Quality Assurance (QA) Testing For No-Code Apps: Why Is It Important?

Introduction

While the allure of no-code tools lies in their accessible and rapid development capabilities, the pressing concern of ensuring the quality and reliability of resulting applications cannot be ignored.

The absence of traditional coding, though simplifying the development process, does not eliminate the need for rigorous testing or adherence to standard industry protocols. 

The demand for robust, error-free applications persists, irrespective of the chosen development methodology, making Quality Assurance (QA) testing a critical pillar for no-code app development.

This article delves into the pivotal role of Quality Assurance testing in the context of no-code apps. Why is it indispensable? What unique challenges do no-code applications pose for QA? And, most importantly, how can organizations ensure the dependability and functionality of their no-code applications?

We will also explore the standard procedures for conducting QA testing in no-code app development, shedding light on why it's not merely a choice but a necessity for building apps that endure the test of time.

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What Is Quality Assurance (QA)?

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Quality Assurance (QA) is the systematic process of ensuring that a product or service meets specified standards and fulfils customer expectations. 

In no-code/software development, QA involves a series of activities designed to prevent defects in the development process and ensure that the final product is of premium quality.

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Why Is Quality Assurance Important?

When it comes to no-code app development, such as with Bubble, Quality Assurance becomes the guardian of application reliability and user satisfaction. 

While the intuitive and visual nature of no-code platforms simplifies the development journey, it introduces unique challenges. 

QA in Bubble app development is the disciplined approach of systematically testing and validating each element and functionality of the application.

Given the drag-and-drop nature of Bubble and the absence of traditional coding, the role of QA is even more pivotal. It encompasses rigorous testing of the visual design, user interactions, and underlying logic to identify and rectify any issues before the app reaches the end-users.

Quality Assurance in Bubble app development extends beyond bug identification; it's also about ensuring that the app behaves as expected, providing a seamless user experience. 

From form functionalities to database integrations, the QA process acts as a safeguard, allowing developers to iterate and improve the app with confidence, ultimately delivering a high-quality product that meets the standards of both the developers and end-users.

In essence, Quality Assurance in no-code Bubble app development is the meticulous process that transforms a visually created concept into a reliable, user-friendly, and robust application.

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How Does Quality Assurance Help Your Business and No-Code Bubble.io App?

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Quality Assurance (QA) is crucial in Bubble or any no-code app development for several reasons:

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1. User Experience Optimization:

QA ensures that your no-code app functions seamlessly, providing a positive user experience. 

It involves testing for user interactions, app navigation, and overall usability and it aims to identify and rectify any issues that could hinder user satisfaction.

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2. Bug Identification and Rectification:

Even in no-code environments like Bubble, bugs can emerge, especially for inexperienced no-code developers. 

Following standard QA processes can help to identify and rectify these bugs early in the development cycle, preventing issues from escalating and affecting the end-users.

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3. Compatibility Testing:

QA ensures that the Bubble app works correctly across different devices, browsers, and operating systems. This is particularly important for no-code apps, as variations in visual elements and interactions may arise across different user platforms.

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4. Data Integrity and Security:

No-code apps often involve the manipulation and storage of data. QA verifies the integrity of the data handling process and ensures that sensitive information is secure. 

This is a very crucial step for maintaining user trust and complying with industry and cross-border data protection regulations.

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5. Scalability Testing:

As the Bubble app grows, scalability becomes a key factor. QA testing assesses how well the app can handle increased load and data volume. 

This is an essential component for preventing performance issues as the user base expands.

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6. Integration Verification:

Many no-code platforms, including Bubble, allow integration with external services and APIs, such as AI integrations, payment integrations and many more

QA ensures that these integrations work seamlessly, avoiding disruptions and ensuring a cohesive user experience.

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7. Cross-Functional Testing:

QA involves testing not only the visual aspects of the app but also the underlying logic. 

This includes testing workflows, business logic, and any custom code snippets that may be incorporated into a no-code app.

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8. Adherence to Business Requirements:

QA ensures that the app aligns with the specified business requirements. 

It acts as a checkpoint to confirm that the app's functionalities meet the intended purpose and goals of the development project.

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9. Continuous Improvement:

QA is not a one-time activity; it is an ongoing process. Regular testing and feedback loops enable developers to identify areas for improvement and enhance the app over time. 

This iterative approach is especially valuable in the rapidly evolving landscape of no-code development.

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10. Risk Mitigation:

By systematically identifying and addressing potential issues, QA mitigates the risks associated with deploying an app. 

This is crucial for maintaining the reputation of the app and the organization behind it.

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11. Compliance and Standards:

QA ensures that the app adheres to industry standards and regulatory requirements. 

This is particularly important in sectors with strict compliance standards, such as finance, healthcare, or legal services.

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12. Customer Satisfaction:

Ultimately, the goal of any app, whether code-based or no-code, is to satisfy the end-users. 

QA plays a pivotal role in achieving this goal by delivering a reliable, functional, and error-free application.

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Related: How Nerdheadz Solves Bubble.io App Security Issues.

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Key Differences Between Quality Assurance and Quality Control In No-code App Development

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Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) are two distinct concepts in the realm of no-code app quality management, and they play different roles in ensuring the quality of a product or service. 

Here are the fundamental differences between QA and QC:

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1. Differences In Focus:

Quality Assurance (QA) focuses on the entire application process and flow. It’s a proactive approach that emphasizes preventing app defects and ensuring that the processes used to develop the no-code product are efficient and effective. 

On the other hand, Quality Control (QC) focuses on the product. It is a reactive approach that involves checking the final product to identify and correct defects.

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2. Differences In Timing:

Quality Assurance (QA) happens throughout the project development lifecycle. 

QA activities are integrated into the entire Bubble development lifecycle, from the initial design and configuration to ongoing updates and enhancements. 

However, Quality Control (QC) occurs Post-Development after the Bubble app has been created or updated. It's more focused on verifying the functionality and performance of the app.

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3. Differences in Goal:

QA in Bubble aims to prevent defects in workflow by establishing best practices, creating standardized workflows, and providing training to users and developers

QC on the other hand aims to identify and address any defects, errors, or inconsistencies in the final Bubble application before it is released to end-users. 

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4. Differences in Responsibility:

QA is often a collective responsibility of everyone involved in the development of the Bubble app, including the UX/UI designers, the app developers, and even the product owner and stakeholders. 

It's more about building a quality mindset within the entire development team. 

On the other hand, QC is often carried out by dedicated testing teams or QA Engineers with expertise in Bubble app testing. They focus on thorough testing of various aspects of the Bubble app.

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5. Differences In Methods

QA involves activities such as process audits, training, and process improvement initiatives. It's about establishing and maintaining processes that contribute to high-quality outcomes. 

QC in Bubble development involves activities such as functional testing, user acceptance testing, and performance testing to ensure the app meets quality standards.

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6. Differences In Outcome:

The goal of QA in Bubble development is to continuously enhance the overall development process, leading to a more reliable and robust application.

However, the primary outcome of QC is to deliver a Bubble app that meets the specified quality standards and provides a positive user experience.

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How To Do QA Testing: The Standard Process Used By The Nerdheadz Team

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Before approving an app for launch or handing it over to the clients, Nerdheadz has a rigorous QA/QC testing process with is broken down into three main stages: 

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A. The Planning stage

B. The Execution stage, and 

C. The Conclusion stage

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The Planning Stage

The planning stage essentially involves defining components and features that will be included in the testing process, the order in which they will be passed, and the requirement analysis. 

This stage is further broken down into 3 steps

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Step 1: The Requirement Analysis:

This step involves understanding the requirements and functionalities of the no-code app. 

This involves collaboration between the QA team/engineers and the stakeholders to ensure clarity and alignment with the intended purpose of the app.

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Step 2: The Test Planning

The next step is to create the QA test plan, which is a document that serves as a roadmap for the QA process. 

The test plan often outlines the testing approach, the scope of the test, the resources, the schedule, and the testing objectives. 

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Step 3: The Test Case Design:

This step involves creating detailed test cases based on the identified requirements from the collaboration with the stakeholders.

The test cases often cover various scenarios, including positive and negative test cases, to ensure thorough coverage.

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The Execution Stage

This involves the key steps Nerdheadz uses for establishing a robust QA process for no-code apps and it addresses the key aspects of quality apps such as app security, regression, usability, and performance.

This stage is further broken down into

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Step 1: Functional Testing:

At this stage, Nerdheadz QA Engineers seek to verify that each function of the no-code app performs as expected. 

This includes testing user interfaces, Bubble workflows, and integrations with external systems or databases.

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Step 2: Regression Testing Phase:

Performing regression testing aims to ensure that new changes, iterations or updates to the no-code app will not negatively impact the app's existing functionalities. 

This helps Nerdheadz to maintain the overall integrity of the application even as new updates are being made.

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Step 3: Usability Testing:

Nerdheadz uses the usability step for evaluating the user interface and overall user experience. 

Some key effort of usability testing is to ensure that the app is intuitive, easy to navigate, and meets the expectations of the end-users.

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Step 4: Performance Testing:

This step aims to assess the performance of the no-code app under different conditions. 

This includes conditions like load testing to determine how the app will perform under various levels of user activity.

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Step 5: Security Testing:

For this purpose, Nerdheadz utilizes Flusk and this step involves checking the no-code app for potential security vulnerabilities. 

Security testing includes testing for data breaches, unauthorized access, and other common security threats that are often faced by no-code Bubble apps.

Security testing also involves paying attention to user authentication, data encryption, and secure communication protocols.

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Step 6: Compatibility Testing:

The compatibility testing procedure aims to check that the no-code app functions correctly across different devices, browsers, and operating systems. 

This is crucial for delivering a consistent user experience across multiple platforms to a diverse user base.

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Step 7: Integration Testing:

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This step aims to test the interactions between the no-code app and any integrated external services, APIs, or databases. 

The focus of integration testing is to verify that data is exchanged correctly and that integrations do not introduce errors.

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Step 8: User Acceptance Testing (UAT):

This step involves allowing end-users, early adopters or representatives from the target audience to test the Bubble app. 

The aim is to collect and track feedback on usability, functionality, and any issues encountered during their interactions with the app.

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Step 9: Accessibility Testing:

This aims to ensure that the no-code app is accessible to users with disabilities. 

This also involves checks for compliance with accessibility standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

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The Conclusion Stage

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Step 1: Documentation Review:

This involves the documentation verification process, which includes checking that user manuals and technical documentation accurately reflect the current state of the no-code app, and ensuring that any changes are reflected in the documentation.

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Step 2: Defect Reporting and Tracking:

Nerdheadz also documents and reports any defects or issues discovered during testing. 

This is done via the use of a defect-tracking system to monitor the status of each issue and track its resolution.

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Step 3: Test Execution:

Execute the planned test cases systematically. 

This involves following the test plan, documenting results, and ensuring that all aspects of the no-code app are thoroughly tested.

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Step 4: Continuous Improvement:

Collect feedback from testing activities and use it to continuously improve the QA process. 

Identify areas for optimization in both the testing process and the no-code app itself.

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When Does Your No-Code Project Need A Dedicated Quality Assurance Engineer

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If you’re building a no-code bubble project where development is facilitated through visual interfaces and configuration rather than traditional coding, the need for a dedicated Quality Assurance (QA) engineer depends on various factors and scenarios

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Case 1: When You’re Building A Complex No-Code Application:

If the no-code project is complex and involves intricate business logic or integrations with other systems such as in web3 apps, a combination of marketplaces or SaaS apps, 

A QA engineer is essential to help you ensure that all components function as intended.

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Got an idea for a no-code app? Try Nerdheadz's Free Project Estimation Tool

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Case 2: When The Project Supports Critical Business Processes:

When your no-code application supports critical business processes, such as payroll management and customer support, it's essential to have a dedicated QA engineer to thoroughly test and validate the functionality to avoid potential business disruptions.

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Case 3: No-code app with multiple integration points:

If your no-code Bubble application integrates with other systems or APIs, 

A QA engineer is responsible for verifying that data flows correctly, and integrations work seamlessly.

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Case 4: When The App Requires Data Security and Compliance:

In cases where the application deals with sensitive data or needs to comply with regulatory requirements, 

A QA engineer is required to ensure that security measures are in place and compliance standards are met.

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Case 5: When Your No-code App Is Rapidly Growing:

For applications with high user loads or complex processing requirements, 

A QA engineer is required to conduct performance testing to identify and address potential bottlenecks or scalability issues.

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Case 6: When Your User Experience Is A Strong Selling Point:

If you have a no-code app operating in a highly competitive industry, 

A dedicated QA engineer can assess the user interface and overall user experience to ensure that the application is intuitive, user-friendly, and meets the expectations of the end users.

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Case 7: When Your Application Requires Consistent Iteration:

If you’re building a minimum viable product that would require a lot of changes to be made to the no-code application, 

A QA engineer can perform regression testing to ensure that existing functionality remains unaffected by each feature addition and app update.

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Case 8: When You Need To Test For Edge Cases and Negative Testing:

QA engineers excel at identifying edge cases and conducting negative testing to ensure that the application behaves appropriately under various scenarios, including error conditions.

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Case 9: For Apps That Require Documentation and Training:

A QA engineer can contribute to creating documentation for testing procedures, use cases, and training materials for end-users, improving the overall quality and usability of the application.

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Related: How To Build The Perfect Bubble.io Project

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What Are The Standard Tools Used For Quality Assurance Testing?

Most no-code platforms and agencies often have their own set of tools and approaches for testing. 

Here are some examples of tools and how to use them for QA testing in your no-code apps:

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1. For Manual Testing:

Manual testing involves human testers going through the application's user interface and functionality to identify issues or bugs.

Testers navigate through the no-code app, perform various actions, and record any problems they encounter, such as broken links, incorrect data, or UI issues.

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2. For User Experience Recording and Playback Testing:

These tools allow you to record user interactions with your no-code web and mobile apps and then allow you to replay those interactions to identify issues during usage.

Usually, the QA Engineer only tries to record common user scenarios, such as filling out a form, submitting data, and verifying that the app responds as expected during playback.

Examples of these tools include Hotjar, TestCraft, Katalon Recorder and Selenium IDE.

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3. For Load and User Volume Testing:

Load testing tools simulate multiple users or requests to assess how the no-code app performs under various levels of load.

The QA Engineer creates test scenarios that mimic actual user behaviour (e.g., submitting forms, browsing pages) and gradually increases the load to identify performance bottlenecks.

Examples of Tools for these tests include LoadRunner and JMeter.

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4. For Cross-Device and Cross-Browser Testing:

These tools allow you to test your no-code app on different web browsers and ensure compatibility.

Choose target browsers and devices, then run tests to check for compatibility issues, rendering problems, or functionality discrepancies.

Examples of tools employed for this purpose include BrowserStack and Sauce Labs.

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5. For Tracking Bugs, and Managing No-Code App Malfunctions:

These tools help to document and track identified issues and their status throughout the QA process.

The QA engineer or Project manager uses these tools to create bug reports, assign them to team members, and track the progress of issue resolution.

Common tools used for this purpose include Jira, Trello and Asana.

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Other tools include Axe and WAVE which help you ensure that your no-code app is accessible to users with disabilities, and Slack, Microsoft Teams, or any project management tool for discussing test findings, sharing reports, and coordinating testing efforts with team members and stakeholders.

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Building A Small Bubble.io Project? What Are The Procedures For Doing Your QA Testing?

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If you’re building a small project and can’t afford the services of an agency or a dedicated QA Engineer, these five steps provide a basic framework for ensuring that your small Bubble.io project is working as intended. 

As your project grows, you can explore additional testing techniques and tools to further enhance the quality of your applications.

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Step 1: Get A Clear Understanding Of Your Project:

Start by gaining a clear understanding of your Bubble.io project's purpose and goals. Write down answers to questions like,

What does your app do, and how should it behave?  This understanding will guide your no-code app’s QA testing efforts.

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Want to build a quick no-code app? Check costs and duration with Nerdheadz's Free Project Estimation Tool.

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Step 2: Plan Your QA Tests:

Create a simple plan outlining what you want to test. 

Identify the key features, workflows or parts of your app that are crucial to its functionality. 

For instance, if you're building a task management app, you'd want to test adding tasks, editing them, and functions that help you mark them as completed.

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Step 3: Utilize Manual Testing:

To do manual testing, try to Interact with your app as a user would. 

Go through your key features step by step, just like you're using the app for the first time.

Make note of any issues you encounter, like buttons that don't work, incorrect information, or things that look strange.

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Step 4: Malfunctions and Bug Reporting:

If you find any problems during testing, write them down. 

Include details like what you did, what happened, and what you expected to happen.

You can use a simple spreadsheet or a note-taking tool to keep track of these issues.

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Step 5: Fix and Retest:

After identifying issues, work on fixing them on Bubble with your Bubble.io developer or agency.

Once you've made changes, retest the parts of your app where you found problems to make sure the issues have been resolved.

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Did You Know?

Nerdheadz has been recognized as one of the Top QA & Software Testing Companies by Vendorland

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Conclusion

Quality Assurance (QA) is a critical pillar of no-code app development. It plays a pivotal role in ensuring the reliability, functionality, and user-friendliness of no-code apps.

By implementing a comprehensive QA process, organisations can mitigate the risks associated with no-code development and deliver high-quality apps that meet the expectations of their users.

QA in no-code app development is not an option; it is a necessity. By investing in QA, Your organisation builds a strong reputation, builds trust with users, and is more likely to achieve your preset business goals.

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