Types of Automation Testing | A Comprehensive Guide

Automation testing has become a cornerstone for ensuring efficiency, reliability, and speed in delivering high-quality software. It not only saves time but also mitigates the risk of human errors. Understanding the diverse landscape of automation testing becomes crucial with the demand for faster release cycles and higher efficiency.

In this blog, we will talk about various facets of automation testing in software testing, exploring different types, their best practices, and more.

What is Automation Testing?

Automation testing refers to the use of test automation tools and test scripts to verify software quality. It eliminates human intervention while running the test cases or reporting the results. Automated testing helps save the time and effort required to perform repetitive and resource-heavy tasks that are difficult to do manually.

Types of Automation Testing

Automation testing has multiple types as per different categories. Here we are going to discuss three types of automation testing: based on types, phases, and tests. It might sound confusing right now, but when you read about them, you will understand the differences and why they are categorized like such.

Types of Automation Testing Based on the Type of Testing

Automation can be classified into two, based on the type of testing, as follows,

• Automation of Functional Testing

Functional tests check the logic behind the working of an application. Automated functional testing includes writing test cases and running them using a suitable tool like Testsigma to verify that the application is working per user expectations.

• Automation of Non-Functional Testing

Non-functional aspects of an application include everything else that does not come under functional. Anything that is not related to the logic of how the product is working is non-functional. It also includes creating and executing test cases using automation tools.

Types of Automation Testing Based on the Phase of Testing

Here, we will discuss the automation testing types that are categorized based on the phases of testing,

• Automation of Unit Tests

Automated unit testing is a type of automation testing developers run to check the code of the application. Coders can easily write unit tests and automate them to check the program in the development phase.

• Automation of UI Tests

Automated GUI testing refers to checking the look and feel of the application. It includes validating the business logic and functionality of the product, but only after the complete development is over.

• Automation of API Tests

Automated API testing helps check if different nodules/programs of the system are communicating properly. These tests verify the logic as per the request and response of programs that are running the application.

Types of Automation Testing as Per Tests

Let’s discuss several types of automated testing as per tests.

• Regression testing: They are ideal for automation testing because of their repetitive nature and huge test suite size.
• Unit testing: The smallest units of code are tested using automation during the early development stages.
• Integration testing: They help to certify the seamless interaction between modules and are really critical for any software.
• Smoke testing: Checks that the major functionalities of the software are working when an initial new build is deployed.
• Performance testing: These tests help test the speed, responsiveness, and stability of the application under test, and most can be performed only with the help of an automation tool.
• Data-driven testing: Huge data inputs, outputs, and results are easily managed through automation testing, which would otherwise incur enormous manual time and effort.
• Keyword-driven testing: They are popular today because of the flexibility, reusability, and clarity keyword-driven tests provide.

Automation Testing Frameworks

An automation testing framework is a platform that integrates various hardware, software, and tools that enable streamlined design and development of test scripts. With efficient test scripts, testers are able to perform an analysis of the detected bugs of the AUT.

QA engineers effectively leverage automation testing frameworks to find objects and sort them so that they may be reused in test scripts, perform the desired fix on the identified objects, and ensure the objects deliver the desired results.

• Linear Frameworks

The linear framework is record and playback-driven, which is always achieved linearly. It is more commonly named the record and playback model. Typically, test scripts are created and executed individually in this scripting-driven framework. The automation scripting takes place incrementally, where new interactions are added to the automation tests simultaneously.

• Modular Frameworks

Test scripts are developed based on modules or clusters in a modular automation framework. These are formed by dividing the entire application into smaller, self-sufficient blocks. Thus, individual test scripts belonging to a particular module or group are created. 

These scripts belonging to these isolated modules can be integrated and driven by a master driver script to perform integration testing among the modules. All these are achieved with the help of shared function libraries used while developing modules’ scripts. 

This framework adheres to the concept of abstraction, wherein test data is added to the test scripts. Test scripts need to be directly updated if there is a need to test with a different combination of test data. The smaller modules in the framework hierarchically communicate with each other to form a large script capable of testing an entire scenario.

• Library Architecture Frameworks

The library architecture framework is similar to the modular framework but provides more benefits. Rather than segregating the AUT into different scripts, identical tasks within the script are combined by function. These functions are placed in a library and are called upon by the test scripts when required. 

Similar to the case of the modular framework, utilizing library architecture enables greater modularization, leading to simplified test maintenance and higher scalability. Library architecture is highly scalable due to the availability of a standard function library that multiple test scripts may use.

How can Testsigma Help You Automate Your Test Cases?

Testsigma is a robust, low-code, AI-driven, cloud-based test automation tool that allows you to create and run automated tests of web, mobile, and desktop apps and APIs in one place. It allows you to automate your test cases for all types of automation testing quickly and efficiently. 

Here are some of its key features,

• The tool is entirely cloud-based, which saves the costs and efforts of procuring and setting up the infrastructure for testing.
• It supports both codeless and code-based automated testing tools. It is a perfect tool for both technical and non-technical users, which makes testing accessible for everyone on the team. 
• You can create test cases in simple English using NLPs. There is no need to learn coding or complex programming languages to start automating.
• You can create custom test scripts using Java for testing complex scenarios that require coding.
• Supports Record feature, using which you can record user interactions and run them as automated tests on the cloud.
• It provides a built-in test case review management capability.
• Object recognition can be done automatically or manually. The objects are scanned to save the most crucial information. If there is any structure change, the recognized object is not lost.
• If there are any failures in any test cases, Testsigma also suggests affected resources for fixing the failed issues using the auto-healing capability.
• It easily integrates with product management tools, bug-tracking, collaboration, and CI/CD tools. 
• The tool provides detailed test reporting and analytics via video recordings, screenshots, and logs of the complete test case execution or the failure, enabling easy debugging.
• It offers 24×5 extended customer support via chat, email, call, and community.

Conclusion

One cannot overstate the benefits of automation testing. Given the customer demand for new features every few weeks, organizations must incorporate automation testing. Since a terrible user experience will almost certainly get any application uninstalled and downvoted by customers, automation testing plays a critical role in ensuring the desired customer experience. Without it, developing software that appeals to users becomes significantly more difficult.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Different Methods of Automation Testing?

1. Unit Testing
2. Integration Testing
3. Smoke Testing
4. Regression Testing
5. Keyword-driven Testing
6. Data-driven Testing
7. Performance Testing