June 2, 2023
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What is Automation Testing? Ultimate Guide & Best Practices.

Utilizing automation facilitates the expeditious execution of many test scenarios to verify that the outcomes generated by particular actions or code segments align with the anticipated results. If an error occurs, an exception is raised to indicate the occurrence of an issue. Utilizing a scripted process to assess the conformity of the developed software with the specified requirements is deemed crucial as it expedites the testing timeline.

“Automation Testing” describes utilizing a computer to execute numerous test cases or scenarios within minutes efficiently. The implementation of automation can result in significant time savings as it eliminates the need for repetitive execution of tasks when modifying an application being tested.

What is Automated Testing?

Automated software testing is a method of software testing that involves using automated software tools by testers to execute test cases. Automating a test suite can reduce the time and effort required for executing repetitive and resource-intensive tasks that are challenging to perform manually. This literature guides the appropriate circumstances to opt for a test automation framework instead of manual testing.

In contemporary software development practices, it is imperative for businesses reliant on software to allocate resources toward automated software testing in order to expedite the release of high-quality software products. Automated software testing streamlines the testing procedures with minimal exertion. It positively affects the caliber of software releases, their correlated expenses, and the duration required to bring them to market.

Why Is Test Automation Important?

Automated software testing holds significant importance for software businesses for several reasons. Centralizing all the applicable test data in a singular repository or documentation facility would significantly reduce the time and effort that would otherwise be expended in creating diverse test cases utilizing varying forms of test data if an automated procedure could be devised to iteratively execute based on the data contained within this file, absent any manual intervention, an optimal resolution would be achieved.

Cost Effective: Over time, the expenses associated with manual app testing tend to increase. However, if the same test cases are being repeatedly executed or effort can be conserved through automation, it can achieve long-term cost savings.

Time Effective: Automated testing has the potential to yield significant time savings, as it enables the execution of regression and other repetitive tests during non-business hours.

High Productivity: Automated testing reduces the time developers and testers must allocate to testing, allowing them to allocate more time to critical tasks or developing new features.

Enhanced App Quality: Implementing automated testing can extend test coverage, guaranteeing the app’s quality and performance. Automated testing enables prompt feedback to developers, allowing them to address defects promptly.

Automation Testing Ultimate Guide & Best Practices

It is a commonly accepted fact that software applications are subject to change over time. Given the inevitability of change, it is advisable to adopt optimal methodologies or design patterns, such as utilizing page objects, at the outset of automation. This approach will enhance the repeatability and maintainability of the automation process.

Improved Accuracy: Automation testing can effectively mitigate human errors, as automated tests are programmed to adhere to a predetermined sequence of actions meticulously. Automated testing mitigates the possibility of human testers introducing errors, such as the inadvertent omission of a particular step, during test execution.

Consistency: The absence of standardized testing procedures and uniformity can lead to the omission of critical concerns. Automation suites are essential in continuous testing scenarios, such as triggering regular regression test runs. Test cases are consistently executed uniformly with each subsequent run using automation testing. The execution of these tests can be conducted multiple times within a single day, thereby facilitating prompt detection and resolution of novel issues, ultimately resulting in enhanced assurance regarding the quality of the software.

Enhanced Test Coverage: Improved Test Coverage: Automated test suites can be utilized repeatedly to execute tests across various combinations of operating systems, devices, and browsers. Rather than repeatedly executing the precise steps of a test, it is advisable to secure the prevalent environment that users are utilizing and initiate the test. Leveraging cloud-based environments is a viable strategy for testing outdated iterations of browsers, devices, and operating systems, such as iOS.

Continuous Testing: Continuous testing involves the frequent and automated execution of tests at various stages of the software development cycle, including the development phase, integration phase, and post-deployment phase. It is possible to integrate them into the software development pipeline, thereby enabling their automatic execution whenever new modifications are introduced to the software.

Automation Testing Process

Prepare: Initially, it is imperative to engage in preparatory measures by comprehending the objectives of functional testing. Comprehend the requisite test data. It is important to identify the specific information that requires verification.

Write: Develop an automated solution that meets the specified requirements. Awareness of the initial and final conditions for every test is important. Tests must be entirely autonomous from one another. It is recommended to incorporate appropriate assertion checks in your application to verify its functioning following the specified requirements. Each examination should serve a specific objective.

Execute: Ensuring the dependability of test execution is imperative. It is recommended to perform a minimum of three consecutive test runs before committing the code.

Evaluate: It is imperative to ensure the automated test performs as anticipated. Conducting manual tests to validate the expected functionality is recommended. It is important to note that a statement cannot be verified or confirmed if it is not asserted.

Communicate: Ensuring all team members are conscious of the outcomes is imperative. It is imperative to promptly address flaky tests, as a letdown to do so may result in the disregard of test outcomes by one’s team.

Test Size Matters With Automation Testing

The size of a test is a crucial factor in ensuring its expeditious execution. Many individuals conceptualize a traditional test pyramid, wherein the foundation comprises unit tests. Integration tests are positioned at an intermediate level, while graphical user interface (GUI) tests are at the highest level.

However, my perspective is primarily focused on the magnitude of the sample size. The term “test size” pertains to the relative speed of certain tests compared to others. Although acknowledging the necessity of conducting UI tests, optimizing their speed when developing them is advisable.

Automation Testing Frameworks

Selenium: Selenium has emerged as the widely accepted standard test tool for automation engineers in browser-based testing. It is important to note that the utilization of Selenium is limited to browser-based applications, and it is not feasible to create automation testing scripts for all scenarios using Selenium.

When individuals are introduced to the concept of automation testing, their initial association is typical with utilizing Selenium for automation testing. It should be noted that Selenium is primarily utilized for automating web browser tasks.

Playwright: The Microsoft Playwright is a contemporary, unfastened, JavaScript-oriented, and multi-browser automation framework utilized for comprehensive testing.

The objective of Playwright Node.js is to furnish developers and testers with a unified application programming interface (API) that enables them to automate their web applications across the three primary browser engines currently in use.

AutoIt: AutoIt v3 is a scripting language similar to BASIC and available as freeware. Its primary purpose is to automate the Windows GUI and perform general scripting tasks. Several teams incorporate AutoIT with Selenium to circumvent non-browser windows that emerge during an automated test workflow.

Gauge: Gauge is an open-source test automation solution under development by ThoughtWorks. It is designed to be compatible with cross-platform and cross-browser testing. The software supports various programming languages, such as Ruby, Java, C#, Python, and Javascript, with plans to include additional languages, such as Golang, shortly.

Why Automated Testing Is Essential For CI/Cd

The implementation of continuous integration and continuous delivery heavily relies on the utilization of automated testing. The execution of high-quality automated tests on a large scale enables developers to promptly receive test outcomes, allowing them to address any defects or significant concerns promptly.

One of the primary characteristics of continuous integration and delivery is the increased testing frequency and the consequent reduction of manual labour required by developers. Therefore, the automation of testing procedures assumes a pivotal role in enterprises that aim to optimize the benefits of Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD).

Conclusion:

To conclude, incorporating automation testing is essential to software development procedures. The implementation of automated testing guarantees the consistency and dependability of software applications while concurrently diminishing the duration and exertion necessary for manual testing. By utilizing appropriate methodologies and resources, enterprises can enhance the velocity and precision of their testing procedures, detect defects at an earlier stage in the development process, and ultimately provide superior products to their clientele. The NSchool Academy’s Software Testing Course with 100% Placement support assistant in Coimbatore provides instruction on software testing concepts and the diverse testing methods utilized to test software products efficiently.