By admin 
Dynamic QR codes are very useful and ingenious marketing tools for any business. However, like any software tool used for marketing, you want to test your dynamic QR code before you start printing it onto physical materials and distributing it through your business network.
Testing a dynamic QR code to ensure its data integrity can seem complicated at first, if you don’t consider yourself particularly “tech-savvy.” However, such tests are actually quite simple and easy to do. In fact, there are both automatic/software testing ways to go about it and purely manual tests as well. Here’s a quick guide on how to go about it.
Preparing for the test
1. Use the right platform
First things first, you need a code to test. This doesn’t need to be the final QR code you’re going to print and use. Instead, you can first generate a sample dynamic QR code to test and see how things go. It’s important to use a proper QR Code Platform for the job, as there is no need bothering to test a bogus QR code anyway.
2. Check the format of the QR code
There are several broader types of QR code formats, such as vector (PDF, SVG, EPS) and raster (PNG and JPG). Vector codes are text-based, and raster codes are image-based.
The main practical difference you need to be aware of is that text-based vector codes are better for scaling up and down in size, so they are better if you want to print them on large objects, such as banners. Image-based raster codes, on the other hand, can be scaled down for printing in smaller sizes, but aren’t great for scaling up.
This is important, as you need to make sure the dynamic QR code’s format is suitable for the things you want to print it on.
3. Look for obvious errors or distortions
A big part of testing a QR code is to make sure it can be easily read by your customers’ devices. However, sometimes a QR code can have such obvious errors and distortions (especially if it’s generated by a sub-par QR code platform), that those can be discerned with a naked eye even before you start testing.
How to perform a software test on a dynamic QR code?
The first method one can use to test a dynamic QR code is via automation tools. This is usually the go-to if you’re using CI/CD (continuous integration and continuous deployment) pipeline to create a piece of software to work with the QR code. In this case, using automation tools for software testing saves you the trouble of having to test the code manually.
This does bring the question of which automation tool to use, however. There are two basic approaches you can take here:
1. Use third-party automation tools and image-reading libraries
Using tools like Selenium can work for automatically testing a QR code. However, going this route largely defeats the purpose of software testing, as it takes a lot of time and effort, which doesn’t make it more efficient than a manual test. Such third-party tests tend to lack support for image-based formats, often struggle with cross-browser tests, are often limited to web applications only, have little to no support for test data management, can often be unstable, and have many other issues.
2. Use generative AI-backed tools
A newer and more efficient software solution is to use AI tools, such as testRigor. Such an automated solution is easy to work with, can operate with simple plain-English commands, and can get you through the whole process on your phone, without needing any extra tools.
This method can be much faster than using other third-party automation tools, but you still need to be aware of the AI tool’s operation commands to make the most use out of it.
For example, instead of scanning an actual printed code, you can get the tool to read an image file on your device with a command like “scan qr code value from stored value “saved-qr-code” and save as “code”.” and save the result as the variable “code.”
Or, you can scan the QR code from screen with a command, such as “scan qr code value from “code-container” on the right of “QR Code 2” and save as “code”.”
There can be a bit of a learning curve to this, but the process is faster and easier overall than using non-AI-backed automated tools. And, if you are using a CI/CD pipeline, using the manual method won’t help with your DevOps anyway, so, you need a software testing tool.
How to manually test dynamic QR codes?
If you don’t need to test your QR code with an automated tool, you can always do so manually. This can take a bit of time, but it is very much doable. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Test for readability – is the code easy to read, or do cameras have a hard time reading it?
2. Test for accuracy – does the code lead to the correct data when scanned?
3. Test for size and distance – does the code work well regardless of the size it’s printed in and the distance it’s canned from?
4. Test the code’s error correction capabilities – does the code work even if there are some minor errors or distortions in it?
5. Test on all relevant devices, platforms, and browsers – does the code work with any of the popular OS platforms, devices, apps, and browsers people use?
6. Test in different environments and conditions – does the code work in different environments, such as low-light rooms, bad weather, low contrast, sharp angles, etc.?
7. Test the dynamic QR code’s real-time updates – does the dynamic QR code continue to work when you change the landing page it leads to?