Skip to main content

Best Practices of Automation

Test automation plays a crucial role in software development and quality assurance. It helps improve efficiency, accuracy, and speed of testing processes. To ensure successful test automation implementation, it is essential to follow best practices. Here are some recommended practices for effective test automation:

Test Strategy and Planning​

  • Define clear objectives: Determine the goals and objectives of test automation, such as increasing test coverage, reducing time-to-market, or improving regression testing.
  • Identify suitable test cases: Select test cases that are repetitive, time-consuming, or critical for the application's functionality.
  • Prioritize tests: Prioritize test cases based on their impact on the system, business requirements, and user experience.
  • Create a test automation strategy: Develop a comprehensive plan outlining the tools, frameworks, resources, and timelines for test automation implementation.

Test Environment Setup​

  • Isolate the test environment: Set up a dedicated test environment that closely resembles the production environment, ensuring consistent and reliable test results.
  • Manage test data: Develop strategies for managing test data, including creating test data sets, resetting data between tests, and using data-driven testing approaches.

Test Automation Framework​

  • Select an appropriate framework: Choose a framework that aligns with the application's technology stack, is scalable, and provides necessary features for easy maintenance and reporting.
  • Follow the Page Object Model (POM): Implement POM design pattern for better test maintenance, reusability, and improved collaboration between developers and testers.
  • Use modular and reusable components: Build test cases using modular and reusable components to reduce duplication and improve maintainability.
  • Implement version control: Utilize a version control system to track changes in test scripts, test data, and test environment configurations.

Test Script Development​

  • Use descriptive and meaningful names: Name test cases and methods in a way that clearly communicates their purpose and functionality.
  • Keep test scripts concise: Write small, focused test scripts to enhance readability, maintainability, and ease of debugging.
  • Follow coding standards and best practices: Adhere to coding standards such as proper indentation, comments, error handling, and consistent naming conventions.
  • Implement error reporting and logging: Include logging mechanisms and detailed error reporting to facilitate debugging and troubleshooting.

Test Execution and Reporting​

  • Run tests on multiple environments: Execute tests on various browsers, operating systems, and devices to ensure application compatibility and stability.
  • Implement parallel test execution: Leverage parallel execution to reduce test execution time and obtain faster feedback.
  • Generate comprehensive test reports: Generate detailed test reports with relevant metrics, including test coverage, pass/fail status, and defects discovered.

Test Maintenance and Upkeep​

  • Regularly review and update test cases: Review and update test cases to align with changes in the application, requirements, or technology stack.
  • Perform code reviews: Conduct regular code reviews to identify potential improvements, enhance code quality, and ensure adherence to best practices.
  • Investigate test failures: Analyze and investigate test failures promptly to identify root causes, address issues, and prevent future failures.
  • By following these best practices, organizations can establish a robust test automation process that contributes to higher software quality, faster time-to-market, and increased productivity.

We will be discussing some of the best practices, do's, and don't of Automation by using infographics.

How to make maintenance of automated tests easy?​

To make maintenance of automated tests easier, consider implementing the following practices:

Modularize test scripts: Break down test scripts into smaller, reusable modules or functions. This modular approach makes it easier to update and maintain specific sections of the test scripts without affecting the entire test suite.

Follow the Page Object Model (POM): Implement the POM design pattern, which separates the test scripts from the page elements and their interactions. By maintaining a separate repository for page objects, any changes in the user interface can be quickly reflected by updating the page objects, rather than modifying every test script.

Use data-driven testing: Separate test data from test scripts. Store test data in external files or databases and design test scripts to read the data dynamically. This allows for easier maintenance of test data, as updates can be made without modifying the test scripts.

Implement robust error handling: Incorporate error handling mechanisms within your test scripts. This ensures that if a test fails or encounters an error, the script can gracefully recover, log the issue, and continue with the remaining tests. Proper error handling helps in identifying and troubleshooting issues quickly, making maintenance more efficient.

Regularly review and update test scripts: Set aside time for periodic reviews of your automated tests. As the application evolves, requirements change, or new features are added, ensure that the automated tests remain up-to-date. Reviewing and updating test scripts regularly helps catch outdated or incorrect test steps, preventing false positives or false negatives.

Version control your test scripts: Utilize a version control system (such as Git) to manage your test scripts. This allows you to track changes made to the test scripts, collaborate with other team members effectively, and revert to previous versions if needed. Version control makes maintenance easier by providing a history of changes and facilitating collaboration.

Investigate test failures promptly: When a test fails, investigate and analyze the root cause promptly. Document the failure details, including any error messages, screenshots, or logs. Investigating failures immediately allows for faster identification and resolution of issues, reducing the maintenance effort in the long run.

Continuously improve test automation: Encourage a culture of continuous improvement within your test automation process. Regularly assess the effectiveness of your automated tests, identify areas for enhancement, and implement improvements. This can include optimizing test scripts, enhancing test coverage, or adopting new tools or frameworks that simplify maintenance.

By incorporating these practices, you can make the maintenance of automated tests easier, ensuring that your test suite remains robust, up-to-date, and effective in detecting issues within your software applications.

What scenarios to not automate?​

While test automation offers numerous benefits, there are certain scenarios where it may not be practical or efficient to automate. Consider the following scenarios that are generally not suitable for test automation:

Exploratory Testing: Exploratory testing involves the tester actively exploring the software application, uncovering unexpected issues, and evaluating user experience. Since the focus is on creativity and human intuition, it is difficult to automate this type of testing effectively.

One-Time or Ad hoc Testing: If a particular test case is intended to be executed only once or on rare occasions, it may not be worth the effort to automate it. Automating such cases can consume valuable time and resources, potentially outweighing the benefits.

User Interface (UI) Changes: Test automation relies on stable and predictable UI elements to interact with the application. When the user interface undergoes frequent and significant changes, test scripts may require constant updates, making maintenance challenging. In such cases, manual testing might be more appropriate until the UI stabilizes.

Unstable or Evolving Requirements: If the project has rapidly changing requirements or features under active development, automating tests too early may lead to frequent script updates and maintenance. It is crucial to have stable requirements before automating tests to avoid wasting effort on tests that may become obsolete.

Usability Testing: Usability testing focuses on evaluating how user-friendly an application is. It involves subjective assessment, feedback gathering, and user observation, which are best performed by human testers. Automating usability testing may miss the qualitative aspects that can be captured through human perception and judgment.

Non-Functional Testing: Non-functional testing, such as performance testing, security testing, or load testing, often requires specialized tools, techniques, and human judgment to simulate real-world scenarios accurately. While some aspects of non-functional testing can be automated, it usually involves a combination of automated and manual approaches.

Cost vs. Benefit Analysis: It is essential to assess the cost and effort required to automate a particular test case or scenario compared to the potential benefits. If the effort outweighs the benefits or the test case is rarely executed, it may be more cost-effective to perform manual testing.

Remember, the decision to automate or not should be based on a careful evaluation of the specific context, project requirements, and resources available. Prioritize test scenarios that offer the highest return on investment in terms of repeatability, frequency of execution, and potential for regression issues. A balanced approach that combines manual and automated testing can provide the most efficient and effective testing strategy.

Automated mode of testing is better than the manual mode of testing​

The choice between automated testing and manual testing depends on various factors and considerations. While both modes of testing have their advantages and limitations, it is not accurate to make a blanket statement that automated testing is always better than manual testing. Here's why:

Advantages of Automated Testing:

  • Efficiency and Speed: Automated testing can execute a large number of test cases quickly and repeatedly, providing faster feedback on the software's behavior and detecting issues early in the development cycle.
  • Regression Testing: Automated tests are ideal for regression testing, where repetitive tests are executed to ensure that new changes or updates do not introduce regressions or break existing functionality.
  • Improved Accuracy: Automated tests perform tasks with precision and reduce the risk of human errors, improving the accuracy and reliability of the testing process.
  • Reusability and Scalability: Automated test scripts can be reused across different builds, versions, and environments, allowing for scalability and reducing effort in test case creation.
  • Cost Savings: In the long run, automated testing can be cost-effective, as it reduces the reliance on manual efforts and allows testers to focus on more complex and critical testing activities.

Advantages of Manual Testing:

  • Exploratory and User-Centric Testing: Manual testing allows testers to explore the software application, evaluate user experience, and perform subjective assessments that are difficult to automate.
  • Usability and User Interface Testing: Manual testing is well-suited for evaluating the usability, visual aspects, and intuitiveness of the user interface, capturing qualitative feedback that automated tests may miss.
  • Ad hoc and One-Time Testing: Manual testing is useful for ad hoc or one-time testing scenarios where the effort required to automate the tests may outweigh the benefits.
  • Early-Stage and Agile Testing: In the early stages of development or agile environments, manual testing allows for flexibility, rapid feedback, and quick adaptation to changing requirements.
  • Complex Scenarios: Certain scenarios, such as complex business logic, multi-step processes, or scenarios involving human judgment, may be more effectively tested manually.

It is essential to strike the right balance between automated and manual testing based on the specific project requirements, time constraints, budget, and criticality of the software application. In many cases, a combination of both modes is employed, leveraging the strengths of each to achieve comprehensive and efficient testing.

When Regression tests should be executed?​

Regression tests should be executed at specific stages of the software development lifecycle to ensure that new changes or updates do not introduce any unintended side effects or regressions in the existing functionality. Here are some key stages when regression tests should be performed:

  • After Each Build: Regression tests should be executed after every build or release of the software. This helps identify any issues or regressions introduced by the recent changes and ensures that the previously working functionality remains intact.

  • Before Major Releases: Prior to a major release or deployment to production, it is crucial to perform a comprehensive regression test suite. This ensures that the entire system, including new features and existing functionality, is thoroughly tested to minimize the risk of regressions.

  • After Bug Fixes or Patches: When critical bugs are identified and fixed, regression tests should be executed to validate that the fix did not introduce any new issues or regressions in the affected functionality or other parts of the system.

  • After Configuration or Infrastructure Changes: Regression tests should be performed when there are significant changes to the configuration, infrastructure, or deployment environment. This helps ensure that the changes do not adversely impact the system's behavior or performance.

  • After Changes in Dependencies: If there are updates or changes to the underlying libraries, frameworks, or third-party dependencies, regression tests should be executed to verify that the application still functions correctly with the updated dependencies.

  • Periodically or Based on Test Coverage: It is a good practice to periodically execute regression tests to catch any hidden or subtle issues that might have been introduced over time. The frequency of periodic regression testing can be determined based on factors like test coverage, release cycles, and the complexity of the application.

Regression tests should cover a representative set of test cases that exercise critical functionality, important workflows, and commonly used features. The selection of regression test cases should be based on the risk analysis, impact assessment of the changes, and prioritization of critical areas.

By incorporating regression testing at appropriate stages, organizations can ensure that software updates and changes do not inadvertently break existing functionality, maintaining the overall quality and stability of the application.

Benefits of using codeless test automation tools​

Codeless test automation tools have gained popularity due to their ability to simplify the test automation process by minimizing or eliminating the need for coding. Here are some benefits of using codeless test automation tools:

  • Ease of Use: Codeless test automation tools are designed to be user-friendly and accessible to testers with limited programming knowledge. They provide intuitive interfaces and drag-and-drop functionality, making it easier to create, modify, and maintain test cases without writing code.

  • Faster Test Automation: Codeless tools enable faster test automation implementation. Testers can quickly create automated tests by utilizing pre-built components, reusable templates, and predefined actions. This eliminates the need to write code from scratch, resulting in shorter test development cycles.

  • Reduced Learning Curve: Testers without extensive coding experience can start using codeless tools more quickly compared to traditional test automation frameworks that require programming skills. This reduces the learning curve and enables testers to focus more on test design and validation.

  • Improved Collaboration: Codeless tools facilitate collaboration between testers, developers, and other stakeholders. Test cases can be easily shared, understood, and reviewed by team members who may not have coding expertise. This promotes better communication and alignment during the test automation process.

  • Enhanced Test Maintenance: Codeless tools typically offer features like visual test editing, object identification, and automatic updates. These features simplify test maintenance, as changes in the application's UI can be accommodated visually without modifying underlying code. This reduces the effort required to maintain test scripts and increases their resilience to UI changes.

  • Parallel Execution and Reporting: Many codeless tools support parallel test execution across multiple browsers and devices. This allows for faster test execution and quicker feedback on test results. Additionally, these tools often provide built-in reporting and analytics features that generate comprehensive reports, enabling better visibility into test coverage, test execution status, and defects.

  • Cross-platform Testing: Codeless tools often support cross-platform testing, allowing testers to create tests that can be executed on different operating systems, browsers, and mobile devices. This enables broader test coverage and ensures application compatibility across various platforms.

  • Reduced Dependencies on Developers: Codeless test automation tools empower testers to take ownership of test automation without heavy reliance on developers for coding or technical assistance. This improves productivity by enabling testers to independently create, execute, and maintain automated tests.

While codeless test automation tools offer significant benefits, it is important to consider the limitations and evaluate whether they align with the specific requirements and complexity of the project. Some complex scenarios or customizations may still require coding expertise and more advanced test automation frameworks.

Benefits of using open-source test automation tools​

Using open-source test automation tools offers several benefits, making them popular choices for organizations. Here are some key advantages of using open-source test automation tools:

  • Cost-Effective: Open-source test automation tools are typically free to use, eliminating the need for expensive licensing fees. This makes them highly cost-effective, especially for organizations with budget constraints or smaller testing teams.

  • Flexibility and Customization: Open-source tools provide flexibility and customization options since their source code is accessible. Testers can modify the tool's functionality or integrate it with other tools to meet their specific testing requirements. This allows for greater adaptability and tailoring to the project's needs.

  • Vibrant Community Support: Open-source tools often have large and active user communities. This means there is a wealth of resources, forums, and community-driven support available for troubleshooting, sharing best practices, and getting answers to questions. Community support can be invaluable in overcoming challenges and learning from experienced users.

  • Wide Range of Features: Open-source test automation tools often offer a comprehensive range of features and capabilities. Many popular open-source tools have evolved over time and have extensive functionality, including support for various test types, frameworks, integrations, and reporting.

  • Platform and Technology Compatibility: Open-source tools are developed to support multiple platforms, operating systems, and technologies. They often provide support for different browsers, mobile devices, APIs, and databases, allowing for versatile test coverage across different environments.

  • No Vendor Lock-in: With open-source tools, organizations are not tied to a specific vendor or locked into proprietary technologies. This provides freedom and flexibility to switch between tools or platforms without significant migration efforts or vendor dependencies.

  • Continuous Improvement and Innovation: Open-source tools benefit from continuous contributions and enhancements from the open-source community. Updates, bug fixes, and new features are often released regularly, ensuring that the tools stay relevant, up-to-date, and aligned with industry trends.

  • Integration Capabilities: Open-source tools typically have good integration capabilities with other software development and testing tools. They can be easily integrated with Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipelines, version control systems, defect tracking tools, and test management systems, promoting a streamlined and efficient testing workflow.

However, it is important to consider that open-source tools may have a learning curve, require technical expertise for setup and configuration, and may not always offer enterprise-level support or extensive documentation. Evaluating the tool's maturity, community support, and alignment with project requirements is essential before adopting an open-source test automation tool.