Testing is the most critical stage of software development. In the process of creating code, a programmer can make a large number of errors that adversely affect the quality of the final product. The work of a tester is very similar to that of an editor who checks the text for errors and typos. Today there are 2 types of testing – automatic and manual. Each has its characteristics, but today we want to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of automated testing.
What is automated testing?
Automated testing testfort.com/automated-testing involves the use of various tools that can test the operation of the software. The tester makes specific settings and sets the parameters that need to be checked, and after that, the tools come into play, and the tester can do other more important things.
After the software tools have completed their work, they will generate a report on the work done. The specialist must systematize the data obtained and give recommendations for their elimination.
Key Benefits of Automated Tests
Automated testing has a considerable number of advantages, among the most important are:
- Reduce the cost of development;
- You can run multiple tests at the same time;
- Faster time to market;
- Good code coverage;
- Fine accuracy;
- Reduced stress levels.
Automatic testing is much faster than manual testing. It allows you to identify a considerable number of errors and quickly eliminate them, which means you can release the product to the market much faster. It is crucial to know that competitors are working on a similar project. Thanks to automated testing, you can easily win this race.
Among the benefits of automated testing over manual testing, it is necessary to highlight that manual tests can miss many errors due to the human factor. In the case of automated tests, this problem does not arise.
When should you use automated tests?
Automated tests are usually used when you need to do a deep analysis of the software: check the level of security, performance, stress resistance, and much more.
Among the most important examples of automated testing are:
- Unit testing;
- Functional;
- Regression;
- Load;
- Performance.
Thanks to this type of testing, you will be able to study the code as deeply as possible and identify those errors that are not available with manual testing.
At what stages of software development should testing be carried out?
Many people think it is worth doing automated tests at the end of software development, but it is better to use them at different stages of development.
Usually, several specialists are involved in the creation of complex software. Each is responsible for its type of work – creating various modules. After completing each module, it is imperative to test it to ensure it works correctly and quickly eliminates errors. If you can catch bugs early in development, they will only lead to problems later. As a rule, errors accumulate like a snowball, making it extremely difficult to correct them.
After you have checked each module and fixed the errors, the programmer must combine them into one whole. At this stage, other errors usually occur because some modules may not work or be incompatible with each other. With automatic testing, you can identify possible problems.
When is it better to replace automated testing with manual testing?
Current automated tests cannot modulate human behavior. Thus, if you want to test the quality of the interface or navigation, then it is better to use manual testing. Therefore, only a living person can understand the real needs of another person.
When developing an interface, many developers must remember that a natural person will use it. So, you need to ensure it has nice colors, a readable font, and easy navigation.
If you need to test a website, you must ensure that no pop-ups will interfere with users, close buttons, or annoy their numbers. Automated tests cannot simulate human behavior and understand their real needs.
Also, after you’ve done some testing and found bugs, it’s up to the programmers to make corrections. After that, you need to test again to ensure that you have not made new mistakes. Since automatic testing costs are high, manual tests may be suitable if the budget is limited.
Conclusion
Automated tests have advanced a lot over the past few years and can now catch even the most minor errors that were previously inaccessible. Many believe that such technologies are the engine of progress because it allows you to create an even better product and improve the quality of service. However, it still cannot guess the real needs of users, so it is not yet possible to completely abandon manual tests.