Role of Test Automation in Modern Software Delivery Pipelines
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The document discusses the crucial role of test automation and continuous testing in modern software delivery pipelines, highlighting the need for rapid feedback to manage business risks in increasingly complex applications. It outlines what should be automated, the evolution and importance of continuous testing, and contrasts it with traditional test automation, emphasizing the benefits and best practices essential for integrating testing into development processes. The document concludes by stressing a shift-left approach to quality as a cultural necessity within engineering teams.
Role of Test Automation in Modern Software Delivery Pipelines
- 1. Role of Test Automation In Modern Software Delivery Pipelines Kasun Kodagoda Technical Lead | 99X Technology https://kasunkodagoda.com
- 2. Coming Up… • Why Test Automation is Important? • What Should Be Automated? • Expectation of Test Automation • Continuous Testing • Why Continuous Testing is Important? • Continuous Testing vs Test Automation • Benefits of Continuous Testing • Key Best Practices
- 3. Why Test Automation is Important? • Automated repetitive test scenarios • More time to focus on new business cases and exploratory testing • Can be used to assess the application load and performance • Executing end-to-end scenarios with many virtual users • Can be integrated into CI/CD Pipelines • Run automated smoke tests, load tests on the different stages of development • Increase productivity and quality of the software product.
- 4. What Should be Automated? • Unit Tests • Smoke Tests • API Tests • Integration Tests • UI Tests • Regression Tests • Performance Tests • Security Tests
- 5. Expectation of Test Automation • The expectation being put on Test Automation has changed • Business demands are more complex and require fast release cycles • Legacy Test Automation can not keep up • Legacy Test Automation Frameworks • Brittle tests • Slow End-to-End execution time • Increased levels of False Positives • This leads to more reliance on Manual Testing
- 7. Continuous Testing The Next Evolution of Test Automation
- 8. Continuous Testing Continuous testing is the process of executing automated tests as part of the software delivery pipeline to obtain feedback on the business risks associated with a software release candidate as rapidly as possible.
- 9. Continuous Testing • Executing automated tests as part of a software delivery pipeline • Get feedback on; • Business risk associated with a release • Fast feedback to mitigate risk • Evolution of Test Automation • To handle the increasing complexity of software products • Fast delivery cycles
- 10. Why Continuous Testing Is Important? • Application Architecture is getting increasingly complex • Microservices, Cloud, APIs creates endless combinations in a single business scenarios • Application Releases have become much faster • Applications are getting deployed multiple times per day, even multiple times per hour • Software is an Interface for the Business • A software failure is a business failure. And the impact is huge.
- 11. Continuous Testing vs Test Automation • Risk • Risk is different from Code Complete vs Analyzing Risk in earlier stages of development • Detect risk at the end of the development • Risk is much higher • Impact is much greater • Time to react is much less • Continuous Testing detects risk early as possible • More time to react • The risk and the Impact associated is much less and more manageable
- 12. Continuous Testing vs Test Automation • Breadth • The boundaries between applications are getting blurred • You are no longer doing your end-to-end scenarios in a single application • Span across multiple applications and services • Using different technologies • Scope of end-to-end scenarios are much wider • Advanced Automation techniques are required • To handle these complexities
- 13. Continuous Testing vs Test Automation • Time • Time-to-market is what matters • Deliver value faster to the customer • Beat the competition to become the market leader • Development can always release software much faster than we can test it. • Traditional testing methods can’t keep up • Predictor of Success • Time-to-Market • The Risk Associated with it. • It’s no longer • When the Code/Product is Ready, it’s When the Business is Ready
- 14. Benefits of Continuous Testing • Assess the business risk coverage • Instant insights into the viability of a release candidate • Is it too risky to progress to the next stage of the software delivery pipeline? • Helps preserving the quality and user experience in an accelerated development process • Testing is embedded in the development process, Not an afterthought
- 15. Benefits of Continuous Testing • Seamlessly integrates with Software Delivery and DevOps pipelines • A shift-left approach to software quality • Fast feedback at each stage of delivery
- 16. Who Is Responsible? • The entire Engineering Team is responsible • Shift-Left Approach to Quality is a must • Cultural & Mindset Change is necessary
- 17. Key Best Practices • Incorporate Exploratory Testing • Identify usability issues, missing functionality • Address functionality that automation can’t handle or too expensive • Risk Based Test Prioritization and Test Case Design • Continues testing is risk based • So identifying the business risks and prioritizing with risk in mind is important • Risk Coverage over Test Coverage
- 18. Key Best Practices • UI and API Based Test Automation • UI tests should complement the lower level automation • Test Data Management Process • Proper Test Data Management is important • If the test data is correct, you can prevent false positives • CI/CD Integration • Continuous testing needs to be integrated into CI/CD • Define acceptable baselines • Create thresholds that automated pipelines can identify and break the CI/CD
- 19. Key Best Practices • Planning your Test Frameworks • Reuse code, create common packages to share • Reduce duplication, decrease maintenance • Allows you to focus on writing tests that add value • Continuous Learning and Improvements • Identify key technologies that can be used to • Reduce execution time • Reduce scripts (or even script-less automation) • Reduce maintenance
- 20. Thank You :) Any Questions? ;)