Build a mobile app testing checklist that catches common bugs
A mobile-specific test checklist and device matrix covering the bugs desktop testing misses: interruptions, connectivity, permissions, and OS fragmentation.
The prompt
Help me build a testing checklist for my mobile app.
App: [WHAT IT DOES, key user flows]
Platforms and tech: [iOS / Android, native / React Native / Flutter, minimum OS versions]
Features that touch the device: [camera, location, push notifications, payments, background sync, offline mode, biometrics]
Bugs we have seen before: [PAST ISSUES or app store reviews]
Release stage: [first launch / regular release / hotfix]
Deliver:
1. Device and OS matrix: a minimal set of devices, screen sizes, and OS versions to test, based on my audience, with reasoning.
2. Checklist by risk area, with specific test cases for each:
- App lifecycle: backgrounding, killing, resuming, low memory, state restoration.
- Interruptions: calls, notifications, alarms, switching apps mid-flow.
- Connectivity: offline, slow or flaky networks, switching Wi-Fi to cellular, retries and duplicate submissions.
- Permissions: first ask, denied, revoked later, limited access.
- Layout: small and large screens, rotation, notches, dynamic text size, dark mode, RTL languages.
- Performance: cold start time, battery, memory leaks, long lists.
- Data: upgrades from older app versions, migration, logout and account switching.
- Accessibility: screen readers, touch target size, contrast.
- Store requirements and crash reporting.
3. Prevention: which of these to cover with automated tests vs. manual exploratory testing.
4. A bug report template that captures device, OS, app version, steps, and logs.
Format the checklist as a table: Area | Test case | Priority | Manual or automated.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Software Development prompts
What to fill in
- WHAT IT DOES, key user flows
- PAST ISSUES or app store reviews
- first launch / regular release / hotfix
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the RTF structure (Role, Task, Format). RTF tells the model who to be, what to do and what shape the answer should take. It is the quickest structure that still gives noticeably better results than a bare request.
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