Among the testing practices that professional testers have for a digital product, regression tests are primary. Once an app or website is created, it also goes through a lot of changes and improvements. The actual impact and result of these changes need to be checked. The overall changes in the app framework should not put a negative impact or burden on the app in its final version. So, regression testing is important for every software.
What is regression testing for software? It is the test of the app framework for integrity after major changes in its code. Regression tests can maintain the efficiency of the software and conserve code integrity even after some changes to it.In this article, you will learn more about what regression testing in software is and what regression testing best practices are.
Regression testing is the test of the software after changes to the code blocks to ensure that the changes do not degrade the quality of the code. The quality of the code and its purpose should remain the same even after changes to minimise issues. Moreover, the changes should not introduce new problems and issues in the app framework. Regression testing best practices include testing the app software again and again.
There are many types of regression testing, and all of these are done so that the app retains its purpose and functions. The regression tests ensure that the original code of the app does not break functionality or add functions that it did not code for after changes. The process of regression testing flags issues of functionality and security early in the development phase so that the app can be corrected and launched successfully.
Can regression testing be automated. You can get good results on tests if you use automation for regression testing. The automated tools are assistants to the manual testers who manage the lifecycl. Using advanced automation is one of the best practices in regression testing.
You can access a huge tool kit to create test cases for the software to be tested on. For example, Selenium, JUnit and Cypress are used extensively by app testers. You can look at Selenium as one of the best ways to test software for regression. The Selnium suite is very easy to manage and access for testers.
JUnit is a good tool that can offer the scope for running unit tests and other regression tests. Similarly, Cypress is also a useful tool for automated testing.
When using automated tools for software testing, the testers have to plan a strategy that helps them highlight the core areas of the app. Regression tests focus on the areas that have gone through massive changes and the areas that are absolutely necessary for the overall functionality of the app.
The best practice for regression testing is also to update the automation tools so that you use the most advanced ones for the testing cycles. Moreover, the automation tools should be supported by data sets and actions so that they can run accurately.
During the regression testing life cycles, it is also important to test cases and see if the test cases align with the changes made in the app code. With time, changes accumulate, and the app code transforms. So, the team of testers has to review the designed test cases and modify them to align with the goals of testing. The existing test cases should be edited, and the cases that are of no use anymore should be removed from the environment.
For integration into the CI pipeline, it is important to use the testing tools and cases that are in line with the changes that happen. After every change in the code base and functions, the testing team needs to plan for regression tests.
The testing team can also add automated test triggers to the deployment pipeline so that it gets reminders of when regression test cycles are needed.
Selective Testing: Regression tests are mainly about the impact of new changes on the code base of the original framework. Therefore, a majority of the efforts go into conducting selective tests on the changed and associated areas for impact analysis. By running an impact analysis, the testing team can flag the immediate impact on the app from the changes and control any issues that come up.
Apart from the use of automated regression testing best practices, manual testing processes are also important. Manual testing is good for regression tests when there have to be highly customised tests. If you cannot program the automated tool for the test, manual expertise steps in. For usability and exploratory tests, manual testing is the best approach.
Automated testing is the right approach when the testing process includes a large volume of tests and extensive tests to be run. If there are repetitive test cases that can go faster with automation, then you need to deploy the automated tools. The tools are usually used when there is a need for quicker results and turnaround time.
To ensure that all areas of the app code have been tested, the testing team needs to use code coverage metrics. The testing team needs to analyse the code base and identify the areas that have not been tested thoroughly. You need to test for code coverage in both critical areas and minor aspects so that there is no room for error in the framework.
A best practice for agile regression testing is to conduct a risk-based assessment and prioritise the tests accordingly. High-risk areas and complex areas should have more focused resources for testing. Complex areas of the app framework might need a combination of manual and automated tests for regression validation. Risk-based testing is efficient and resource-oriented, where resource allocation is optimal.
A regression testing company that specialises in designing targeted test cases for changes and modifications can help you run the test cycles efficiently. Testing and regression tests cannot be ignored as a QA need because these ensure software quality and resilience. If you do not have an in-house testing team, you can outsource the tasks to a dedicated testing company with the resources and manpower needed.
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