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You have just been given a new job at a company, and your first task is to automate tests. This company has never automated any tests and relies on a variety of methods for testing and measuring quality. How do you begin a task of this magnitude? You're welcome. We will be discussing the fundamentals of test automation, not the specific tools and frameworks that you should use. This is because they are dependent on your organization's needs for software development services.
What Is Automated Testing?
Automated testing involves the use of software tools that automates a manual, human-driven process for reviewing and validating software products. Automated testing is now a standard part of most modern DevOps and agile software projects. It is important to know the history of automated testing before it became widely used.
During the manual testing era, software companies would employ a QA team full-time. This team would create a series of "test plans" or step-by-step checklists to ensure that a feature in a software project behaves according to expectations. The QA team would manually execute these checklists each time a software update or change is pushed and then return the results to the engineering team to review.
This was a slow, costly, and error-prone process. Automated tests can bring huge improvements to team efficiency and ROI for quality assurance teams. Automation of testing places ownership in the hands of the engineering team. Test plans are created alongside the regular development of roadmap features and then automatically executed by continuous integration software tools. Automated testing allows QA teams to be smaller and focus on the most sensitive features.
Continuous delivery (CD), as the name suggests, is about delivering code updates as quickly as possible to clients. Automated tests are crucial to achieving this goal. It is impossible to automate the delivery of software to users when there are manual and time-consuming steps in the process. The CD is part of an overall deployment pipeline. The CD is the successor of continuous integration (CI) and is also dependent on it. CI is responsible for automating tests on any code changes and ensuring that they don't introduce new bugs or break existing features. The CD is activated once the continuous integration stage passes the automated testing plan.
The relationship between automated tests, CI, and CD has many benefits for high-speed software teams. Automated testing is a way to ensure quality throughout the development process by making sure that new commits don't introduce bugs. This keeps software deployment-ready at all times.
What Does A Test Automation Plan Consist Of?
Let's define a test automation strategy now that you are aware of the need for one. A test automation strategy can be described as a microcosm for your larger testing strategy. Many of the techniques that you used to build and develop your overall testing strategy are the same as those for your test automation strategy. Your test automation strategy will be on the same level as your system and performance tests because you are using the same data to determine what to automate, the best way to automate it, and the technology that makes sense.
A test automation strategy is part of your overall testing strategy. It uses the same types of tools and processes to determine the user, the tester, the developer, and the metrics.
What Types Of Software Testing Should Be Automated First?
#1. Tests From End To End
End-to-end (E2E), or end-to-end, tests are arguably the most valuable. E2E tests simulate the user experience of a full software stack. E2E test plans cover stories at the user level, such as: "A user can log in," "A user can make a deposit," and "A user can change their email settings." These tests are extremely valuable as they provide assurance that users will have a bug-free experience even when new commits get pushed.
E2E tools record and replay user interactions, so E2E tests become recordings of important user experience flows. E2E testing of critical business flows will provide the greatest value if a product lacks any automated testing. E2E testing can be costly to record and capture the sequence of user flows. It can be cheaper to manually run through the E2E test plan if the software is not releasing new versions every day.
#2. Unit Tests
Unit tests are just what they sound like unit tests test individual pieces of code. Function definitions are the best way to measure code units. A unit test covers a single function. Unit tests ensure that the expected input and output of a function match. Unit tests are best for code that contains sensitive calculations, such as in finance, healthcare, or aerospace. Unit tests are quick and inexpensive to implement, and they provide a high ROI.
#3. Tests Of Integration
A unit of code may make an external request to a third-party service. The codebase that is being tested does not have access to the 3rd-party utility's code. Integration tests are used to mock these third-party dependencies and ensure that the code that interfaces with them behaves according to expectations. In the way that they are written and their tooling, integration tests are very similar to unit testing. Integration tests are an affordable alternative to E2E testing. However, their return on investment can be questioned when unit tests and E2E have already been implemented.
#4. Performance Tests
Performance in the context of software refers to how swiftly and responsively a project reacts. Performance metrics include: "time to load a page," "time to render the first time," and "search results response times." These example cases are used to create performance tests that measure and assert. Automated tests of performance will run the test cases against these metrics and alert the team if there are any regressions or speed loss.
What Types Of Software Testing Should Be Performed Manually?
Any test that can be automatized should be. This is a fantastic approach to enhance productivity and save time. There are some instances when an automated test suite does not provide a better ROI than executing a test manually.
#1. Exploratory Testing
Automated testing is scripted and follows a series of steps in order to validate the behavior. Exploratory testing is random and uses unscripted tests to discover bugs or unexpected behaviors. Software tools for establishing a software exploration testing suite are available, but they are still not mature or widely used. It is more efficient to use a manual tester to test software and to make it breakable.
#2. Visual Regression Testing
Visual regression occurs when software UI is designed with a flaw. It could be misplaced UI elements or wrong colors, fonts, etc. There are also tools that can be used to automate tests in order to detect regressions. These tools take screenshots of different states of software products and compare them with expected results using OCR. The tools and tests for these tests are costly to develop, so they are not widely used. Humans can be more effective in identifying visual problems.
#3. Build A Framework For Test Automation In your DevOps Team
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to automated testing. There are some key things to consider when planning an automated test solution for your team.
#4. Release Frequency
Manual testing may be a better option for software products that are released at fixed intervals, such as weekly or monthly. Automated testing is a great benefit for software products that are released more quickly since Continuos Integration and Continuos Delivery relies on automated testing.
#5. Tools And Ecosystems Available
Each programming language comes with its own set of tools and utilities. Every automated test pattern comes with its own set of tools, some of which may or may not be present in the ecosystem of a particular programming language. The language and tool support must be combined to implement an automated test pattern successfully.
#6. Product Market Fit, Code Base Maturity, And Code Base Maturation
It may not be a good idea to invest in automated testing if your team is building a product that hasn't yet been proven with a market or business model. Automated testing is a way to limit unexpected code regressions. It can be expensive and frustrating to maintain and update automated tests if your team moves at high speed.
Why Do We Need A Test Automation Strategy
A well-defined test automation strategy will yield the best results. It is important that the organization/team spends a lot of time on defining their strategy. Automation can become a distraction without a solid automation strategy for Custom Software Application Development.
Here are some things that could go wrong if you don't have an automation strategy.
- Loss in Business Value: Return on Investment (ROI) is negligible if the test automation framework does not bring business value. If there is no Test Automation Return on Investment, or if the business value of the framework is not realized, then it will be difficult to get support from an organization. The automation strategy should be defined so that it brings more business value than expected.
- Lacking Vision: Without a strategy for automation, you may end up buying multiple tools that are discarded more often.
- Wrong Tech: Without an automation strategy, you'll end up with the wrong technology and tools. You may face many challenges if you select the wrong tool and tech stack. In the long run, you may need to build something from scratch or scrap the existing one.
- Risk Assessment: This strategy helps predict the risks involved with test automation. The strategy will provide information on if a risk exists, how to optimize it, workarounds, and alternative solutions. You will not know what risks may arise in the future if you don't have a strategy. It might be too late to solve the problem when they do.
Read More: What are the benefits of automated testing in agile?
How To Automate Test Automation
#1. Don't Dive Straight In
Firstly, many people will try to automate the manual tests they are doing. People often automate tests or test cases that are run constantly. We don't know whether any of these tests are good or worth keeping. It's not enough that they are there. These tests could be remnants of an older version that no one thought to remove.
#2. How Do You Test?
It is best to map out your current testing process before you begin automating anything. It is important to first understand your current testing approach and then determine the best way to integrate automated tests. In many companies, a good place to begin is to create the data. You'll need it for automated checks and for your tests.
#3. Clarity Of End Goal
It is important to know what testing will be required at each stage of the application and automate as much as possible within these states. For instance, you might need exploratory/crowdsourced testing at one 'state' of the application and regression at another 'state.' Both of these testing types require different automation.
If you just started automating, it could have been a mistake and slowed down your processes. In our experience, newbies tend to jump in and automate what their skill set allows them to do without understanding how things are done.
#4. Use Existing Development Language
You should use the language that's already built into the stack. This has many benefits (for starters, your developers will be grateful). You will also be able to move faster and increase the automation coverage (you can also leverage tools such as Chef and Puppet if you are familiar with a particular language).
Imagine a mobile application. You would begin by understanding how to distribute the testing app to devices if you were to join a company with a mobile application. Your product team and testing team will do this all day. Start by automating your app deployment so you can get multiple versions to devices quickly for Custom Mobile App Development. Then, go on from there. The logic for these thousands of apps can be found in the API. So, automate something at the API level.
#5. Change Your Automation Mindset
Consider the automation your team can perform. Consider putting together a plan that includes unit tests, pipeline deployments, and integration tests. Automated testing is often misunderstood as being about automation tools. In reality, it's about having the right mindset to automate when and where you need it.
While technical skills are important, they will not provide you with the knowledge of what to implement and what to ignore. You need to have a certain level of critical reasoning in order to automate the functions that will improve your software.
Why Do We Need A Test Automation Strategy?
You might still be unsure of the real purpose behind a test automation strategy. What is the goal? It is important to inform about the risks, capabilities, and functionality and then develop a repeatable, reliable process for informing people. It's also a great way to share goals and plans.
It can also be used as a discussion opener that could lead to a new proof of concept or new technology for your company. It's an auditing software that allows you to compare what you had planned against what you actually did.
How Does A Test Automation Strategy Look?
Do not worry about the format. You don't have to create a 70-page Word document. A living document, such as a map of the mind, can be used. Mind maps are a great tool for automating test strategies. You can begin with rough sketches or ideas to build up a larger test automation strategy document. The format is not important.
How To Create A Test Automation Strategy
Let's get started now that you have a better understanding of the purpose, value, and appearance of a test automation strategy.
Step 1: Create Your High-Value Tests
First, we need to identify the most important tests to perform. These are the ones that can cause a business to fail. A trading company that went from fully operational to bankrupt in 45 minutes due to a software failure (i.e., a high-value test that was not considered). They lost approx $485,000,000. Work with your company to determine what high-value tests they have. This will help you understand if your solution fits into your critical scenarios. This will help you to demonstrate the true value of your automation framework in ROI discussions.
Step 2: Identify Your Risk
Knowing what to test first and what to check last is a key component of any test strategy. This testing automation priority should be determined using a risk-based method. By calculating the business impact of the test and adding it to the likelihood of failure, you can determine whether a particular thing is high-risk or low-risk. Prioritize the items with the greatest business impact and the highest likelihood of failure. Then, put the items with the least business impact and the lowest probability of failing at the bottom of your list. It will also be very helpful with the testing squeeze mentioned above and knowing what to cut first.
Step 3: Know Your Technology, Resources, And Tools
It is important to know how the overall testing automation will impact your environment. Have you got the right accounts to run it? Have you got the right access to your environment? Are you able to access the libraries, APIs, and any other necessary pieces to make your testing automation solution communicate with your applications? You must have a working solution you can easily integrate into your framework without slowing it down or creating fragile or broken tests.
Step 4: Check Your Data
Many test automation projects are hampered by data errors. You could save hours by ensuring the data was correct at the beginning of the project using a script within your automation framework or by running prescripts that validate or load data. You should examine your data handling practices for each release or big framework iteration. This includes how your data is stored, where the data comes from, your retry logic, and whether you need to mask or de-identify data.
Step 5: Define Your DevSecOps
You need to include this in your strategy for testing automation.
You should ask:
- Where do you store the code?
- What is your deployment strategy?
- Are the environments you are running it in safe?
- Are you using libraries and open-source code that is secure?
It is important to perform some form of security scanning, and you should have a plan for the scanning process.
Step 6: Take Into Consideration Your Testing Environment
Documenting environmental conditions is a complex process. Do you require certain tokens or VPNs? Do you require a launch box? What is the function of this box, where it is located, and who's responsible for it? How are these systems patched? Documenting all of this will help you onboard new testers into your organization and set up logins. You need to know where your code runs at all times, and you should have it documented.
Step 7: Tag Your Tests
You can then say, "It does not matter if we have 20,000 or 50 000 test automation scripts because we know that these are the ones for my checkout, login, smoke tests, etc." If you do not have these tags, you will have to spend a lot more time trying to determine the purpose of some tests and which tests to run. Establish a tagging contract to ensure consistency and updates on the most frequently used tags.
Step 8: Find Out About Testing Efficiency
You can apply the same logic to different testing areas as you increase your testing volume. This will help you to save time and money by reducing testing resources and testing time. If you are doing the same thing for unit testing, automation testing, and manual testing, then you don't necessarily need three people to run the same test. Understanding your testing automation strategy from the unit to the UI can save you a lot of time.
Step 9: Embrace Agile Tools
Work on your documentation and embrace your DevOps and Agile tools. Your testing automation should be a living document, updated and reviewed every sprint to ensure you are staying on track with your goals and vision. Use cloud-based tools like GitHub to help you make this process a success. You don't have to document every detail. Regular check-ins with micro-strategies are important.
Conclusion: Automate Your CD pipeline
Modern software development practices include automated testing. The best companies and teams use automated tests. CI/CD relies on automated testing and is critical for helping the best teams deliver reliable and robust software. Open DevOps is an open platform for building a CD-based pipeline using the tools that you like. DevOps tutorials will show you how tools and third-party products can be integrated into your workflow as a Custom software development service providing company.
Automation testing is a fundamental part of any business. It all comes down to deciding which areas are most important to automate. Your best approach will be to understand how testing is done in your organization and build a roadmap that includes automation. This will give you the foundation to create a successful automation strategy for your company software development team.
Focus on your communication and goals, not the format. This is what you should be doing with your test automation strategy. How will you provide value? What is your technology goal in general? What is the impact on your people and environment? You should also win over your partners, project managers, and product owners. They will be the ones to help you out when it comes to the testing crunch. They will trust you as long as they know your strategy and can see how it works by software developers.
Use your testing automation strategy to invest in the right technologies and grow your business by embracing innovation. After all, isn't that what it's all about? Growth, innovation, and not having to go backward.
