This post will explain Challenges in Test Automation. During your software testing journey, this post will go over all of the challenges in test automation you could encounter! Software testing requires the use of test automation. By adopting automated testing, we can improve testing coverage and expedite the software validation process.
On the other hand, test automation implementation is fraught with challenges. For instance, testers might experience a variety of nightmares if these challenges are not overcome, which could result in the failure of automated software testing.
Challenges in Test Automation In 2024
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This article aims to the provide an overview of the main challenges in test automation that have the most effects on the project’s success and overall test effort.
The earlier these issues are identified, perhaps, the better prepared the solutions will be to address them.
Challenges in Test Automation:
#01 High Implementation Costs
Although automation speeds up testing, it requires a large initial financial outlay. Selling it to management is challenging, though, as a “payback” time may be erratic or protracted. It might not occur at all in certain situations.
This is particularly true if standard practices—such as gathering information that quantifies the value generated by increased productivity within teams and improved product performance—are not followed.
Implementing an automated testing solution that interfaces with other products in the ecosystem is the most crucial step towards ensuring a favorable return on investment following comprehensive testing automation. This allows for the activation of end-to-end features like powerful analytics that are measured in almost real-time.
One such definable statistic is the speed index, which provides users with the application loading time, including the time it takes for dynamic on-page items to appear.
More rapid deployment of superior updates is made possible by the capacity to test these parameters and aggregate performance across all stages of development.
#02 Ensuring Adequate Test Automation Coverage
Code coverage is one of the most widely used measures to gauge the effectiveness of test automation. It evaluates the way a test suite is conducted in terms of how source code is executed. The less probable it is that overlooked bugs will find their way into production, the better the coverage.
Code is constantly integrated, which increases the risk of missing important tests for a particular need. Inadequate test coverage during automation might also arise from unforeseen changes to the code.
The right quantity of coverage can be ensured in part by the infrastructure. Test scripts must run concurrently in order to perform each test against the configuration in an acceptable amount of time while testing programs against numerous combinations of operating systems and browsers. The parallelization strategy needs to be supported by the infrastructure.
#03 Selecting a Proper Testing Approach
The appropriate tool for writing scripts and the appropriate testing strategy are essential for automation tests. One of the hardest things for test automation engineers to do is this. Thus, from a technical point of view, testers need to identify an acceptable test automation approach.
They must provide answers to a number of important questions in order to achieve this, including how to cut down on the time and effort needed to create and maintain test suites and scripts. Will automated test suites, for instance, persist a long time? How can I provide metrics and test results that are useful?
The application being tested varies a lot during development cycles because Agile development has just recently become popular.
Therefore, how could automation test suites be created and put into practice to accurately detect these modifications and update rapidly while requiring the least amount of maintenance?
To identify these problems and automatically update and re-validate the test without the need for human intervention, it is best to have a test automation solution. Nevertheless, answering these tough issues is undoubtedly difficult.
#04 Effective Communication and Collaborating in Team
Teams that perform manual testing as well as test automation may find this difficult. Test automation, however, requires greater cooperation and communication within the automation team, making it more complex than manual testing. It is true that test automation requires investment.
Like any other investment, we must put a great deal of time and energy into communication, provide copious amounts of evidence and historical data, and even do a proof of concept in order to engage the entire team in defining goals and targets for test automation.
We also need to maintain the team as a whole in sync in order to have well-defined objectives and goals.
Unlike manual testers, automation testers consult with developers, business analysts, and project managers not just about the plan, scope, and timeline but also about what should and shouldn’t be automated. This collaboration extends to discussions between technical architects, developers, and manual testers.
It is also necessary that we provide the higher management team with the ROI and cost and benefit analyses.
The success of the entire test automation project will be in jeopardy if the management team does not support it. It is therefore very difficult for these teams and others to communicate and work together effectively.
Test automation experiences can soon become nightmares due to poor communication and teamwork.
#05 Test Script Issues
QA teams may run into a number of the problems with test scripts if they are not skilled coders. Reusability, or the practice of reusing test scripts, is one way that teams working on these difficulties might find solutions while still maintaining code.
By treating test code as production code, for instance, they can enhance code maintenance. In addition, it’s important to plan debugging sessions, test the code on a regular basis, and find any serious problems with object IDs.
#06 Demanding Skilled Resources
Some contend that because many test solutions now support recording and replaying test scripts quickly and efficiently, test automation can be handled exclusively by technical or manual testers.
This misconception is really important. Test automation does, in fact, require the technical expertise needed to precisely create and manage test automation frameworks, test scripts, develop solutions, and address technical problems. Furthermore, resources for automated testing need to be knowledgeable about the architecture and operation of the framework.
To fulfill these job criteria, these resources also need to possess strong programming abilities and reliable test automation technologies.
Even if developers may write code quickly by adhering to the test automation framework, there is a huge problem regarding how they can construct correct test scripts from the standpoint of testers and end-users.
Yes, we can use our resources more effectively in the test automation process. On the other hand, when it comes to test automation, competent personnel are always essential.
See Also: Codeless Test Automation Myths vs. Facts
Challenges in test Automation While Using Selenium:
#01 Cross Browser Testing
It is plausible that the behavior of our web application may vary throughout browsers, and that our website functions correctly on Chrome but not in Firefox. Test automation on every browser may not be feasible given the sheer number of browsers available today.
But first, we need to confirm that the program being tested works flawlessly with the majority of browsers Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
We may need to test on widely used browser versions, different operating systems, and resolutions because our existing testing on commonly used browsers is insufficient. The outcomes of this method’s Cross Browser Testing make test automation challenging for testers.
#2 Scalability
Test scalability is the most difficult part of automation. It is imperative to do testing across several operating systems, browsers, and resolutions, as previously noted.
Selenium WebDriver, for instance, enables us to execute tests in a sequential fashion; yet, it falls short as a cross-browser testing solution. But as time goes on, a test application can have a lot of features, which would mean more test cases. It could get tiring to run a lot of test cases back-to-back.
In response, Selenium created Selenium Grid, which enables us to test our web application across a range of operating systems and browsers.
It is challenging for testers to do automated tests on a broad scale, though, because Selenium Grid can only assist with Cross Browser Testing on the actual computers or browsers we have.
#3 Mobile Testing
The next challenge in Selenium testing for responsive design testing is testing mobile operating systems. Given how frequently end users utilize their mobile devices to view content, this is an issue.
The Selenium family of testing frameworks includes Appium, which helps developers test content on native mobile operating systems. Moreover, Appium uses the WebDriver protocol to automate testing of mobile apps.
#04 Handling Pop-Ups
Even while pop-ups are generally discouraged in favor of more straightforward options, creating tests in Selenium to handle pop-ups automatically may become tedious for those who do so.
Even though WebDriver allows the browser to handle pop-ups, one of the biggest limitations of Selenium is that it cannot test OS-based pop-ups.
Consequently, one example of a non-browser-based pop-up is the request to save an executable file that has been downloaded.
Native OS-based dialogue windows are not supported by Selenium; however, you can get around this restriction by using extensions. For example, AutoIt, a program for automating Windows-based user interfaces, can be used in conjunction with Selenium.
Depending on the language you’re using to write the script, you might need to use a bridge between Selenium and AutoIt, such the Jacob COM bridge in Java.
#05 False Positive and False Negative Results
For automated testers, false positive and false negative results have always been a pain. False Positives are mistakes in our test cases that occur even when the application being tested is functioning properly.
Conversely, false-negative findings describe the condition where our test cases pass yet the program being tested has flaws. Such ambiguity increases the communication gap between the QA and development teams and misleads the testing team.
Handling flaky tests is a challenging task in and of itself for automation testers. We need to make sure that the test strategy, test cases, and testing environments are properly handled and arranged in order to counteract this flakiness.
#06 Limited Reporting
Reporting is very important throughout the testing stage. Test reports act as a communication channel between developers and testers. But at the moment, Selenium lacks a number of reporting features.
Report creation and maintenance are a major challenge for automation testers.
For better code designs and reporting, we usually use programming language-based frameworks. For instance, two Java frameworks that produce pertinent reports are testNG and Gauge. In the same way, one can investigate the Pytest framework for Python.
#07 Synchronizing Events
A lack of synchronization is among the most frequent reasons why our automation script fails. Sync issues can occur when you anticipate an event.
It might, however, be postponed or fail to occur, which would result in our test case failing for an unidentified reason. For instance, when we run an automation script soon after launching a website, we anticipate seeing a “accept/decline cookies” notice.
It can yet arrive later or not at all. The reason our test script fails is because of this type of synchronization.
To handle this, we typically use waits that are described in Selenium, like the implicit and explicit waits.
#08 Captcha or OTP Handling:
As everyone knows, OTP and Captcha values vary with each creation, therefore they cannot be expected or assumed.
For instance, automating payment gateways, registering new users, and other services that demand Captcha and OTP is a challenge for automation testers.
This might also be interpreted as evidence that human testing is inevitable and that an application cannot be entirely automated.
#09 Not Keeping up with Changing Requirements
Without a doubt, creating a successful Agile testing approach is essential. However, you should reconsider if you believe your plan is infallible and you won’t ever need to adjust it. The majority of teams waste a lot of time attempting to create the ideal Agile testing plan. Also check backlink building tools
The truth is that there is no such thing as an ideal Agile testing plan, no matter how hard we try. However, the complicated surroundings make it impossible. Sometimes, you might need to make ad hoc alterations.
As an alternative, you might have to turn off a few apps. All things considered, you will be ahead of all the Agile Testing problems if you are adaptable and can change course during the sprint while keeping in mind that everything has to align with the sprint goal.
#10 Test Script Issues
QA teams may run into a number of the problems with test scripts if they are not skilled coders. Reusability, or the practice of reusing test scripts, is one way that teams working on these difficulties might find solutions while still maintaining code.
By treating test code as production code, for instance, they can enhance code maintenance. In addition, it’s important to plan debugging sessions, test the code on a regular basis, and detect any major problems with object IDs.
See Also: Codeless Test Automation Myths vs. Facts
What are the Challenges of API Testing?
#01 Initial Setup of API Testing
Manual testing is a useful tool for verifying functionality. APIs and automated testing are used to evaluate the system’s resilience to stress.
One of the hardest parts of the process is usually getting the testing infrastructure up and operating, not because it’s hard work, but because it can be a major source of demotivation.
Long-term benefits will result from motivating your staff to finish the process, though.
#02 Updating The Schema of API Testing
The data formatting known as schema manages requests and requirements for the API and needs to be kept up to date during the testing process.
As a result, the schema configuration ought to update in tandem with any program modifications that include additional parameters for the API calls.
#03 Sequencing The API Calls
In many instances, for an API call to work properly, it must occur in a particular order. For instance, the testing team is now dealing with a sequencing problem.
For example, if a request is made to return a user’s profile information before the profile is established, the request will be unsuccessful. Rather, in order for location pins to be placed on the map appropriately, a call to construct a map needs to be made first.
Working with multi-threaded programs can make this procedure more challenging.
#04 Testing Parameter Combinations
By giving parameters data values and delivering those values through data requests, APIs make system communication easier. It is essential to test every possible combination of parameter requests in the API in order to look for issues relating to particular configurations.
In a larger project, for instance, it is possible to assign two different values to the same parameter or to have numerical values show where text values should be. For instance, the number of viable combinations increases exponentially with the addition of a new parameter.
#05 Validating Parameters
Teams responsible for testing may also find it challenging to validate the parameters given in API requests. However, with so many characteristics and application cases, it might be a difficult task.
The group is responsible for making sure that all parameter data fits under length restrictions, falls inside a given value range, and satisfies other validation requirements. All parameter data must be of the correct string or numerical data type.
For instance, phone numbers in the US ought to be entered in a 10-digit format; if a 5-digit zip code is entered, an invalidation error ought to occur.
#06 Tracking System Integration
Making ensuring the data tracking system and the API testing system are communicating properly is crucial. This is necessary in order to receive precise feedback regarding the functionality of a call.
It’s also employed for background API performance monitoring. The team might be too tired to give this phase the attention it needs because it might come late in the process.
In today’s corporate context, API testing is an essential part of application development. If your business needs the resources and know-how to succeed with API deployment, get in touch with Apica right now.
Challenges in Agile Testing:
#01 Resources Management
A broad range of testing abilities are required by the Agile methodology, including the ability to define unclear scenarios and test cases, work with developers to do manual testing, write automated regression tests, and run automated regression packages.
As the project moves forward, more specialist expertise will be needed to cover more test areas including performance and integration testing.
Planning and requirement gathering should involve a suitable combination of domain experts. Finding and assigning test resources with multiple talents is a challenging aspect of resource management.
#02 Selecting The Right Tools
Conventional, record-and-playback tools that prioritize testing last force teams to wait for the software to be finished.
Furthermore, because they handle conventional problems that are different from the challenges faced by Agile Automation teams, standard test automation technologies do not function well in an Agile environment.
Early on in an agile project, automated testing is usually challenging. However, as the system develops and improves, some features become stable, and automation can be included. Therefore, choosing testing tools is essential to gaining the effectiveness and quality advantages of agile.
#03 Inadequate Test Coverage
With continuous integration and shifting requirements, it is feasible to overlook important tests for any need.
By tying tests to user stories and tracking particular metrics, one can reduce this and identify traceability issues and gaps in test coverage. Unexpected changes to the code are another factor contributing to the lack of test coverage.
Source code analysis is necessary to detect modified modules and guarantee that all modified code has undergone extensive testing in order to prevent this.
#04 Inadequate API Testing
The majority of software nowadays features a service-oriented architecture, or SOA, which makes APIs publicly accessible so that other developers can improve them. It’s simple for those of us who develop APIs to ignore API testing due to its complexity.
Unfortunately, because APIs demand a high level of coding ability, many testers are unable to evaluate them.
To ensure that these services are adequately evaluated, testers can test APIs without having strong coding skills thanks to certain technologies.
#05 Performance Issues
With software, complexity usually increases with maturity. For instance, complexity increases the number of lines of code, which, if the developer is careless about how their modifications impact end-user performance, results in performance problems.
You must first comprehend which sections of your code are creating performance problems as well as how performance varies over time in order to remedy this issue. Also check task management tools
In order to more objectively document performance from release to release, load testing tools can help with slow area identification and performance tracking over time.
Conclusion:
Automation testing can be expensive and challenging. Better items might, however, reach consumers’ hands more quickly and with more regular updates.
Value stream mapping and analytics, as opposed to just automation, can strengthen an organizational culture where the goal is continuous improvement of results rather than just expediency.
TestGrid makes automation simpler and addresses the majority of the issues this blog discusses.
