By definition, test automation is the use of strategies, tools, and artifacts that increase or reduce the need for manual or human input or interaction on unskilled, repetitive, or redundant tasks. This details that there must be a formalized “manual testing process” in the company.
In software validation, test case planning and development is done manually. Writing automated test harnesses and scripts, which iterate through test cases, requires planning and development time for the team. But most of the task involved in this case can be done automatically. Most of the types of tests they usually perform are the following:
o Functional – A test that is typically done to check if operations are working as expected. Typically for testing the UI or as script maintenance between a series of builds.
o Regression: It is almost similar to the previous validation. Regression testing allows for consistent and repeatable validation of each new version of an application or website. Regression testing can be done manually, but is best done through test automation to reduce the time and resources required for testing.
o Performance – This is done to determine the benchmark or scalability of the software in the real world environment. Performance tests are typically run automatically to allow easy replication for a variety of normal, peak, and exceptional environments.
o Stress – This is often done using the same process as performance testing, but using a very high level of simulated load. It is done to determine the absolute capabilities of the application and operational infrastructure.
Reliability, repeatability, programmability, speed, and cost-effectiveness are just a few of the benefits to be gained from automating software testing. Although using this process has some disadvantages, such as difficulty in maintaining test data files and requires high proficiency in test scripting, it is widely adapted in the software industry worldwide.