When it comes to development, tests involve executing a set of steps to verify if the functionality occurs as expected. In software development, conducting tests is a crucial step to ensure the final quality of the product.
In this context, automated tests emerge to streamline the testing process in application development. Automating this step reduces errors, saves time and resources, and, above all, enhances the added value of systems and applications.
If you want to learn about the types of automated tests, their key benefits, and some automation tools, just continue reading the article!
What are automated tests?
Automated tests are validation and verification procedures for software executed automatically through frameworks and scripts. With these tests, minimal or no manual intervention is required to run them.
Tests are employed to ensure that applications in development are functioning as expected, to identify bugs and security flaws, making the software ready for release or updates with minimal chances of errors.
This practice is essential in software development and greatly facilitates the routine of quality assurance (QA) professionals, providing numerous benefits and ensuring the quality of applications.
To perform automated tests, it is necessary to choose a test automation tool and configure the environment according to the framework used, which can be done following the documentation guidelines for each.
These tools assist developers in the process of creating automated tests by facilitating the creation of test cases, automatically executing the code, and providing reports on the results.
Types of Automated Tests
There are different types of automated tests that contribute to excellence in software development. Combining various types of tests can be ideal for delivering a flawless, high-quality system.
Here are the main types of automated tests:
End-to-End Test (E2E)
End-to-End testing, also known as E2E, aims to verify the software’s behavior comprehensively, including all its parts and components. This type of test simulates the user’s journey from start to finish, traversing all stages and encompassing all system modules. It seeks to ensure that all actions a user performs within the software function as expected.
To successfully conduct this type of test, the test environment must simulate chain actions that can be performed by real-world users, such as interactions between different system scripts, use cases, and network communications.
Unit Tests
Unit tests, as the name suggests, are tests conducted on individual code units in isolation. Their goal is to verify the smallest testable parts of code, such as methods, functions, or procedures used in the project. Unit tests allow verifying if the logic behind each function is working correctly.
This type of test typically has a low automation cost, can be executed quickly, and provides a high return on investment.
Integration Test
Integration testing is usually performed after unit testing, as code units may make external integration calls to third-party applications and systems. Integration testing is used to verify if integrations are appropriate between different modules and components.
This type of test is crucial for identifying faults that may arise when different parts of the system are combined. Integration tests are typically more complex and take longer to develop and execute, as they test the software as a whole.
Why Conduct Automated Tests?
Executing automated tests during software development ensures the overall quality and effectiveness of the system, minimizing the risks of issues during end-user utilization.
Unlike manual tests, which rely entirely on human interaction and are consequently slower and more prone to errors.
💡 Learn more: What is automation software and what are the benefits?
So, here are some benefits of conducting automated tests:
Reliability
As tests are performed automatically, software becomes more reliable, as it is not susceptible to human errors. Additionally, with test automation, tests are consistently repeated, ensuring better and more reliable results.
This process directly impacts the final quality of the application, as test automation increases the chances of delivering a high-quality end product.
Time and Resource Savings
Undoubtedly, automated tests initially require a considerable amount of investment and time from the quality assurance (QA) team. However, over the project lifecycle, the return on the initial investment becomes evident.
This is because automated tests allow the early identification and correction of issues, preventing future time and resource expenditures. Moreover, the IT team, previously responsible for manual testing, can now focus on more complex tasks and the development of new applications.
Increased Added Value
An application tested with automation exhibits higher quality than those tested solely through manual means. Automated tests reduce the likelihood of application bugs and usability problems.
In other words, the product becomes more reliable and defect-free, enhancing end-user satisfaction and its overall added value. Additionally, automated tests facilitate application maintenance over time, ensuring that code changes do not break previously existing functionalities.
How to Conduct Automated Tests?
Now that we understand what automated tests are and their main types, let’s go through a step-by-step guide on what needs to be done to start conducting this type of testing in your company. Here’s a breakdown:
Define Objectives
The first step in conducting automated tests is to define the objectives that your business aims to achieve through automation. This ensures that tests are effective and provide value to the development process.
Start by identifying critical or complex development areas that require automation. Focus on high-impact functionalities or applications that may contain a higher number of errors. Once done, define the necessary types of tests for these software components (unit, integration, and end-to-end).
Then, establish success metrics for the tests so that you can clearly assess their effectiveness for your company.
Choose a Tool
Another crucial step in test automation is choosing the right tool. Ensure that the software offers all the features your company needs for successful automated testing.
Selenium
Selenium is one of the most widely used test automation tools due to its open-source nature and support for multiple programming languages such as Java, Python, and C#. It is specifically used to automate web applications through the browser.
BotCity
BotCity is a specialized tool in Robotic Process Automation (RPA). While not focused on Quality Assurance but on various automations, it provides the flexibility to customize automated tests through programming in Python using BotCity Maestro. The tool stands out for its flexibility and governance facilitation in RPA operations, including orchestration of automations in Selenium and other frameworks.
RobotFramework
RobotFramework is a generic tool for test automation and robotic process automation (RPA). It is open source and allows integration with other automation tools.
💡 Learn more: Open source RPA: What are its benefits for automation?
Set Up the Environment and Execute
With the previous steps defined, your company can start setting up the environment, depending on the chosen tool and programming language. Developers will need to configure the project by writing the tests.
As the tests run, adjustments may be necessary at some point. These adjustments help refine the automations, bringing more benefits to your company, allowing for the construction of increasingly improved automations.
💡 Learn more: RPA Developer: Roles, Compensation, and Requirements
Ready to Conduct Automated Tests?
We hope this article has clarified the main questions about automated tests. Implementing this process in software development is an excellent way to stand out and ensure the quality of your applications.
If you’re looking to boost your company with an orchestrator capable of controlling robot queues, executing priorities, distributing bot processing, and more, now is the right time to explore BotCity. Click here to talk to a specialist!
Now, if you are taking the first steps to automate your company’s processes, how about creating a free account on BotCity and discovering how our tool works.
