Mainframe Testing How to Do, Challenges & Best Practices

Mainframe Testing | How to Do, Challenges & Best Practices

We&#8217;re excited to bring you some amazing new features in this month&#8217;s release. From desktop application recording to on-demand partial test runs and seamless integrations with popular CI/CD tools, we are introducing new features and capabilities to enhance your test automation and streamline your QA processes.&nbsp;



Let&#8217;s dive in:



1. Rapidly automate Windows desktop app testing with our Desktop Recorder: Our new desktop recorder allows you to record and generate test cases for Windows apps and effortlessly add new UI elements to your Windows projects. 



2. Test hotfixes quickly with partial test plan execution: No need to re-run entire test plans after hotfixes. With Testsigma, you can now execute partial runs of test plans or test plan subsets for when you need quick results for that bug fix on release days.



3. Build automation made easy with Jenkins Integration: Integrate Testsigma into your CI/CD pipeline for smooth build automation and continuous testing. Our Jenkins integration allows you to run tests and get results at every merge without leaving your pipeline.&nbsp;



4. Unify your test reporting with Azure DevOps Integration: Report and maintain your tests in a single place with Azure DevOps integration. Access all your test reports and results from your Azure DevOps dashboard. Push bugs, epics, tasks, or stories directly from Testsigma while testing, streamlining your workflow.



Stay tuned for more updates from our Product Team. And if you haven&#8217;t yet, <a href="https://testsigma.com/signup">try Testsigma for free</a> and see the difference it makes to your SDLC and release quality.



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July ’23 Product Digest: The latest on Testsigma

What Are the Ultimate Goals of Software Testing

What Are the Ultimate Goals of Software Testing?

What is CI CD testing? How Does It Work?

How to Find Bugs in Application/ Website?

Dynamic Testing What it is ,Types ,& Step by Step Process

What is Dynamic testing? Tools, Techniques & Examples

Every tester spends excessive time understanding the application and its specifications to test it. But imagine the wastage of time and cost for testers when the software build, which developers pass for testing, keeps failing every test. All of this is possible to avoid by using Build Verification Testing or BVT.



The process consists of individually checking the software builds to ensure they are going for testing only after the build is stable and ready.



Let’s learn about BVT and its process.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_Is_Build_Verification_Testing">1 What Is Build Verification Testing?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_Build_Verification_Testing">2 Why Build Verification Testing?</a></li><li><a href="#Principles_of_BVT">3 Principles of BVT</a></li><li><a href="#The_Process_of_BVT_Testing">4 The Process of BVT Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Why_Automation_Is_Essential_For_Build_Verification_Testing">5 Why Automation Is Essential For Build Verification Testing?</a></li><li><a href="#Some_Benefits_Of_BVT_Testing">6 Some Benefits Of BVT Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Tips_For_Selecting_Build_Verification_Tests">7 Tips For Selecting Build Verification Tests</a></li><li><a href="#Build_Verification_Testing_Checklist">8 Build Verification Testing Checklist</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">9 Conclusion</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">10 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#Who_performs_BVT">10.1 Who performs BVT?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_the_difference_between_build_verification_testing_and_build_acceptance_testing">10.2 What is the difference between build verification testing and build acceptance testing?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_an_example_of_BVT_testing">10.3 What is an example of BVT testing?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-build-verification-testing">What Is Build Verification Testing?</h2>



Build verification testing, or BVT, is a set of tests run on every new build to check if the build is stable and ready for further testing. It consists of test cases that validate the core features of the software build. Any build that fails BVT is rejected and goes back to the developers for resolution. Later, it comes back after a fix, and<a href="https://testsigma.com/regression-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> regression testing</a> happens on it with the same set of test cases.



The idea is to save time and resources by eliminating the back-and-forth between the build and testing phases. And this testing proves highly useful when there are multiple inter-dependent builds. It is also called<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/smoke-testing/"> Smoke testing</a> and mainly checks for build verification and acceptance.



An example of BVT is verifying the basic functions of a registration form, such as page rendering and successful registration upon providing the correct credentials. Any build that functions according to its expected behavior passes the BVT testing and moves ahead for further testing.



<h2 id="h-why-build-verification-testing">Why Build Verification Testing?</h2>



BVT aims to ensure that the system or the build exhibits the expected behavior as defined in specifications documents. Some of the reasons why you should perform build verification testing are as follows:



<ul><li>Early detection of issues: BVT is conducted in the early stages of development or after making significant changes to a system. By verifying the expected behavior, you identify bugs and resolve them early on, reducing the likelihood of more severe problems later in the development cycle.</li><li>Risk mitigation: BVT helps mitigate risks associated with the system&#8217;s behavior. It identifies potential risks such as security vulnerabilities, data loss, or incorrect functionality by validating and addressing the expected behavior before the system gets deployed to production.</li><li>Verification of requirements: BVT ensures that the system meets the specified requirements or specifications. It helps validate that the system performs the intended functions and behaves correctly.</li><li>Confidence in system functionality: Performing BVT assures that the system is functioning properly and helps build confidence among stakeholders, including developers, testers, project managers, and end-users, about its quality.</li><li>Efficiency and time savings: By conducting BVT, any deviations from the expected behavior can be identified promptly. This allows developers to make the necessary corrections early on, reducing the overall time and effort required for testing and debugging.</li><li>Customer satisfaction: BVT ensures that the system meets the expected behavior, which in turn increases the likelihood of customer satisfaction as they receive a reliable and functional product.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-principles-of-bvt">Principles of BVT</h2>



Primarily, the principles of BVT are developing a stable build, verifying the build&#8217;s health, and moving toward automation. These three points basically cover multiple aspects of BVT, such as:



<ul><li>Early Testing: BVT should be performed as early as possible in the development cycle to catch issues and bugs at an early stage. It helps identify and rectify problems before they become complex and costly to fix.</li><li>Focus on Critical Functionality: BVT prioritizes testing the critical functionalities of the system or software component that significantly impact the overall build performance or user experience.</li><li>Test End-to-End Scenarios: BVT should include test scenarios that cover the end-to-end functionality of the system. Such an approach is useful in verifying the interaction between different components of the system.</li><li>Clear and Measurable Criteria: The testing should have clear and measurable criteria for determining each test case&#8217;s expected behavior and success measure.</li><li>Reproducibility: BVT should be reproducible, with the tests being the ability to execute multiple times with the same inputs and produce the same results. Reproducibility is important for debugging and investigating issues that arise during testing.</li><li>Documentation: You must be able to well-document the BVT process, including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_plan" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test plans</a>, test cases, and test results. This helps in maintaining a record of the testing process, facilitates collaboration among team members, and provides a reference for future testing and maintenance activities.</li><li>Automation: Whenever feasible, leverage automation tools and frameworks to streamline the testing process. Automation helps increase efficiency, reduce human errors, and enable repeated execution of tests, allowing for faster feedback on the system&#8217;s behavior.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-the-process-of-bvt-testing">The Process of BVT Testing</h2>



You know that BVT consists of certain core functionality tests to check if the software build is ready for testing. Now, let’s see how the BVT process happens and what steps are involved in it.



Performing BVT is quite straightforward: run pre-defined, repetitive tests to see if the build is functioning as it is supposed to. And because the tests are redundant, automating your BVT process using automation tools is logical. Follow these steps to run BVT:



<ul><li>Select the right BVT tests from the already defined test cases.</li><li>Execute the test cases as part of your CI/CD pipeline.</li><li>Analyze and report the test results upon every run.</li><li>In case a BVT test fails, send it back to the developer, log the results, and reject the build.</li><li>Now, developers will work on the issue resolution based on your report and feedback.</li><li>They will send back a new build after fixing the problem, which will again go through BVT with the same set of tests.</li><li>If the build passes BVT, move it forward for testing; otherwise, reject it and send it back for further resolution.</li></ul>



These steps are general guidelines, and the actual implementation of BVT may vary based on the project&#8217;s specific needs, complexity, and context.



<h2 id="h-why-automation-is-essential-for-build-verification-testing">Why Automation Is Essential For Build Verification Testing?</h2>



BVT tests must be automated because automation makes testing extremely accessible and easy. And since these tests are run repeatedly to ensure the build is ready for the testing phase, automation also saves time and cost. The best way to approach BVT automation is to automate everything from start to end, including the build release process and the BVT results.



Automation tools assist in running the tests. And because BVT focuses only on core functionalities, you can go for tools that offer simple yet effective ways to write and execute tests. Testsigma is one such automation tool that provides testers the ability to save and re-run test cases, which is an important part of the BVT process. Another advantage of using Testsigma for BVT is the tool’s feature allowing testers to create test cases in plain English and save them whenever. It further helps that the tool supports web, mobile, desktop and API testing broadening your testing horizons.



 <button class="btn bg-primary cta-btn" style="margin: auto"><a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:#fff">Automate your BVT tests, for web, mobile, desktop, and APIs, from the same place, with Testsigma</a></button> 



<h2 id="h-some-benefits-of-bvt-testing">Some Benefits Of BVT Testing</h2>



Behavioral Verification Testing (BVT) offers several benefits in the software development process. Some of the key benefits of BVT include:



<ul><li>Checks all major core functionalities before executing in-detail tests, thereby saving time and money</li><li>Detects potential bugs even before the testing phase starts</li><li>Helps mitigate risks associated with the behavior of the system</li><li>Ensures that the system adheres to the specified requirements or specifications</li><li>Instills confidence in the development team, testers, project managers, and stakeholders by thoroughly verifying the behavior of the system</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-tips-for-selecting-build-verification-tests">Tips For Selecting Build Verification Tests</h2>



Some tips you should keep in mind while selecting build verification tests are:



<ul><li>Choose all the test cases that cover the core and major functionalities of the software.</li><li>Select test cases that cover end-to-end scenarios of user interactions or system processes.</li><li>Include test cases that cover various input combinations, boundary values, error conditions, and exceptional scenarios.</li><li>Ensure to mention the right version details about the build in the tests.</li><li>Go for test cases that can be automated and executed within 30 minutes.</li><li>Add BVT tests as a part of your CI process.</li><li>Allocate more test cases to high-risk areas to verify and mitigate potential risks thoroughly.</li><li>Select the scalable tests that can be re-used with new additions and modifications of build functionalities.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-build-verification-testing-checklist">Build Verification Testing Checklist</h2>



By now, you have a clear idea about BVT and its scope. And while you can start performing the tests, it is good to have a checklist ready to make sure no critical step goes missing. Follow the below list for running your BVT process.



<ul><li>Develop a BVT test plan outlining the objectives, scope, and test coverage.</li><li>Verify that all the test cases within BVT cover the major functionalities of the build.</li><li>Check if all the tests included in the final testing process are sufficient for build verification.</li><li>Define the entry and exit criteria and follow them strictly.</li><li>Identify and prioritize the test cases.</li><li>If feasible, try to automate all tests.</li><li>Provide detailed reporting of the bugs and rejected builds.</li><li>Follow a standard guideline when the build fails BVT and goes back to developers for a fix.</li><li>Ensure to properly follow the build pass criteria, i.e., do not even overlook any minute issue when it comes to qualifying the build as pass or fail.</li><li>Maintain the automation script with the right input values to re-run them for testing rejected builds after resolution.</li></ul>



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



BVT is a test that is conducted before the detailed testing phase on every new software build. The goal of BVT is to check the core features of the build to see if it is stable and ready for testing. BVT prevents the failing of test cases when the testing on the build actually starts. Build owners work on incoming builds to identify the issues and reject or pass them based on the outcome. With BVT, we only aim to validate the basic functionality of the software rather than verifying all the possible edge cases.



Most of the BVT test cases are automated as they need to be re-run to test new or existing builds that keep coming for testing. You can automate BVT test cases using tools that support writing and executing small, basic tests in record time with lesser resources. Testsigma is equipped with AI to assist testers in creating tests that can be saved, re-run, and written in plain English to perform the BVT process easily. The tool is popular for its accessible testing methods, including NLP-based scripting, data-driven testing, and reusable test groups, which are all required for BVT.



We encourage you to explore Testsigma for all your testing requirements. Register for a<a href="https://testsigma.com/request-demo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> free demo</a> to learn more about the tool and how it will help you to create end-to-end tests 10x faster for web, mobile apps, &amp; APIs.



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



<h3 id="h-who-performs-bvt">Who performs BVT?</h3>



Developers or testers can both perform BVT. Often, the person who executes and maintains BVT results is called the BVT owner and takes care of the testing process before rejecting or passing the build as per the outcome.



<h3 id="h-what-is-the-difference-between-build-verification-testing-and-build-acceptance-testing">What is the difference between build verification testing and build acceptance testing?</h3>



Build verification testing is also called build acceptance testing, which focuses on accepting the build for the detailed testing phase. Both terms are interchangeable in meaning.



<h3 id="h-what-is-an-example-of-bvt-testing">What is an example of BVT testing?</h3>



An example of BVT can be verifying the core functionality of an e-commerce application by signing in and adding products to a cart to buy. For a video/audio sharing app, it can be checking if the videos/audios are displaying and playing as intended. By definition, BVT does not include every edge case but only focuses on validating the primary feature of the build.

Build Verification Testing (BVT Testing) - A Quick Guide

Build Verification Testing (BVT Testing) – A Quick Guide

QA vs UAT Difference between QA and UAT Testing

QA vs UAT: Difference between QA and UAT Testing

When we complete development of certain features and are ready to release this to a live environment so our customers can start using it &#8211; we need to ensure it works as intended. Ensuring this is not easy or simple as it means having certain processes and testing in place. One of the processes that comes super handy here is “testing in production”. <gwmw style="display:none;">



Testing in production can be tricky as that is where product is live and customers use it for real. Even then, there are certain teams that like to take this risk of testing in production. They do execute their smoke tests in production.&nbsp;



In this blog we will look at what production testing is all about, the benefits it brings to the table, the drawbacks and the right process to do it.&nbsp;



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_Is_Testing_in_Production">1 What Is Testing in Production?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_Test_In_Production_And_Its_Importance">2 Why Test In Production And Its Importance?</a></li><li><a href="#Benefits_of_Testing_in_Productionnbsp">3 Benefits of Testing in Production&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="#Types_Of_Testing_In_Production">4 Types Of Testing In Production</a></li><li><a href="#Drawbacks_of_Testing_in_Production">5 Drawbacks of Testing in Production</a></li><li><a href="#Test_Automation_Pre_Production_vs_Post_Production">6 Test Automation Pre Production vs Post Production</a></li><li><a href="#How_To_Perform_Production_Testing">7 How To Perform Production Testing?</a><ul><li><a href="#1_AB_Testing">7.1 1. A/B Testing</a></li><li><a href="#2_Canary_Releases">7.2 2. Canary Releases</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Best_Practices_for_Testing_in_Production">8 Best Practices for Testing in Production</a></li><li><a href="#Tools_that_can_Help_in_Production_Testing">9 Tools that can Help in Production Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">10 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-testing-in-production">What Is Testing in Production?</h2>



Production testing is a software development practice in which new code changes are tested on live user traffic rather than in a staging environment.” Testing in production does not mean to replace other functional and<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/non-functional-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> non-functional tests</a>, but complement them. <gwmw style="display:none;">



The question arises in many teams whether its worth performing this type of testing or not. It mainly comes down to risk management for the product going live. It can be quite beneficial for gathering real-world feedback and improving the application, but should only be done with caution to minimise the impact on its users.&nbsp;



What are really the big risks:



<ul><li>You risk deploying bad code</li><li>You may accidentally leak sensitive data</li><li>It can possibly cause system overload</li><li>You can mess up your tracking and analytics</li><li>You risk releasing a poorly designed product or feature</li></ul>



<a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Automating tests</a> for testing in production is another area that may be worth looking into. Testsigma can support this. Continuously testing an application while moving through the continuous delivery pipeline provides instant visibility into potential failure risks every time there is a new check-in. The added efficiency helps the organizations to deliver error-free software without delay.<gwmw style="display:none;">



Automate your production tests, for web, mobile, desktop and APIs, for better efficiency and effectiveness, with Testsigma



It all comes down to the team and<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_strategy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> testing strategy</a> of whether this type of testing is something your team wants to achieve or not. <gwmw style="display:none;">



<h2 id="h-why-test-in-production-and-its-importance">Why Test In Production And Its Importance?</h2>



Production testing is crucial as it is not possible to find all the bugs in the development and staging environments. Regardless of the efforts of engineering and QA teams, some bugs may still go unnoticed. So, users may encounter software issues even after extensive testing during development.



Also, it is not possible to simulate live and real-world scenarios in a test environment. That is why production testing has become crucial in DevOps and testing these days.



<h2 id="h-benefits-of-testing-in-production">Benefits of Testing in Production&nbsp;</h2>



There are various benefits of testing live in production. If it is done properly with the right process it really does add value. Remember, production testing enables continuous deliveries which is positive as users won&#8217;t have to keep waiting longer for each release.&nbsp;



<ul><li>Find bugs &#8211; With this type of testing as you are testing on live, users can discover bugs or any other issues that you might not find. In some situations there may be issues that won&#8217;t be visible or obvious until the users use it and find out. Therefore monitoring the performance of the application and the releases to production would be a good practice as it will help optimize future releases.&nbsp;</li><li>Quality releases&#8211; Testing in production is also a form of continuous feedback from users, therefore helps improve features of the application and release them to meet the users needs. This also helps with maintainability, reliability and scalability too.&nbsp;</li><li>Collection of real-world data and fast feedback&#8211; Testing in production helps collect real user data and helps understand the engagement of the users with the application released. This is all valuable feedback and really important as well, as it helps optimize the application based on user experience. It will also help with future features that the team may not have thought of before.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>



In general it also provides the following:



<ul><li>Better<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/performance-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Performance Testing</a></li><li>Beta Programs With Instant Feedback</li><li>Fast Problem Detection</li><li>Live App Performance Monitoring</li><li>Running Unpredictable Scenarios</li><li>Evaluating User Experience Effectiveness Objectively</li><li><a href="https://testsigma.com/continuous-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Continuous Testing</a> Feedback</li><li>Deployment Strategies and Methods.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-types-of-testing-in-production">Types Of Testing In Production</h2>



The following are some of the types of testing in production,



<ul><li>A/B Testing: Here, the test is performed by showing two different product versions to different users.</li><li>Load Testing: To evaluate how the application is handling normal or expected user loads.</li><li>Canary Releases: This involves displaying a product version to a subset of users and gathering feedback before releasing the software to the public.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Feature Flagging: This involves using conditional toggles to expose or hide features to users.</li><li>Production User Acceptance Testing: UAT testing in production is performed with real-world scenarios by end-users or a specific group of testers/developers.</li><li>Visual regression testing: To identify any unintended visual changes in the application&#8217;s user interface.</li><li>Disaster recovery testing: To validate the application&#8217;s disaster recovery plan and its ability to restore operations after a catastrophic event.</li><li>Accessibility testing: To check if the application is accessible to everyone and complies with accessibility standards. </li><li>Performance Testing: To evaluate the application&#8217;s responsiveness, speed, and overall performance under different conditions.</li><li>Stress Testing: To evaluate the application&#8217;s stability and reliability under extreme or unexpected user loads that are beyond normal operational capacity.</li><li>Integration Testing: To verify the interactions and data flow between different software components or modules.</li><li>Spike Testing: To evaluate the application&#8217;s performance under sudden, significant increases in load or activity.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-drawbacks-of-testing-in-production">Drawbacks of Testing in Production</h2>



<ul><li>Responsibility in testing &#8211; A this testing is done in production, it is risky and requires to executed more responsibly as compared to other types of testing done on<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-environment/"> test environments</a>. That said, testing in production will only be effective if the team collaborates fully and does not neglect other<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/the-different-software-testing-types-explained/"> types of testing</a>.</li><li>Time for testing needs to be considered carefully &#8211; If you are doing load testing on production, it can lead to poor user experiences. Therefore select a time in the day in which it might not impact the users such as maintenance hours. As user experience is tied with profit, a tester not adhering to the recommended timings can lower the business revenue.&nbsp;</li><li>Chaos Monkey &#8211; This is when on purpose you add chaos in the production environment, to understand everything works as intended. The things chaos monkey injects in are things like failures and this could damage the web server. Therefore this needs to be done carefully to drive a resilient application.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-test-automation-pre-production-vs-post-production">Test Automation Pre Production vs Post Production</h2>



Pre production testing



This is the stage when product development takes place and testing takes place alongside too. You can use great tools to<a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing"> automate your tests</a> too at this stage &#8211; some suggested tools are Testsigma, Selenium, Appium, JUnit, Pytest, Robot, Mocha, Jest, etc. You can then use these tools to connect to a live environment and run your automated checks.&nbsp;



Post production&nbsp;



Once the product has successfully been released, that&#8217;s when it becomes even more important to monitor its behavior. This will then help improve the product and maintain it. Therefore you could run some automated checks again, on production, that can provide some sense of confidence in the performance of the application. Also simple<a href="https://testsigma.com/guides/api-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> API tests</a> could help fetch test results data for decision making within your<a href="https://testsigma.com/continuous-integration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> continuous integration</a> and deployment pipeline. <gwmw style="display:none;">



<h2 id="h-how-to-perform-production-testing">How To Perform Production Testing?</h2>



There are two approaches to production testing, which are discussed in detail below,



<h3 id="h-1-a-b-testing">1. A/B Testing</h3>



A/B testing is one of the most commonly used approaches in production environments. Here, the user gets to see two different product versions and can decide which one is better. This provides valuable feedback to the product teams, helping them choose the right version.



<h3 id="h-2-canary-releases">2. Canary Releases</h3>



Similar to A/B testing, Canary releases introduce a new product version to a subset of users for close monitoring. The released versions undergo small functionality changes before the entire product is released to the entire user base.



<h2 id="h-best-practices-for-testing-in-production">Best Practices for Testing in Production</h2>



Testing in production can enhance your testing strategy when done correctly. So, remember to follow these best practices for an effective production testing,&nbsp;



<ul><li>Use Feature Flags</li></ul>



Feature flagging helps you test new features in the production environment, allowing easy rollback with a &#8216;kill switch&#8217; if needed. This allows you to evaluate new components in the real world, as you can not entirely mimic production in staging.



<ul><li>Test In Peak Hours</li></ul>



Be considerate of the timings when you conduct tests. For example, performing load tests during business hours can greatly impact user experience compared to performing the same tests during non-business hours or maintenance.



<ul><li>Closely Monitor The Tests</li></ul>



Use robust monitoring to track server and database activities. Effective monitoring is crucial for successful testing in production.



<ul><li>Regression Testing</li></ul>



<a href="https://testsigma.com/regression-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Automated regression testing</a> during production ensures that any changes do not affect existing functionality.<gwmw style="display:none;">



<ul><li>Performance Testing</li></ul>



Use performance testing to evaluate the application&#8217;s speed, scalability, and reliability to identify potential bottlenecks.



<ul><li>Stress Testing</li></ul>



Use stress testing to evaluate if the application can handle heavy unexpected user laods.



<ul><li>Sanity Testing</li></ul>



Perform sanity testing to check that the new software build works as expected.



<h2 id="h-tools-that-can-help-in-production-testing">Tools that can Help in Production Testing</h2>



Testsigma



<a href="https://testsigma.com/">Testsigma</a> is an no-code test automation platform for automating your end-to-end tests for web, mobile, desktop and APIs. Testsigma is completely cloud-based, thus you are able to author, debug and execute your tests on Testsigma. To execute you can run your tests on devices available on cloud labs or local ones, depending on your choice. It also integrates seamlessly with all popular<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/ci-cd-tools/"> CICD tools</a>. 



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Reduce test authoring time from hours to seconds with Agentic test automation
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DataDog



DataDog is a comprehensive monitoring tool with amazing tracing capabilities. This helps a lot in debugging with a very low overhead.



New Relic



A very strong APM tool, which offers log management, AI ops, monitoring and more.



Lightrun



Lightrun is a powerful production debugger. It enables adding logs, performance metrics and traces to production and staging in real-time, on demand. Lightrun enables developers to securely add instrumentation without having to redeploy or restart.



Prometheus



Prometheus is an open source monitoring solution that includes metrics scraping, querying, visualization and alerting.&nbsp;



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



Today, majority of software development follows agile methodology. There are certain testing types like functional or non-functional such as CI/CD, A/B testing, Canary/blue/green deployments, usability testing, sanity and smoke testing &#8211; which are done in live production environment.



The main responsibility here is to make sure its done in a safe manner and does not impact the real users.&nbsp; The goal is that the testing should provide enough information to improve the product and the user experience. The production testing can be done manually or can be automated too.



<div class="schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block"><div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1753270846695">What is an example of testing in production? Let’s take the example of social media platform facebook; let’s say they added a new feature in the application. They do some testing in test environments and release it for the public to use. While public is using it, they also run some tests on the same application, this testing will be called production testing.<gwmw style="display:none;"></gwmw> </div> <div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1753270867365">Is testing in production a good idea?<gwmw style="display:none;"></gwmw> Testing in production can be risky and should only be done if the testers understand the risks and are able to execute the production tests without impacting the usability and performance of the application.<gwmw style="display:none;"></gwmw> </div> <div class="schema-faq-section" id="faq-question-1753270886940">What are the risks of testing in production?<gwmw style="display:none;"></gwmw> 1. Risk of deploying bad code 2. Accidentally leaking sensitive data 3. Possibility of system overload 4. Messing up the analytics 5. Risk of releasing product or feature that is not usable<gwmw style="display: none; background-color: transparent;"></gwmw> </div> </div>



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What is Production Testing? | Benefits, Best Practices & Tools

In simple terms, shift left refers to moving testing and quality assurance earlier in the development process, while shift right focuses on testing and monitoring after the software is released. In this blog post, we&#8217;ll break down the differences between Shift Left vs Shift Right and why they matter.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_the_Difference_Between_Shift_Left_and_Shift_Right">1 What is the Difference Between Shift Left and Shift Right?</a></li><li><a href="#Test_Automation_Using_Shift_Left_and_Shift_Right">2 Test Automation Using Shift Left and Shift Right.</a></li><li><a href="#Why_Shift_Right_and_Shift_Left_Testing_are_Critical_for_Microservices_Architecture">3 Why Shift Right and Shift Left Testing are Critical for Microservices Architecture?</a></li><li><a href="#Shift_Left_vs_Shift_Right_When_to_Use_Which">4 Shift Left vs Shift Right: When to Use Which?</a></li><li><a href="#Shift_Left_vs_Shift_Right_8211_Tools_Used">5 Shift Left vs Shift Right &#8211; Tools Used </a></li><li><a href="#Shift_Left_vs_Shift_Right_A_Summary">6 Shift Left vs Shift Right – A Summary</a></li><li><a href="#Which_One_to_Choose_Shift_Left_or_Shift_Right_or_Both">7 Which One to Choose, Shift Left or Shift Right, or Both?</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">8 Conclusion</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">9 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#Is_the_shift_left_positive_or_negative">9.1 Is the shift left positive or negative?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_an_example_of_shift_left_testing_and_shift_right_testing">9.2 What is an example of shift left testing and shift right testing?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-the-difference-between-shift-left-and-shift-right">What is the Difference Between Shift Left and Shift Right?</h2>



Let me explain you in simple terms.



<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-does-testsigma-support-the-shift-left-approach/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shift-left testing</a> starts testing earlier in the development cycle before the code is written. This type of testing narrows the gap between writing code and finding bugs. The goal of shift left testing is to find and fix bugs quickly and reduce the cost of fixing them. 



Shift-right testing is the testing process later in the development cycle after the product is deployed. This type of testing focuses on verifying functionality and usability and finding and resolving customer-reported issues. Shift-right testing aims to improve the user experience and ensure the product is bug-free before releasing updates.



<h2 id="h-test-automation-using-shift-left-and-shift-right">Test Automation Using Shift Left and Shift Right.</h2>



Use of test automation when you shift your testing left, or right depends on the state of your application and the state of your testing. When shifting your testing left, <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation</a> would help if you have tests executed repeatedly or very complex tests that would give better results upon automation. The same applies to shifting your testing right. Automating your tests for shift right makes better sense as, at this time, the application is fully developed and is expected to be more stable.



Let&#8217;s discuss the tools that can be used for automating your shift left tests and shift right tests.



<h2 id="why-shift-right-and-shift-left-testing-are-critical-for-microservices-architecture">Why Shift Right and Shift Left Testing are Critical for Microservices Architecture?</h2>



Both shift-left and shift-right testing are cornerstones for microservices architecture. This is because&nbsp;



<ul><li>they ensure early identification of issues through detection mechanisms, </li><li>enhance collaboration between teams, </li><li>improve quality and reliability, </li><li>reduce costs through automation and </li><li>improved processes.</li></ul>



Shift-Left Testing moves the testing activities earlier in the development lifecycle. Testing happens at the beginning of the process. It is like checking whether the car engine works before starting to drive.



Shift Right Testing moves its activities to be performed in a production-like environment. It entails monitoring how the application performs and behaves in terms of action.



It means testing does not stop when the car hits the road; it continues to ensure that everything is running smoothly.



<h2 id="shift-left-vs-shift-right-when-to-use-which">Shift Left vs Shift Right: When to Use Which?</h2>



Shift Left is ideal for identifying and acting on issues early in the software development lifecycle, during requirements gathering and early testing. It is best suited for projects that emphasize quality and rapid iteration.



Shift Right is all about making sure your app performs well, keeping an eye on how it&#8217;s doing, and making sure users are happy once it&#8217;s out there. It&#8217;s great for apps that need constant tweaks. Also, for real-time feedback to make sure they work well and keep users happy.



<h2 id="h-shift-left-vs-shift-right-tools-used">Shift Left vs Shift Right &#8211; Tools Used </h2>



Shift-Left Testing Tools:



<ul><li>Testsigma: <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a> is an AI-powered automation testing tool that supports the Shift Left approach. The benefit of using Testsigma is it allows you to write test cases right from the design phase. So, whether your features are conclusive or not — you can start working on your testing approach even without the availability of the application or software. You can always add test steps without element details and fill them up later when the details are available. Testsigma, a codeless tool, is very easy and efficient for test creation. This helps you speed up your testing process many times.</li></ul>



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<ul><li>TestLeft: As the name suggests, SmartBear’s TestLift is specifically made for Shift Left testing. With this tool, you can start testing right from the design phase; as soon as the UI features are ready, you can automate your tests.</li><li>JUnit: A unit testing framework developers use to write and run repeatable tests.</li></ul>



Shift-Right Testing Tools:



<ul><li>Testsigma: Testsigma can also automate shift-right tests for efficient and effective test automation and execution. </li></ul>



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<ul><li>Appium: Similarly, appium, an open-source <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-automation-frameworks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation framework</a> for <a href="https://testsigma.com/mobile-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testing mobile apps</a> can be used to automate your shift-rest tests.</li><li>Selenium: Selenium is a powerful open-source framework used for automating web browsers. This helps you automate your <a href="https://devops.com/shift-right-testing-the-emergence-of-testops/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shift right tests</a> for web applications</li></ul>



<h2 id="shift-left-vs-shift-right-a-summary">Shift Left vs Shift Right – A Summary</h2>



Here is a detailed table:



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Criteria</td><td>Shift Left</td><td>Shift Right</td></tr><tr><td>Definition&nbsp;</td><td>Refers to shifting the focus of operations and tasks to the left of the traditional technology stack to develop or maintain software.&nbsp;</td><td>Refers to shifting the focus from manual tasks and more technical tasks.&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>Benefits&nbsp;</td><td>Enhances quality, and reduces development time.</td><td>Automating tasks leads to faster development cycles and higher accuracy during testing.</td></tr><tr><td>Impact&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>Reduced costs through automation and better processes.</td><td>Increased efficiency in completing tasks by automating repeatable accuracy when developing software.&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>Focus Areas</td><td>Emphasizes early testing, continuous feedback, and integration to identify issues sooner.</td><td>Concentrates on performance, monitoring, and validation after deployment to ensure quality in production.</td></tr><tr><td>Risk Management</td><td>Identifies and mitigates risks early in the development process to avoid costly late-stage fixes.</td><td>Focuses on identifying and addressing operational risks post-deployment through monitoring and feedback loops.</td></tr><tr><td>Collaboration</td><td>Encourages collaboration between development and testing teams from the beginning.</td><td>Promotes collaboration between operations and development teams post-release for continuous improvement.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h2 id="h-which-one-to-choose-shift-left-or-shift-right-or-both">Which One to Choose, Shift Left or Shift Right, or Both?</h2>



Alright, we&#8217;re all pondering whether to go left or right. Here are some tips to help you pick the one that&#8217;s right for you. It depends on the scale of the test and the specific needs and preferences of the organization. If you want to focus primarily on the early detection of critical bugs or other software development problems, then &#8220;Shift-Left&#8221; testing is your best choice; by performing tests earlier on in the development cycle, you can detect and eliminate problems more quickly and this can save money and other resources in the long term. 



On the other hand, if you are more concerned with verifying the correctness of the application as it is being deployed, then a &#8220;Shift-Right&#8221; approach would be more appropriate; by postponing tests to later stages of the deployment pipeline, you can ensure that features and behaviors are sufficiently tested in the environments where they are being used. In some cases, it may be beneficial to use a combination of both approaches; the key is understanding your particular needs and objectives and selecting and refining your testing strategies accordingly.



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



So here&#8217;s the deal &#8211; there are two operations before you: shift left and shift right. Each has its pros and cons. Shift Left is about catching defects early in the development process, while Shift Right focuses on testing in production to ensure your app works well in the real world. It really depends on what your organization needs and wants. You must consider your company culture, development processes, and business goals to determine your best approach.



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



<h3 id="h-is-the-shift-left-positive-or-negative">Is the shift left positive or negative?</h3>



Shift left is a positive operation.



<h3 id="h-what-is-an-example-of-shift-left-testing-and-shift-right-testing">What is an example of shift left testing and shift right testing?</h3>



Shift Left Testing: This testing operation occurs early in the software development life cycle. An example of this could involve unit and integration testing performed by developers and QA specialists before handing off the project to operations or the customer. Shift right testing is a testing approach that moves testing activities to the right of the development cycle, meaning it starts later in the process. An example would be having the customer perform user acceptance testing at the end of the development cycle to ensure the product meets their needs and requirements.

Shifting Gears The Differences between Shift Left vs Shift Right