![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
![]() |
|
![]() ![]() |
Author | Message |
tanushree
Senior Member ![]() Joined: 04Apr2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2160 |
![]() ![]() ![]() Posted: 25Feb2008 at 4:11am |
Why Should You Use Automated Testing?Every software development group tests its products, yet delivered software always has defects. Test engineers strive to catch them before the product is released but they always creep in and they often reappear, even with the best manual testing processes. Test automation is the best way to increase the effectiveness, efficiency and coverage of software testing. Manual software testing is performed by a human sitting in front of a computer carefully going through application screens, trying various usage and input combinations, comparing the results to expected behavior and recording their observations. Tests are repeated often during development cycles for source code changes and other situations like multiple operating environments and hardware configurations. Automated testing software is able to playback pre-recorded and predefined actions, compare the results to expected behavior and report the success or failure of these tests to a test engineer. Once automated tests are created they can be easily repeated and they can be extended to perform tasks impossible with manual testing. Because of this, savvy managers have found that automated testing is an essential component of successful development projects. Automated testing has long been considered critical for big software development
organizations but is often thought to be too expensive or difficult for smaller
companies to implement.
Automated Testing Saves Time and MoneyTests have to be repeated often during development cycles to ensure quality. Every time source code is modified tests should be repeated. For each release of the software it may be tested on all supported operating systems and hardware configurations. Manually repeating these tests is costly and time consuming. Once created, automated tests can be run over and over again at no additional cost and they are much faster than manual tests. Automated testing can reduce the time to run repetitive tests from days to hours. A time savings which translates directly to cost savings. Automated Testing Improves Test AccuracyEven the most conscientious tester will make mistakes during monotonous manual testing. Automated tests perform the same steps precisely every time they are executed and never forget to record detailed results. Automated Testing Increases Test CoverageAutomated testing can increase the depth and scope of tests to help improve software quality. Lengthy tests that are often avoided during manual testing can be run unattended. They can even be run on multiple computers with different configurations. Automated testing can look inside an application at memory contents, data tables, file contents, and internal program states to determine if the product is behaving as expected. Automated tests can easily execute thousands of different complex test cases during every test run providing coverage impossible with manual tests. Testers freed from repetitive manual tests have more time to create new tests and deal with complex features. Automated Testing Perform Tests not Possible with Manual TestingEven the largest software departments cannot perform a controlled web application test with thousands of users. Test automation can simulate tens, hundreds or thousands of virtual users interacting with network or web applications. Automated Testing Helps Developers and TestersShared automated tests can be used by developers to catch problems quickly before sending to QA. Tests can run automatically whenever source code changes are checked in and notify the team or the developer if they fail. Features like these save developers time and increase their confidence. Automated Testing can Improves Team MoraleThis is hard to measure but we’ve experienced it first hand, automated testing can improve team morale. Automating repetitive tasks gives your team time to spend on more challenging and rewarding projects. Team members improve their skill sets and confidence and, in turn, pass those gains on to their organization. Post Resume: Click here to Upload your Resume & Apply for Jobs |
|
![]() |
|
meera_1974
Newbie ![]() ![]() Joined: 19Nov2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1 |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Hi,
After reading the above article, i have this doubt as to how (ex winrunner record/play back tool )knows the expected result such that after the test is run, it say if the test is Pass or fail?
In manual testing, we have the expected result with us and so we compare, here where is the expected result stored?
thanx for the reply
meera
|
|
![]() |
|
lawrence
Groupie ![]() Joined: 22Nov2007 Location: India Online Status: Offline Posts: 73 |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Hi Meera,
I have no idea of winrunner. But I am using another functionality testing tool, in which I record a required scenario. Then by modifying the code, we can check the functionality. The tool does not know the expected result. But we have to write in the code to check the functionality. |
|
![]() |
|
softomania
Newbie ![]() Joined: 19May2008 Location: Pakistan Online Status: Offline Posts: 1 |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Hi, If you are new in Test automation then I would suggest to go for Mercury
test tools say QTP, Loadrunner and
Thanks Raj Also visit my site for
Softwareqatestings.com TelecomFYI.com for all |
|
![]() |
|
Georgiodz
Newbie ![]() ![]() Joined: 30Jan2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1 |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
I recently stumbled upon an article arguing whether it is useful to automate web testing (article: web test automation). I think some of the arguments are also valid for automated testing in general. The article points out under what circumstances automation of web testing is worth it.
Edited by Georgiodz - 05Jun2009 at 5:47am |
|
![]() |
|
roblambert_pact
Newbie ![]() Joined: 15Apr2009 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1 |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Interesting views and opinions on automation. Are these based on experience?
"Automated testing software is able to playback pre-recorded and predefined actions" This is more commonly referred to as computer aided testing. Record and playback is the most expensive, inflexible and high maintenance types of tests possible. True automation testing sits below the UI and is capable of working even when a UI element has changed. Automation testing is about testing the features and functions of the app, not the UI and how the user interacts with it. This is computer aided testing. "Automated Testing Saves Time and Money" Really?? I've never seen this. In fact, automation almost always costs more. The tools are generally very expensive (unless you go for open source tools). The people to code them are generally paid more. In your record and playback example, you would need a manual tester to define the test, run the test, raise the defects, retest the test, close the defects and then mark the test as successful. then the automation team will automate the test. What happens when the requirements change? The manual tester needs to rewrite the test, retest, etc etc. this costs money, not to mention the cost of troubleshooting any failures. "Automated Testing Improves Test Accuracy" No test is ever reproducible identically. The environment, the mood of the tester, the operating system state etc etc is never ever going to be identical. If you are performing regression test, why are you doing it? To prove something that was working is still working? Is that more valuable than finding new and interesting bugs? Cem Kaner uses a minefield analogy. Once you have cleared a path through it, why keep hitting the same path again? There will be no more mines. Isn't it more valuable to hit another path? Clear some more mines? If you are repeating lots and lots of tests then you will end up with loads of record and playback tests that will need changing when the app changes. Expensive. "Automated Testing Increases Test Coverage" If the manual test has been avoided then I would suggest that automating it is a recipe for disaster. What is there is a killer bug in the app? Automation takes longer than manual testing so wouldn't it increase coverage if manual testing was used instead? "Automated Testing Helps Developers and Testers" Some test can, some tests cannot. I think you hit the nail on the head with the "increase their confidence." - perfect reason to automate. "Automated Testing Perform Tests not Possible with Manual Testing" Absolutely and a good reason to use automation. "Automated Testing can Improves Team Morale" Not sure about this one. Quite a vague social statement. I've never seen this happen in my experience. Any research on this? In response to new tools I would avoid the big vendors. There are thousands of open source or cheap tools out there. If you genuinely are new, then opt for Selenium. Python or Perl are good languages to learn. Rob.. |
|
http://blogs.imeta.co.uk/RLambert/Default.aspx
http://pac-testing.blogspot.com/ roblambert_pact (twitter) |
|
![]() |
|
tossy
Groupie ![]() ![]() Joined: 20Aug2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 99 |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Recently I came across article on ...most of the testers has shared there opinions on why should you use automated testing.
http://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/generic/0,295582,sid92_gci1345733,00.html |
|
|
|
![]() |
|
cprasenjit26
Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: 14May2009 Location: India Online Status: Offline Posts: 151 |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Your article is very helpful and informative. Thanks
|
|
![]() |
|
Georgiodz
Newbie ![]() ![]() Joined: 30Jan2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1 |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
@ Roblambert I do not agree with certain of your remarks as well (note this is only my personal opinion). "This is more commonly referred to as computer aided testing. Record and playback is the most expensive, inflexible and high maintenance types of tests possible. True automation testing sits below the UI and is capable of working even when a UI element has changed. Automation testing is about testing the features and functions of the app, not the UI and how the user interacts with it. This is computer aided testing." There are capture and replay tools like web2test which are tolerant (to a certain extend) towards GUI changes. web2test for example uses different algorithms for a recognition of GUI elements. ""Automated Testing Saves Time and Money " Then why would you automate in the first place. It is right that not every project/application is worth automating it. It is also right that you will have to put in an initial effort in the beginning (acquiring a tool, formation, creation of test cases). But e.g. for regression testing it is still worth it and over time you will get your money’s worth. "No test is ever reproducible identically. The environment, the mood of the tester, the operating system state etc etc is never ever going to be identical. If you are performing regression test, why are you doing it? To prove something that was working is still working?" Yes. Imagine you change part of the software (e.g. new features). How can you be sure that you did not generate new bugs? Also your example (No test is ever reproducible identically) actually shows a weakness of manual testing. You will only cover certain scenarios/initial states of the SUT with the described approach. Some automation tools offer the possibility to set different initial states (taking again the web2test example, the tool offers the possibility to set e.g. proxy, cookies, locale) which again gives you the chance to test all/more possible constellations with little effort (reuse the same script for another constellation). ""Automated Testing can Improves Team Morale" Maybe if you put it in a different way: Manual testing decreases team morale in certain cases. As an example I would like to quote the article "There are for instance tasks where the same or similar data has to be entered manually in hundreds of input masks – a situation which requires full concentration but does not pose an intellectual challenge and thus quickly leads to a decrease of motivation and attention." In that case a tool which allows data driven testing will be the better choice. Edited by Georgiodz - 05Jun2009 at 5:50am |
|
![]() |
|
![]() ![]() |
||
Forum Jump |
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
© Vyom Technosoft Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.