COVID-19 has changed our lives in so many ways. There is not a single aspect of our life that is untouched by it. The way organizations operate their work has also changed drastically. Before 2020 no one would have guessed that work from home will become such an internationally accepted phenomenon.



However, working from home has been a new experience for most of us, and there are times that we find ourselves struggling too. So, we thought of sharing some tips and tricks with the testing community that is working from home, aiming to improve their working experience overall.&nbsp;



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Maintain_continuous_team_collaboration">1 Maintain continuous team collaboration</a></li><li><a href="#Robust_and_secure_infrastructure_saves_the_day">2 Robust and secure infrastructure saves the day</a></li><li><a href="#Meeting_tools_to_have_effective_global_meetings">3 Meeting tools to have effective global meetings</a></li><li><a href="#Keep_distraction_away_from_the_work_area">4 Keep distraction away from the work area</a></li><li><a href="#Tracking_the_processes_to_plan_better">5 Tracking the processes to plan better</a></li><li><a href="#Maintain_professionalism_at_all_cost">6 Maintain professionalism at all cost</a></li><li><a href="#Set_clear_boundaries_and_expectations_for_others_and_yourself">7 Set clear boundaries and expectations for others and yourself</a></li><li><a href="#Take_breaks_and_do_exercise_to_keep_the_spirit_high">8 Take breaks and do exercise to keep the spirit high</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">9 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="maintain-continuous-team-collaboration">Maintain continuous team collaboration</h2>



During regular office setup, any doubt clearance or communication can happen right away. However, in a remote working setup, smooth communication becomes challenging.



In teamwork, silence isn’t golden, it’s deadly &#8211; Mark Sanborn. This quote is absolutely true, when working in a team communication and collaboration is the key to success. Relying on text messages to communicate is not productive at all. Today, teams are relying on <a href="https://www.cloudtalk.io/phone-solution-for-remote-teams/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">communication tools</a> like Zoom, Skype, and Slack, etc. to keep team collaboration handy.&nbsp;



Also, the integrations with tools such as JIRA, Microsoft Teams, Sharepoint etc. keep the teams on the same page. This is critical since even if a small detail is missed the results can be catastrophic from a testing perspective.



A daily stand-up, even for 10-15 mins, is essential for smooth communication among the team members. You can have a daily stand-up at the beginning of the workday to resolve any roadblocks and define tasks for the day. A daily standup in the evening can help to communicate how much has been achieved for the day and plan the day ahead better.



<h2 id="robust-and-secure-infrastructure-saves-the-day">Robust and secure infrastructure saves the day</h2>



Today, when people are working from home, they are using personal or company-provided laptops to connect to the office network. In such a case, the infrastructure is required to be robust and stable to provide 24*7 available testing environments for automation testing.



Mostly we are using a virtual desktop to stay connected to the organization’s network. Any technical glitch such as a network bandwidth issue can impact the output of the whole organization. This can cause a huge negative impact on the employees and the clients as well especially in an agile environment. 



We cannot even afford a single day of downtime when working in sprints. Hence, it is imperative for organizations to have proper backup and plan to tackle such unforeseen issues.



From employees perspective, there are infrastructure issues that can impact the productivity for the day, they are:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Unstable internet connection</li><li>Video recording not working</li><li>Screen sharing lags in voice and screen</li></ul>



The most common and annoying is internet connectivity issues. Even a few packet drops in the internet connection can disconnect you from the virtual network. Hence, it is very important to choose a service provider which provides the best network and customer support in your area.



<h2 id="meeting-tools-to-have-effective-global-meetings">Meeting tools to have effective global meetings</h2>



This is an era of distributed teams across the World where their team members are sitting across continents. We know smooth and consistent communication is the key success factor for any team. First of all, a suitable time is required to be set up for these meetings. 



Obviously, the teams need to work in such a timing where the time zones coincide and overlap. The usual 9-5 office timings will not work, in a globally distributed team set up.&nbsp;



<a href="https://attrock.com/blog/slack-alternatives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tools such as Slack</a>, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype, etc. help teams to share screens so that the whole team can view the same screen and provide inputs. This is really required when the testing team is demonstrating a defect during a defect triage call.



These tools help to keep the communication game up without any compromise on the quality of work.



<h2 id="keep-distraction-away-from-the-work-area">Keep distraction away from the work area</h2>



In an organization’s office setup, employees are focused on their work only. However, when we are working from home there are all sorts of distractions around. This is normal because it is home, not an office, but as an employee, this may impact our productivity.



&nbsp;Distractions like other family members working from home and having meetings or children having online classes are daily events. There may be guests visiting or your cat needs your attention. 



The list is endless, but there has to be a way to keep the distractions away and stay focused on work. Because you will not want to miss a defect anyway.



A solution is to have a separate corner in the home where you can set up your workstation away from these distractions. Choose a corner that is comparatively quiet and has a well-defined work routine. Create a to-do list daily, this plan will help you to achieve short-term goals and maintain mental peace.



<h2 id="tracking-the-processes-to-plan-better">Tracking the processes to plan better</h2>



During a testing process, you need to track and plan the testing activities such as:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Test planning</li><li>Test scripts writing</li><li>Test data creation and management</li><li>Test versioning, review, and approvals</li><li>Test case scheduling</li><li>Test reporting</li></ul>



Thankfully, we have many testing tools that are great for managing the above-mentioned testing activities. These testing tools are available on the cloud and can be accessed from anywhere, hence they promote work from home. Thus, out of all the tips we discussed above, the most important for the testing community is the adoption of testing tools during work from home &#8211; for managed and quality software testing.



One such <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation tool is Testsigma</a>, which is cloud-based, AI, and NLP-driven. It helps you to write your test cases in plain English and accelerates the test case writing by up to 5x speed. 



You can perform automated end-to-end testing of web, mobile, and APIs at ease. There is no need to write cumbersome code and framework any further.



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In a DevOps and Agile environment, teams are working on the cloud and the same version of artifacts are accessible to everyone. Without metrics, parameters, and tracking we can not have a successful scrum. 



Data such as how many test cases are executed, the number of unit/regression tests failed, which defects are new or fixed, etc. helps in having a clear picture of the testing process. 



This helps in tracking tasks such as who is writing test scripts for which module. This in turn enables proper planning of tasks for the whole team. The <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/ebook/in-sprint-test-automation-simplified" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in-sprint test automation</a> helps to achieve quick results with continuous testing and integration of code.



If there are any resource bandwidth issues, the testing activities can be quickly redistributed to the whole team to have minimum impact on the delivery date. This tracking and continuous status sharing to the higher management helps in making decisions and coordinating release management.



You can also use <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/what-are-the-kpis-of-software-testing-and-qa-testsigma/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">KPIs</a> to track the effectiveness of your software testing and <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation</a> process, it can be as primitive as colour-coding. For example, you may keep this colour coding to determine how much the team has achieved out of the expected output. 



This can be applied on a daily/weekly basis to keep the team motivated to achieve their short-term goals. Green may mean awesome work, yellow may mean great work, etc.



<h2 id="maintain-professionalism-at-all-cost">Maintain professionalism at all cost</h2>



Although it may seem comfortable to work from bed, it is not a good idea to do so. You will agree that a proper work routine and ethics certainly help to achieve a better outcome. Maintain a proper workstation desk with all the technical essentials available right there.&nbsp;



There are steps that you can take to maintain professionalism during working from home:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Dress professionally: Working in a comfortable t-shirt and pyjamas is an advantage of working from home. However, when you have important meetings wearing a formal dress instils a sense of professionalism. </li><li>Video meetings: Make sure that you attend video meetings on a desk setup and not from anywhere. Also, try to keep background noise as minimum as possible, as we understand in a home we cannot totally avoid it.</li></ul>



<h2 id="set-clear-boundaries-and-expectations-for-others-and-yourself">Set clear boundaries and expectations for others and yourself</h2>



An issue which most people face during work-from-home is that the boundaries between working and non-working hours blur. People find themselves attending late-night work meetings. They complain about working longer than when they used to work at the office. Why is it so? The reason is a lack of proper boundaries and unclear expectations.



It is advisable to be firm and assertive about the office timings, mention clearly how many hours per day you can invest. Do not accept more work than you can execute in designated working hours. The reason is that blurring these boundaries is toxic for your family. Losing on family time can negatively impact your mental peace and work eventually.



It not only applies to you, but it also applies to others as well. When you are defining daily tasks or other assignments, meetings, etc. for your team members, stay empathetic about their family life. If you&#8217;re struggling with working overtime, use a <a href="https://www.timecamp.com/blog/2021/05/best-weekly-schedule-templates/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weekly schedule template</a> or simply use <a href="https://apploye.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">time tracking software</a> to keep track of the overtime and plan your work ahead.



<h2 id="take-breaks-and-do-exercise-to-keep-the-spirit-high">Take breaks and do exercise to keep the spirit high</h2>



Due to COVID-19, people are already feeling low globally, because everyone is missing the life they had pre-Covid. The monotonous life with no fun may become outright boring. To come out of negativity it is really important you take mini-steps to elevate your mood and feel refreshed.&nbsp;



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Do not sit for long hours at a stretch, take mini breaks in between to divert your mind from stress and work pressure.</li><li>Play with kids or pets, it is the easiest mood refresher.</li><li>Exercise or take small walks, releases endorphins in the body and makes you feel happy and good.</li><li>If you love playing games, you can&nbsp;<a href="https://im-a-puzzle.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">play jigsaw puzzles</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.solitairebliss.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Solitaire games</a>. It will help you refresh your mind as well help you improve cognitive and learning skills. Taking breaks and staying active during the day is essential, Working late into the night can disrupt your sleep, leaving you tired the next day. Remember, taking a break at night is just as important as daytime breaks. So, invest in a peaceful night&#8217;s rest on a <a href="https://eachnight.com/mattress-guides/best-mattress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cozy mattress</a> to boost your spirits and energy for the next working day.</li></ul>



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



“I discovered that a fresh start is a process. A fresh start is a journey – a journey that requires a plan.” – Vivian Jokotade



So, for the testing community and also in general &#8211; consider work from home as a new beginning which has its perks such as work-life balance, the flexibility of work timings, and no need to travel for work, etc. However, it has its share of limitations as well. Technical and personal aspects of work from home need to be sorted out for a seamless work experience by proper planning and vision ane we hope that this tips will help.




PC: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/vectors/people" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">People vector created by goonerua &#8211; www.freepik.com</a>

Working from home - tips and tricks for the testing community

Working from home – tips and tricks for the testing community

What to gift your software tester friend if you were the secret Santa?

What to gift your software tester friend if you are the secret Santa?

Since the beginning of the internet era, browsers and websites have lived co-dependently. Starting from the internet explorer, then to the Mozilla project and now to at least six major browsers in the market, we have evolved quite well. But browsers and web development technologies do not seem to be in a happy relationship. 



To ease out the web development, developers think of new ways to have a dedicated and organised system of sustainable websites such as subgrids. Result? Better improved and optimised libraries for web development in the future library release cycles. But the problem is, our stubborn browsers are not always ready to incorporate these changes and they literally work of their own will. 



This results in cross-browser compatibility issues and testing them out is cross-browser testing. But just like any other testing paradigm, cross-browser testing is full of challenges and we will explore them in this post along with some arrangements that can help smoothen the ride a bit!



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Cross-Browser_Testing">1 What is Cross-Browser Testing?</a></li><li><a href="#Challenges_In_Cross-Browser_Testing">2 Challenges In Cross-Browser Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Combination_is_too_large_for_testing">3 Combination is too large for testing</a></li><li><a href="#How_To_Perform_Cross-Browser_Testing_on_Every_Combination">4 How To Perform Cross-Browser Testing on Every Combination?</a></li><li><a href="#Regular_Browser_Updates">5 Regular Browser Updates</a></li><li><a href="#How_To_Deal_With_Regular_Browser_Updates">6 How To Deal With Regular Browser Updates?</a></li><li><a href="#Maintaining_the_infrastructure">7 Maintaining the infrastructure</a></li><li><a href="#How_To_Maintain_Cross-Browser_Testing_Infrastructure">8 How To Maintain Cross-Browser Testing Infrastructure?</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">9 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="what-is-cross-browser-testing">What is Cross-Browser Testing?</h2>



To understand the challenges of cross-browser testing, understanding cross-browser testing briefly will help us deeply understand the issues. Cross-browser testing is just what its name suggests: testing on multiple browsers or across different browsers. 



The browsers work differently because of their different base engines. This creates certain issues for the web developers as the developers do not know what browser our user will be using. Let alone browsers, the website may get into trouble for different resolutions, different operating systems and different browser versions too!! 



&nbsp;Let&#8217;s say you have an important element which uses subgrid. But since subgrids are not yet incorporated in Google Chrome, your element either would be dislocated or work differently altogether. Cross-browser testing deals with all those things by running the websites on different browsers, their versions, operating systems and on different resolutions. There are a lot of ways to perform cross-browser testing but the most efficient is to go for a unified<a href="https://testsigma.com/cross-browser-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> cross-browser testing</a> platform such as Testsigma. Such tools are feasible, remove infrastructure maintenance and have a huge browser matrix already set-up for the users for test execution.&nbsp;



<h2 id="challenges-in-cross-browser-testing">Challenges In Cross-Browser Testing</h2>



Cross-browser testing might sound like an easy process of running your website on different browsers. Maybe just changing the code according to browsers and operating systems. But it is a lot more complex than that. Cross-browser testing is prone to some complex situations. These kinds of situations become a challenge in the field which are very hard to overcome. Ample knowledge is required for the domain to tackle issues appropriately. In this section, we shall throw some light on the same. 



<h2 id="combination-is-too-large-for-testing">Combination is too large for testing</h2>



Cross-browser testing requires a lot of browsers along with their versions for the website to be tested upon. Maybe the CSS element you are using does not work two versions below the one you had. Now combine each browser and version with different operating systems and resolutions. And yes, did I mention that mobile operating systems, resolutions and browsers would also come into the picture? I don’t even want to calculate such a huge combination of things let alone sit down and test it. 



The good news here is that even though there are 80+ chrome versions and 75+ Firefox versions and a lot of organisations still use internet explorer in their systems, you just need to extract the upper layer of this messy mousse cake and tackle this issue in a very simple way. 



<h2 id="how-to-perform-cross-browser-testing-on-every-combination">How To Perform Cross-Browser Testing on Every Combination?</h2>



The simple answer to the question stated above is, you don’t have to. The first thing to remember here is, people keep their browsers updated. Therefore, testing on older versions will not prove anything except wasting your time and efforts. Today, you will hardly find anyone using Google Chrome 60. Therefore, you can just eliminate a lot of the versions like that for every browser. 



Now comes the testing part. Installing dedicated systems or going for virtual environments is a hectic job and will dig deep into your pockets. To tackle the issue, the best choice is to go for the cloud-based online cross-browser testing systems that have everything set up for the users beforehand. The user is required to just select the system specification and execute the tests. <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/cross-browser-testing-manual-vs-automated-browser-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="These tests could be run manually or could be automated (opens in a new tab)">These tests could be run manually or could be automated</a>. 



There are <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/8-essential-elements-automated-cross-browser-testing-tools/" target="_blank">certain tools that allow these test cases to be automated</a> without any hassles and then can be easily executed on multiple browsers. Using such systems also gives you the advantage of being integrated with various tools for other functionalities such as bug tracking, raising issues and a lot of other workflow integrations. All the user needs to do is select the browser and the type of tests he wishes to run. There are a lot of tools online for the same purpose, one such tool is <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-cross-browser-testing-tool" target="_blank">Testsigma</a>. Testsigma is used by a lot of wealthy customers, has a very easy learning curve and is feasible to all. Testsigma also comes with a free trial period ensuring the users enrol only after they trust the tool.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TppymycnpqvRQ73P9xV572-UnInyMtNqJha0KddlJGJ0qaUEPRsuI2nTWLm2Vf9P3jjnhAnIaR_P3XhH1Za6ozzxPFHW9j2Jm0UfNZ-PiBDgiaz6YX59UK--oku0fg0dWKRfkC_t" alt="How To Perform Cross-Browser Testing on Every Combination?"/></figure>



The above image shows the ease of running cross-browser tests with the help of online tools.



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<h2 id="regular-browser-updates">Regular Browser Updates</h2>



Another challenge in cross-browser testing is the regular browser updates. Although our operating systems and resolutions remain standards for a long time, browsers get updates regularly in 6 to 8 weeks. This has been due to their working methodology of Agile development. This means that in every six to eight weeks, the tester is required to run the tests again. These tests should consist of all the combinations in this version. Running the tests on newer versions helps analyze the newer features and what all has been incorporated from <a href="https://www.spaceotechnologies.com/services/web-application-development/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">web development</a> languages etc. 



This creates an issue as some elements are deprecated in the newer versions and some are incorporated. The website elements are required to change accordingly since most of the users like me, do not even realise that our browsers get updated automatically behind the scene. It is therefore important to deal with such challenges. 



<h2 id="how-to-deal-with-regular-browser-updates">How To Deal With Regular Browser Updates?</h2>



The answer to this question is similar to the answer to the previous one. Using an online cross-browser testing tool sheds off this load off your shoulder. The installation and maintenance part becomes a responsibility of the tool provider to keep the browser versions updated. So whenever a new browser version comes into the market and we get updated automatically, so do these tools. 



Such an approach also saves your time installing a newer version and memory space. With updated browser versions, it is just a matter of a few clicks to run your tests again. When your tests are automated, it is really just a matter of starting the test case execution and waiting for the reports to know what needs to be fixed.



<h2 id="maintaining-the-infrastructure">Maintaining the infrastructure</h2>



Infrastructure maintenance is a very time-consuming job. There is a lot of infrastructure maintenance required for cross-browser testing. For example, a <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/selenium-based-automated-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">selenium grid infrastructure</a>, device infrastructure, browser maintenance, integrated tools etc. The manual maintenance of such an infrastructure is very tough and running the automated tests through a series of scripts, even tougher. Then comes the tools through which a tester intimates his team members about the issues raised during the testing. This may include Slack or JIRA for quick on-the-go collaboration and communication between the teams. Even thinking about the magnitude of such a thing it makes us wonder, is it a challenge that can’t be tackled? 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/R02JAy5RnBt1IRYwWesnlpH1V0Q7PJ9WkCgZyPO7YP5nEwZyxZx-LJZD_ibjc-L_Z-g-BTwZdBd3wZIc4TkhrC0QzPksJf2OWUYmv3CWTlrd8v8SuWrDoZOq8IlOpmbL0qhCHSis" alt="Maintaining the infrastructure"/></figure></div>



Image Source: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/selenium-based-automated-testing/" target="_blank">https://testsigma.com/blog/selenium-based-automated-testing/</a>



<h2 id="how-to-maintain-cross-browser-testing-infrastructure">How To Maintain Cross-Browser Testing Infrastructure?</h2>



Maintaining the infrastructure for cross-browser testing becomes a problem or a challenge only when you are testing through the manual process. Manual processes include setting your own lab or virtual systems etc. When you opt for an online cloud-based tool, you get the benefit of a well maintained and efficient infrastructure on the cloud. For example, creating and maintaining the selenium grid, you can leverage the servers of this tool online and just focus on writing the tests.&nbsp; 



This kind of approach is although a victim of latency and delayed execution. No matter what kind of cloud-based tool you are using, the latency is bound to happen since there are too many requests involved in between. The latency problem can sometimes be tackled by providing a clear metric by the online tool but definite numbers are hard to achieve. Although these kinds of issues are nothing in front of infrastructure maintenance. Therefore, a recommended path is to go for an online tool such as Testsigma for an easy and hassle-free automated cross-browser testing.



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



As browsers have evolved in recent times, so has the cross-browser testing processes. Starting from manually installing all the browsers or maintaining multiple devices for the same, we have come a long way with online tools that work on the cloud. But still, a few challenges do remain such as a long list of browsers to test with their operating systems mixed with all those resolutions and responsive behaviours. 



Although, there are a few turnarounds available but most of them ultimately intersect at using a cloud-based tool for the same purpose. The first thing in an online tool is that computer power is superb in such a tool. I mean, they are made just to perform these tests quickly and efficiently. Installing such powerful computers cost a fortune on an individual level.



 Secondly, these tools are equipped with all the browsers and their combinations pre-installed. This leaves the developer and tester with just selecting and analyzing the website on these browsers. 



A cloud-based automated cross-browser testing tool such as Testsigma is a good choice. Testsigma has 2000+ browsers, will help generate precise reports, provide infrastructure, powerful systems and a whole bunch of integrations for your team members to communicate. All this will cost you less than the price of systems alone. Hence, it is always recommended to go for a cloud-based tool and fight with those challenges as if they never existed in the first place.

Top 3 Challenges in Cross-Browser Testing and How to Tackle Them

Top 3 Challenges in Cross Browser Testing and How to Tackle Them

<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/author/adil/"></a>An effective test automation system is necessary for today&#8217;s agile software development environments. Automation works excellently, especially in the case of smoke and regression tests, and helps the QA teams to create and execute test cases that complex easily. To ensure efficient automation deployed in your software testing it is important to know the challenges in automation testing before you start.



Though automation can act as a power booster for your product pipeline of development projects; certain pitfalls in automation slow down the automation pipelines if not tackled upfront.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Why_is_Automation_Testing_Important">1 Why is Automation Testing Important?</a></li><li><a href="#7_Common_Challenges_in_Automated_Testing">2 7 Common Challenges in Automated Testing</a><ul><li><a href="#1_Network_Disconnections">2.1 1. Network Disconnections</a></li><li><a href="#2_Test_Script_Issues">2.2 2. Test Script Issues</a></li><li><a href="#3_Fixing_Code_Smell">2.3 3. Fixing Code Smell</a></li><li><a href="#4_Testing_Against_Wrong_Data">2.4 4. Testing Against Wrong Data</a></li><li><a href="#5_Upfront_Investment">2.5 5. Upfront Investment</a></li><li><a href="#6_Stability_Issues">2.6 6. Stability Issues</a></li><li><a href="#7_Picking_the_Right_Automation_Tool">2.7 7. Picking the Right Automation Tool</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">3 Conclusion</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">4 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#What_is_one_of_the_biggest_challenges_in_automation_testing">4.1 What is one of the biggest challenges in automation testing?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_the_major_limitations_of_test_automation">4.2 What are the major limitations of test automation?</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_overcome_technical_challenges_while_doing_the_test_automation">4.3 How to overcome technical challenges while doing the test automation?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_the_real_time_challenges_in_selenium_automation">4.4 What are the real time challenges in selenium automation?</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Suggested_Reading">5 Suggested Reading</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-why-is-automation-testing-important">Why is Automation Testing Important?</h2>



When you&#8217;re developing software, it&#8217;s important to automate testing. Automation allows you to run tests more quickly and efficiently, and it can help to reduce the risk of human error. Automated testing is important because it saves time, reduces costs, and improves quality. It also allows developers to conduct more frequent tests on their software, which can lead to faster feedback and early detection of bugs and issues. Automated tests are also a much cheaper alternative to manual testing by humans. Overall, automated testing is an essential component of modern software development, helping to improve quality and reduce costs while increasing efficiency.



<h2 id="7-common-challenges-in-automated-testing">7 Common Challenges in Automated Testing</h2>



Here are the 7 most common test automation challenges that teams usually face while adopting automation testing, along with the best solutions to overcome these pitfalls.



<h3 id="1-network-disconnections">1. Network Disconnections</h3>



Network disconnection is a common automation challenge that a QA team faces wherein they find it hard to access databases, VPN, third party services, APIs, specific <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testing environments</a>, etc. due to unstable network connections. These network disconnections cause unnecessary delays and hinder the testing process.



Apart from disconnections, another cause of worry is the inability to access virtual environments which are generally used by the testers for <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/desktop-application-testing-vs-web-application-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testing applications</a>. QA teams need to have a good monitoring solution in place that can help fix the issue as soon as it occurs and prevent the whole software delivery pipeline from getting affected.



<h3 id="2-test-script-issues">2. <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-case-vs-test-script/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Test Script</a> Issues</h3>



QA teams may face various problems related to test scripts if they lack the coding related skill sets. Teams facing these issues can leverage reusability (reusing test scripts) to solve the problems and maintain their code. They can maintain the code in a better way by treating test code as production code. Apart from this, periodic testing of the code should be done along with scheduling debugging sessions and identifying key issues with object identifiers.



<h3 id="3-fixing-code-smell">3. Fixing Code Smell</h3>



A code smell is basically any characteristic in the code of a program that has a negative impact on the design quality. Maintaining the code quality is not only important for the programmers but also for the testers.



Fixing code smell can help a QA team achieve:



<ol><li>Faster test results in lesser execution time</li><li>Help make the automation test suite more robust</li><li>Reduce maintenance cost and effort significantly</li></ol>



It is not possible to find most of the code smell by manual reviewing. In many cases, automated code review tools are used to identify all the bad smell present in the source code.



<h3 id="4-testing-against-wrong-data">4. Testing Against Wrong Data</h3>



In most of the cases, the QA teams are found to be testing against wrong data as it sometimes becomes difficult to get the right data. This right data is the one that the application will be processing in production.



Data relevancy and data accuracy are the two most important prerequisites for automated testing to give good results. Complicated processes and communication gaps can also prevent the testing teams from getting the updated and most relevant data.&nbsp;



The QA teams should use a robust reporting and analytics solution in order to achieve fast feedback and enhance the overall productivity of the team by working on the data lags.



Read here &#8211; <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-automation-team/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Different test automation team structures</a>



<h3 id="5-upfront-investment">5. Upfront Investment</h3>



One of the most common concerns, especially for teams not having big budgets, is the high investment required at the initial phase of implementing automation. The investment in setting up a test automation suite prevents the testers from implementing automation testing. On top of operational costs, you may also have to bear licensing costs.



Even if you are considering using an open-source tool such as Selenium or Appium, a level of investment is required to train the testers to use these frameworks. Here&#8217;s a good read on the<a href="https://www.stickyminds.com/article/hidden-costs-automation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> hidden costs of test automation</a>. So, it is better to choose a tool that gives you ROI. Choose an automation tool that helps reduce costs in all areas of your concern.



<h3 id="6-stability-issues">6. Stability Issues</h3>



The stability of the devices is one of the key issues with device labs, as mobile devices are unstable. There are many elements in mobile devices that are subject to constant change, including operating systems, regular updates, performance, etc.



The solution is to keep updating and maintaining the labs to ensure the stability and testability of the devices, or use a cloud-based lab with real devices to test applications. Cloud-based labs can cost a fraction of the cost of setting up a real device lab at your location. If you are looking for a test automation tool, go for one that supports cross-browser testing by default and allows plug in and do that when needed. An example of this is <a href="https://testsigma.com/">Testsigma</a>, which lets you create test cases on the web and mobile and APIs in one place and execute them on real devices of your choice.



Create simple English automated tests and run your tests on the devices of your choice. No setup or ramp-up delays!



Testsigma lets you create test cases on the web as well as mobile and APIs in one place and execute them on real devices of your choice.



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Create simple English automated tests and run your tests on the devices of your choice. No setup or ramp-up delays!
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<h3 id="7-picking-the-right-automation-tool">7. Picking the Right Automation Tool</h3>



The <a href="https://www.capgemini.com/news/press-releases/quality-assurance-must-shift-to-smarter-solutions-as-the-complexity-of-applications-and-need-for-speed-increase/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gemini World Quality Report</a> in 2018 found that over 50% of IT giants lacked suitable automation tools for their testing teams. This is due to lack of knowledge, lack of expertise, and tool costs exceeding the budget, which are the most common reasons for automation failure. Therefore it is one of those challenges in automation testing that is essential for successful automation efforts.



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



You can decide the best-suited one based on the nature and extent of your automation testing, whether the automation tool falls in your budget, and it matches your organization&#8217;s technical and business-related requirements.



When choosing a test automation tool, it is important to consider the nature and extent of your automation testing, budget, and the organization&#8217;s technical and business-related requirements. To some extent, QA teams face test automation challenges and failure, so it is essential to start early and watch for these top common test automation challenges. We have compiled a<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/10-points-to-help-you-choose-the-right-test-automation-tool/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> list of tips for choosing the right tool</a> for test automation.



If you are looking for a one-stop test automation tool to speed up test case creation and execution, try Testsigma. It offers a <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/unified-test-automation-for-agile-and-devops-testsigma/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unified end-to-end test automation</a> ecosystem that helps you run automated tests in a giant test lab on the cloud.



The robust reporting and analytics facility helps get dynamic test reports at all levels to analyze the test case results and mitigate the key issues as soon as they are found.



Testsigma also saves significant time and effort in setting up test cases through its scriptless creation in simple English.



Book a <a href="https://calendly.com/testsigma/demo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Demo </a>or <a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sign Up for Free</a>



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



<h3 id="what-is-one-of-the-biggest-challenges-in-automation-testing">What is one of the biggest challenges in automation testing?</h3>



Generally automating flaky tests are the most difficult difficulty in automation testing that generates inconsistent results or fails intermittently. These tests also takes time and effort while also eroding the trust in the process of automation.



<h3 id="what-are-the-major-limitations-of-test-automation">What are the major limitations of test automation?</h3>



The high initial expense of setting up automation infrastructure, as well as the necessity for experienced employees to build and manage automated tests, are two important limits for test automation. The inability to automate certain forms of testing, such as exploratory testing and <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/mobile-usability-testing-what-is-it-and-how-is-it-done/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">usability testing</a>, is another constraint.



<h3 id="how-to-overcome-technical-challenges-while-doing-the-test-automation">How to overcome technical challenges while doing the test automation?</h3>



To overcome technological problems during test automation, it is critical to have a thorough grasp of the technology stack being tested, as well as qualified automation engineers capable of creating robust and maintainable <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/when-to-choose-test-automation-framework-over-manual-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automation frameworks</a>. It is also critical to employ the appropriate automation tools and technology for the job, as well as to have a well-defined testing strategy that considers the limitations of test automation.



<h3 id="what-are-the-real-time-challenges-in-selenium-automation">What are the real time challenges in <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/selenium-automation-testing-pros-cons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">selenium </a>automation?</h3>



Selenium automation faces real-time challenges such as dealing with dynamic web content, synchronization issues between the automation tool and the application being tested, and <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/most-common-issues-encountered-during-browser-compatibility-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cross-browser compatibility issues</a>. It also requires maintaining test suites and integrating automation testing into a <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/enhancing-robustness-ci-cd-pipeline-test-automation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">continuous integration and delivery pipeline.</a>



<h2 id="suggested-reading">Suggested Reading<gwmw style="display:none;"></h2>



<customlinks>
<ts-link-item>
<ts-linktext-value>RPA VS Test Automation</ts-linktext-value>
<ts-linkurl-value>https://testsigma.com/blog/rpa-vs-test-automation/</ts-linkurl-value>
</ts-link-item>
<ts-link-item>
<ts-linktext-value>Insprint Test Automation</ts-linktext-value>
<ts-linkurl-value>https://testsigma.com/blog/in-sprint-automation/</ts-linkurl-value>
</ts-link-item>
<ts-link-item>
<ts-linktext-value>Choose Right Open Source Test Automation Tool</ts-linktext-value>
<ts-linkurl-value>https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-open-source-test-automation-tool/</ts-linkurl-value>
</ts-link-item>
<ts-link-item>
<ts-linktext-value>Automation Testing Tools</ts-linktext-value>
<ts-linkurl-value>https://testsigma.com/qa-automation-tools</ts-linkurl-value>
</ts-link-item>
<ts-link-item>
<ts-linktext-value>Automation Testing Practices</ts-linktext-value>
<ts-linkurl-value>https://testsigma.com/blog/best-automation-testing-practices-agile-continuous-delivery/</ts-linkurl-value>
</ts-link-item>
</customlinks>

Top 7 test automation challenges to look out for

Top 7 Challenges In Automation Testing

If you are working in an agile environment, you may have come across the term ‘code review’. It is a strategic operation where you break the source code into snippets in order to audit the code before it moves to the testing phase.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Code_Review">1 What is Code Review?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_are_Code_Reviews_Important">2 Why are Code Reviews Important?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_the_Benefits_of_Code_Reviews">3 What are the Benefits of Code Reviews?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_the_Disadvantages_of_Code_Reviews">4 What are the Disadvantages of Code Reviews?</a></li><li><a href="#Role_of_a_Software_Tester_in_Code_Reviews">5 Role of a Software Tester in Code Reviews</a></li><li><a href="#4_Different_Code_Review_Approaches">6 4 Different Code Review Approaches</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">7 Conclusion</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs">8 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</a><ul><li><a href="#What_is_Code_Review_in_SDLC">8.1 What is Code Review in SDLC?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_Code_Review_Tools">8.2 What are Code Review Tools?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_a_Good_Code_Review">8.3 What is a Good Code Review?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="what-is-code-review">What is Code Review?</h2>



Short definition: It is a two-way communication between a coder and a reviewer. The agenda is to learn from one another, understand the application, detect bugs, and ensure that the code follows quality standards.



Long definition: It is a quality assurance process in which a tester analyzes the source code of the application under review. You can either perform this manually or with the help of automated tools. The process ensures that bug detection and resolution happen early to give the best possible code quality.



<h2 id="why-are-code-reviews-important">Why are Code Reviews Important?</h2>



You may wonder why you would need code review when you have a <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testing plan</a> in place.



Following are the key benefits that will enable you to understand the importance:



1. Find More Bugs: It lets you detect bugs at the primary stages of development. As a result, you save a lot of hours and effort during testing. True is the fact that automation testing will help you do the same thing. However, a human perspective is sometimes necessary to find and fix logical errors.



2. Stay Agile: Given the strict quality guidelines and timelines we need to work in, you must have, or would soon be adhering to, the agile methodologies. This means you need to deliver the best results while meeting the cost and time constraints. With code review, you can create bug-free prototypes and share them with the stakeholders.



3. Quality Compliance: It let you abide by the predefined coding rules and standards.



4. Collaboration: Frequent review sessions will bring out the best in your developers and testers. Team members can discover their peer’s strengths and also assist them in improvements.



<h2 id="what-are-the-benefits-of-code-reviews">What are the Benefits of Code Reviews?</h2>



When you think about it, it is just another set of eyes looking for possible human error. But for just one benefit, is it advisable to spend time and more resources on this practice?



Well, here are a few benefits :



<ul><li>Identifying code issues early</li><li>Ensuring to comply with standard code regulations</li><li>Increasing software security</li><li>Implementing a consistent design and development process</li><li>Improving team collaboration and cohesion</li></ul>



<h2 id="what-are-the-disadvantages-of-code-reviews">What are the Disadvantages of Code Reviews?</h2>



With every advantage comes a few disadvantages that you must know about. Only looking at the benefits and deciding on starting code reviews will do your business more bad than good. If you don’t prepare your team to tackle the issues related to code review, they are more likely to stay oblivious to the problems.



Know about the disadvantages here:



<ul><li>Time and resource constraints</li><li>Not every developer consists of knowledge about every project</li><li>Not necessary for every feature or simple applications</li><li>You cannot do a code review when developing a prototype product.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-role-of-a-software-tester-in-code-reviews">Role of a Software Tester in Code Reviews</h2>



A software tester might find the code a bit intimidating in the beginning. It is best to pair up with an experienced developer for code reviewing. Gradually, when the tester is able to identify the patterns and business logic, things start making sense eventually.



It enables the testers to understand the core functionalities of the project and share their wisdom to resolve the bottlenecks.



Here are a few tried-and-tested ways by which you can begin your code-reviewing experience:



1. Synchronous Review: An informal review where the developer stands next to the reviewer.



2. Asynchronous review: Specialized tools are used to review the code.



3. Instant Review: Developer and reviewer pair-up on a single system.



4. Once-a-while: Developer shares the code with the reviewers who meet and discuss the updates.



As a software tester, you would ask the following questions during your code reviewing session:



1. How was this code written?



2. Are there any patterns used for coding?



3. Is the code easy to understand?



4. Are there any logic errors?



5. Is the code secure?



6. Is the log file for debugging available?



7. Are there any third-party integrations?



8. Are <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/unit-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unit tests</a> included?



9. What amendments are being made?



The best part is that you don’t have to be an expert in order to take part in a code review session. You can review a code even if you are at the basic level of coding. What would be your role? You need to see what changes have been made to ask questions.



Before you dive in, get used to the process by initiating with minimal changes.&nbsp; Understand more about them and when you doubt any change, add your comments and question the coder. Given the benefits, you would want to include code reviewing as one of the key phases of the process. This will ensure that you deliver a quality product that adds value to your end-users.



<h2 id="4-different-code-review-approaches">4 Different Code Review Approaches</h2>



Get to know about different approaches in detail.



Formal 



It&#8217;s based on a formal process where testers follow a structured process to find issues in the code. It is also used to find design defects.



Under formal review, one of the most popular adoptions is the Fagan inspection. It follows a six-step process: Planning, Overview, Preparation, Inspection Meeting, Rework, and Follow-up. This holds the basic idea of defining output requirements for each of the steps mentioned. And while executing the process, you check each step&#8217;s output and compare it to the expected output. Subsequently, you decide to move on to the next step if the current step is working properly.



Lightweight 



These reviews are mostly followed by developers, not testers, when they are reviewing a code that is not life-threatening in nature, I.e., it does not impact the software quality to a great extent.



There are four types of lightweight reviews:



<ul><li>Instant code review or pair programming</li><li>Synchronous or over-the-shoulder code review</li><li>Asynchronous or tool-assisted code review</li><li>Code review once in a while or meeting-based code review</li></ul>



We have discussed these four types above.



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



If review is done right, can prove to be an effective way to share knowledge and understand your application. With time and experience, you will eventually start realizing the patterns, know more about the nuts and bolts of the codebase, and have a comprehensive perspective of the application.



Just like code reviews, tests are also reviewed. Manual test cases can be reviewed by peers, developers, and managers. Similarly, automated test cases can be reviewed too. Sometimes, the processes for reviews of automated test cases are the same as that for code reviews, as automation may also be done via code. You can also read more here on <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 to automated ones</a>.



<a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma, a cloud-based test automation tool</a>, has also simplified the process of test reviews. In addition, it also simplifies the process of test automation. Thus, in test automation and reviews – non-technical members of the team can be involved too.



<h2 id="frequently-asked-questions-faqs">Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</h2>



<h3 id="what-is-code-review-in-sdlc">What is Code Review in SDLC?</h3>



In SDLC it is a critical part that attempts to identify and resolve code issues before the testing phase. It involves going through the developer’s code to find mistakes and fix them before moving on to testing the application.



<h3 id="what-are-code-review-tools">What are Code Review Tools?</h3>



A code review tool is usually an online tool that integrates seamlessly with Engineering Workflow Management source control and work items. It offers you the capability to add output to your work items to present it to your team and stakeholders.



<h3 id="what-is-a-good-code-review">What is a Good Code Review?</h3>



It observes all the code changes and looks at the reasons why this happened. It is clear and does not overlook even the slightest of mistakes that are common when writing code. It covers code correctness, test coverage, and functionality changes and follows the coding guides and best practices.





Code Freeze and its Relevance
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Software Testing Strategy
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Top Software Testing Trends
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Software Testing Interview Questions
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Different Software Testing Types
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Role Of A Software Tester In Code Reviews

What is Code Review | Why ,Benefits & Approaches

SaaS (software as a service) which is one of the most popular forms of cloud computing has completely revolutionized the world of cloud computing as it is being adopted by a majority of the IT organizations to modernize their IT structure.



With companies shifting their tools and platforms from on-premise to cloud-based solutions, there is no doubt the future belongs to the SaaS test automation platforms. As cloud-based frameworks require no expertise, installation time or effort and do not depend on a robust internal infrastructure, your tests can be up and running in just a matter of a few minutes. 



With SaaS, you don’t need to invest in internal infrastructure. In addition, you won’t need a dedicated team to maintain its operation.



But one question which still haunts most of the big software enterprises is:&nbsp;



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Is_SaaS_Really_Safe">1 Is SaaS Really Safe?</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_Choose_a_Trustworthy_SaaS_Platform">2 How to Choose a Trustworthy SaaS Platform?</a></li><li><a href="#Best_Practices_for_Controlling_Cloud_Access_in_Your_Organization">3 Best Practices for Controlling Cloud Access in Your Organization</a></li><li><a href="#Steps_to_Ensure_a_Safe_SaaS_Network_Access">4 Steps to Ensure a Safe SaaS Network Access</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="is-saas-really-safe">Is SaaS Really Safe?</h2>



Though SaaS has numerous advantages for businesses, a lot of organizations are afraid of moving to SaaS because of data security issues.&nbsp; The fear is because the data is no long managed internally and is now hosted on the cloud.



Some businesses don’t like this idea of outsourcing the security of their data to a third-party company, especially if they are dealing with sensitive data on a regular basis.



A lot of trustworthy SaaS companies or cloud service providers such as Testsigma having a strong history of client satisfaction have very strict data security policies which make them immune to breaches in their systems. Apart from this, a lot of SaaS providers host software in extremely safe and secure facilities which avoids a hacker or any type of cybercriminal from getting their hands on your organization’s sensitive or critical data.



Though organizations can have more control over on-premise applications through their own firewalls and antivirus software, they need to have a <a href="https://xl.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">professional IT department</a> for watching over data policies, access privileges, and application securities. But in the case of SaaS, the SaaSproviders are data security specialists who proactively manage and protect the clients’ servers, applications, platforms, and sensitive data. This particularly is a major advantage for small companies as they can get enterprise-grade technologies at a low price by adopting SaaS.



Hence the culture of distrusting third parties should be set aside to avoid the obstacles in achieving high growth and progress for the organization.



But there are certain precautionary measures which the managers and employees using or working on the SaaS products/services need to keep in mind, the most important of which is making the right SaaS platform selection.



<h2 id="how-to-choose-a-trustworthy-saas-platform">How to Choose a Trustworthy SaaS Platform?</h2>



It is your responsibility to check whether the&nbsp;<a href="https://outreachmonks.com/saas-marketing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SaaS marketing</a>&nbsp;platform you are going to use for SAAS marketing is safe or not, be it a quality management software, an ERP (Enterprise resource planning) software, or a codeless test automation tool.



It is important to make sure that the SaaS is safe by –



1. Determining whether the SaaS was deployed on a safe cloud server2. Checking that it has proper certifications3. Ensuring data privacy and other major security concerns4. Ensuring whether the platform is reliable and scalable5. Checking the current security protocols and the steps to be followed in case of a system breach



For instance, <a href="https://testsigma.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Testsigma (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma</a> works hard to provide faultless software and keep security at enterprise-grade standards to give their clients the best in class services.



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<h2 id="best-practices-for-controlling-cloud-access-in-your-organization">Best Practices for Controlling Cloud Access in Your Organization</h2>



According to the<a href="https://www.shredit.com/en-us/resource-center/original-research/security-tracker-2018" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)"> Security Tracker Survey</a> conducted by Shred-it on information security, it has been found that employee negligence is one of the biggest information security risks to businesses. Hence it is important to effectively control and monitor how your employees use SaaS solutions to ensure that security standards are maintained.



Here are some of the best practices to be followed for controlling cloud access in your organization:



1. Set a fixed day and time for allowed access with the help of automatic locking systems2. Give hierarchical access as per the employee’s function within the company3. Enhance the security layers, for example, a two-step authentication4. If possible, give access to systems and applications via mobile or just through corporate computers5. Frequent training as a practice should be adopted in organizations to help employees regarding the responsibilities of access and use of phones, computers in order to avoid security-related issues



<h2 id="steps-to-ensure-a-safe-saas-network-access">Steps to Ensure a Safe SaaS Network Access</h2>



It is important to make sure that the basic safety precautions have been taken before adopting a SaaS network to ensure safe and secure access to the platform. Here are certain steps to follow:



1. Don’t record extremely sensitive or critical data. Though you get access to your company’s most critical information on a single platform, it does not mean that you have to leave them saved in your virtual environment.It is ideal to have a filter or another type of storage to secure the most precious and valuable information for the company.



2. It is important to select a SaaS provider which can fully integrate with your enterprise with identity verification services. Make your IT architecture such that it monitors even the slightest of suspicious activity continuously and take necessary steps to avoid damage.



3. Make sure you have extra internal security solutions such as having periodic backups and regular audits from time to time. Organizations must understand that even a loose nut can open the doors for hackers and other types of virtual criminals.



4. It is important to know what and how much to expect from a complete SaaS testing solution as SaaS is safe as long as the organization knows how to implement it.



5. Data encryption is one of the most important parts of data security as always make sure that your cloud data is encrypted, at rest and in transit.



QA managers should keep these security measures in mind while they are planning to implement a secure SaaS platform. Though there are several options available in the market, it is always best to analyze both their requirements and the features provided by these SaaS platforms to select the best solution which perfectly fits with the company’s architecture.



The idea of SaaS applications more vulnerable to data breaches as compared to on-premise solutions is a myth as cloud security is only going to get stronger with time and give businesses more reasons to switch to SaaS.



Being a SaaS codeless test automation platform, Testsigma completely understands the privacy and security of its customer’s sensitive data and hence uses the best information security practices to provide a secured and reliable test automation platform. Testsigma has commercially reasonable security measures in place in order to protect its clients against the loss, misuse or alteration of the information under control.



In the end, security in the cloud is a shared responsibility and the onus of a safe SaaS is not only on the hands of the SaaS service provider but also on the hands of the QA manager and the employees of the company and each party should know and practice their duties regularly with honesty to achieve a no security breach environment. 



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Is Testsigma secure for your organization

Is Testsigma secure for your organization?

Gartner did predict that <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3975352/2020-future-of-work-hidden-trends-rising-demand-for-remo" target="_blank">remote working will be a trend in 2020</a>. But no one imagined that it would emerge as the biggest trend this year. For obvious reasons of course &#8211; companies that are able to adapt to remote working are being applauded and other companies that had not thought about remote working ever are now taking measures to adjust to it.&nbsp;



Companies are trying to actively recognize any challenges that their employees are facing. A major challenge that software testing teams across the globe face today are the dependence on physical machines. Other reasons include dependency on infrastructure and internet for the execution of tasks.



Automation, in various ways, can help testing teams work better in the remote working environment. Some such ways are discussed below:



1. Automate your regression testing: <a href="https://testsigma.com/regression-testing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Regression testing</a> may require significant effort if done manually by QE team and multiple iterations can make it more tedious and error-prone.



On the other hand, if the product has test automation in place, it can help a lot in quickly executing the regression tests after any code changes made by developers. This helps a lot in improving the team’s productivity by providing quick feedback on the code changes and catching bugs early on. Also, QE team can continue working on their assigned tasks, meanwhile, test automation is running, thus improving productivity.&nbsp;



Having reliable test automation goes a long way in improving product’s quality and providing the DEV and QE team with the flexibility to work on their own time.&nbsp;



From the perspective of remote work, it becomes all the more important. During remote work, when every person is juggling a number of tasks during the day. Having things automated reduces the burden of regression testing and makes it more efficient.&nbsp;



With <a href="https://testsigma.com/regression-testing/automated-regression-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">automated regression testing</a> in place, developers don’t need to wait for QE to perform the regression testing and provide feedback on the code changes. QEs don’t need to be available at ad-hoc times to test changes done by developers and provide feedback. 



Developers can get immediate feedback on their code changes through test automation results and rectify problems if any. Thus, independent work in a remote setting becomes easy and manageable.&nbsp;



2. <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-driven-development-testsigma/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Test-Driven Development(TDD)</a>: In test-driven development, tests are created before the feature is developed. QE team automates the test cases for the feature to be developed and integrates them into the system. These tests would fail until the feature is developed and exhibits expected behaviour. Once the feature starts exhibiting expected behaviour, the tests should pass.



Similar to regression testing, test-driven development will ensure that developers don’t need to wait on the QE team for feedback. They get real-time feedback for their progress on feature development by running their code through the already existing test cases and analyzing test results.&nbsp;



When TDD is in place, QE and Dev tasks need not be tightly coupled. Thus, it helps in ensuring a flexible work schedule for everyone in the team in a remote work setting.&nbsp;



3. Continuous Integration and Continuous Testing: Continuous Testing is the process of testing at all stages of software development – one after the other – without any human intervention. These different stages could be stages of tests: unit tests, integration tests, acceptance tests and performance tests as well as stages of environments such as Dev, QA, Staging and Production.



A CI/CD pipeline ensures that any code changes are tested as soon as they are integrated into the central code repository. For example, when a code change is integrated into the centralized source code repository, unit tests can be automatically executed followed by integration tests and acceptance tests.



Having a CI/CD pipeline not only helps developers get immediate feedback on their work but also empowers everyone in the team to work as per their own schedule.&nbsp;



4. Schedule your automated tests to run in the off hours: To avoid being delayed because of the internet connectivity woes, it is better to schedule the test runs for the time when the internet usage is not at its peak. These will be your night hours usually.You can schedule the test runs overnight and analyse the reports in the morning. Use a tool that lets you send the reports to your emails as soon as the test run ends. Also, it should allow you to analyse the testing status from wherever you are.



5. Start implementing in-sprint test automation to avoid any spillage of automation activities beyond a sprint:If your organization is implementing scrum, it is better to follow in-sprint test automation for its success. When a story is considered done only after its test cases are automated too &#8211; it helps the testing team keeping up with regression testing and development every sprint. This also helps in getting better results from continuous testing and integration. 6. Last but not the least, If you have not already &#8211; choose a test automation tool that fits your project requirements:



If a team has not started on automation yet, this time is good to start looking for a good tool. The tool should fit your project requirements and should help enable remote work. Having a cloud-based tool at this time would remove any dependency on infrastructure hosting. Also, it can be accessed by the whole team from anywhere anytime helping distributed teams collaborate better.



<a href="https://testsigma.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Testsigma is a completely cloud-hosted solution</a> that solves all your web, mobile and API automation needs in the same place. Also, it is completely cloud-hosted.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vnTWj_Fj_9iWjgmum71C_tvxIH-lg2ARXA2rHlzCOORM8QJmuBiv58NiC_XskVPSqAvhT_cLdtDqoOrEqVvCfSWKjrQSiMPNErzhx0q2gUKLxtmj-ALIBMZrT7wrNw" alt="Testsigma - completely cloud-hosted solution"/></figure>



Other benefits of Testsigma as the tool to enable your remote work include:



1. Just sign up to start automating2. Quick and easy test creation in simple English, thus easy learning curve for anyone.3. Test cases are executed on the cloud that helps in quick feedback for every test run.4. Highly customizable test execution. Tests can be created and executed as needed. You can run the whole suite, run on the cloud, run on the device, run a subset of test cases.5. Run the test cases in parallel without any additional setup6. Easy debugging and maintenance. If there are some resources that are impacted due to another unrelated change, Testsigma compiles and reports them in one place for an easy fix.7. Test cases for web, mobile and API &#8211; all can be automated at one place.8. Seamless integration with any CI/CD tools you are already using in your organization.9. End to End test execution and reporting on the cloud &#8211; including cross-browser testing.10. Detailed and customized reporting that can be accessed anytime anywhere.11. Easily include non-technical members in the test automation workflow for reviews and feedback.



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Tips To Overcome Remote Testing Challenges

There are lots of applications that users use these days, some are accessed via the internet while some of them are installed on the user’s computer. The former being categorized as the web-based applications while the latter falling into the desktop applications category. Lets have a detailed look into Desktop vs Web Application Testing here.



There are a lot of differences in the operating mechanisms of both and some groups even consider either one of them as being better than the other.



Let’s briefly describe the basic definitions of each of them first and then describe in detail the underlying Desktop vs Web Application Testing differences that make them fall apart in certifying the quality of each of them.



Desktop Application &#8211; Desktop application is a name coined for a general program used to run on a personal computer or laptop. This is a standalone software program which doesn’t depend on any internet connectivity for its working and its performance is not impacted because of any network related latencies. Few examples of desktop applications are MS-Word, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and calculator etc.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="733" height="485" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Desktop-App.jpg" alt="Desktop Application" class="wp-image-22358" /></figure>



Web Application &#8211; Web Application is a general application program that is stored or hosted on a remote server and is accessed over the internet via a browser interface. The Internet is the basis for these types of applications to work. Any network-related latencies result in performance hindrances in these types of applications.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="733" height="485" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Web-Application-Testing.jpg" alt="Web Application Testing" class="wp-image-22360" /></figure>



Advantages of Web Applications Over Desktop Applications



Here are a few advantages of <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-web-application-testing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">web applications</a> over desktop applications –



1. Web Applications are run via a browser, so the developers need not develop different apps for different platforms.



For example, an application which can run on chrome will run on both Windows and Linux. By just updating the application on the remote server, all the users can have access to the updated application.



2. Web applications serve better in terms of providing a consistent user interface across different platforms as the UI is more dependent on the browser than the OS.



3. The data processing and storage in case of web applications happens on the remote server which can be easily accessed by all the remote users instead of heavy file transfers across computers.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="848" height="485" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Web-app-vs-Desktop-App.jpg" alt="Web Apps vs Desktop Apps" class="wp-image-22362" /></figure>



<h2 id="what-is-the-difference-between-desktop-application-testing-and-web-testing">What is the Difference Between Desktop Application Testing and Web Testing?</h2>



Having gathered a sound understanding of how Desktop vs Web Application differ in short, let’s see the major difference between web application and desktop application in terms of parameters and how those differences impact the way each of these is tested. 



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"><tbody><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Parameters</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Desktop Application Testing</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Web Application Testing</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Environment</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Desktop Applications are platform-dependent and are confined to the machine that they are deployed on.</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Web Application testing is performed with the application deployed on a server which can be accessed by other computers with just a browser.</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Platform</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Separate desktop applications need to be developed for different platforms.</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Web Applications are platform-independent, hence they can run on multiple platforms without needing a separate development altogether.</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Deployment/Upgrades</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Deployment or any code upgrade needs to be done separately on all the client machines.</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Deployment or any patch upgrade needs to be done on a single set of server machines only.</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Security</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Desktop applications, on the other hand, are better equipped in terms of authorization and administration control and are hence more secure. Security testing can hence be either skipped or can be performed at a very trivial level.&nbsp;</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Web Applications are more prone to security risks which are attributed to its mass accessibility. Security testing plays an important role in case of web application testing due to its large exposure to the multitude of audience.</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Storage of Data</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Desktop applications have all the data stored on the machine on which the application is deployed.</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">In the case of web applications, the data is stored remotely on the server and is accessed by our personal laptops remotely with the help of a web browser &amp; internet connectivity.</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Types of Tests Performed</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">GUI Functionality Load Backend</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">User Interface TestingLoad, Stress, Volume Browser/OS CompatibilitySecurityData Volume testing cross Browser testing static page testingBroken Link Testing</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Architecture</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Desktop applications have a single-tier architecture where the application under test runs on a single computer. There is no client and server in these.</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Web applications are built on a tier architecture which can run on 2 or more than 2 computers. These have clients and servers in their architecture.</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Connectivity</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Desktop applications don’t require internet connectivity as they are hosted on the user machines only. Hence internet connectivity tests need not be in scope for these applications under test.&nbsp;</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Web applications are dependent on the internet connectivity for their functioning Internet connectivity tests need to be performed to check the application performance at various speeds.</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Accessibility</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Desktop applications are confined to physical locations and hence can only be accessed from the machines on which they are inherently deployed. Hence the tests would involve the user testing all the application features on the machine on which it is deployed.</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Web applications don’t have any location constraint to be accessed as they are deployed on servers which can be accessed from anywhere. Testing should involve different users testing the application under test from different computers from remote locations as well.</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Number of Users</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">At any given point in time, there is a single user testing or using the desktop application on a machine</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Multiple users can access web applications across the internet and browsers.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



To summarize, in order to test a desktop application, the focus should be environment-oriented as a desktop application is operated in a specific environment only. Desktop applications should be tested for usability, functionality, backend and load.



Here get the list of Best <a href="https://testsigma.com/tools/desktop-automation-tools/">A</a><a href="https://testsigma.com/tools/desktop-automation-tools/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">utomation Tools for Desktop Applications</a>



While doing the Web testing, it’s critical to ensure that the web application under test can be easily accessed by the real users and is functioning properly across all browsers and operating systems. Web applications should hence be <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/different-functional-testing-types-explained-in-detail/">tested for functionality</a>, compatibility, security, performance, usability and accessibility.



Know More: <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/web-app-testing-checklist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Web Application Testing Checklist</a>



If you have been doing website testing and are now wondering if you need to implement automation then this is the article that can help you figure it out:<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/5-signs-you-need-to-implement-test-automation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> 5 signs you need to implement test automation</a>



<a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-web-application-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma, a cloud-based test automation tool</a> has revolutionized the way you you can automate your website testing. It enables you to <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-convert-manual-test-cases-into-automated-test-cases-and-why/">automate your test cases</a> in simple English. Simple English does not just work for simple work flows but also for the complex ones.



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Desktop application testing versus Web application testing

Desktop Application Testing vs Web Application Testing

Quality Assurance VS Quality Control (QA VS QC): What’s the Difference?

<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Introduction">1 Introduction</a></li><li><a href="#Types_of_Software_Bugs">2 Types of Software Bugs</a><ul><li><a href="#1_Implementation_Bugs">2.1 1. Implementation Bugs:</a></li><li><a href="#2_Specification_Bugs">2.2 2. Specification Bugs:</a></li><li><a href="#3_Absent_Specification_Bugs">2.3 3. Absent Specification Bugs: </a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#What_Causes_Bugs_in_Software">3 What Causes Bugs in Software?</a><ul><li><a href="#1_RegressionInjection">3.1 1. Regression/Injection: </a></li><li><a href="#2_Inadequate_Testing">3.2 2. Inadequate Testing:</a></li><li><a href="#3_Communication_Gap">3.3 3. Communication Gap:</a></li><li><a href="#4_Improper_Planning">3.4 4. Improper Planning:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#How_can_Software_Bugs_be_Prevented">4 How can Software Bugs be Prevented?</a><ul><li><a href="#1_Test-Driven_Development_TDD">4.1 1. Test-Driven Development (TDD):</a></li><li><a href="#2_Continuous_Integration_Continuous_Testing_CICT">4.2 2. Continuous Integration Continuous Testing (CICT):</a></li><li><a href="#3_Behaviour_Driven_DevelopmentBDD">4.3 3. Behaviour Driven Development(BDD):</a></li><li><a href="#4_Specification_Review_and_Management">4.4 4. Specification Review and Management:</a></li><li><a href="#5_Clear_Communication">4.5 5. Clear Communication:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Why_are_not_all_Software_Bugs_Preventable">5 Why are not all Software Bugs Preventable?</a><ul><li><a href="#1_Effort_Tradeoff">5.1 1. Effort Tradeoff: </a></li><li><a href="#2_User_Immunity_to_Bugs">5.2 2. User Immunity to Bugs: </a></li><li><a href="#3_Team_Structure_and_Dynamics">5.3 3. Team Structure and Dynamics: </a></li><li><a href="#4_Software_Patch_Releases">5.4 4. Software Patch Releases: </a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">6 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="introduction">Introduction</h2>



Creating a bug-free software is hard, to the extent that it seems like a myth. Bugs in software represent the discrepancy between the expected and actual behaviour of the software. Although it&#8217;s unrealistic to make software bug-free, efforts can surely be made to minimize the number of bugs in software through various prevention and detection techniques.&nbsp;



Prevention techniques are the ones that can be used to prevent bugs from occurring in the software. Detection techniques are the ones that can be used to detect the bugs that exist in the software. As bug detection can happen only after the bugs begin to appear in the software, detection is a costlier technique than prevention to minimize the bugs in software.



Let us discuss the major types of software bugs, factors causing them, and how to prevent them.



<h2 id="types-of-software-bugs">Types of Software Bugs</h2>



Software bugs can be broadly classified into 3 major categories:



<h3>1. Implementation Bugs:</h3> Bugs introduced during the implementation of software can be classified as implementation bugs. These bugs don’t exist in the requirements and design phases of the software but get introduced when the corresponding specifications are implemented in the code. Therefore, these can also be termed as coding bugs.



For example, consider the login page for an application. According to the specification, a valid username may contain alphabets and numerals. During implementation, the developer allows the use of symbols in the username along with alphabets and numerals.&nbsp;



These are the most common types of bugs prevailing in software and can be prevented to a large extent. 



<h3>2. Specification Bugs:</h3>Bugs introduced at the time of creating specifications for software can be classified as specification bugs. These are the bugs that get introduced when technical specifications for requirements and design are created.&nbsp;



For example, according to the specification, if a user enters an incorrect password, the error message “Incorrect Password!” should be shown to the user. As per the standard security guidelines, the error message in this scenario should be “Incorrect Username or Password!”.



 If a naive developer, who doesn’t know about standard security guidelines and practices followed in software products, is tasked with implementing the specification and he/she unknowingly goes ahead and implements the behaviour as mentioned in the specification, then the bug occurring here is a specification bug.



Such bugs, if not caught early, can impact the product development cycle. 



<h3>3. Absent Specification Bugs: </h3>Bugs that get introduced in the software because workflows and use-cases related to them were not considered during the creation of specifications can be termed absent specification bugs. These are the bugs that arise because nobody thought they could happen or would be needed when the specifications were created. </li></ol>



For example, the specification for a website doesn’t talk about supporting HTTPS. Therefore, it is assumed that HTTPS support is not needed for the website.



Security vulnerabilities in products are a classic example of such bugs. The security aspect is generally not considered during the initial phases of product specifications and may get missed in later phases until someone starts seeing the associated risks and raises alarm.&nbsp; 



<h2 id="what-causes-bugs-in-software">What Causes Bugs in Software?</h2>



Following are some of the common factors which cause software bugs:&nbsp;



<h3>1. Regression/Injection: </h3>A regression/injection is known to have happened when a new code change impacts the existing code in an undesirable manner, like a side-effect. This means that until the new code change was made, the software was working as expected but after the new code change, a bug has been introduced in the software.&nbsp;



Regressions/Injections are common when:



i. Teams are working with large and complex codebases of legacy products.ii. Teams are working in a disjoint manner such that they are not aware of how the modules they are working on may impact each otheriii. Product design is not clean enough to avoid side-effects in the code.



Whatever be the reason, regressions/injections pose serious challenges to the quality of a product and surely need to be prevented.



<h3>2. Inadequate Testing:</h3> If the software has not been thoroughly tested during its development cycle, there is an increased likelihood of bugs being left undiscovered in the product. These bugs would eventually be discovered by the end-users, raising concerns about the quality of the product.



This lapse in testing could be due to various reasons such as:



i. Lack of appropriate testing procedures for the product.ii. Shortage of experienced testers in the team.iii. Lack of time and resources needed for testing.



These bugs can surely be prevented from reaching the end-users by addressing the factors leading to inadequate testing.



<h3> 3. Communication Gap:</h3> Specifications depict the thoughts and vision of the people creating them. Any gaps in communication among people creating the specifications would eventually find their way in the specifications created by them.



These gaps in specifications can give way to miscommunication, assumptions, and conflicts leading to bugs. If some scenarios were not considered during creating a specification, expected behaviours for these scenarios would also be missing in the specification. 



This lack of information in the specification creates the opportunity for the development team to make assumptions regarding the expected behaviour for these scenarios. 



As assumptions are the first step on the path that leads to the difference between the expected and actual behaviour of a product, new bugs can get introduced in the product.



Sometimes, it may happen that different specifications or different sections in the same specification have conflicting expectations for the same use-case or scenario. 



Since development teams working on implementing these specifications may only refer to the sections relevant to them, such conflicts may be hard to catch early paving the way for bugs.&nbsp;



<h3>4. Improper Planning:</h3>Not considering scenarios that can impact the product later reflect poor planning. Such lapse in planning could also be due to a lack of relevant expertise in the team.



For example, if there is no security expertise in the team, it’s easy to miss on the planning of security-related efforts.&nbsp;



Improper planning may result in a lack of crucial components/modules in a&nbsp; product which may put the whole product at risk later.



<h2 id="how-can-software-bugs-be-prevented">How can Software Bugs be Prevented?</h2>



Following are a few techniques that can help in preventing software bugs:



<h3>1. Test-Driven Development (TDD):</h3> TDD encourages creating failing tests for the feature/product before developing the feature/product. As the development for the feature/product reaches completion, the test cases begin to pass, validating the expected behaviour for the feature/product.



If tests are created before the feature/product, the likelihood of a feature/product reaching its end-users untested is greatly reduced. TDD can serve as a powerful technique to prevent bugs arising due to inadequate testing.



<h3 id="2-continuous-integration-continuous-testing-cict">2. Continuous Integration Continuous Testing (CICT):</h3>



CICT emphasizes that every code change integrated into the central code repository should be automatically tested with predefined test cases. Thus, continuous testing is possible only when <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="automated testing (opens in a new tab)">automated testing</a> is implemented and integrated with CI/CD system. 



To achieve CICT for a product, it is crucial that the test automation system is integrated with the build system of the product.



Having a CICT pipeline for the product makes sure that any regressions/injections in the product are caught as soon as they are introduced. This saves a lot of time and effort that is otherwise spent in tracking down the changes that caused the regression/injection.&nbsp;



<h3>3. Behaviour Driven Development(BDD):</h3>BDD encourages the use of a Domain Specific Language (DSL) for communication between and within teams. Using DSL helps in reducing miscommunication among stakeholders.



When BDD is used, tests can be created in a simple text language like English which makes it easy for everyone in the team to participate in creating and reviewing tests without getting into the nitty-gritty of code syntax. 



This flexibility and transparency in creating and reviewing test cases can help a lot in reducing bugs occurring due to communication gaps between and within teams.



Testsigma is a unified test automation tool that has taken test automation to a new level by allowing automation in simple English. To know more about <a href="https://testsigma.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma click here</a>.



<h3>4. Specification Review and Management:</h3> As the scope for the product evolves, so do specifications related to it. The dedicated effort may be required to review and track the updates happening in specifications. Early catching of any updates in the specifications which may lead to a potential conflict, can help in preventing bugs later in the implementation of the product.



<h3>5. Clear Communication:</h3> Open and clear communication among teams and team members can help a lot in highlighting absent/conflicting scenarios in specifications. If every team member is encouraged to communicate about use-cases or scenarios that they think are missing/conflicting in the specification then, such issues can be identified much quickly and early.



Encouraging teams to seek inputs from relevant stakeholders and brainstorm for the possible expected behaviours in cases of missing/conflicting specifications can help in reducing bugs arising out of assumptions made for implementation.



<h2 id="why-are-not-all-software-bugs-preventable">Why are not all Software Bugs Preventable?</h2>



Despite various prevention techniques available, bugs still find their way in products. There can be multiple factors for this, such as:



<h3>1. Effort Tradeoff: </h3>At times, you might need to choose between preventing bugs and evolving the product for new user groups, technologies and business domains.
With limited resources at hand, prioritizing bug prevention over new product features and updates may not always be a good business decision.



<h3>2. User Immunity to Bugs: </h3>Unless the bugs in the product make it really hard to use from a performance and stability perspective, users understand that bugs do exist in software and a bug-free software is not a realistic expectation.



<h3>3. Team Structure and Dynamics: </h3> Some of the bug prevention techniques might not work for you depending on your team structure and dynamics.



<h3>4. Software Patch Releases: </h3> If a critical bug in the product has made its way to the end-user, you know it’s not the end of the world and there is an option to provide a patch release or an early next release.



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



It is always good to prevent bugs whenever possible. It saves a lot of time and effort later. But as discussed above, despite best efforts, some bugs might still find their way in the product. And it&#8217;s alright as long as these bugs don’t threaten user loyalty of the product.&nbsp;



A software with lots of features but poor stability and performance is as useless as a stable and highly performant software that doesn’t have enough features to achieve user workflows. To choose between preventing bugs and adding more features to the product, you need to find the right balance between the two.&nbsp;