In the realm of software development, testing plays a pivotal role in ensuring high-quality products, preventing costly errors, and increasing customer satisfaction. Diverse testing methodologies are employed to validate software functionality and ensure seamless operation. One crucial aspect is regression testing, aimed at maintaining product integrity by identifying and rectifying unintended side effects, contributing to a robust and reliable software environment.
What is Regression Testing?
Regression testing is a meticulous process that involves the evaluation of an already-released software application to make sure that any new changes or modifications in codes are not adversely impacting the overall functionality or stability of that software. Regression testing is a must whenever there is a new feature added to an application or a defect/issue is fixed. It can also be performed when you’re planning to integrate a software with another application.
Steps Involved in Regression Testing
Creating a Regression Suite
Before getting started, a tester must build a regression suite, which is basically a set of test cases performed previously to test old features and functionalities of an app. The test cases may include functional tests, non-functional tests, unit tests, integrational tests, etc.
Listing Out All Updates
A tester needs to know all the updates that have been made to a product so they can better understand what has changed in the system since the last time they tested it.
Determining a Strategy
Secondly, a tester should have a strategy in place on whether they plan to re-test the entire application or just focus only on a few selected areas. Ideally, the entire app should be tested, however, this decision will depend on a variety of things, such as when you plan to release the update, the size of the update, etc.
Listing Out Additional Features
The updates might potentially impact other features of an app, so it is important to list out additional features that are prone to breaking.
Determining the Frequency
Once you have built a regression suite and decided which test cases you are going to use, the next step is to set the frequency for regression testing. Depending on the project, the frequency can be set to daily, weekly, or bi-weekly.
Running Tests
The final step is to run tests on the application. Areas that are more likely to create problems and require immediate attention must be tested on priority.
Reasons to Automate Regression Testing
Although regression testing can be done manually or through automation by implementing a series of specific test scripts, there are several reasons why you should opt for automated testing.
Increased Efficiency
Automated testing eliminates the need for performing menial tasks that are repetitive in nature, making the testing process faster. This is particularly helpful when you have big libraries, and you need to run a large, full suite of regression tests in a quick time.
Minimal Errors
Applications, especially business applications, become way more complex with each update. Performing regression testing on these complex updates can significantly increase the chances of human errors, directly affecting the stability and functionality of the application.
Regression Suite
Automated regression testing helps in building a regression suite by automatically adding new test cases as the software system grows. This suite can be used over and over again in the future, preventing the need for re-creating them every time you are performing regression testing.
Scalability
Because automated regression testing can be performed continuously 24X7, it is a relatively more scalable approach as compared to manual testing. Automated regression testing also allows for better resource utilization.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Regression Testing Tool for Automated Testing
Although there are several different types of tools that are used for automated regression testing, what will best suit your requirement depends on a few factors:
End-to-End Testing
A regression testing tool should be capable of performing end-to-end testing, which essentially means that the testing should not be just limited to checking the functionality. The tool should also be able to test the visual elements of an app including colors, fonts, shapes, and positioning.
No Code
Gone are the days when QA engineers used to solely rely on Selenium, which required them to have programming skills so they can write coded test scripts to perform regressive testing. Nowadays, we have numerous “no code” tools available, such as Avo Assure, that don’t require prior knowledge of programming to write codes.
False Failures
False failures are testing failures that don’t necessarily arise out of a bug and may be caused by outdated tests. False failures can make the automated testing process extremely time-consuming, so a QA engineer should ideally go for a tool that comes with built-in features to minimize false failures.
Support for Manual Testing
Although automated testing offers a variety of advantages over manual regression testing, some test scripts must always be written by an engineer manually. A tool that allows you to manage both automated and manual testing on the same platform is generally a better choice.
Conclusion
Regression testing is a critical step in the software development life cycle (SDLC) that must not be overlooked. Deploying the right tools and having a good strategy in place can help you deliver a high-quality product and achieve maximum customer satisfaction.
At Contata, we carry years of experience in offering top-notch QA services to our clients. We have a large team of engineers that can help developers accelerate the delivery of new features. Get in touch with one of our experts today to find out how we help you get the most out of your software testing efforts.
one of our experts today to find out how we help you get the most out of your software testing efforts.
Patrner with Contata
Contata’s QA testing solutions are aimed at providing businesses with high-quality applications that are safe and error-free. Reach out to us at sales@contata.com to know more about software testing services.