a sandbox is to allow development and testing teams to safely make changes and updates before deploying them to the live environment. It works by creating a replica of the production environment, but in isolation. This means that any adjustments or modifications made in the sandbox will not affect the live version of the website or app.
A sandbox can have several functions depending on the area in which it is used. Its main uses are related to the concept of: enterprise sandbox, sandbox in computing and sandbox in software testing.
Sandbox in software testing
In this article, we want to highlight this particular use. The sandbox environment helps the testing team and developers create functional and secure applications, in addition to offering the ability to test them in different environments.
The main function of the sandbox in this activity is to tell developers when to modify the code. Likewise, they can analyze malware and identify how it could affect your applications.
On a test server, this is where the quality assurement or QA, tests the code before deploying it to a production environment. Since the test environment is the same as the production environment, any code that runs smoothly in the staging environment should also work the same way in the production environment. After testing the software, the evaluated site is deployed to production or what we usually call “put online.”
How does a sandbox work?
How a sandbox works depends on what is being analyzed or tested. For example, a sandbox intended for malware testing is configured and operates differently than a sandbox for testing code that updates applications in a given ecosystem.
As we have said, to investigate potential malware and malicious code execution, the test environment must be isolated from the production software.
Regardless of how a sandbox is used, they all have some basic functionality:
- Emulation of a real device. This could be emulation of a mobile or desktop device. Either way, the application to be analyzed must have access to the same resources as the code being analyzed, including CPU, memory and storage.
- Emulation of the target operating system. Using a virtual machine, the application must have access to the operating system. With a virtual machine, the test environment is isolated from the underlying physical hardware, but has access to the installed operating system.
- Virtualized environment. Typically, a test environment is on a virtual machine, so it does not have access to physical resources, but it can access virtualized hardware.
As with a development environment, a staging environment can be used to run any application on a secure resource before deploying it to production or giving it access to production resources.
A sandbox allows companies to run programs that could (potentially) cause problems, whether malware or unforeseen online store failures, without slowing down or harming key business resources.
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These are some of the benefits we see when sandbox testing for ecommerce:
1. Evaluation of new features:
Sandbox testing is essential when implementing new features on your ecommerce site. You can test how these features interact with the existing system without risk of unexpected interruptions.
2. Performance optimization:
Before making major changes that may affect site performance, such as software updates or speed improvements, you can evaluate their impact on the sandbox. This ensures that your ecommerce site always works efficiently.
3. Problem identification and solution:
Sandbox provides a safe environment to identify potential issues before they impact the end user You can detect and fix errors without impacting the customer experience.
4. Integration tests:
If you are integrating new solutions, such as payment gateways or inventory management systems, the sandbox allows you to test their compatibility without affecting real transactions.
5. Continuous development:
It facilitates continuous development by allowing development teams to work on new features without worrying about interference with the user experience during the process.
6. Alignment with SEO strategies:
Sandbox testing is crucial to aligning your SEO strategy. You can evaluate changes to site structure, content, and tags before implementing them, ensuring they comply with SEO best practices.
Now is your turn!
In the challenging world of e-commerce, where adaptability and innovation are essential, sandbox testing becomes the strategic ally to perfect your website or application.
Taking advantage of this testing environment not only ensures smooth and efficient operation, but also puts you at the forefront of the competition, allowing you to deliver an exceptional user experience and align with the latest market trends. In the competitive game of ecommerce, the sandbox is your training ground for excellence.
Optimize the quality of your online store today! Ready to ensure flawless performance and an exceptional user experience? We specialize in testing and quality assurance for ecommerce sites. Turn testing into a competitive advantage.
