Why Automation in Software Testing is Essential?
Why Automation in Software Testing is Essential?
(Photo by Jakub Ć»erdzicki) Technology has always been an extension of human possibilities. From manual strength to intellectual rigor, technology has made it increasingly possible for what we can achieve. The shift from mechanical machines to computers, to single-function software grew gradually. Early machines were made to achieve a single objective: printing presses, steam engines, automated sewing machines, etc. When software started emerging, it initially echoed the traditional approach. Each software was designed for a single task: MS Word as a modern alternative to a typewriter, Excel Sheets as a replacement for manual ledgers, etc.Â
But as companies became more advanced, they started infusing multiple functionalities into one software. A software designed to automate business processes can integrate seamlessly with finance, HR, payroll, and project management. This growing complexity of the software demanded sophistication in its testing process. Traditional methods of testing started to prove insufficient due to their inefficiency and lack of scalability. Hence, automation came as a rescue. Today, automation has become a usual trend in all industries. In this article, we will specifically explore how automation shapes software testing and what its implications are.
Table of contents
What is Automation Testing?
With so much flexibility in the software development, the testing process needs to evolve too to adapt to the multiple iterations the product goes through. After each iteration, the software must be tested from all aspects – whether the newly incorporated functionality is working as per the requirements or not, whether there are any glitches in existing functionality due to newly introduced changes, and so on.
Testing manually all these things is a time-consuming process and is prone to human errors, as you might miss out on something. This is where automation comes into play. By automating testing, you can reuse the previously created test cases any number of times, run the test cases instantly, and cover a large number of test scenarios, thereby turning your testing process more efficient and robust. With test automation, agile methodology is no longer confined to just the development stage but can also span to testing.
Features of a Test Automation Software
So far, we have got an idea of how test automation is the best solution for modern testing. Now, letâs look at a few of its features that would bring more clarity to its usage.
- Automation for all kinds of testing: All the stages in the testing process – from unit testing to functional testing to integration testing – can be automated using test automation software. This speeds up the overall testing process, and the iterations can take place without any delay at any stage.
- Integration with CI/CD pipelines: Most modern test automation tools integrate seamlessly with CI/CD pipelines, enabling continuous delivery after thorough testing. Among these, testRigor, as an automation tool for software testing, stands out as one of the most reliable and efficient options available today.
- Cross-platform testing: Modern users come from a diverse range of devices, OS, browsers, and versions. A test automation tool makes it possible to test your productâs performance across all such use cases by simulating them within itself. This is a big time-saver as testing on all kinds of platforms, browsers, and devices manually would become too resource-intensive and time-consuming otherwise.
- Auto-generation of test cases: While using a test automation platform, you no longer need to depend on technical expertise. These tools allow you to generate test cases without the need to use programming languages like Java or Python. All you need to do is give commands in natural language, and the tool will generate the test cases automatically using its generative AI model.
Why is Automation Testing Essential?
Automation testing not only ensures a higher quality of the product and a better experience for testers, but it also has a direct impact on the business. Letâs look at them below.
- Faster Time-to-Market: Automation testing speeds up your testing process to a large extent. Test cases that take several minutes to hours to complete can be run automatically in seconds. The instant reporting mechanism allows developers to act on bugs in no time. This considerably reduces the overall time needed for testing a product and hence results in faster launch.
- Saving Cost: Tools, where there is no need for technical expertise, allow companies to save cost by hiring testers with a lower technical background because they are often cheaper comparatively. Sure, you would need to pay the subscription fee to the tool vendor, but that is nothing when compared to the huge cost associated with a longer testing duration, along with the higher wages of manual technical testers.
- Higher Quality of the Product: Several AI-based testing tools come with predictive analysis algorithms that can enhance the coverage of your test cases to a totally different level. Manual testing can only cover the pre-defined scenarios to test in a product, but an AI-based test automation can also foresee the probable errors that are likely to occur in the future. This has a great impact on improving the quality of the product as it becomes much safer to use in the long run. As a result, your customers stick for long and thus generate recurring revenue for your firm.
- Adaptive to the Business Growth: As companies grow bigger, new rules and regulations need to be followed. Additionally, your product also evolves in its features as it gets deeper into its niche. All these changes must be incorporated into your product. So, to test them all, your tool also adapts to the changes in the software once it is integrated into initially integrated. There is hardly anything like product-locking with automation tools, where you are stuck with it at a later point in time with no escape. Once you invest in it, it becomes an integral part of your growth journey.
- Efficient Resource Allocation: By handing over all the repetitive tasks of rerunning the same tests and auto-generation of test cases, companies can free up their QA resources to allow them to focus on high-value tasks. They can implement even better strategies like exploratory testing, usability analysis, and innovation. This has a direct impact on the business as it provides better job satisfaction to the employees, and a higher-quality product adds more value to the business.
Final Thoughts
The journey of automation testing started more than two decades ago, but it has been evolving ever since. More and more features and enhancements are being incorporated into those tools that are making them more efficient and adaptive to customer needs. The latest development in automation testing comes with state-of-the-art AI features like self-healing, predictive analytics, and intelligent test creation. Automation tools are becoming more affordable to even small and medium-sized businesses. Companies are realizing the immense benefits they can reap by automating their QA process. Almost half of the digital economy has already adapted this. If you are one among those who are still pondering, there is no better time than now to adopt it in your organization.
Chief editor of Side-Line â which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify whatâs actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, Iâm all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraineâs ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.
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