Software testing is a critical process that allows you to identify the slightest violations in quality. The number of programs, websites, and mobile applications is snowballing. Along with this, the number of devices that you can use to access online resources is also increasing. It greatly complicates the work of a QA specialist. Today there are 2 main types of testing – automatic and manual. Many are in a hurry to bury manual tests in favor of automation regarding compatibility testing. Let’s discuss how good this solution is, in what places this approach is justified, and when it should be abandoned.
What are manual testing and its main advantages?
Manual testing is a process in which possible errors are identified using a person’s hands, eyes, knowledge, and skills. In this case, the tester acts as an editor – he reads the code like a book to identify the slightest errors; views the interface as a cover.
This type of testing has many advantages:
- Allows you to investigate unexpected results quickly;
- Helps to identify user interaction problems better;
- Makes it easier to reproduce problems in the field;
- Suitable for handling dynamic behavior.
No matter how good automated tests are, today, they cannot simulate human behavior and perceive the interface as the user does. Thus, manual tests are indispensable in the field of UX today.
What are automated tests and their benefits?
Automated tests are a process in which particular tools perform software verification. So the engineer sets the parameters that need to be checked (creates test scripts), and the tool studies the program code. In the past few years, automated testing has grown by leaps and bounds, so today there is a great demand for this type of testing. In many ways, this opinion is because automation has the following advantages:
- Reduces testing costs;
- Saves human resources;
- Ensures uniformity of testing methodologies in different regions;
- The testing cycle takes place 24/7;
- A deeper study of the code.
Various tools can examine your software in more detail, reveal how it will work on different devices and browsers, find vulnerabilities and determine performance.
If you are interested in getting a better understanding of automated testing for your startup or asking questions to the experts, feel free to contact TestFort testing company. There is a large team of testers who may help you take QA to a high level.
When is manual testing best?
There are several times when you can only do manual testing. First, when it comes to the quality of the interface, only a person can understand how pleasant and convenient it is to use your interface and what improvements should be made.
In addition, manual testing is often used when you need to identify an error quickly. For example, during the week, your site worked stably, and on the weekend, when many people came to it simultaneously, a failure occurred, and users and the site saw an error message. Setting up automated tests takes a lot of time, so you should prefer manual testing because a person adapts to new circumstances much faster than any tool.
Also, manual tests are used when the project is still in the early stages of development. Usually, all program code is divided into specific modules, each responsible for performing functions. Once the module is complete, it must be tested to see if it works correctly. Automated tests are expensive and will not be stable if used in the early stages of development.
After the entire program code is ready, automatic testing is usually carried out, the tools detect errors, and the specialist classifies them and gives recommendations for elimination. After the programmer makes changes, it is worth doing manual testing to see if the fixes led to the appearance of new errors and how correctly they were executed.
Also, many small startups prefer this type of testing, which saves money.
When is automated testing best?
Let’s figure out when actually automated testing is needed. First, it concerns regression testing. If you need to run the same tests repeatedly, you should automate them. If a person performs the same action frequently, it can take a very long time, and there is a high probability of human error. It is especially true for interoperability testing because you must understand how your software works on different devices.
In addition, automated testing can reveal many more bugs in the shortest possible time, which is very important if you want to release the product to the market as quickly as possible.
Automation is also used after the project’s release to ensure that it can work stably, considering the increase in the number of users. Frequent errors can threaten a brand’s reputation, and automated tests can detect errors before they become visible to users.
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