By: Alexey M (QA Automation Lead Engineer)
If you have decided to switch from manual to automated testing, here is what you need to know:
The advantages of automated testing are obvious – it has high-speed test execution and the ability to run the same type of actions over and over again. It also helps us to detect errors that were missed at the stage of manual testing and make sure that nothing was broken after each commit. Test automation allows us to increase test coverage of application and automate repeatable actions. The positive aspects of automation, fortunately, no one doubts. But it is rarely possible to refuse manual testing.
Profitability and Logistics
A popular question: is automation always profitable? And here we are confronted with the most common misconception. Everyone thinks that once written, testing will work in all conditions. In practice, it turns out that completing the process will require further actions such as selecting the suite to run, preconditions, and test results investigation of support for automated tests. Each UI update of the product will require fixes in automated tests. The test cannot adapt to the new interface, and in order to work correctly, it must be fixed by man.
Automated testing is considered to be more accurate and allows you to find more errors. But we should also understand, that the auto-tests may themselves to contain errors (as they test the product created by humans).
Manual Testing Has its Place
Never forget that the manual and automated tests are not mutually exclusive. The automation becomes profitable only on the products; development and maintenance is sufficiently long.
When we start automated testing, it is necessary to observe the simple rules that will take full advantage of this process.
1. Test automation should be implemented on stable stage development in the project.
2. No need to automate all the tests in a row. Not all tests can be automated. Some tests are very complex and require future support. In these cases, it is best to leave these checks for manual testing.
3. Understand the Context
Tests can be automated at any layer, Unit, API, Service, GUI. But we should always understand why, what and how we can automate.