Getting started with Automated Device Testing

Software testing has turned out as an integral part of any IT project. Testing the software or app more and more will guarantee a better quality of your software. Now, how do you accomplish it? Either you go with Manual Testing or Automated Testing. Automation testing significantly reduces the effort and time spent on testing. This is why more and more companies are accepting this technique to automate their tests.

The automation market is expected to grow worldwide rather significantly, chiefly in drones, artificial intelligence, and 3D printing, each of which is estimated to nearly double in worldwide revenues over this time period. Automation is a significant factor in most modern industries & industrial software development is crucial to fields of engineering, tech, and scientific research. Industrial software alone is anticipated to be a net worth of 43 billion U.S. dollars in the year 2021.

Source

By expediting processes and minimizing human error, the advent of automation and linked or interconnected devices allows industries to update, innovate and grow in size fairly rapidly. In 2021, the test automation industry is projected to generate nearly 214 billion $ worldwide. The procedure automation sector is estimated to exceed 83 billion $ by 2021.

According to Global Market Insights, the test automation market size exceeded USD 15 billion in 2020 and is projected to hit a CAGR of over 16 percent from 2021 to 2027.

What is Automation Testing?

Test Automation is the use of software tools to execute and run tests on software apps or systems, rather than manually testing them. Test automation testing allows QA experts the time to focus on varied quality activities such as running exploratory tests, examining test results, etc., by taking over the monotonous and recurring jobs such as Regression testing.

Accordingly, automation testing allows you to achieve great test coverage in the shortest period. Automated testing comprises the use of test scripts and software tools to automate the test process, controlling the time and effort needed for testing. The ultimate objective of test automation is to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of testing by automating time-consuming and repetitive tasks, such as running functional tests, regression tests, performance tests, & load tests.

Automation testing is the best way to enhance the test coverage, execution, effectiveness, and speed in QA testing. Automated software testing is significant due to the following reasons:

• Manual Testing is problematic to test manually for multilingual sites.
• Manual Testing of all fields, every workflow, and all negative scenarios is money and time-consuming.
• Automation Testing enhances the speed of test execution
• Automated Test in software testing doesn’t require Human intervention. You can execute automated tests unattended (overnight)
• Automation helps enhance Test Coverage
• Manual Testing can become tiresome and hence bug-prone.

 

Difference between Manual and Automation Testing

 

Criteria	Manual Testing	Automation Testing
Definition	This is a type of testing where the tests are implemented manually by the testing team.	It is a type of testing wherein the tests are implemented using automated tools.
Process	Manual testing includes a QA engineer manually executing test cases, without the usage of any automated tools.	Automated testing includes the usage of automated tools to run test cases.
Speed	Manual testing is steadier than automated testing, as it necessitates a human to run the test cases.	Automated testing is quicker than manual testing, as it can run test cases much more rapidly.
Repeatability	This form of testing is less repeatable and can be prone to human error than automation testing.	Automated testing is highly repeatable than manual tests as similar tests can be run the same way each time.
Skillset required	Manual testing necessitates a QA tester to have great analytical, communication, and problem-solving expertise.	Automated testing necessitates a tester to have better scripting &programming skills, plus knowledge of tools.
Coverage	Manual testing can cover a restricted set of test cases.	Automation testing can cover a huge no. of test cases and can test monotonous tasks efficiently.
Cost	Manual testing is comparatively cheaper, as it doesn’t necessitate any specialized technology or tools.	Automated testing is highly costly, as it necessitates specialized tools and technology.
Suitable for	Manual testing is appropriate for user acceptance testing, ad-hoc testing, and exploratory testing.	Automation testing is appropriate for regression testing, load testing, and performance testing.
Human intervention	Manual testing needs human intervention, which can result in inconsistencies and errors in the testing process.	Automation testing can execute without human intervention, which eradicates the probability of human error.
Scalability	It isn’t scalable, as it is restricted by the number of testers accessible.	It is highly scalable, as it can run a huge number of test cases in the shortest period.

 

The above differences clearly indicate the efficiency of automated testing. But, with manual testing, you advantage of human knowledge and expertise, which an automation testing tool can never offer a match for.

Steps to get started with automated device testing

Here are a few steps to get started with automated device tests:

1. Identify the devices to test: Start by detecting the devices that you wish to test your application on. Consider the famous devices amongst your niche audience and the diverse kinds of OSs & hardware configurations that you wish to cover.
2. Select a Testing Framework: There are numerous testing frameworks accessible for automation device testing, counting Calabash, Appium, & Espresso. Research dissimilar frameworks to discover one that best suits your requirements.
3. Write test scripts: Once you have selected a test framework, start writing test scripts that can be performed on the devices you have detected. Test scripts can be written in numerous programming languages like Python, Java, or Ruby.
4. Set up a test environment: Set up a test environment that comprises all the devices you wish to test your application on, as well as the essential software tools and test framework. Some testing frameworks let for cloud-based tests, which can be highly convenient and lucrative.
5. Run tests and analyze results: Run your test scripts on the devices in your test environment & check the outcomes. Identify any problems and fix them as necessary.
6. Continuous testing: As you continue to design your application, keep testing it on a systematic basis. This will aid you to catch any problems early on & guarantee that your application works as projected on all the devices you want to support.

By following such steps, you can get begin with automation device testing and guarantee that your app functions well on an extensive range of devices.

Which Test Cases to Automate?

Test cases to be automated can be chosen using the following criterion to increase the automation ROI:

• Test cases that are recurrently implemented
• Higher Risk – Business Critical test cases
• Test Cases that are difficult or tedious to manually perform
• Test Cases that are time wasting

Which Test Cases to Automate?

Let’s look at the parts where you can apply Automated Testing

• Repetitive (Regression) Test- This is the prime candidate for automated test, as their no. keep on increasing with the addition of fresh functionalities. Due to this fact, they become problematic to manage, and running them manually frequently becomes a mundane task.
• Complex Tests- Complicated tests are best to automate. For instance, consider the parts which require huge calculations; they are always prone to manual errors. Thus, automating them would always guarantee the accurate result of your software.
• Smoke Tests- The smoke testing which perhaps required to be performed in varied environments like Dev Env, QA Env, and Production Envs are also great candidates for automated testing. It would save loads of time to run these tests through automation each time a new environment comes in.
• Data-Driven Tests- These are testing that requires a repeated test with diverse data sets, and thus, automated testing can prove to be a boon in such cases.
• Performance Tests- Automation testing will assist you in testing the software performance & load under diverse circumstances easily and in a lesser time in contrast to the manual approach.

Learn all about Github actions for test automation and how it can assist QA testers to run tests on the LambdaTest platform.

Why is automated device testing crucial in QA testing?

Automated device testing is critical in QA testing for various reasons:

1. Efficient and consistent testing: Automation device testing can run tests on numerous devices concurrently, saving time & effort. It also guarantees that similar tests are performed consistently across diverse Oss and devices.
2. Enhanced test coverage: Automated device testing can cover more test cases as well as scenarios than manual tests, which can aid that the app is systematically tested and validated across varied OSs and devices.
3. Early detection of flaws: Automation device testing can detect errors early in the software development lifecycle, leading to a speedy resolution and a top-quality product.
4. Reduced human error: Automated device tests are less prone to manual error, resulting in more reliable and accurate test outcomes.
5. Increased cost-effectiveness and efficiency: Automated device testing can save extra costs over an extended term by reducing the requirement for manual testing and enhancing test coverage.
6. Speedy feedback: Automated device testing can offer speedy feedback on the quality of the app, allowing for quick resolution of issues and a speedy time to market.

Overall, automated device testing is vital in software testing to guarantee that software apps are meticulously tested.

Test tool selection

Any process begins with a definition, so before applying to an automated test you must define the objective of automation. Once you are sure of what form of testing you are performing, you require to choose the tool. There are various forms of testing tools accessible, but, selecting the accurate tool that suits your test necessities, is vital for automation. Consider these key pointers while choosing an automated tool:

• Is it simple to develop & manage the scripts for the tool or not?
• How many test forms can this tool support?
• Does the tool have a testing report functionality?
• Does it work on platforms such as mobile, web, desktop, etc?
• How many languages does the particular tool support?

For instance, automated tools like QTP doesn’t support Informatica. Hence, it can’t be used for testing Informatica apps. It’s a great idea to conduct or execute a Proof of Concept of Tool on AUT.  Let us see some of the most common and popular test automation frameworks which are being extensively used.

Run Cypress, Selenium, and Appium testing on LambdaTest to scale with the request of your web apps and website.

For instance, Selenium is a free and open-source framework for cross-platform and cross-browser testing of web apps. It is a suite that lets automated tests of web applications and websites in different browsers on diverse platforms using any sort of programming language of your preference.

Cloud test tools like LambdaTest proffer a cloud Selenium Grid that allows you to run parallel testing on an online browser farm of 3000+ browsers and OSs. All you require to do is instantiate the remote Selenium WebDriver rather than the local Selenium WebDriver.

Diverse approaches to Automated Testing

There are several approaches to test automation. Some of the most popular approaches count:

1. Keyword-Driven Tests: This approach includes utilizing a series of keywords to represent the activities and data used in test cases. The expert QA automation engineer generates test scripts by making use of such keywords.
2. Record and Playback: This approach includes using a test automation tool for recording user activities and then playing back those actions as test scripts.
3. Model-Based Testing: This approach utilizes models for defining the behavior of the system being tested. The QA engineer generates test scripts based on such models.
4. Scripting: In this approach, the skilled engineer writes scripts using a programming language, like Python or Java, for automating the test process.
5. Data-Driven Testing: In this approach, test cases are generated based on distinct series of test data. The software engineer forms a test script that can manage varied data inputs and outputs.
6. Behavior-Driven Development (BDD): This approach includes forming tests that are written in a language that is effortlessly understandable by non-technical investors. The tests are reliant on the expected behavior of the system.
7. Continuous Testing: This approach includes executing automated testing constantly throughout the SDLC (software development lifecycle) to identify issues early in the process. This approach necessitates close cooperation between testing and development teams.

Each approach has its rewards and drawbacks and the selection of an approach relies on factors such as the development methodology, the type of app being tested, and the experience and skills of the automated testing team.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which automation testing tool is in demand in 2023?

Selenium, Katalon Studio, TestComplete, and Appium are the most popular automation testing tools, which will remain in demand in 2023.

 What are the basics of automation testing?

The basics of automation testing comprise the following steps:

1. Test planning
2. Test tool selection
3. Test script development
4. Test execution
5. Test reporting
6. Test maintenance

In short, automated testing comprises the usage of software tools & test scripts to automate the testing process and enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness of software testing.

What are the current trends in automation testing?

The current trends in automated testing have been altering from time to time. The most common trend used today is the one that use a combination of AI and machine learning. With the growing adoption of cloud-based technologies, there is a current trend toward using cloud-centric automation testing services and tools.