Automation Testing is one of the most recent market trends that is currently revolutionizing the Software Development Industry. Using this technology, the developers can test the functionality of the web application automatically. Automation Testing is highly essential for automating the redundant test cases in the web application development life cycle. However, the developers need to have a proper idea about the testing Strategies and execution methods. This idea will help them to overcome any complexity or unwanted obstacle during the testing life cycle. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know before writing the automation test script. We will also discuss some of the most popular tools that can help you to increase the efficiency of an Automation Testing framework.
What is Test Automation
To understand the real meaning of test automation, we have to go back to the primitive days of application development. During the early years of software development, the testers had to verify the web application’s functioning manually. This means they had to run multiple instances of the testing process for every testing segment. The developers also had to repeat the testing processes for every browser version while testing the cross-browser compatibility of web applications. This process resulted in the loss of vital time and development budget. These factors were responsible for the birth of test automation. With automation testing, the developers can use automated test cases to complete the redundant test processes. Test automation helps to save a lot of time in the application development life cycle.
Various processes can help to improve the efficiency of automation infrastructure. The developers can use this extra time to innovate new features for the future update of the application. Now, let us discuss some of the most important shortcuts to increase the efficiency of a test automation infrastructure.
Automation testing shortcuts you should know before writing your script
1. Understand the Use of Automation Testing
You cannot use the full potential of Automation Testing unless you understand every aspect of it. This understanding also involves having a proper idea about the reasons for implementing test automation. You can perform thorough research on your company ideas and the dreams that you are trying to achieve. This data will help you to conclude whether test automation will be beneficial for you and your company in the long run. You should also consider all the extra testing skills that you have to acquire to properly implement test automation. As a developer, you must remember that the primary goal of test automation is to quickly deliver high-quality web applications to the end user.
Role of regression Work for the Implementation of Automation Testing
Regression testing is one of the most tiresome and complex testing processes involved in a web application development life cycle. This is because it mostly consists of various repetitive testing processes that you have to conduct for every web application. So, the simple theory is that the more regression testing you have to perform, the higher chances are that you need a test automation framework. We can easily justify that regression testing has a vital impact on the implementation of the test automation framework. Test automation helps to automatically conduct regression testing processes to save time for the manual tester. Testers can in turn, use this extra time to efficiently perform manual testing processes like visual testing and exploratory testing.
2. Availability of Skilled Resources
To perform Automation Testing efficiently, the developers and testers need to acquire some special skills. This means a company has to invest a significant amount of time during the training process. With automation testing, the development and QA teams have to work in close coordination. This means that the testers should also have some sort of knowledge of programming languages. This is one of the most important factors that you must consider before implementing test automation. The testers should also have some sort of technical background and understanding of the core framework involved in the development process. It is a good idea for companies to consider all these factors during the hiring process.
3. Initial Cost for the Introduction of Test Automation
The initial cost of test automation is probably its major downside. It is even more troublesome for individual developers or small startup companies. However, experts suggest that companies should consider test automation as a long-term investment. With this thought pattern, they can easily analyze the massive benefits a company can gain from this process over the coming years. The initial expenses of test automation involve the cost of the test automation tool, training, and maintenance of test scripts. Therefore, the company should properly analyze its return on investment before jumping into test automation. Return on investment helps companies to understand whether they can benefit from test automation in the long run.
4. Understand the Perfect time to Automate the UI
The developers should pay attention before automating the user interface. This is because they will have to bear massive expenses for user interfaces that change frequently. In cases like these, the best idea is to introduce only basic test automation. Developers can face frequently changing user interfaces on applications meant for eCommerce, banking or health facilities. This is yet another example that justifies the implementation of a proper Automation Testing strategy. While creating an automation test strategy, you have to analyze the nature of the application and all the testing methods that you will require during the development life cycle.
Understand the Stability of the Application for Further Testing
Many experts suggest that the stability of an application plays a vital role in maintaining the perfect balance between bounce rates and user retention A stable web application will help you to provide the utmost user satisfaction and thus maintain the loyalty of a customer. The stability of an application is highly important when you are targeting a massive audience base. It is completely illogical to develop an attractive web application that keeps on crashing. You must also remember that you will have to bear high test maintenance charges for testing unstable web applications. Therefore, the developers must pay proper attention while automating the test cases in the early stages of the development cycle.
5. Understand the Limits of Automation Testing
As a developer, you must realize that Automation Testing is not the supreme mode of testing. You must also understand that it is impossible for test automation to completely replace manual testing. These limitations and balances will help you extract your test environment’s full potential. Certain tests like exploratory testing and visual testing are impossible to conduct without a watchful human eye. Exploratory testing uses the knowledge and experience of a human tester to find out all the errors that were previously undetected by automated test cases. So, as a developer, you must maintain the perfect balance between manual and automation testing. Certain areas like documentation, user interface, compatibility, and recovery of web applications also need to be tested manually.
6. Ensuring Long Life Span for the Automation Suites
The companies have to invest a significant amount of money in building automated test cases. They must ensure a long lifespan of these test cases so that the building cost is lower than the manual execution cost. Many experts believe that it is a complex process to calculate the perfect cost of each automation script suite. A recent survey suggests that you should run the automation test suites at least 15 to 20 times to justify their development cost. You can make more customized assumptions by calculating the specific application complexity. All these factors will ensure a proper return on your investment. The profitability factor is one of the most important aspects of running a business.
Proper Tools to Implement Automation Testing
Tools can help to improve the efficiency of a test automation framework. However, the developers should not choose any random tool to integrate into a test environment. This is because every tool is Unique and is meant to serve a specific purpose. So, you should choose the perfect tool that matches your requirements and can serve your purpose. It is a good idea to consider the web application requirements and your preferences during the tool’s selection process. You should also have a proper idea about the recent test automation trends. Let us take the example of LambdaTest to understand the contribution of a test automation tool:
LambdaTest is an amazing platform for performing cross-browser compatibility testing of web applications. Using this platform, the developers can verify the functioning of their web application on a safe and Secure Selenium grid. The parallel testing feature helps to run multiple tests on thousands of Browsers, devices, and operating systems at the same time. LambdaTest also helps the developers to verify the functioning of the locally hosted web applications. Using this platform, the developers can maintain an interactive activity log to store all the final test reports. Currently, millions of companies all around the world use LambdaTest to test the functioning of web applications. Lastly, LambdaTest is highly affordable due to its attractive license plans. So, it is highly beneficial for individual developers and small startup companies.
The Final Verdict
Automation Testing is probably the best way to accomplish most of the testing goals. It is also the most effective way to utilize your resources and time during the application development life cycle. However, the developers should be very cautious before selecting test automation tools. You should also have a skilled staff before introducing test automation in your web application development environment. Without skilled staff, you cannot utilize the full potential of an Automation Testing tool and will receive no return on your investment. A company can lose massive amounts of money by handing over test automation tools to unskilled staff. So, you should ensure that the tool is most suitable for your use before purchasing it. However, remember that it’s impossible to have tools that match your requirements completely.
You should also remember that you should not completely rely on either manual testing or Automation Testing. The best idea is to use a Perfect Combination of these two forms of testing. This is because an Automation Testing case can never find all the bugs and will never become a replacement for a human tester. Ad-Hoc testing is also necessary for various web development scenarios. These factors will act as stepping stones for increasing your company in the coming years.
