{"id":116053,"date":"2018-09-14T10:31:25","date_gmt":"2018-09-14T10:31:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.wingify.com\/blog\/server-side-testing-definition\/"},"modified":"2026-09-15T16:06:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T10:36:30","slug":"server-side-testing-definition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingify.com\/blog\/server-side-testing-definition\/","title":{"rendered":"Server-Side Testing: Definition, Advantages and Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wingify makes server-side testing<\/a> available to our clients thought the Feature platform<\/a> . This opens up a whole new world of testing possibilities – but it also makes us realize that not everyone is 100% familiar with what server-side testing is, when it\u2019s useful, and how it can be fully exploited.<\/em><\/p>\n

So, here\u2019s a quick recap for those of you who might still be wondering – just what is server-side testing?<\/em><\/p>\n

Server-side and client-side testing<\/h2>\n

Before we dive into server-side, let\u2019s get some terminology straight.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re using a website optimization SaaS solution (Wingify or similar), you\u2019re already familiar with server-side testing\u2019s counterpart – client-side testing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Client-side testing simply means website optimization changes are only happening in the visitor\u2019s browser<\/em>. You don\u2019t necessarily have to have any coding knowledge – in fact, it\u2019s one of our promises at Wingify – though sometimes familiarity with HTML, JS, or CSS can be useful.<\/p>\n

This is one of the main things to remember about client-side – the web interface is the control room of your tests, and all of the scripts are running on your visitors’ browsers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Image Source<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

However, the relative ease of use of client-side testing – little to no coding needed – also comes with drawbacks. Namely, the scope of your tests remains largely related to design: changing color, wording, layout, hiding or adding elements, etc.<\/p>\n

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With client-side testing, the scope of your tests remains largely related to design: changing color, wording, layout, hiding or adding elements, etc.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

For some companies, this is just fine – and there are countless test ideas you can run client-side<\/a> – but after a certain point, many want to do more. This is where server-side comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Client-Side<\/strong><\/td>\nServer-Side<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Marketing + Tech<\/td>\nTech + Marketing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Agility & Reactivity<\/td>\nAdvanced Scenarios & Constraints<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
WYSIWYG + HTML\/CSS\/JS<\/td>\nIn Code \/ App Implementation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Content, UI and UX<\/td>\nFeatures & Business Logics<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Web Technologies<\/td>\nPlatform & Language Agnostic<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

More sophisticated tests with server-side<\/h2>\n

In a certain sense, server-side testing cuts out the middleman – the Wingify tag used with client-side tests<\/span>. Instead, using code, developers can go straight to the source and work on the servers that deliver the website to the end user’s browser.<\/strong> Marketers can still set the parameters of a test up in the Wingify interface, but all of the implementation takes place at the level of the web server.<\/p>\n

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Client-side campaigns are defined in the Wingify interface. In the above screenshot, you define your variations, your goals and set the traffic allocation, whether dynamic or not.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Because the\u00a0kind of implementation involved in server-side is more direct, it allows for much more sophisticated tests and website optimization campaigns.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

However, the inescapable fact about server-side testing is that whoever is setting up the tests needs to be fluent in back-end coding languages<\/strong>, like PHP, Node.js or Python. If the marketing, digital or e-commerce team is the one running your CRO program, you may already have the appropriate web developer on staff. Others may look to hire a freelancer. However you go about it, if you want to start out with server-side testing, you\u2019ll need both:<\/p>\n