Automated regression testing in software development refers to the process of running a set of automated test cases to verify that changes or updates in a software application have not introduced new bugs or caused existing functionality to break. It is a type of software testing that focuses on ensuring that previously developed and tested features of the software still work as intended after modifications have been made.
Regression testing is necessary because as software evolves, new features are added, existing features are modified, and bugs are fixed. These changes can unintentionally introduce new issues or cause existing functionality to malfunction. To mitigate this risk, regression testing is performed to validate that the existing features and functionality have not been adversely affected by the changes.
Automated regression testing involves writing a suite of test cases that cover critical features and functionality of the software. These test cases are then automated using testing frameworks or tools. The automation process enables the execution of test cases quickly and repeatedly without manual intervention, making it efficient and reliable.
When new changes are made to the software, the automated regression test suite is executed to ensure that the existing functionality has not regressed or been broken. By automating this process, developers and testers can run the regression tests frequently, ideally after every change, to catch any issues early in the development cycle.
This helps in identifying and fixing problems promptly, reducing the chances of bugs reaching production and improving the overall quality and stability of the software. In this blog, we will explore the significant benefits of automated regression testing in software development.
● Time and Cost Savings:
In today’s fast-paced software development environment, time and cost are two of the most important metrics for success. One of the areas where significant improvements can be made is testing, specifically automated regression testing.
Automated regression testing is a great way for software teams to save time and money while keeping their applications running smoothly and reliably. Let’s take a closer look at what automated regression testing can do for you and how it can translate into real savings.
Streamlined Test Execution:
Automated regression testing allows testers and developers to perform test cases faster and more consistently. Automated regression testing automates repetitive and mundane tasks such as data entry, button clicks, and output validation. This reduces manual intervention and allows teams to focus on more important parts of the software development life cycle.
With automated regression testing, software teams can perform a greater number of test scenarios in a shorter amount of time. Not only does this save time, but it also allows for faster feedback cycles, resulting in faster bug detection and resolution.
Automated regression testing makes the entire testing process more efficient and agile.
Reduction in Manual Effort:
Reduce manual effort: Manual regression testing is time-consuming and repetitive. Testers have to repeat a set of test cases over and over again, often across different functions and scenarios. Not only is this tedious, but it also increases the risk of human error, which can lead to overlooked defects.
With automated regression testing, you don’t have to manually execute test cases. After creating test scripts and automating them, you can run them as often as you need without any human intervention.
Reduced manual effort: With automated regression testing, testers can focus on more interesting and innovative testing activities, like edge case analysis and usability testing, as well as performance evaluation.
● Increasing Test Coverage:
In the realm of software development, comprehensive testing is crucial to delivering a high-quality product. However, manually executing an extensive set of test cases for every change or update can be a daunting and time-consuming task. This is where automated regression testing shines, providing a solution that enables teams to achieve increased test coverage and ensure a thorough examination of the software. Let’s explore how automated regression testing facilitates expanded test coverage and enhances overall software quality.
Effortlessly Scale Test Scenarios:
Manual testing can be time-consuming and labor-intensive, so it can limit how many test scenarios you can run. Automated regression testing, on the other hand, makes it easy to scale test scenarios. Once you automate test cases, you can run them over and over again, so you can include a ton of test scenarios without having to spend too much time or effort.
Automated regression testing provides a more comprehensive assessment of the software’s behavior by covering a wider variety of test scenarios.
Automated regression testing helps to identify potential problems in different areas of the application. It ensures that critical bugs are not missed. With more test coverage, the teams gain greater assurance in the stability, performance, and compliance of the software.
Identify problems at the early stages of the development process:
Automated regression testing can be used to expand test coverage, allowing teams to identify and address potential issues earlier in the development cycle. Automated tests can be used to perform a variety of test scenarios, such as functional path testing, edge case testing, and boundary condition testing, which can help to identify defects that may otherwise remain undetected.
This is beneficial for multiple reasons, including the ability to address issues when they are still in the early stages of development, thus allowing for more efficient troubleshooting and debugging. Additionally, early detection can help to reduce the risk of defects spreading throughout the system, thus preventing the emergence of new issues during later stages of development. By detecting and resolving issues early, teams can ensure a strong and stable software foundation.
Proactive Bug Prevention:
In addition to aiding in the detection of bugs, expanded test coverage can also help in the prevention of them. By incorporating a wide variety of test scenarios into the software, teams can detect potential weaknesses and vulnerabilities in various areas. This allows them to take action and implement fixes and improvements before the software is at a critical stage of development or implementation.
Automated regression testing allows teams to simulate a variety of real-world conditions, user interactions, and different data inputs. This allows teams to identify potential defects, performance issues, and security gaps in the software, thus fortifying it against potential issues and increasing its reliability and robustness.
● Early Bug Detection:
In the ever-evolving software development environment, timely bug detection is essential for the successful delivery of quality software. Being able to detect and address bugs quickly can reduce the amount of time spent on development, reduce the amount of resources required, and reduce the likelihood of customer dissatisfaction.
The implementation of automated regression testing is essential in order to facilitate early bug detection, as it allows for frequent testing, early detection of issues, and reduced risk of bugs being inadvertently released into production. In this article, we will discuss the ways in which automated regression testing enhances software quality through timely bug detection.
Frequent Test Execution:
With automated regression testing, teams can run tests on a regular basis, ideally after each change or update of the software. Automated regression testing allows you to run test cases quickly and reliably, so you don’t have to manually troubleshoot them.
With frequent test execution, you’ll be able to continuously evaluate the software for any introduced errors or issues. There are several advantages to running tests regularly. You’ll get immediate feedback on how changes are impacting the software, highlighting any unintended consequences or regression.
This feedback loop allows developers to quickly identify and fix issues before they snowball into more complex problems. A frequent test execution means that bugs are found closer to the source, making debugging easier and reducing the amount of time needed to resolve them.
Prompt Issue Resolution:
Early bug detection provides teams with the opportunity to address issues before they develop into more serious issues. By detecting bugs in the early stages of the development cycle, developers have a better understanding and context of the recent code modifications, allowing them to identify the source of the issue and make necessary fixes.
Automated regression testing enables teams to identify and address bugs at an earlier stage, resulting in faster resolution and a more efficient development process. This includes the ability to analyze and debug code when changes are still in progress, as well as the ability to review logs and debug code in real time, resulting in shorter debugging cycles and faster issue resolution.
● Improved Accuracy and Reliability:
When it comes to software development, it’s all about accuracy and reliability. Manual testing is a must, but it can be prone to human mistakes and variability. Automatic regression testing is a great solution, as it eliminates inconsistencies, gives you accurate and consistent results, and gives you reliable feedback on how stable your application is. Let’s take a look at how it can help you get the confidence you need in your software.
Consistency in Test Execution:
Automating test execution eliminates the variability that can come from different testers doing different test cases at different times. Automated testing automates the process, so test cases are done exactly the way you want them to be done. This means you don’t have to worry about any variations that could come from human error, different interpretations, or different levels of expertise. This means you can have a more consistent and repeatable test execution, which means you won’t miss any critical defects or introduce false positives.
Reduction of Human Error:
Manual testing can be prone to human error, from simple mistakes to big ones that can have a big impact. Errors like typos, wrong data entry, or missing steps can lead to bad test results and cover up important flaws. With automated regression testing, you can create test scripts and run them over and over again without having to worry about human error. The automation process makes sure test cases are done exactly how they should be done, so there’s no room for human error. Teams can trust that their test results will be accurate and reliable without any human error.
● Regression Test Suite Reusability:
In today’s fast-paced software development environment, efficiency and consistency matter. One of the biggest advantages of automated regression test suites is the ability to create reusable assets that provide long-term value.
Once a regression test suite is created, it can be reused across multiple projects or iterations. This saves time and effort in subsequent testing cycles. Let’s look at how regression test suite reuse improves efficiency and quality in software testing.
Reduce time and effort:
Developing a complete suite of test cases for every project or iteration requires a lot of time and resources. With regression test suite reuse, organizations can save time and resources. Once your test suite is built and automated, you can reuse it for other projects.
When you reuse your test suite, you don’t have to repeat the process of recreating your test cases. You can focus on other important parts of software development instead. This saves time and effort, which translates into more efficiency and productivity. Teams can allocate resources more efficiently.
Consistency in Testing Approach:
One of the most important things you can do to make sure your software products are reliable and high-quality is to make sure you’re testing consistently. A good way to do this is to use a regression test suite that is reusable. This means you can reuse the same test cases over and over again, so you can make sure your testing approach stays the same no matter what project or iteration you’re working on.
When you’re testing consistently, you can compare and analyze your results over time. This makes it easier to spot patterns and trends in how your software behaves. It also helps teams set standards for how well your software works, how stable it is, and how much it can do. With consistent testing, you can make better decisions based on past test data and make sure your software is always up to scratch.
Conclusion:
Automated regression testing plays an essential role in software development, providing numerous advantages to development teams. These include cost and time savings, increased test coverage, early detection of bugs, enhanced accuracy and reliability, enhanced CI/CD procedures, and reusable test suites. By incorporating automated regression testing into the development process, organizations can guarantee the stability, dependability, and high quality of their software, resulting in customer satisfaction and successful software deployments.
LambdaTest is a cloud-based cross-browser testing platform that can be utilized for regression testing. It works by providing a virtual testing environment where users can access a wide range of real browsers and operating systems to execute their regression tests.
In order to run LambdaTest regression tests, users typically do the following:
- Create test scripts (using automation frameworks like Selenium or WebDriver) or import existing test scripts (using popular automation frameworks like Cypress)
- Configure the browsers, operating system(s), and screen resolution(s) on which to run the regression tests Execute the tests (using LambdaTest platforms)
- Upload the test scripts to LambdaTest and select the browser-OS combination(s) you want to run the tests on LambdaTest runs the tests on multiple virtual machines simultaneously
- Monitor the test progress View test logs and capture screenshots/video of the test results Analyze the test results
- Once the regression tests have been completed, you can analyze the results to see if there are any regressions/unexpected behavior. You can review the test reports/logs, screenshots/video to get an idea of how stable your application is across different browsers/operations
- With LambdaTest collaboration features, you can share test results with your team, work on issue resolution, and track progress
