Improving Software Quality: The Role of Test Automation
As a software developer, one wears many hats – coder, debugger and tester. However, whenever it comes to testing, every developer has a love-hate relationship with it. You change one line of code and then have to walk step-by-step through flows, entering test data and verifying outputs for correctness. Give us a break already! Thankfully, we have test automation now. Test automation allows you to write scripts to simulate user actions like clicking buttons, entering data, and navigating flows. These scripts can then test your app automatically each time new code is written!
In this article, we will be discussing how Test Automation can help improve your software quality and what the future of Test Automation will look like.
What is Test Automation
Test Automation refers to the practice of using special software or scripts to automate the testing practice in software development and simulate a human tester. The simulation can click buttons, enter data and check results automatically. This saves you not only from mundane tedious tasks but also increases efficiency by reducing human errors.
People who believe in efficiency will understand the importance of automation to streamline operations. Gartner even predicted that 69% of the routine work managers do will be automated by 2024. This will be true in the quality assurance industry as the automated testing market is expected to grow from 20$ Billion in 2021 to 49$ Billion by 2026. Furthermore, a recent Testlio poll also shows that 26% of clients are happy with the automation.
For instance, Uber has used test automation to scale its services efficiently as the company grew exponentially over the years. By leveraging test automation, Uber was able to speed up its software testing to match the pace of rapid code deployments. Along with Uber, many big companies have been opting for Test Automation for their business requirements.
The Role of Test Automation in Software Development
In today’s world, automated testing has transformed software development and enabled the explosion of apps over the last decade. Let’s examine the key ways test automation drives value:
- Faster Feedback
Manual testing takes time, delaying awareness of problems. Automated tests execute instantly whenever code changes, providing rapid feedback. Now, developers can immediately know if there is broken something and they can fix it quickly.
- Regression Testing
Modifying code can unintentionally break functioning app features. Regression testing re-checks existing functions with every change. Doing this manually is tedious and often skipped. Automation makes comprehensive regression testing easy, catching issues early.
- Maximum Test Coverage
Humans miss testing certain flows due to time constraints or oversight. Automated testing enables exponentially more test scenarios to be executed for complete coverage. More testing means finding more bugs for higher quality.
- Consistency
Human testers work differently from day to day, complicating result comparisons. Automated testing applies precisely the same steps every time for trustworthy, consistent outcomes.
- Test Insights
Automated testing generates volumes of performance data. Powerful analytics provide rich insights into usage patterns, issues and optimizations that enable data-driven product decisions.
Test Automation delivers speed, coverage and data at levels impossible through manual testing. These concrete benefits explain why test automation has permeated software teams enabling faster delivery of higher quality applications. Leading organizations consciously build expertise in test automation to remain competitive in dynamic markets.
Speaking of dynamic markets, the market is going to change with upcoming trends in the future. Let’s discuss the future trends of Test Automation.
Future Trends of Test Automation
Test automation continues advancing rapidly. Let’s explore five key trends shaping the future:
- AI & Machine Learning
AI will enhance automated testing with capabilities like advanced image recognition, predictive test failure analysis and automated test reporting. AI and ML let organizations conduct tests at scale – conduct tests with large numbers of test cases and test data which would be difficult to achieve manually. Moreover, as these algorithms keep learning and improving themselves over time, the tests will be more accurate and efficient at identifying the defects eventually.
- Codeless Testing
As codeless testing gains popularity, non-technical stakeholders like business analysts and product managers will no longer require written codes to conduct testing. It will allow the development of test cases with user-friendly interfaces. This will open a wide range of opportunities in the organizations for testing.
- Shift-left Testing & DevOps
Shift-Left Testing refers to moving testing earlier in the software development life cycle to detect issues sooner, rather than waiting until later stages. The goal is to catch bugs and problems early when they are less expensive and time-consuming to fix. As Shift-Left Testing becomes more popular, it is likely to be increasingly incorporated into DevOps pipelines and automated testing frameworks. Performing testing earlier and more often provides faster feedback, enabling teams to determine if they are on the right track.
- Continuous Testing
The shift towards DevOps and continuous delivery requires ongoing, integrated testing to give confidence that each code update is functional. And Test Automation will just ensure that. This enables organizations to test by automating repetitive tasks and running tests in parallel. Moreover, the practice of Continuous Testing promotes the collaboration between testers and developers, allowing them to identify and resolve any potential delays and issues in the development. Happy faces across the teams!
- Cloud-based Testing
With the arrival of cloud infrastructure, the tests will be conducted on clouds. These will turn out not only to be cost-effective but also scalable compared to the traditional on-premises solutions. By using cloud-based infrastructures, organizations can create and destroy test environments as required.
To Sum It Up
In summary, continued automation advancements will minimize manual intervention, expand visibility into system quality, and accelerate delivery speed – allowing teams to focus innovation efforts on enhancing customer experiences. The market is growing and the future will be bright with emerging trends like AI and Machine Learning and the arrival of cloud-based testing. As the industry evolves, Test Automation remains crucial for delivering high-quality applications in dynamic markets. Have you started automating the testing at your organization yet?