Why You Should Automate Your Testing

Software testing is essential for the success of your project. Your software developers are human, too, and that means they will make mistakes. And any error during the cycle, no matter how big or small, can drastically affect the outcome of your software development.

When you test everything you produce, you can identify the defects and errors early on in the development process, so you can avoid producing software riddled with bugs and, therefore, provide a product that will satisfy both your client and your target market.

Now that we’ve established the crucial role that software testing plays in your project, the next thing we ask is this: how do we test our software?

There are two types of software testing: Manual and Automated.

Manual and Automated Testing – What’s the Difference?

Both manual and automated testing provide you with information and insights on the issues and defects within your code, how your software works, and how your end user perceives it. The difference lies in how these tests are executed.

Manual testing, as the name, suggest, are executed by humans without the support from tools or scripts. Your software developers manually check your software to find defects and issues that your end users are going to face when they use your product. During these tests, they simulate end users to check if all the features of your software are properly working before you release it. Because it is done manually by a single person, it is time-consuming and heavy on the pocket.

Automated testing, on the other hand, makes use of tools, scripts, and software to write and perform tests on your software. Unlike manual testing, minimal to no human supervision is needed because all of the tests will be carried out by a machine designed to emulate the end user’s experience on your software.

Why Automated Testing is the way to go

Because automated testing requires you to have knowledge of various testing tools, implementing these types of tests may seem challenging initially. But the benefits of automated testing greatly outweigh this con.

You will be saving time.

When you use automated testing, you can easily spot the errors in your code, therefore, revisions and improvements can be applied at a faster rate, as well. Because code changes are applied immediately, delays will be minimal so the development process will be shorter. You will spend less time fixing errors and more time focusing on your sprint goals.

You can perform more tests.

Lengthy tests can take a lot of time and effort from the software developers if they perform it manually. Automated software testing allows you to test simultaneously in different devices so you can have a comprehensive and comparative detailed report of your software’s performance. Because the same scripts are run on different platforms, the results of the tests can be generated in less time compared to manual testing.

Your tests are more accurate.

If you do manual software testing, you will inevitably face the issue of human errors – the very reason you are testing your software in the first place. Automated testing eliminates this issue. When you automate, you can get more reliable data because there will be increased accuracy in your tests. Additionally, these accurate results are gathered quicker because repetitive standardized tests are performed by your computer.

You can run tests 24/7.

Unlike in manual testing where you need a person to check your data, automated testing allows you to run your tests all day, no matter where you are. Tests can be started when you leave the office and you will get your results the next morning when you get back to work.

You won’t need a big team

Because all your tests will be performed by software, you won’t need a lot of people to perform endless repetitive, manual tests over and over again. You’ll only need a test automation engineer to write your scrips to automate your tests and these scripts can be reused in the future.

You will increase productivity.

As mentioned above, automated testing only requires a small number of people to execute a large number of tests. Because of this, your developers can focus on developing and improving the software instead of endlessly running tests manually. Your team no longer has to break their concentration because they can focus on developing great code.

To sum it all up, automation can do what manual testing cannot – provide accurate information and data in the shortest time possible. You no longer have to think about testing your code, so you can focus on developing high-quality software.

April9 offers software development services tailored to your needs. From quality assurance and testing to solution architecture, we have a team of IT professionals and software developers that are ready to help you reach your goals. Schedule your appointment with April9 today.