Best Practices for Automated Testing in Software Development

Software development is constantly developing with new updates, new features, and new systems to reach out to user needs and technological advancements. All these changes may create new bugs or errors and affect existing functionality negatively. To address all these issues, developers or QA testers need to do regular testing. This requires more time and effort and may increase the chances of missing minor errors, which can create a big negative impact after the launch.

Automated testing is the solution for all the above problems. It automatically tests the changes and the impact of those changes. In this article, let’s learn about automated testing and best practices for automated testing in software development.

What is Automated Testing in Software Development?

Automated testing in software development is a method to run tests on an application using software tools automatically. In manual testing, a person uses a phone or computer to test each part of the software, but in Automated testing software, there are test scripts that are created to mimic user actions and verify if everything works as expected. Most of the companies that offer custom software development services depend on automated testing to ensure their solutions are scalable and bug-free.

Automating testing makes the testing process fast, reduces repetitive tasks, and improves accuracy by running detailed tests automatically. There are many practices for automated testing,

The Best Practices for Automated Testing in Software Development

There are many errors, and bugs can be detected with proper automated testing practices. With these best practices, you can achieve better testing results, reduce costs, and enhance efficiency. Let’s explore these practices.

Figure out which test suits the best,

Many tests are performed on software, but not all can be automated. It’s important to identify which tests have the most significant impact on software performance. Focus on automating tests that are repetitive, time-consuming, run across multiple platforms and browsers, or are too complex to test manually. Prioritize these for optimal performance and return on investment (ROI). On the other hand, avoid automating tests that can be easily and efficiently performed manually.

Select the right automated testing tool

Select proper automated testing tools and frameworks. They are very important for effective automation. Always select tools that support your technology stack to meet your project's needs and focus on their compatibility with your programming languages, platforms, and integration requirements. Select tools that are easy to use, scalable, affordable, and support different types of testing.

Divide your Automated testing efforts.

Don’t give all the testing burden on one individual; divide your automated testing efforts between testers based on their skills and level of expertise. With this, they focus on a single test, which makes it easier to manage and update. Also, this helps you to quickly identify and address issues in specific parts of the process without affecting the entire workflow, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of your testing efforts.

Use quality test data.

Quality test data is very important for data-driven testing. Using external data makes your automated tests easier to maintain and reusable. This data is stored in the external database or other data sources like text or XML files, Excel sheets, and database tables.

Maintain records for effective analysis.

Maintain all the data and records of the testing, including successes and failures. Document all data of outcomes, timings, reasons, percentages of success, and failures. This helps you to identify trends, identify recurring issues, and make informed decisions for improving your testing process. You can use these records to generate reports and insights to guide your development and testing effectiveness.

Set up a testing environment.

Set up proper testing environments because it is important to get the benefit from your test automation efforts. as it involves configuring the necessary hardware, software, and network settings to match the production environment. This helps you identify any configuration issues and ensures accurate test results.

Perform testing on actual devices

If possible, perform tests on actual devices. By doing this, you can get more accurate data on the results, uncover the issues that emulators might miss, validate user interactions, verify visual rendering across different screen sizes, and ensure compliance with industry standards.

Continuously review and optimize tests

Regularly review and refine your automated tests because it is important for maintaining their effectiveness. Your software will be upgraded with time, so update your test cases to adopt those new features and changes. Optimize tests to reduce redundancy, improve performance, and ensure they align with current requirements.

Balance Between UI and API Testing

Make a balance between user interface and application programming interface testing because it is important for comprehensive coverage. UI tests validate the user experience and interface elements, and on the other hand, API tests ensure that the underlying services and functionality work correctly. Combining both types of tests provides a holistic view of your application's performance and reliability.

Integrate with CI/CD Pipelines

Integrate automated tests into your Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment pipelines that ensure that tests are executed automatically with each code change. This integration enables early detection of issues, streamlines the deployment process, and helps to maintain a high level of software quality throughout the development lifecycle.

Ensure Proper Reporting

Ensure detailed and effective reporting with clear insights into test results, including any failures or issues, because it is key to understanding the outcomes of your automated tests. This helps you in communicating test findings to stakeholders, identifying areas for improvement, and ensuring that the testing process contributes to overall project goals.