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The 5-Step Guide to Test Automation
No matter how efficiently you have developed software or application, a single bug can create huge chaos in the entire software development cycle. To this rescue, test automation is the practical option that allows for validation and evaluates the software. So, if you are a software developer or tester, the role of test automation must be taken as a crucial task.
Learning from the 5-step guide to automation testing will not only make you aware of the quality of the software but also ease the process of error identification and give you ways to fix it. However, you need to learn which test to automize for faster execution of software. In the present blog, we will be discussing the 5-step guide to test automation.
Overview on automation
You must be aware of how important automation is in software development. At the same time, it is crucial to identify which tests are to be automated and which do not. However, you may think, isn’t it important to have complete automation? My answer to this will be “NO”. It is articulated by the fact that automation is time taking in the process of implementation, and maintenance. Hence, it is of utmost essential to invigilate “what to automate”.
While developing any software or web application, you prioritize the test automation based on the value. Say, for example, if you are testing a web application for booking a train ticket, your main focus could be the checkout process as it values the association due to revenue potential.
Before performing automation, the test should be known by the software developer. Now let’s understand what automation testing is?
Dig into Automation Testing
In simple terms, automation testing is a technique for testing software with the use of automation testing tools for the execution of a test case suite. It is the opposite of manual testing where testing is done by a human with careful execution of test steps. Fundamentally, automation testing double-checks the working of the software which it was designed to do. It efficiently tests for the bugs and errors which may take place with product development.
Manually, regression and functional testing can be done, but it is preferred to do it automatically to save time. Automation testing can be done anytime and make use of test scripts for investigating the software. Ultimately, it gives us the output of what is found, and later such info can be compared with previous test runs.
What is Test Automation?
Test automation is understood as the practice with respect to the running of the test, its management, and the use of output for improving the quality of software. Though it is a quality measurement aspect, it requires the involvement of a complete software development team including DevOps engineers, and business analysts to developers.
Need for test automation
In a highly competitive market, giving a reliable app experience is crucial. It is expected from the user for the prompt and unified association. Some of the reason why test automation is required is mentioned below:
- It increases test coverage in software testing.
- It allows testing for multilingual sites.
- It increases execution speed and effectiveness in software testing.
- It is not error-prone like manual testing.
Guide to test automation
Choice of Test cases to automate
In test automation, selecting the right test cases for automation is highly important. The first guide for test automation is to set criteria for the selection of test cases. Its main purpose is to increase automation ROI. The following are the criterion which is required to be undertaken for test automation:
- You have to select high-risk and business-significant test cases.
- Choose the test cases which are repeatedly executed.
- Test cases that are problematic to be executed though a manual approach
- Test cases may require a huge amount of time.
It is of prime significance to address those types of test cases, which are not appropriate for automation. Some of those are:
- The newly designed and structured test cases.
- The test cases were not executed manually at least once.
- Test cases in which there is frequent change in the requirement
- Test cases are implemented on an ad-hoc basis.
Framework for automation
In identifying the correct test cases, the second guide for test automation is the selection of an appropriate automation framework. The test automation framework is an integrated system that forms rules for automation for the chosen test. It allows the best approach for reviewing and creating the test.
You should know that framework for automation is a set of guidelines that aid in:
- Maintaining reliability of testing.
- Enhances structuring of tests.
- Less use of code.
- Minimum maintenance of code.
- Improvise re-usability.
You can use four types of different frameworks, which are used for test automation. Some of those are
- Data-driven automation framework: It is an approach in which a test data set is formed in an excel sheet and then transferred to testing tools for feeding to software under test. It helps to drive test cases and suites through an external data feed. Examples of data feed include data sheets like xls, csv files, and xlsx.
- Keyword-driven automation framework: It is considered the functional automation testing framework, which differentiates test cases in diverse parts for segregating coding from test cases and optimizing the automation steps.
- Modular automation framework: It divides the test scripts into minor modules by splitting a complete application into small blocks. Such modules are small scripts for performing tasks and later interact with each other to form bigger scripts having the goal of performing certain test runs.
- Hybrid automation framework: It is the association of keyword-driven and data-driven frameworks. In such a situation, keywords test cases are externalized. It helps in creating a perfect and appropriate test environment.
Based on the project’s requirement, you have to be wise in choosing the correct automation framework.
Selection of tools
The third guide to test automation is a selection of the right automation tools. It can be difficult to choose the right automation tools. The below-given aspect can help you select the appropriate tool that meets your requirement.
- The tool should have environmental support for the application.
- The tools should be easy to use.
- The tools should allow testing of the database.
- The tools should align with object identification, image testing, object mapping, and error recovery testing.
- The tools should support multiple testing framework
- Allows easy debugging for automation software scripts.
- The tools should have extensive test reports and output.
The below section will give you an idea of the most popular tool for test automation:
LambdaTest
LambdaTest is the most preferred platform for automation testing to automate web and mobile apps across 3000+ browser environments. It includes a Selenium automation testing grid which helps users to run end to end tests on secure and scalable Selenium infrastructure. It offers various tools and frameworks for test automation like Cypress, Playwright, Puppeteer, Appium, Espresso, XCUITest, TestCafe, Jest. You have easy access to automation testing with LambdaTest.
testRigor
It is an automation testing tool and allows us to express tests in practicable specifications in plain English. The testers and developers are able to create end to end tests of different complexity and difficulty including API steps, web, and mobile in all single tests.
mabl
mabl is the popular and low code test automation alternative for efficient teams. It helps the team to form, structure, execute and maintain consistent API, browser, accessibility, and mobile web tests. It provides the SaaS solution which associates automation end to end testing in software development cycles.
Kobiton
It is a type of mobile application testing platform offering both scriptless testing and script-based automation ability. The testers or developers can perform the manual test and automatically run across different real devices. It is also known to support test automation frameworks like XCTest, Appium, and Espresso.
Outline the scope of automation
The fourth guide to test automation is defining the scope of automation. Here, the scope of automation indicates that the area or field of your application is under test to be automated. Before beginning test automation, you should have a walk-through and be familiar with the team’s test state, the testing environment, and the amount of test data. Some hints which help you in determining scope include:
- Technical feasibility.
- The complexity of test cases.
- Feature and function are crucial for business.
- The extent to which business parts are reused.
- The capability to utilize similar test cases for cross-browser testing.
Structuring execution plan
The fifth guide to test automation is developing an execution plan. In test automation, the execution plan comprises choosing the environment in the test scripts that will be implemented. The environment involves a browser, OS, and diverse hardware configuration. It can be understood as an example, say for example, if a test case demands checking its run-in different browsers like IE and Edge, then the team will be required to write a script in an executable way in each browser.
Such information should be given before writing the scripts to avoid any errors. At the same time, it is crucial to define who will execute the script in the execution plan. Generally, in every build execution of the script is needed; however, it varies from company to company.
In test execution, the script requires inputting test data prior to setting for the run. On successful test execution, the test gives detailed test reports.
Conclusion
The present blog provided information on a guide to test automation. It is a software testing method that executes a test case suite using automated software testing tools. The guide to test automation will help in avoiding any error in the process and increase effectiveness, execution speed, and test coverage in software testing. The tools list provided in the blog gives information on different testing tools. However, you need to understand that tool selection depends on the technology used for building the application under test. LambdaTest is the cross-browser automation testing platform that offers various such tools which are easy to access.
