Validating Application Functionality Before Deployment

Validating Application Functionality Before Deployment

You're absolutely right, validating the application functionality before deployment is a critical step in the go-live process. Here's an expanded look at that aspect:

Application Deployment Validation

• Thoroughly test the application in a pre-production environment that closely matches the production setup.
• Validate all key functionalities, user workflows, and edge cases to ensure the application is behaving as expected.
• Perform comprehensive integration testing to verify the application's interactions with any dependent systems or services.
• Run performance and load testing to assess the application's scalability and responsiveness under expected user loads.
• Conduct security testing to identify and address any vulnerabilities or potential attack vectors.
• Obtain sign-off from the development, quality assurance, and product teams on the application's readiness for deployment.

Deployment Readiness Checklist

• Ensure all necessary configuration files, database scripts, and other deployment artifacts are prepared and ready for the production environment.
• Validate the deployment scripts or automation tools to confirm they will properly install and configure the application in production.
• Perform dry runs of the deployment process in a staging or pre-production environment to identify and resolve any issues.
• Develop a detailed rollback plan in case the deployment needs to be aborted due to any critical problems.
• Communicate the deployment plan, timeline, and any potential service disruptions to the relevant stakeholders and end-users.

Only after thoroughly validating the application functionality and deployment readiness should the final production deployment be executed. This upfront validation helps mitigate the risk of issues arising during the go-live and ensures a smooth transition to the new system.

What are the risks of testing in production?

• Risk of deploying bad code
• Accidentally leaking sensitive data
• Possibility of system overload
• Messing up the analytics
• Risk of releasing product or feature that is not usable