How To Start Automation Testing From Scratch? | 8 Key Notes To Start With

Manual testing seems to be a bottleneck as software development cycles become more rapid. Being a time-consuming and error-prone process, developers move towards implementing Automation Testing to reduce the time to market. Thats why it is important to know how to start automation testing from scratch.

Although you cannot drop manual testing completely, transitioning to Automated Software Testing is the need of the hour. At first, you may struggle as to how and where to start. Here are some key notes you must consider as you move toward Automation Testing.

What is Automation Testing?

Automation testing is a software testing approach that involves using tools and scripts to execute test cases without human participation automatically. It contributes to increased testing efficiency and accuracy while decreasing the time and expense associated with manual testing.

Why Automation Testing?

Automated testing has various advantages over manual testing. For starters, it improves testing efficiency by running test cases more rapidly and precisely. This leads to faster feedback and a shorter time to market. Second, automated testing is more trustworthy since it eliminates the likelihood of human mistakes and bias. Finally, it enables the testing of a vast number of situations and data sets that would be impossible to perform manually. Lastly, automated testing contributes to cost savings by needing less resources and allowing testing to be conducted around the clock.

When to Opt for Automation Testing?

1. Manual execution of the same test cases can be time-consuming and error-prone, whereas automation can speed up the process while improving accuracy.
2. Automated testing of an extensive application with many interdependent components may ensure complete testing of all modules and their interactions.
3. Suppose the application must be tested across many configurations, such as different browsers, operating systems, or devices. In that case, automated testing can assist in boosting efficiency and minimizing the effort necessary for manual testing.
4. Regression testing is required: Manually doing regression testing, which entails ensuring that modifications made to the program do not generate new faults, may be time-consuming. Automation testing can help to speed up the process and make it more efficient.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Start Automation Testing from Scratch

Here are the steps to start automation testing from scratch:

1. Identify the right automation tool

The right automated testing tool is determined by the type of application, technology employed, and testing needs. It should also consider simplicity of use, platform support, and community support when choosing a tool.

2. Define the scope of automation

Select and prioritize the most essential and time-consuming test cases for automation, considering the application’s complexity and stability, and the ROI of automation.

3. Develop a test plan

Develop a test plan that includes the testing approach, objectives, test cases, timeframes, and responsibilities. Define the test environment and determine the test data required for automation.

4. Develop automation scripts

Create automation scripts with a chosen tool, starting with simple test cases and progressing to more complex ones. Follow good coding principles and use version control to manage and monitor changes.

5. Execute and maintain the automation suite

Run automation programmes and examine outcomes. Address any problems or errors as soon as possible. Keep the automation suite up to date with changes to the application or testing environment. Evaluate the scope, test strategy, and scripts on a regular basis.

8 Key Notes to Move to Automated Software Testing

1. Know Your Software Well

The choice of test automation frameworks or tools depends heavily on the technologies used in your software. Think like a tester. Know every aspect of your software before you begin with Automation. Know the language in which the software is written and how it is integrated with third-party resources. This will enable you to streamline the tool selection process.

2. Learn A Programming Language; Like Python

Test automation is only attainable when you are an experienced coder. You can begin with Python since the language is relatively easier. Also, many resources available online will assist you in understanding the language. Apart from Python, upgrading your skills such as XML, HTML, CSS, XPATH, and SOAP is recommended.

However, with Scriptless tools like Testsigma, you don’t need to learn and implement various programming languages. This is explained in detail in Scriptless Test Automation for Agile and DevOps. With Testsigma, you could automate the tests in plain simple English, which is quite easy for anyone new to Test Automation.

3. What To Automate?

Automation works best in the following situations:

i. High testing frequency: If your software is released iteratively, you should automate your smoke and regression testing. This way, you can boost the testing cycles and reduce the time to market.

ii. Business Priority: Automation Testing should be based on the business needs and complexity. Choose the functionalities that should be automated based on the priority of the tests.

You cannot afford to test the same functionality over and again manually across different test environments. Automate test cases that support multiple browsers to save time and effort.

4. What Not To Automate?

Agile software development takes time, even before the requirements and design stabilize. So, when you switch to automation, carefully consider the test cases you develop because your requirements may change as the project advances. For all the possibilities when automation testing may be implemented, consider when it is cost and time effective to develop automated tests. Some testing techniques, when left to be done manually, will yield more results rather than automation.

The following testing techniques are your ideal candidates for manual testing:

i. Exploratory Testing – Your user would rather explore the software than follow a standard workflow. So, it is not recommended to automate exploratory testing.

ii. UX Testing – No automation tool, not currently, that can measure the software based on human emotions such as the likelihood of usage or pleasant to the eyes. Only humans can experience such user issues and provide recommendations.

iii. Accessibility Testing – This testing lets you know how accessible your application is – this can only be analyzed via manual testing.

5. How To Automate?

When moving to Automation Testing, the fundamental rule is that not all tests can be automated. Understand well that a 100% automation for software testing is not possible. In the beginning, you can target a few percent of your tests. Based on the business priorities, write small test cases and create a risk plan for what needs to be automated and what may not.

6. Select The Right Automation Testing Tools Your choice of tools highly influences the ROI on Automated software testing

Your choice of tools highly influences the ROI on Automated software testing. To choose the best possible tools, here are a few factors you should consider:

i. Your Domain: Your choice of automation testing tools depends on your app’s domain. For web-UI applications, you would need tools like Selenium and QTP. In the case of mobile apps, go for tools like Appium.

However, Unified testing tools like Testsigma can be used for Web-based applications, mobile and API services’ automation. Here’s a link to help you select the right Automation Testing Tool.

ii. Experience In Programming: Choose the tools you are comfortable with. Look for tools that offer you to work on your choice of languages like Java, Ruby, and C#.

iii. Open Source or Paid: You may have budget constraints when moving to automation testing. Based on your budget, you can opt for open-source tools like Selenium and Appium or pay options like LoadRunner and QTP.

Remember that Open Source does not mean no other expenses are involved. Open Source comes with extra expenses like resources, time to set up the test environments, time, and effort. A SaaS test automation tool would allow you to pay only for what you use and a dedicated support team obliged to assist you.

Time and again, it is proved that few commercial tools are both cost and time-effective for the long term. You may refer to this guide on Selenium alternative for Automated Regression Testing.

7. Adopt The Right Automation Testing Framework

A combination of frameworks would work well here rather than sticking to a single one. Some of the common types of frameworks you would come across are as under:

i. Modular-Based Frameworks (Appium, Selenium WebDriver)Modular frameworks segregate individual steps on testing into dedicated functions. These functions are the building blocks for the primary script that will run everything in a defined order. The best part of working with modular-based frameworks is that you can test each segment individually. Also, if you make updates to a certain module, it will only affect the specific modules. So, there is no need to recreate the entire script whenever any updates are made.

ii. Library Architecture Frameworks (WebDriver I/O, NightmareJS, Puppeteer)Also known as “Structured Scripting” or “Functional Decomposition”, modules in this framework consists of reusable libraries. Every library can be called when needed. The costs of developing automation scripts are relatively cheap – thanks to the higher code reusability and easy script maintenance.

These high-level frameworks are designed to handle different test environments at once. Data is handled in multiple formats such as SQL tables and spreadsheets. Since the framework is data-driven, you can test different scenarios by changing the data. This is highly beneficial for testing very large applications with diverse data types.

iii. Keyword-Driven Frameworks (Cucumber, Jbehave)Keyword-driven or Behavior-driven frameworks are designed from business language and are the most flexible testing framework you will encounter. Simple commands can be set up by allocating keywords to the lookup table. Once implemented, these commands are very easy to work with since they follow a natural language process. Working with the keyword-driven framework needs minimal coding and scripting. Snippets from the code are reusable as the test scripts are independent of a specific application. Since the framework is keyword driven, you must keep the repositories up to date.

That’s why we built Testsigma with all the essential elements required for test automation for different types of users.

Checkout Testsigma which has all the essentials to move to Manual from Automated Testing with no additional cost, time and resources.

Now Automated Testing is as simple as Manual Testing!

8. Reporting

Your Automation Testing Tool might already have the reporting feature. However, you can always create your personalized reporting mechanisms, which may include auto-emailing the final reports to the management or stakeholders. You can create and execute these reports at the end of each test execution. Use visually appealing presentation templates such as charts and tables to optimize the presentation of test case coverage.

Conclusion

To conclude, Automation testing has the potential to be a significant tool for enhancing productivity, lowering costs, and improving accuracy in software testing. Testsigma is an AI-powered test automation tool that can assist enterprises in streamlining their testing processes, shortening time-to-market, and improving software quality. It has a user-friendly interface, strong capabilities, and scalable architecture, and can handle all of your testing needs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get started in automation?

To get started with automation testing, you must first determine the best automation tool for your application and testing needs. Finally, specify the scope of the automation and develop a test strategy. After you’ve devised a strategy, begin writing and executing automation scripts. To keep the automation suite up to date, it should be evaluated and maintained on a regular basis.

How do I start manual testing to automation?

To transition from manual to automated testing, identify and prioritize the most essential and time-consuming test cases. Choose the best automation tool and write automation scripts. Run the scripts and examine the results. Regularly evaluate and maintain the automation suite to keep it up to date.

What is the first step in automation testing?

Select the best automation tool for your application and testing needs. Define the scope of automation and develop a test strategy. Create and run automation programs. Regularly evaluate and maintain the automation suite to keep it up-to-date.

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