CONCEPT
Automation Testing can be simply understood as using a machine to perform the testing tasks that a human tester would normally do. These tasks include starting the system, entering input data, checking and comparing the output data, and recording the results. Automation Testing plays a significant role in increasing testing productivity, reducing errors, and eliminating the monotony of manual testing over long or repetitive periods.
Automation Testing is the process of automating the steps involved in executing a test case, performed by software tools known as Automation Testing Tools. The purpose of the tester is to find bugs, but the ultimate goal is still to help produce the best product.
ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF AUTOMATION TESTING
Advantages:
- High reliability: Automated testing tools are stable as they follow predefined processes. They reduce errors made by humans during manual testing, such as incorrect data entry.
- Repeatability: Automated tests can handle repetitive tasks, such as clicking, entering data, and checking results, making them ideal for performance and load testing.
- Reusability: Automation tests can be reused across different versions of the application, even if there are UI changes, and can be executed in different environments (test, beta, production).
- High speed: Automated tests run significantly faster than manual tests—at least 10 times faster. For example, a test case that takes 5 minutes to execute manually might take only 30 seconds with automation.
- Cost-effective: Proper implementation of automation testing can save time and labor costs, as automated tests are faster and require fewer resources to execute and maintain.
Disadvantages:
- Difficult to scale and maintain: Expanding the scope of automation testing within a project can be challenging. It often requires updates, debugging, and input data changes, making it more time-consuming compared to manual testing.
- Low coverage: Due to the complexity of scaling and the need for programming skills, automation testing may cover only a small portion of the entire project.
- Tool and manpower limitations: Although there are many good automation testing tools, they still have limitations. Additionally, skilled personnel who can effectively use these tools are scarce.
- Time-consuming preparation: Implementing automation testing requires significant preparation time, including designing and setting up the testing environment before running the tests.
- Specialized workforce: Automation testing requires testers with technical skills, including programming, which often comes with higher salaries.
SKILLS REQUIRED TO BECOME AN AUTOMATION TESTER
The role of an Automation Tester involves identifying the features of the Automation Testing Framework and supporting its development.
To become an Automation Tester, you should have a solid understanding of:
- Types of testing: Unit, Integration, System, Sanity, Regression tests, etc.
- Testing techniques: Boundary value analysis, Equivalence partitioning, Decision tables, Fault guessing, etc.
- Understanding test object recognition principles: HTML and XPath for correct identification during tests.
- Proficiency in Selenium WebDriver API, as it is an open-source tool with a large community.
- Mastery of at least one programming language commonly used for scripting in test tools, such as Java, C#, Python, Ruby, JS, etc.
- Expertise in at least one testing framework: JUnit, TestNG, NUnit, etc. This helps in building frameworks, organizing tests, managing scripts, reports, and preparing data/environments.
- Knowledge of software design patterns to build frameworks or common libraries.
- Experience with building frameworks using the Page Object Model pattern.
- Coding/IDE skills: Debugging, coding conventions, source version control (GIT, SVN, etc.), using IDEs like Visual Studio, Eclipse, IntelliJ, etc., and working with databases.
- Familiarity with new technologies in automation testing: build tools (Maven, ANT), CI/CD (Jenkins, TeamCity), Cloud (AWS, Saucelab, Browserstack), Big Data (Hadoop), mobile testing (Appium), etc.
- Continuous learning of new techniques to stay updated.
THE IMPORTANCE OF AUTOMATION TESTING IN THE 4.0 ERA
With the continuous development of technology in the industrial era, especially in IT, Automation Testers are becoming highly sought after in many companies. The demand for automation testers ranges from roles focused on developing tools, frameworks, and libraries to those skilled in writing scripts based on automation testing tools. Therefore, automation testing is and will continue to be a dominant trend in the testing industry.
As the competition grows, there is an increasing demand for candidates with strong programming, technical, and automation skills.
ADVICE FOR AUTOMATION TESTERS
- Clarify requirements carefully with clients: There are cases where products are developed that do not meet the client’s needs. To avoid such situations, it’s important to write a recap and ask the client to confirm by email. This serves as evidence in case the client denies the product or there is a misunderstanding.
- Avoid being stubborn: Clients come to you because they lack expertise. If you dismiss their input and try to convince them that they don’t understand, it will waste time and damage cooperation. Instead, try to find solutions by listening and working together.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
You can refer to these two essential books that are useful for automation testing:
- Automated Testing Handbook: This book clearly outlines the main features and functionalities of automated test tools.
- Experience of Test Automation: This book discusses approaches to test automation, suitable applications for automation, and the evolution of automation testing.
Source: Nordiccoder
