What is automation testing?

Automation testing is the process of testing software and other technical products to ensure they meet stringent requirements. Essentially, this is a method to verify that a device or software operates exactly as designed. The main purpose of it is to determine undesired errors, bugs, defects and other issues that may arise during software engineering.

While some types of testing can be successfully executed manually, automation testing still offers greater advantages. For example, it’s possible to run automated testing 24 hours per day. It uses a sequence of scripts to check the software. The data found is then reported, and this information can be compared to previous test runs. Automation developers typically write in the following programming languages: C#, JavaScript, and Ruby.

Why do you need automation in software testing?

Test automation is used to automate repetitive tasks and other testing processes that are difficult to perform manually.

Some teams don't have enough time or resources to test software manually. Automation can help with this. It can greatly reduce the time of testing the product. It also allows developers and production managers to focus on other aspects of the project development and significantly increase productivity.

The use of automation technology also means that tests can be run more frequently, improving overall functionality. Software development cycles require repetitive testing, often the same tests over and over. Automated testing makes this possible without distracting team members from other tasks. It also provides more accurate and reliable results than manual testing alone and ensures that the product is ready to be launched on the market or to the next stage of development. This validation provides the team with a strong impetus to move forward.

Most importantly, automation benefits product development. In case the software or applications are designed and produced more efficiently, it leaves room for continued further development after it's launched. Essentially, thanks to automation, companies are able to develop more software and products, even with the same number of team members. So they don’t only perfect the final product they launch, but also constantly develop new software.

What is the difference between manual testing and automation testing?

• Manual testing is done manually by QA specialists (real humans), while automated testing using scripts, code, and automation tools are conducted by compute resources (computers, mobile devices, etc.).

• Manual testing process is not accurate due to the possibility of human error whereas the automated process is reliable as it is based on code/scripts. Manual testing is a time-consuming process, whereas automated testing is performing much faster.

• Manual testing is possible without programming knowledge, and automated testing is impossible without programming knowledge.

• Manual testing allows random testing while automatic testing does not allow random testing.

What are the benefits of automation testing?

1. Detailed reporting capabilities

Automated testing uses well-designed test cases for different scenarios. These script sequences can be very in-depth, providing detailed instructions that humans simply cannot do. Not to mention deploying them in less time.

2. Improved Defect Detection

One of the main reasons for testing products is to detect bugs. Automation testing facilitates this process. It is also capable of analyzing a wider range of test coverage than humans.

3. Simplify testing

Testing is a regular part of the operations of most SaaS and technology companies. Keeping it as simple as possible is the key. Using automation can be very beneficial. Test scripts can be reused when automating test tools. Manual testing, on the other hand, requires writing a single line of code for the same test case every time it needs to be run.

4. Speed ​​up the testing process

Machines and automation technologies work faster than humans. That's why we use them, besides improving accuracy. This in turn shortens your software development cycle.

5. Raised coverage

Test coverage can be increased because automated testing software never forget to check the smallest unit.

6. Improved productivity

Auto testing can easily increase productivity as it provides fast and accurate test results.

7. Reduced human intervention

Automated tests can be performed at any time of the day, even at night, without human supervision. Auto-completion reduces the risk of human error. Also, automated tests are performed using software tools, so unlike manual tests, they are neither boring nor tiring to work.

8. Save time and money

Testing can be time consuming. Although automation may require an initial investment, it can save money in the long run, making it more cost-effective. Team members spend their time in other areas and no longer need to test manually in many cases. This improves their workflow.

Disadvantages of automation testing

• Without the human factor, it is difficult to gain insight into visual aspects of the UI, such as colors, fonts, size, contrast, or button sizes.

• Tools to run automated tests can be expensive, which increases the cost of a test project.

• Test automation tools are not foolproof yet.

• Every automation tool has its limitations, which narrow down the scope of automation.

• Debugging test scripts is another important topic in automated testing. Test maintenance is expensive.

Which test cases should be automated?

Test cases to be automated can be selected based on the following criteria to increase automation ROI:

• High risk - business critical test cases.

• Repeated test cases.

• Cumbersome or difficult to do manually test cases.

• Time-consuming test cases.

The following categories of test cases are not suitable for automation:

• Test cases redesigned and not manually run at least once.

• Test cases with frequently changing requirements.

• Temporarily executed test cases.

Types of automated tests

There are many different types of automated tests. Each type can be used in different situations depending on the application under test. You can analyze them to see which one works better for you, or you can test them all by trying them out. This is sometimes the best way to know which tool to use. Let’s briefly describe some of them.

1. Code analysis

Code analysis consists of various testing tools, including dynamic analysis and static analysis. You can handle individual tests in different ways. For example, some look for possible security holes, while others check for availability. To run these tests, developers must write code. However, once this is done, the rest of the testing process requires no human intervention.

2. Integration Testing

They are also known as end-to-end tests and considered to be more complex than some other ones. Application models are integrated and tested as a group. This means that communication between each module can be tested to see how well they work as a whole.

3. Automatically accepted test

This type is similar to Behavior Driven Development (BDD) and Automated Acceptance Test Driven Development (AATDD). Acceptance tests are created before new features are developed. It sets a precedent for the functionality to be implemented, often co-authored by developers, business, and quality assurance (QA). In the future, they can also be used as regression tests.

4. Unit testing

This method is used to test individual components of a software or product. This means that every element of the software is thoroughly tested before the final version is available. These tests can be written by developers, but now that automated tests come into play, they are no longer needed. Companies typically use this type of testing during the software engineering phase of the production process.

5. Smoke tests

This type of testing is used to verify that the product is stable. If it is unstable, it will be sent back to the developer as an "unstable build". Then, if necessary, you can run further tests to determine the cause of the problem. This diagram shows how the smoke testing process works:

How to implement automated testing

1. Choose the best suitable testing tool based on your needs

2. Define the applicable scope of automation

3. Plan how you are going to create tests

4. Design test (select the best pattern)

5. Develop code/scripts

6. Execute tests

7. Maintain test scripts

View our Best in Class Testing Tools and Services

Though there are a lot of testing tools available in the market, we recommend battle-tested by EPAM both automation and manual tools:

• ReportPortal - open source functional testing automation tool. This AI test automation dashboard helps to acquire & analyze reports to verify product stability.

• Test IO - a QA crowd testing platform that gives you on-demand access to over 40,000 distributed QA experts.

• Healenium - a testing framework extension that can be easily added to your automation test code base thus improving the stability of Selenium-based tests. Self-healing test automation tool.

• Vividus - a scriptless UI test automation tool designed to automate testing scenarios and integrate with CI/CD.