Regression Testing

Best Practices in Regression Testing: Ensuring Software Resilience

Best Practices in Regression Testing: Ensuring Software Resilience

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.

What is Regression Testing in Software?

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.

Why is Regression Testing Critical for Software Resilience?

  1. Ensuring System Stability: QA regression testing is important for ensuring system stability and software resilience. The testing process ensures that the bugs in the system get flagged quickly and the gaps in its functionality are reduced. With identification and debugging, testers reduce the factors that disrupt the app’s core features.
  2. Supporting Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): The best practice for agile regression testing integrates well with continuous integration and deployment pipeline. These tests are fast and impactful with the use of automated tools. The tests help complete the testing cycle quickly so that the app is ready for the market through the CI/CD pipeline.
  3. Maintaining User Trust: Best practices for regression testing help maintain user trust and deliver the best app products for an app development company. The app becomes more resilient and well-validated with repeated regression tests. Thus, the development team is able to deliver a high-quality app product to the user base.
  4. Preventing Technical Debt: The best practice for regression testing is how it is done after changes to find out the bugs and underlying issues. This helps launch the app after covering all the issues and drawbacks. Regression tests ensure that there is no technical debt or remaining issues for which the testing team and developers have to work after the launch. If any, only minor issues come up after the launch of a well-tested app.

Best Practices for Agile Regression Testing

1. Prioritize Test Automation

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.

➢ Key Automation Strategies:

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.

2. Build a Well-Organized Test Suite

➢ Segment Your Tests:

  • Smoke Tests: The automated regression testing team should plan the tests and include smoke tests to check for functionalities and bugs quickly after changes.
  • Critical Functionality Tests: The regression tests should also include critical functionality tests that screen for critical functions and features. The app code should be stable so that the core functions remain the same and work seamlessly.
  • Extended Coverage Tests: The testing strategy should cover all scenarios, including less critical issues and functions. The minute details and changes of the app should be tested, and for this, you need automated tools.
  • Keep Tests Modular: One of the best practices for automated regression testing is to break tests into small, actionable chunks that run independently and in sequence. The modular organisation of tests helps in planning and managing each test properly. This also helps in maintaining the productivity of the testing team.

➢ Regular Test Case Review:

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.

3. Maintain an Up-to-Date Test Environment

  • Match Production as Closely as Possible: When automating the test cases for regression tests, it is important to match the production pace closely. After major change cycles, the testers should try to flag the bugs and issues as soon as possible.
  • Use Version Control for Test Scripts: The testing team should use version control systems that can track the code base changes and align the test scripts to the code base and new code. Without version control and tracking, the test cases can be confusing for the testers.

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.

4. Focus on Impact Analysis

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.

  • Change-based Testing: To improve the efficiency and results of the testing cycles, it is important to prioritise the areas that have changed or will most likely be affected by the recent changes. Change-based testing gives a direction to the testing process and reduces the need for extra steps or tasks in the regression test cycles.
  • Code Coverage Tools: The regression testing process should be supported by automated tools that increase the code coverage and check for minor as well as major changes in the code base.

5. Balance to strike between different types of Testing

➢ When to Use Manual Testing:

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.

➢ When to Use Automated Testing:

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.

6. Track and Measure Test Coverage

➢ Use Code Coverage Metrics:

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.

➢ Prioritise Based on Risk:

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.

Minimise Risk: Partner with Us for Hassle-Free Regression Testing!

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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