Cloud-based testing has become quite integral these days. Most businesses have already done the shift towards cloud-based testing. The main reason is &#8211; it is faster, inexpensive, flexible, and requires no maintenance. 



The best part is that we do not own it, can easily lease it from a service provider, can easily scale up and scale down according to requirements and only have to pay for the amount of time we use the cloud resources. 



&nbsp;The traditional testing that was done on the software installed on local servers is now slowly fading away. With cloud-based testing, everything resides on the cloud and therefore the testing approach also changes where all testing related activities are done on the cloud and IT is delivered as a service. However, the primary goal of traditional testing and cloud-based testing remains the same i.e., to deliver high-quality and efficient software.&nbsp; 



Cloud-based testing comprises cloud-based test automation as well. To facilitate cloud-based test automation, there are different types of tools. Here is an article that will help you ascertain if you need to implement cloud-based test automation in your organization: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/signs-you-need-to-invest-in-a-cloud-based-test-automation-tool/" target="_blank">6 signs you need to invest in a cloud-based test automation tool</a>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#How_is_cloud-based_testing_different_from_traditional_testing">1 How is cloud-based testing different from traditional testing</a></li><li><a href="#When_to_move_to_cloud_testing">2 When to move to cloud testing</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_start_with_cloud-based_testing">3 How to start with cloud-based testing</a></li><li><a href="#What_Roles_and_responsibilities_are_required_for_the_success_of_cloud-based_testing">4 What Roles and responsibilities are required for the success of cloud-based testing?</a></li><li><a href="#Testsigma_as_a_cloud-based_test_automation_tool">5 Testsigma as a cloud-based test automation tool</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">6 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-how-is-cloud-based-testing-different-from-traditional-testing">How is cloud-based testing different from traditional testing</h2>



Let’s see the differences between cloud-based testing and traditional testing in detail:&nbsp; 



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Traditional testing</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Cloud-based testing</td></tr><tr><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Configuration may take many days.</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">No configuration required, just choose the environment and start testing.</td></tr><tr><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Set-up is manual and susceptible to human errors.</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Set-up is automatic and free from manual errors.</td></tr><tr><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Expensive as real devices are purchased.</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Inexpensive as real devices are not purchased.</td></tr><tr><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse;">Executed on the local servers of the organisation.</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Executed on third-party servers of the service providers.</td></tr><tr><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse;">Data is present on the local server and hence cannot be accessed from everywhere.</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse;">Data is present on the cloud hence can be accessed from any location.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Let us explore the advantages and disadvantages of cloud-based and traditional testing. 



Cloud-based testing advantages



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>The environment is dynamic and scalable.</li><li>Provides better testing speed, since it can run 24*7.</li><li>Services provided by a cloud-based vendor are inexpensive.</li><li>It provides better and simple disaster recovery because the process is automated.</li><li>Accessible from any location hence supports mobility.</li></ul>



Cloud-based testing disadvantages



<ul class="list_stye_disc"><li>Bandwidth can be an issue because the cloud servers are shared resources.</li><li>May pose security issues, since the data is handed over to a third party during testing.</li><li>Requires very good internet connectivity.</li><li>Limited control and dependency on the service provider.</li></ul>



Traditional testing advantages



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Secure since it is executed on local servers.</li><li>No internet connectivity is required for testing since it is executed locally.</li><li>Provides full control and there is no dependency on third-party service providers.</li></ul>



Traditional testing disadvantages



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Expensive because real devices are purchased.</li><li>Scalability is an issue since it needs to be addressed manually.</li><li>Can not be executed from global locations.</li><li>Configuration of the real devices and environment is time-consuming.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-when-to-move-to-cloud-testing">When to move to cloud testing</h2>



Every project/ software/organization is different and have different requirements. We need to answer the below questions when we think about adopting cloud testing in a project. 



1. Is there a possibility that moving testing to the cloud may lead to a change in the test strategy or foundation of testing? The Foundation of testing is always going to remain the same &#8211; the testing skills, curiosity, enthusiasm are a few of them.2. Do we need to learn new skills? Definitely, cloud testing will involve some new technology and the testers will need to learn them.3. How is it going to affect the current testing tasks? Will it be beneficial or pose problems?4. What are the different testing types that will be needed to execute?5. What are the tools that will be required to perform cloud testing?6. What risks should be considered?







<h2 id="h-how-to-start-with-cloud-based-testing">How to start with cloud-based testing</h2>



When we decide to start cloud-based testing in a project then we need to decide how we are going to manage the whole process of cloud-based testing. What are the areas which will be affected and need proper planning and management during this process? Few major points to think about will be: 



1. Process: Chalking out the strategy to make a move to cloud-based testing.



2. Activities: Evaluation of the testing activities that will need to move to the cloud. Examples are Agile testing, TDD, automation testing, regression testing, etc. Together with the evaluation of the testing activities, we need to estimate the cost involved as well.



3. Technology: We need to decide what technologies we will be using for cloud testing. Examples are DevOps, AWS, Big Data, Testing as Service, testing environments.



4. People: What people in the team will need to quickly adapt to cloud testing by learning new technologies. Testers need to perform testing on many levels &#8211; unit, integration, UI, services, security, governance. It becomes necessary to provide them with proper training and knowledge to be a perfect fit for starting cloud testing.



<h2 id="h-what-roles-and-responsibilities-are-required-for-the-success-of-cloud-based-testing">What Roles and responsibilities are required for the success of cloud-based testing?</h2>



With the advent of cloud testing, we will require below roles and responsibilities in the team. However, they may differ from organization to organization but these are the standard ones: 



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Developers: To perform unit and integration testing, apart from development.</li><li>Test Analyst: To implement the cloud testing strategy in the project</li><li>Technical test analyst: To perform the actual manual/automated testing of the applications</li><li>Customer: To perform acceptance testing</li><li>IT department: To monitor, analyze the cloud and they will act as a point-of-contact to the cloud provider</li><li>Cloud provider: To provide the service level agreements, services testing</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-testsigma-as-a-cloud-based-test-automation-tool">Testsigma as a cloud-based test automation tool</h2>



To ease the process of using and setting up cloud-based testing, we should use tools that mitigate the complexities involved. The inconvenience of setting up a test lab all by ourselves is real and should be avoided if possible. 



By using cloud-based testing tools like Testsigma, which provide an easy use cloud-based test automation tool that also integrates with different device labs on the cloud, we can save ourselves from exorbitant prices and set-up time. 



Testsigma is an AI-driven, cloud-based testing tool that is built for DevOps and Agile teams. It is a unified platform for running the below types of testing parallelly on browsers and mobile devices, without any installation or set-up.



<ul><li>Continuous testing</li><li>Web application testing</li><li>Mobile app testing</li><li>Regression testing</li><li>Cross-browser testing</li><li>Data-driven testing</li><li>Functional testing</li><li>Regression Testing</li></ul>



Testsigma provides the below benefits during cloud-based testing:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Pay according to the environment and time period of usage.</li><li>All environments/ resources are available 24*7.</li><li>Can be accessed from anywhere in the World, the team can be present in different geographical locations.</li><li>Provides scalability since the environments are on the cloud and there is no limit to them.</li><li>Parallel testing can be done 24*7, which results in faster delivery.</li></ul>



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<h2 id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



Cloud-based testing solves the problem of remote testing very conveniently since we are relying on cloud computing here. This type of testing accelerates the testing process immensely, which is the need of the hour. 



One example of a cloud-based testing tool is Testsigma which is a SaaS(Software as Service) based unified platform. Where the users can directly write the test cases using plain English.

Cloud-Based Testing - A tester's perspective

Cloud-Based Testing – A tester’s perspective

A quote from Tim Cook says- &#8220;When you care about people&#8217;s happiness and productivity, you give them what brings out the best in them and their creativity. And if you give them a choice, they&#8217;ll say, &#8216;I want an iPhone,&#8217; or &#8216;I want a Mac.&#8217; We think we can win a lot of corporate decisions at that level.&#8221; It is a fact that we all use smartphones and mobile apps on a day-to-day basis. Whether at a cafe, commuting by train, or sitting on the beach staring at the waves while surfing the Internet, we are all connected no matter where we are. And with technological advances, everything has become more straightforward andaccessible. But let&#8217;s face reality: not everything can be made better with just an engineering tweak here or there; the user experience is essential for successful applications across all platforms, and for that, we need &#8220;Automated iOS Tests.&#8221; 



This says a lot about the love for the iPhone we all have! So how do the testing community ensure that this love for iPhone and iOS apps grows manifolds with time? True! With quality testing and automation, we can ensure the iPhone provides the best experience to its loyal users.&nbsp; 



In this article, we will be looking at <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/mobile-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mobile testing</a> for iOS. More specifically, 5 types of tests that are recommended to be automated if you are doing iOS testing. 



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Types_of_Tests_for_Automated_iOS_Test_with_Scenarios">1 Types of Tests for Automated iOS Test (with Scenarios)</a><ul><li><a href="#1_Unit_Testing">1.1 1. Unit Testing</a><ul><li><a href="#Scenario">1.1.1 Scenario:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#2_UI_Testing">1.2 2. UI Testing</a><ul><li><a href="#Scenario-2">1.2.1 Scenario:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#3_Compatibility_Testing">1.3 3. Compatibility Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Types_of_compatibility_testing">1.4 Types of compatibility testing</a><ul><li><a href="#Scenarionbsp_nbspnbspnbspnbsp">1.4.1 Scenario:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#4_Continuous_Integration">1.5 4. Continuous Integration</a><ul><li><a href="#Scenario-3">1.5.1 Scenario:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#5_Regression_Testing">1.6 5. Regression Testing</a><ul><li><a href="#Scenario-4">1.6.1 Scenario:</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-types-of-tests-for-automated-ios-test-with-scenarios">Types of Tests for Automated iOS Test (with Scenarios)</h2>



<h3 id="1-unit-testing">1. Unit Testing</h3>



Unit testing is really important for an application because we test the smallest units or components in it. We test an independent module in isolation during unit testing. These are small tests where the input is provided to the small unit of the app and the output is checked against the expected values. 



Since they are small tests they can be executed quickly in less time. However, unit tests are the most ignored tests when it comes to app testing. If utilized properly they help in reducing the defects immensely because the bugs are caught at the unit level itself. 



Therefore, unit tests are the ideal candidates for automation because they execute quickly and are huge in number. Usually, the unit tests are the specific condition in a class, where the class is independent of other classes. Unit tests provide documentation of the testing at the unit level and hence during any code changes we know already which code may cause issues. 



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://developer.apple.com/swift/" target="_blank">Swift</a> is a modern and latest programming language for writing code for macOS, iOS, watchOS, etc. It is safe, fast, compatible, open-source, and easy to learn. To write Swift code we use an IDE(Integrated Development Environment) or toolkit called <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://developer.apple.com/xcode/" target="_blank">Xcode</a>, they both are backed by Apple. 



Interestingly, Xcode provides a testing framework called <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xctest" target="_blank">XCTest</a> to write unit tests, performance tests, and UI tests. The test cases are defined using the primary class &#8211; XCTestCase, while the test cases are managed and executed using the abstract base class &#8211; XCTest. 



The test cases are run and asserted(checked) against the expected results. A few of the assertions used in XCTest are:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Boolean assertions</li><li>Nil/ Non-Nil assertions</li><li>Equality assertions</li><li>Error assertions</li><li>Comparable value assertions</li></ul>



<h4 id="scenario-1">Scenario:</h4>



Rare conditions are better tested using unit testing. Example: Consider an e-commerce app that is running an offer of providing 50% off on the next order to the customer. To win this offer, the customer should have bought 1000 orders from the app. 



To test this, the tester should either manually place 1000 orders and wait if the customer receives a 50% off or not. Or just run an automated unit test to check the results are as expected.



<h3 id="2-ui-testing">2. UI Testing</h3>



User Interface testing is vital for the success of any app, be it Android or iOS. In UI testing, we test the visual behaviour of the application during user interaction. iOS-based gestures, user interactions, screen rotation, text input, buttons, etc, should work as expected on the iOS app. Unlike unit tests which are tested in isolation, UI testing is performed on the integration of the multiple classes. 



The common frameworks and tools for performing automated UI testing on iOS are &#8211; UIAutomation, <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma</a>, XCTest, MonkeyTalk, KIF, etc. 



We should automate the UI testing due to the below reasons:



1. Saves time&#8211; Manual testing is time-consuming and we want to save our precious time to do some other useful stuff like &#8211; exploratory testing, ad-hoc testing, etc.



2. Documented testing&#8211; With automation testing tools/frameworks, it is easier to have the whole testing process documented with screenshots, reports, test results, test run time, etc. We can use these documented statistics to improve the testing and application performance.



3. Testing on real devices&#8211; These automation testing tools, provide access to thousands of real devices to run test cases. Particularly in the case of iOS, we would want the test cases to be run and the application tested on actual real devices.



4. Parallel testing&#8211; Automated testing tools provide the privilege of testing the iOS app on multiple devices in parallel. This helps us in wrapping up the testing tasks quickly.



<h4 id="scenario">Scenario:</h4>



Screen orientation (portrait, landscape) related testing is really important when we are talking about UI testing. Example: A new functionality is added in a gaming iOS application and is unit tested successfully. Next, regression testing is performed on the app using an automation tool to detect any regression bugs. 



It is observed that when the layout is changed from landscape to portrait during the game then the application crashes unexpectedly. Such layout related issues can be detected during automated UI testing.



<h3 id="3-compatibility-testing">3. Compatibility Testing</h3>



During compatibility testing of an application, we check the compatibility of the application with multiple devices, hardware, software versions, network, operating systems, and browsers, etc. During backward compatibility testing we will ensure that the latest application version is compatible with the older devices/ browsers/ hardware. 



Similarly, during forward compatibility testing, we ensure that the latest application version will be compatible with the new patches and updates to the device software. 



<h3 id="types-of-compatibility-testing">Types of compatibility testing </h3>



1. Operating System



The application should work on all intended Operating Systems and their versions &#8211; Android, iOS, Mac OS X, Windows, etc. Here we are talking about iOS, so the app should work on all common iOS versions, providing backward and forward compatibility. 



2. Hardware



We would want the iOS app to work on all probable and commonly used hardware configurations like- memory, device-specific hardware, camera, etc. 



3. Software



The app should support the software components like APIs, videos, voice, images, etc. present on the device without undergoing any application crash or hanging. 



4. Browser



Safari is the native browser for all Apple products, however, we can use Google Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera Touch, Dolphin, etc. on an iOS device. Therefore, we would want to test all the possible alternatives of the browsers for our iOS application. 



5. Device



We would want our iOS app to be compatible with other external devices like printers, memory cards, scanners, speakers, GPS, USB devices, etc. 



6. Network



The iOS app should work well on the networks of different bandwidths, speeds, data transfer rates, etc.&nbsp; 



<h4 id="scenario-2">Scenario:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h4>



An iOS movie streaming application should be compatible with all the Apple devices- iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod Touch, and their different versions. We can achieve this by testing the compatibility of the streaming application on all these devices using cloud-based automation tools. Such tools provide thousands of real devices to test the application. 



<h3 id="4-continuous-integration">4. Continuous Integration</h3>



The software world is following Agile and DevOps rigorously today. We cannot think about software development without these, and therefore it is imperative to have mobile app testing follow suite. Continuous Integration helps in providing early feedback, quick delivery, and better quality without any manual intervention. 



CI/CD pipeline works on the strong base of various automation tools. We are using Jenkins and other CI/CD tools to trigger testing whenever a new build is pushed in web application development. 



How do we achieve the same impact in mobile app testing?&nbsp; Many automation tools support integration with Jenkins to provide the Continuous Integration and testing of the iOS app. E.g. Testsigma



Read more details and benefits of Continuous Integration and Testing <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-continuous-testing-supercharges-your-automation-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">here</a>. 



<h4 id="scenario-3">Scenario:</h4>



Continuous testing requires help from automated tools like &#8211; GitHub as a repository, Jenkins as CI tool, XCTest for unit testing, etc. CI/CD helps in delivering applications more frequently by the use of extensive automation throughout the application development cycle. 



Whenever a piece of code is pushed in the repository the unit tests are supposed to run automatically. We cannot think of CI/CD without automation tools. For example, the security of the iOS application, signing the application code with proper certificates and entitlements can be taken care of by automation easily.



<h3 id="5-regression-testing">5. Regression Testing</h3>



During software development, regression testing has always been the best candidate for automation. We do not want our application to break after new enhancements and feature development. So how can we ensure that the app is intact and in great shape? By running automated regression tests after every change. 



By automating the regression tests we can run them in the nightly cycle without manual intervention when everyone is off work. This helps in reducing the testing time and provides faster delivery of the software. The same holds for iOS apps. E.g., We can use XCode’s XCTest to perform regression test cases.



Proper maintenance of the regression suite- by adding relevant test cases and removing the obsolete test cases is required. This way we can benefit from the automated regression test cases to the maximum. 



<h4 id="scenario-4">Scenario:</h4>



Whenever a new version of the iOS operating system is released, the customers want their mobile apps to work efficiently on it. We do not want to upset the customers just because our iOS app is not able to function on the newly released iOS version. 



Therefore, it is the most important scenario where we need to run the regression test suite through automation tools. This instils a sense of confidence among the developers and testers, regarding the mobile application.



Can we skip the testing for iOS devices if the application is already tested on Android? Absolutely no! We need to test the app on both environments separately. We can leverage the help of <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">automated testing tools and frameworks for mobile like Testsigma</a> to speed up the testing and provide a quality product to the end-users. 



Testsigma, an automated testing tool, has transformed the automation world in mobile by making it easy for real. Check out <a href="https://support.testsigma.com/support/solutions/articles/32000023580-ios-native-application-adding-automated-test-steps" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">how to automate your test cases on a native iOS application with Testsigma.&nbsp;</a> 



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5 types of tests that can be automated for your iOS

Automated iOS Test: 5 Tests Types You Should Never Miss out (2022 Updated)

How to ensure cross browser compatibility testing

How to Ensure Cross Browser Compatibility

According to Wikipedia, <a href="https://testsigma.com/data-driven-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Data-Driven Testing(DDT)</a> is a software testing methodology that is used in the testing of computer software to describe testing done using a table of conditions directly as test inputs and verifiable outputs as well as the process where test environment settings and control are not hard-coded.



 In the simplest form, the tester supplies the inputs from a row in the table and expects the outputs which occur in the same row. The table typically contains values which correspond to boundary or partition input spaces.” 



If done manually, the process of data-driven testing is really time-consuming. It is usually used for <a href="https://testsigma.com/regression-testing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">regression testing</a> or with test cases where the same test scripts are run by providing huge test data as input, sequentially. 



Therefore, the requirement of automating the process of data-driven testing arose and today we have several automation-testing tools and automation testing frameworks for this purpose.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_data-driven_automation_testing">1 What is data-driven automation testing?</a></li><li><a href="#Advantages_of_data-driven_automation_testing">2 Advantages of data-driven automation testing</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">3 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="what-is-data-driven-automation-testing">What is data-driven automation testing?</h2>



In <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-data-driven-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data-driven automation testing</a>, the test-script/ test case code is kept separate from the test data set. This separation is usually made by storing them at different locations and by having no dependency on each other. Test scripts and test data both are independent of each other and can be stored, modified, added and deleted without any implications on each other.



The order of actions in a DDT (Data-Driven testing) process is as below&#8211;



1. Read the input data from the data source, using parameterised variables in the automation test script.



2. Fill in the input test data in the AUT(application under test).



3. Perform the action according to the test script



4. Compare the expected and actual output



5. Mark the test case pass or fail



6. Continue the above steps with the next input test data from the data source.



The expected output is also entered in the test data sheet or file. So that the automation script reads the expected output, compares it with the actual output and accordingly marks the test case – Pass or Fail.



Test data storage can be achieved by any of the below options-



1. Excel files



2. CSV files



3. XML files



4. Database tables



5. Arrays



6. Text files



Tools/ frameworks for data-driven automation testing-



1. Selenium, TestNG, Apache POI (for reading and writing in Excel sheet)



2. QTP



3. <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a>



4. Katalon Studio



5. TestComplete



<h2 id="advantages-of-data-driven-automation-testing">Advantages of data-driven automation testing</h2>



Let us discuss the top benefits of using a data-driven automation testing framework or any DDT tool.



1. Reusability



&nbsp;Once we have test scripts ready, the same test script can take any number of test input, present in the files as test data. There is no need to make any changes to the script since it will just read the test data from the file and execute the test case. Whereas, if the test data is hardcoded in the test scripts, the lines of code increase tremendously and such coding practices compromise on the reusability of the program.



2. Enhanced clarity



Since there are separate folders/locations of the test data and test scripts, there is clarity in the development and maintenance of both. If test data needs any changes then it can be done easily without referring to the testing scripts and vice-versa.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/SvRcQMx99B8R3EZNq3GqkqaRFTdi7ruUfQsaa8fTYqt1cp7_9zdyvrEnj5rxRSm4KkKWcnRpycJYzLTZdNHu4hYLLHcSX4_xN1ehGmY5YCYuiORc0U-pJdw6QJDuTbaHYpAUf9m8" alt="Testsigma - Enhanced clarity"/></figure>



&nbsp;Image shows separate Test Data and Test Scripts.



3. Maintainability



If there is any update required either in test scripts or test data, it is hassle-free because both test data and test scripts are placed separately with no dependency on each other. While the automation test engineer is working on the test scripts, any team member with knowledge of AUT can maintain and update the test data file without any dependency on the test scripts.



4. Broader test-coverage



With high-quality test data which perfectly reflects the real production data, we can achieve a very good test-coverage. This helps in achieving high quality and better stability of the application. The result will be a very few defects in the production environment because all the possible data is already tested and issues have been fixed accordingly.



5. Time-efficient



The automated test-run can be set up for a nightly run when there is no one working. The results can be verified in the morning, and hence a great amount of time can be saved in the testing activities. Also, if compared with manual testing, data-driven automation testing is faster because all the benefits of automation testing are underlying.



6. Reduced manual error



Unlike, manual testing the test-data is read from the files and not manually entered in the application. Human error is unavoidable when a large amount of data is being entered. Data-driven automation testing reduces the chance of manual error to a great extent and a high-quality product is a result.



7. Reduced test scripts



Because we are not hard coding the test data in the script logic, the size of the code written is reduced considerably. The same test script can be used for a huge set of test data. 



8. Better use of human skills



The redundant work of manually entering the test data is monotonous and time-consuming. Human skills can be used for better purposes like exploratory testing when data-driven automation testing is in place.



9. Faster decision making



Due to the faster speed of automation and quick execution of a broader data set, the management and defect-related decisions could be concluded faster. In the Agile and DevOps environment, shorter development cycles need quick decisions and quick resolution of issues. The data-driven automation testing aids the Agile and DevOps intricacies to a great extent.



10. Independent of application development



The data-driven automation testing framework can be developed in parallel or before the actual application development. Since, we will be dealing with parameterised variables, independent test data sheets or files and separate test scripts. 



The framework development is independent of the actual AUT. If an automation tool like testsigma is being used for the DDT, this process becomes easier. To create test scripts for reading/writing test data from files and scripts of test functions need expertise and effort.&nbsp;



11. Minimum technical knowledge required for test data creation



We have separated the test scripts and the test data in the data-driven automation testing process. The scripting part requires expertise and technical knowledge; however, the test data creation does not require any technical expertise. A person who has knowledge of the AUT and domain would be able to fill in the test data values in the sheet/file. 



<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



As the name suggests, data-driven testing (DDT) means testing which is driven by data. Data is of the extreme importance here in data-driven automation testing. A judicious selection of the test data thus becomes imperative in this case. 



Simply running the automation scripts on a massive test data set, without a proper vision is such a waste of time, effort and resources. A proper understanding of the AUT and a very good domain knowledge prepares the background for a great test data set.



In current times data is everything- Big Data, AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine learning) endorse this fact with the highest splendour.



Testing can not be any different, to cover a broader spectrum of scenarios in the software testing – a diligent selection of test data is needed. So that any possible defect is already taken care of during testing and the risk of any potential defect in production is minimised.



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<a aria-label="Testsigma, a tool for data-driven testing (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-data-driven-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma, a tool for data-driven testing</a>, has greatly simplified data-driven testing and made it very easy for anyone to get it going. Check how Testsigma does it here: <a href="https://testsigma.com/data-driven-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Data Driven Testing Simplified!</a>

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What is Test Data Management? | Importance & Best Practices

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Iteration Regression Testing And Full Regression Testing in Agile

We need to follow test automation best practices as software gets more sophisticated. Recently, top QA consultancy companies QASymphony and TechWell surveyed mid-size and large-size enterprises for insights into the QA Automation trends. They found that most organizations(76%) were automating less than half of their test cases.



However, almost half of these enterprises expect to automate 50% of the test cases by this year. In general, 92% of organizations, including startups and large enterprises, perform some automation with the help of tools. You can find the full report here.



The benefits are huge and rewarding if automated testing is practiced diligently with proper planning. The ROI increases exponentially with time if we follow top test automation best practices.



However, it does not mean that we can depend on automated testing completely and bid goodbye to manual testing. The overall software testing process will always include a mix of manual and automation test cases to achieve high quality and better speed with optimum use of resources. In this blog, we will discuss 9 top test automation best practices.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#9_Test_Automation_Best_Practices_to_Follow">1 9 Test Automation Best Practices to Follow</a><ul><li><a href="#1_Automation_is_the_second_step_not_the_first">1.1 1. Automation is the second step, not the first</a></li><li><a href="#2_Identify_ideal_test_cases_for_automated_testing">1.2 2. Identify ideal test cases for automated testing</a></li><li><a href="#3_Stability_of_Environment_and_Application_Under_TestAUT">1.3 3. Stability of Environment and Application Under Test(AUT)</a></li><li><a href="#4_Choose_the_right_test_automation_tool">1.4 4. Choose the right test automation tool</a></li><li><a href="#5_Use_Data-driven_Tests">1.5 5. Use Data-driven Tests</a></li><li><a href="#6_Create_tests_that_are_resistant_to_UI_changes">1.6 6. Create tests that are resistant to UI changes</a></li><li><a href="#7_Divide_and_conquer_testing_efforts">1.7 7. Divide and conquer testing efforts</a></li><li><a href="#8_Test_on_real_devices">1.8 8. Test on real devices</a></li><li><a href="#9_Early_and_frequent_testing">1.9 9. Early and frequent testing</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Why_are_Test_Automation_Best_Practices_important">2 Why are Test Automation Best Practices important?</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">3 Conclusion</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">4 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#1_How_do_you_Automate_QA_Testing">4.1 1. How do you Automate QA Testing? </a></li><li><a href="#2_How_do_you_ensure_your_automated_tests_are_reliable_and_maintainable">4.2 2. How do you ensure your automated tests are reliable and maintainable?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="9-test-automation-best-practices-to-follow">9 Test Automation Best Practices to Follow</h2>



So, let&#8217;s look at some top automated testing practices we can follow while automating the test cases for a happy automated testing experience.



<h3 id="1-automation-is-the-second-step-not-the-first">1. Automation is the second step, not the first</h3>



We cannot directly start automating new software. The first step is to have a stable and well-designed manual testing process and right test cases in place. When the environment, development code and manual test processes gain stability, we can start thinking about bringing automated testing in the project. Hence, the test cases which are ideal for automated testing can be selected with the help of manual testers and put in automated testing which frees up manual test engineers&#8217; time for more human attention specific tasks, such as usability testing, exploratory testing, and ad-hoc testing.



So, how do we identify which cases to be automated? Let’s find out in the next point.



<h3 id="2-identify-ideal-test-cases-for-automated-testing">2. Identify ideal test cases for automated testing</h3>



Though 100% of the test cases present in any project can be automated, it does not imply that they should be automated. We need to be very careful while selecting the ideal cases for automation. Otherwise, we may lose time and money on creating scripts for the cases which are rarely run.



Below test cases could be picked up for automation because of their repetitive nature:



a. <a href="https://testsigma.com/regression-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Regression Testing</a>



We need to ensure that the new code changes have not introduced any new defects in the code. Execution of the regression test cases manually could be time-consuming and a mundane task for the manual test engineer. That is why regression test cases become the best for automated testing. The test engineer can use the time for other more useful tasks that require manual attention, e.g., exploratory testing. 



b. <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/smoke-testing/">Smoke Testing</a>



Whenever a new build is released for testing, smoke testing is performed to ensure that the critical functionalities of the product are checked. Since these tests are run after each build, they are good candidates for automated testing. Most smoke tests are integrated with Continuous Integration(CI) tools like Jenkins to run them automatically whenever the development team releases a new build. 



c. <a href="https://testsigma.com/data-driven-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Data-Driven Testing</a>



Data-driven testing involves running data stored in several file formats like CSV, Excel, DB tables, and JSON files through the same code multiple times. 



(i) Reduction in testing time Data-driven testing is time-consuming when done manually. Automated testing considerably reduces the testing time whenever a <a href="https://testsigma.com/guides/test-scenario/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test scenario</a> changes. Only the file where data is stored needs to be changed. 



(ii) High-quality test data The data we use for data-driven testing should be high quality and easily maintainable. Otherwise, if we are using just filler data or data that is difficult to maintain later with requirement changes, our purpose of automation will be lost.



Want to know the benefits of Data-Driven Test Automation? Check out &#8211; <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/top-benefits-of-data-driven-test-automation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Top Benefits of Data-Driven Test Automation</a>



d. Difficult manual test cases



The manual test cases which are difficult to execute, for instance, cases involving many numerical calculations, are ideal for automated testing. Since they consume the manual tester&#8217;s time, it is better to leave such calculations to the automation scripts and make better use of the saved time. In short, the test cases repeating in nature are the best choice for automated testing.



Get to know &#8211;<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-convert-manual-test-cases-into-automated-test-cases-and-why/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How To Convert Manual Test Cases Into Automated Test Cases And Why</a>



<h3 id="3-stability-of-environment-and-application-under-test-aut">3. Stability of Environment and Application Under Test(AUT)</h3>



The environment and application should be stable so that the automation scripts provide consistent results.



<ol><li>Stable AUT: If the AUT is unstable and keeps changing, the QA team will have to rework automation scripts in every release. This will diminish the purpose of automated testing. Hence, ensure the application is stable before starting with automated testing.</li><li>Stable Environment: If the environment is unstable, the actual result will vary from the expected result on every automated test run. In this case, it won&#8217;t be easy to verify the correctness of the test run and then eventually debug it.</li></ol>



<h3 id="4-choose-the-right-test-automation-tool">4. Choose the right test automation tool</h3>



The next crucial factor in automated testing is choosing the right<a href="https://testsigma.com/tools/software-testing-tools/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> software testing tool</a> for your application. There are currently plenty of automated testing tools, and it is very important to analyze them. Consider the below points before selecting the automated testing tool,



<ul><li>Type of application</li></ul>



Is your application type web, mobile, API, or desktop? This analysis is important as it will help you select the best fit.



<ul><li>Platform support</li></ul>



Will the application run on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, or iOS? Check if the tool allows you to run your tests across multiple platforms and versions.



<ul><li>Skillset required</li></ul>



Scripted testing tools require the testers to be strong in programming languages like Java, Python, Ruby, Perl, etc. One test engineer may be well versed in one language and unaware of the other. Hence, it is important to discuss with the QA team if they are comfortable with the language and the automated testing tool.&nbsp;



On the contrary, scriptless testing tools like Testsigma allow testers to create and run automated testing using low-code techniques. That is, testers need not write any test code to create automated tests. This makes test automation accessible for both technical and non-technical users in the project.&nbsp;



Also, Testsigma is a unified cloud-based AI-driven low-code testing platform that allows you to run web, mobile, API, and desktop apps in one place.



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<h3 id="5-use-data-driven-tests">5. Use Data-driven Tests</h3>



Using quality test data is crucial to ensure accurate and efficient testing. That is, with the help of realistic test data, you can simulate real-world scenarios, thus mimicking actual user interactions.&nbsp;



Use both valid and invalid (positive and negative) test data to make sure the app behaves as expected for any type of input. Also, this helps you achieve high test coverage as you cover most of the user scenarios.



Testsigma supports <a href="https://testsigma.com/data-driven-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data-driven testing</a> allowing you to test across a wide range of test data, thereby helping you get high test coverage and test accuracy.&nbsp;



<h3 id="6-create-tests-that-are-resistant-to-ui-changes">6. Create tests that are resistant to UI changes</h3>



Create automated tests that are resistant to changes in the UI to maintain the stability and reliability of your test suite. If your UI changes drastically after creating automated tests, then your tests will fail. To prevent this, ensure your app&#8217;s UI is stable before creating and executing automated tests.&nbsp;



<h3 id="7-divide-and-conquer-testing-efforts">7. Divide and conquer testing efforts</h3>



Testing is a very important part of the SDLC cycle. It takes a good amount of time, effort, and resources for proper and efficient testing. Instead of assigning all the QA tasks to a single tester, divide and assign tasks to every QA tester to ensure every module is properly tested in a given time. This helps prevent testing gaps, and you can cover most of the test scenarios.&nbsp;



Using a scripted testing tool will requires the entire QA team to be strong in programming languages to create test code. This will consume a lot of time to train every tester in that particular language. You can avoid this with the help of scriptless testing tools like Testsigma.&nbsp;



<a href="https://testsigma.com/">Testsigma</a> allows testers to create automated tests that are similar to natural language with the help of NLPs and Recorder. No coding is required. Also, it supports Java for <a href="https://www.educative.io/answers/what-is-code-based-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">code-based testing</a>. So, both technical and non-technical members can collaborate and perform automated testing with this tool.



<h3 id="8-test-on-real-devices">8. Test on real devices</h3>



Use real devices to test your application to get accurate test results. Running your test across all devices manually is impossible and highly expensive. Automate your tests and use a real device cloud, that is you can run your automated tests across multiple real devices and platforms on the cloud.&nbsp;



Testsigma supports more than 3000+ real devices/tablets and 1000+ browser/OS combinations for comprehensive testing. No setup is required, just a one-click <a href="https://testsigma.com/signup">sign in</a> to test your web, mobile, API, and desktop apps across different devices, screen sizes, resolutions, platforms, and versions on the cloud.



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<h3 id="9-early-and-frequent-testing">9. Early and frequent testing</h3>



Start automation testing early in the development cycle and run tests frequently. This helps catch bugs earlier, saving time and cost compared to fixing them later in development or production.



<h2 id="why-are-test-automation-best-practices-important">Why are Test Automation Best Practices important?</h2>



Automated testing best practices are a must for any software development process that wants to assure quality and efficiency. They will help you avoid typical problems, enhance your test coverage, and at the end of the day make the user experience better.&nbsp; Following these best practices maximizes the benefits of automation and minimizes risks.



<h2 id="conclusion-1">Conclusion</h2>



Automated testing is an important aspect of SDL, but it&#8217;s essential to follow test automation best practices to get the most value out of your tests. Time, cost, quality, and risk mitigation are key points to be kept in mind when discussing SDLC. The perfect balance of these four factors does the actual magic. 



<h2 id="frequently-asked-questions">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



<h3 id="1-how-do-you-automate-qa-testing">1. How do you Automate QA Testing? </h3>



As part of Test Automation Best Practices, you must know the following to automate QA testing:



<ul><li>Specify which parts of testing you need to automate.</li><li>Choose the right automation tool.</li><li>Plan the test automation strategy and setup environment.</li><li>Write and execute automated tests frequently.</li><li>Examine test results and maintain tests.</li></ul>



<h3 id="2-how-do-you-ensure-your-automated-tests-are-reliable-and-maintainable">2. How do you ensure your automated tests are reliable and maintainable?</h3>



You should make sure that your automated tests are reliable and easy to maintain. You can do it by focusing on clear and simple test design, using descriptive names, and keeping the test steps updated to match any changes in the application.



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