Types Of Automation Testing
Automation testing means using computer programs to do tests on software instead of people doing it. Testing is important to make sure software works well and is of good quality. To do this, computer programs are written to copy what a person would do and see if it works correctly.
Automation testing helps find problems early so they can be fixed before they get worse. This makes testing faster and better, with fewer mistakes from people. The goal is to make the software better and more reliable.
The testing techniques include:
Automation Based on the Type of Testing
Functional Tests
Functional testing is a way to check if the software works correctly by examining its features and abilities. It checks if the software behaves as expected, meets design requirements and satisfies the end-users. While it’s possible to do this testing by hand, automation testing is faster and more efficient. Testers use automation tools to run tests that pretend to be a person using the software.
Non-Functional Tests
Non-functional automation testing checks if a software system works well in terms of performance, reliability, security, and user-friendliness. It’s different from functional testing, which checks if the product meets its functional requirements. Automated tests are helpful because they’re fast and can find issues with performance and scalability that may be missed during manual testing. This makes testing more efficient and effective.
Automation based on the Phase of Testing
Unit Tests
Unit tests are automated tests that confirm the most basic working component of a software system, such as a method or function. Usually written by developers, these tests are executed in a development environment. Unit tests are made to ensure that each component of a software system functions as intended and to find bugs or flaws in the code early in the development process. Testing frameworks like JUnit or NUnit are typically used to conduct unit tests.
API Tests
API tests are computerised tests that make sure Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) work correctly. They are written using programming languages and run against the endpoints to check API response times, data accuracy and how they handle errors. API tests are essential to confirm the interactions between software components as that guarantee API functionality and performance. Programs like Postman or RestAssured are used to run API tests.
UI-Based Tests
UI-based tests are automated tests that simulate how users interact with a software application’s graphical user interface. These tests help check if the software is user-friendly and works correctly. These tests are essential for finding flaws or problems that other automated tests may not detect. UI-based tests are usually run using tools like Selenium or Appium. These tools can recognise objects, conduct data-driven testing and generate reports.
Automation based on the Type of Tests
Smoke Tests
Smoke tests are automated tests that are used to quickly validate a software system’s fundamental functionality following a new build or release. Smoke tests are used to check whether the system is stable enough to move on to more testing. Smoke testing can be done both manually and automatically. It typically involves running several tests that cover the essential components of the system.
Integration Test
Integration tests are automated tests that check if different parts of the software work well together. Testers check if different parts of the software can work together as they are required to and look for any problems that might occur when they do. Integration Tests are run after Unit Tests. Integration Tests can check different levels of integration like:
- How the software works with other software.
- How it works with a database.
- How the software works as a whole.
Regression Tests
Regression testing is a way to test if new changes to the software didn’t cause any new problems or break things that were working before. Testers re-run tests that worked before to check if they still work after the changes. Regression testing is important because even small changes to the software can cause new problems that weren’t there before. Testers can do regression testing by running the tests again by hand or by using a computer program.
Security Testing
Security testing is a way to test if the software is safe and can resist certain kinds of attacks. Testers simulate attacks that hackers could use to find problems in the software. They check if the software is safe in many ways, like making sure people can’t easily get in without permission, making sure people can only do what they’re allowed to and checking that information is kept private. Security Testing is important because it helps protect users’ information and make sure the software works well.
Performance Tests
Performance testing is a type of testing that checks if a software program can handle different conditions, like lots of users or traffic. It helps to identify any problems or issues that may make the software slow or inefficient. This is important because slow software can cause lost productivity and money. This may even lead to a poor experience for users. Performance testing can be done either manually or through automation. This may involve different types of testing such as load testing, stress testing and endurance testing.
Acceptance Tests
Acceptance testing examines if the software satisfies the needs and expectations of the client or end-user. Testers assess the software’s functionality, usability, compatibility and performance during acceptance testing. They guarantee that the software is error-free and capable of handling various situations that users might experience.
To conclude we can say that automation testing is a boon in developing software. It helps in testing the software faster and more accurately. Developers can make sure the software works well and meets the needs of the people who will use it by using different types of automation testing. This makes it easier for developers to make strong,