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Benefits of automation testing - 1

Benefits of automation testing

  1. What is automation testing?
  2. A closer look at automation testing
  3. Myths about automation
  4. What are the benefits of automation testing?
  5. And are there any cons?
  6. When to use automation testing?
  7. Bottom line

Modern software is multi-functional and complex. Manual testing of a new software product usually requires considerable resources. Meanwhile, automation testing can help to increase software quality and run tests more quickly. But before you decide to change something in the current workflow, make sure you’ve figured out all the advantages and disadvantages of automation.

We are going to help you with this, dispelling some popular myths and explaining important nuances.

What is automation testing?

Software automation testing is the process of software verification, during which all major functions and steps are performed automatically by using specially designed tools. It is an alternative to manual functional testing, where tests are run by a program instead of a human.

Don’t confuse automation testing with automated tests. The latter is a scope of tasks that can be automated. They are just a part of a wide concept we discuss in this article. Automation testing is a cycle followed at multiple levels in diverse environments.

Let’s start by covering the difference between manual and automation testing.

Usually, QAs come up with a formula that balances manual and automation testing for a project. The level of automation depends on the project type and a company’s internal processes.

A closer look at automation testing

Before we move to the advantages of automation, let’s learn (or recollect) the basics: the way it works, its purpose, application, and common misconceptions.

How does automation testing work?

Automation testing involves the use of special software, besides the one being tested. QAs create automated tests that can be started at any time and repeated numerous times. These tests are launched and executed quickly and accurately. QAs monitor the execution of tests, then compare expected and actual results.

What is the purpose of automation?

It simplifies performing frequently repeated or time-consuming tasks necessary for maximizing test coverage. Moreover, sometimes manual testing isn’t efficient for finding certain classes of mistakes. In such cases, automation helps to save time and allocate resources smartly.

What can be tested?

There are several types of automation testing, each based on what exactly is tested. 

  • Code-driven testing – at the level of software modules, classes, and libraries. They are divided into unit tests (on separate code modules) and integration tests (on multi-module system components).
  • Graphical user interface testing – a framework that allows to generate user events and scenarios (button clicks, page activity, etc.) and track whether the software responds correctly.
  • API testing – tests on program interfaces used for integration with other apps or users.  

Phases of automation testing

Product owners often ask on which phase the potential benefits of automation testing are outlined. There is no universal answer because an approach to software development process and automation testing, in particular, varies in every company. An approximate sequence can look like this:

  1. We wait for new changes in source code. 
  2. Team QAs run unit tests.
  3. Deployment on integration environment. 
  4. Following integration tests. 
  5. Deployment on an acceptance environment. 
  6. End to end tests. 
  7. Deployment on production. 

Automation testing tools

Testing tools play a key role in the automation process. Both commercial and open-source software solutions are available today. To choose a suitable one, you should consider:

  1. a type of testing to automate; 
  2. applications tested;
  3. a language used for the test;
  4. additional tools you use or are going to use. 

Some of the top-popular tools are: 

  • Selenium – an open-source framework for web application testing. 
  • Katalon Studio – widely used for testing web apps, mobile apps, web services.
  • UTF – a popular commercial tool for functional testing. 
  • IMB RTF – a platform for functional testing and regression. 
  • Tricentis Tosca – a model-oriented tool with a wide range of features for continuous testing. 

Myths about automation

The benefits of automation testing may trick even freshman QAs. Some expect it to be easy and requiring minimum efforts. Be ready that it isn’t so, and many things can shatter your way of looking at things. 

once-upon-a-time

Myth #1. Automation testing increases expenses.

Truth: It requires investment because automation itself is another software development process. If you plan it smartly, however, you will save money by spending less time and resources. And remember that software bugs in production cost much more than testing. 

Myth #2. It can always replace manual testing.

Truth: The purpose of any automation is to facilitate the manual part. Test efficiency increases while QAs can focus on more complex issues. Meanwhile, an autotest will skip even the smallest bug if this type of error isn’t detected in the search algorithm 

Myth #3. Automation is always better than manual testing.

Truth: Automation is senseless if you are going to run a test once. The process of automation can take more time than manual tests in some cases. Besides, a program cannot always handle 100% of work without a single glitch. It is impossible to execute all scripts without crashes.

Myth #4. Automation is always faster than manual testing.

Truth: Automation is much faster compared to manual testing, when it is relevant. In some cases, it takes more time for a program to detect an object with properties that aren’t straightforward. For example, a tester can detect multiple headings with similar properties on a page by just looking at it. A program requires running a long analysis to handle the same task. Besides, a QA quickly finds the data needed to conduct test cases. A program requires a prescribed sequence of operations to complete the same task.

Myth #5. An end-user of automated testing only needs to click one button to run the tests.

Truth: Some think that when the automation is completed, an end-user of the application (a QA or a developer running unit tests) can execute the scripts without any changes in the test data. Unfortunately, this happens rarely. You can “teach” a program by adding additional code after you notice a gap. Still, script execution is a secondary task; our end-user needs to understand streaming data, keywords, and know what values ​​to enter. 

Myth #6. You can spend time studying frameworks and test cases while automating a new application.

Truth: Writing an automation script requires a QA who knows the field, knows how to automate test cases, and can choose an appropriate framework. And just like app development, automation needs to be tested. Scripts written using automation must be carefully checked using all test data and negative testing. A tool that hasn’t passed these tests will cause errors in the script during operation.

What are the benefits of automation testing?

So why automation testing is better than manual? This is probably the question that brought you here in the first place, and below are the longed-for answers. 

#1. Increased testing quality.

Automation testing excludes the human mistake factor. Programs used for running tests don’t get tired or become inattentive. The accuracy is close to 99.9%. Besides, almost all existing cases and scenarios fit in five lines of code.

#2. Advanced testing opportunities.

With automation testing, you can handle some tasks a big team isn’t – imitate the simultaneous work of thousands of users. You can quickly deal with the tasks that require extra investment or specialists if run manually. 

#3. Acceleration doesn’t affect test quality.

Completing the same amount of work manually will take much more time, while automation testing allows using ready scripts without further development. Thus, a team gets extra time for testing problem zones manually.

#4. Multiple time usage.

The same tests can be used numerous times – as many as necessary until you make sure the software is bug-free. It is also possible to run multiple tests on several devices with different configurations without affecting the efficiency of the results.

#5. Distant auto start.

Server load is minimal from 2am to 5am so this is the optimal time for running tests. A QA doesn’t have to wake up this early to start working. 

#6. Detailed reports (that are also automated).

Manual testing is subjective compared to automation, which generates statistics and reports after every test. They are saved and mailed to all (or chosen) group members.

#7. Cost- and time-efficient results.

Large high load projects require more attention to details and more thorough quality control. Over the long run, only automation testing will be efficient for finance projects, ecommerce websites, and online casinos. Besides, to replace an automation test, you’ll need 3 to 8 live QAs of flesh and bone, each with a $25+ hour rate. 

And are there any cons?

The benefits of test automation over manual testing are rather obvious but don’t forget about the flip side of the coin. Automation isn’t unequivocally perfect. It can have some disadvantages for a team as well.

businessman-working-desktop

#1. Possibly high initial investments. The tools used for automation testing are costly, as well as proper education for QAs. In this case, a QA is a bit a developer, who sets up software for testing, and their price is higher.

#2. Problems with UX testing. This is one of the few aspects where human estimation is more efficient than machine tests. The latter cannot cover our aesthetic requirements. 

#3. Lack of professional experience. The longer QAs work, the more likely they are to notice extraordinary bugs. Based on previous cases and mistakes, you can come up with unexpected tests to prevent too tricky bugs.

#4. It takes time to start. You need some time to write autotests that will cover the product testing.

Things that can go wrong

Despite all the benefits of automation testing, there are some situations to beware of. We hope that learning about the situations mentioned below will help you to avoid common pitfalls. 

  • Some apps are projected without taking into account the necessity to test them. Thus, it is difficult or impossible to check particular components. 
  • Some tools don’t include module or integration tests. If the tests are postponed, you get a serious problem. 
  • Business logic testing is usually checked via the user interface, while it is designed on the lower levels. Addressing it directly helps to get more precise results, faster and more reliable. 
  • More and more development companies offer to cover automation testing for you with just a few clicks, meanwhile creating artificial limitations.
  • QAs, premeditatedly or not, may create a too complex testing solution. They spend too much time and come up with a program with a mass of dependencies, patterns, and decisions that aren’t necessary. And sometimes it happens that no one else can use it but this single QA.

When to use automation testing?

Automation is not a panacea. Below, you’ll find several criteria explained by cases that will help to figure out whether automation is necessary. If at least one of the points is familiar to you, introducing automation testing is a good idea that will benefit your project.

people-macbook-working

  • Project scale. A project has been lasting for over a year, and now it consists of numerous sub-systems. The number of tests you need to run is constantly increasing. Dealing with all test cases (several hundred by now) takes almost a week if done manually.
  • Team size. Every team consists of more than two developers. Each has to be certain no changes have affected the code. Without automation testing, a developer learns about new bugs in a day or two in a better case or after the software is released.
  • Support of old versions. You support several versions of the software, releasing patches and service packages for each. Testing on different configurations is routine work that can be automated.
  • Test data generation time. You are working on a data processing app. Entering various records manually and conduct a visual analysis is an untenable use of resources.
  • Frequent releases. You have an agile approach with short iterations and frequent releases. You cannot afford to spend over a week for testing.

Things to automate

The most obvious one is the digital payment systems. Those have become an inseparable part of everyday life worldwide, and further digitization creates a need for test automation. Business owners need to ensure high quality of transactions and customer security and testing becomes crucial.

Besides, payment software requires to run performance, usability, and security tests periodically to guarantee seamless and safe operation. Automation testing helps to meet the increasing demands of consumers and routines of companies’ agile approach. 

This is, however, not the only case to consider automation. Depending on the customers’ requirements and software features, it makes sense to automate the following things:

  • Hard-to-reach spots in the system: back end processes, file logging, databases, etc.
  • Frequently used functionality with increased risks of errors: subscription, registration forms, etc. 
  • Routine operations: sorting data, forms with a large number of input fields.
  • Validation messages: automate the filling of fields with incorrect data and check for validation.
  • Long end-to-end scenarios, like real estate CRM and similar systems. 
  • Verification of data that require accurate mathematical calculations: accounting or analytical software.
  • Validation of search function and data retrieval.

Bottom line

Some projects don’t need full automation – a couple of auxiliary scripts will be enough to speed up the work. If you start working on development with a large team or join a project that is going to last for years, automation is indispensable.

Automation testing will help the team deal with testing faster and more efficiently. If it usually takes 3-4 days to test before the product is ready for release. Automation can reduce this time to just a few hours. 

If you are interested in test automation for your product, just let us know. UTOR always has a QA team ready to join a project and help to release bug-free software.

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