A Detailed Guide to Automated Regression Testing

Understanding Regression Testing

Regression testing is an essential part of the software testing life cycle (STLC) that ensures that recent modifications or upgrades to a software code did not create new problems or cause previously working functionality to fail.

It is the process of retesting software applications or systems to ensure that changes or updates to the software code do not create new flaws or cause current code functionality to break accidentally. It involves carrying out a predetermined collection of test cases that target the sections of the code most likely to be affected by the modifications.

Why do we need Regression Testing?

Regression testing holds significant importance in software development as it plays an upper hand against the conventional ways of testing. It depends on various factors:

• As software progresses and incorporates new features or improvements, there is a possibility of unintentionally introducing bugs or problems in previously functional parts of the software. Regression testing plays a vital role in detecting and addressing such regressions, thereby safeguarding the integrity of existing functionalities.
• Regression testing plays a crucial role in maintaining the overall quality and dependability of the software. Through regular regression tests, organizations can identify and resolve issues at an early stage, preventing them from escalating into major problems. This approach aids in reducing the risk of software failures, improving customer satisfaction, and safeguarding the reputation of both the software and the organization responsible for it.
• Traditional testing methods frequently focus on verifying the behavior of new functionality or changes without taking into account the impact on current functionalities. This needs to be improved to maintain the software's stability and integrity. Regression testing, on the other hand, specifically addresses this concern by verifying that recent changes do not introduce regressions.
• Conventional testing approaches may need to be more efficient and effective in identifying regression issues. Manual testing, for instance, can be a time-consuming process and susceptible to human errors, which hinders the thorough examination of all software aspects. In contrast, regression testing takes advantage of automated tools and techniques, enabling more exhaustive and repeatable testing.

Regression Testing Steps

Regression testing in software testing typically involves the following steps:

• Test Suite Selection: Choose which test cases from the existing test suite should be run during regression testing. These test cases should cover the software's core capabilities and impacted regions.
• Test Case Prioritization: Determine the value of the selected test cases and their potential effect on the software code. This enables efficient resource allocation and guarantees that high-priority test cases are performed first.
• Test Environment Setup: Set up a test environment that closely resembles the production environment to replicate real-world conditions.
• Test Execution: Execute the selected test cases in the test environment. This can be done manually or with the help of automated testing tools. The emphasis is on ensuring that recent software modifications or upgrades have not created new defects or caused regressions in existing functions.

Also, explore our comprehensive guide on test execution engines, gaining insights into their functionalities to elevate your testing workflow with automation

• Defect Reporting: If any defects or regressions are discovered during regression testing, it is essential to document them in a defect tracking system, providing comprehensive details, including steps for reproduction, expected behavior, and actual behavior.
• Defect Verification: Once the identified issues have been addressed, it is essential to conduct retesting to verify that the defects have been rectified and the software is performing as intended.
• Regression Test Maintenance: As the software progresses and undergoes modifications, it is essential to update the regression test suite accordingly. This guarantees that subsequent regression testing encompasses the most recent functionalities and areas affected by the changes.

It's important to remember that regression testing may be done at many levels, such as unit, integration, and system, depending on the complexity of the software and the project's unique requirements. By allowing the execution of test cases, the comparison of expected and actual outcomes, and the generating of reports, automated testing tools may considerably speed up the regression testing process.

Types of Regression Testing

There are several types of regression testing, including:

• Unit Regression Testing: This involves testing individual units of code to ensure that changes made in one unit do not cause any adverse effects on other units.
• Partial Regression Testing: In this approach, a subset of test cases is selected from the existing test suite to be executed, focusing only on the areas of the software that are likely to be affected by recent changes.
• Full Regression Testing: This type involves executing the entire test suite, covering all test cases to ensure that the changes made to the software have not introduced any regressions or issues.
• Progressive Regression Testing: It is performed incrementally, where new test cases are added to the existing test suite to cover the modified or newly added features.
• Selective Regression Testing: Here, test cases are selected strategically based on the impact analysis of changes, prioritizing the critical areas that are likely to be affected.
• Retest-All Regression Testing: In this type, all the test cases that have previously failed are re-executed to confirm whether the fixes have resolved the issues.

Regression Testing vs Retesting: Key Differences

Testers and developers often need clarification on retesting and regression testing, two distinct software testing techniques. To address this, we'll begin by clarifying the concepts of both techniques and then proceed to discuss their fundamental differences. It will help testers and developers understand when and how to apply each approach effectively in their testing processes.

Regression Testing

Regression testing is a software testing approach that re-runs functional and non-functional tests to confirm that a software code continues to perform as intended following any code changes, updates, revisions, enhancements, or optimizations.

Functional testing is concerned with testing a software application's functional requirements, which includes testing specific functions or features of the software to ensure they perform as expected and achieve the anticipated results. On the other hand, non-functional testing tests a software application's non-functional features, such as performance, scalability, usability, etc. To gain a deeper understanding of functional and non-functional testing, we recommend checking out our guides on functional testing and non-functional testing.

Retesting

Retesting involves running a test that had previously failed on updated software to confirm whether the issue has been resolved. Once a bug/issue is resolved, retesting is conducted to examine the situation using the same environmental conditions and determine if the problem has been rectified.

Can we perform Regression Testing manually?

Yes, we can perform regression tests manually. Manual regression testing is running a series of designated test cases to confirm that recent modifications or upgrades have not negatively impacted the software's current functions.

Manual regression testing is performed by testers that maintain test scripts or test cases covering the product's crucial functionality and regions. They run the test cases repeatedly, report the findings, and compare them to the expected results. Any deviations or regressions are tracked down and documented.

How complex can it get?

Manual regression testing is feasible but time-consuming and labor-intensive, particularly for vast and complex software systems. To conduct exhaustive testing, cautious preparation, crucial test case coverage, and trained testers are required. As the software system matures, the number of test cases rises, and the frequency of modifications grows, manual regression testing may become increasingly difficult.

Some of the elements that might add to the difficulty of manual regression testing are as follows:

• Size and Complexity of Software: The size of regression testing increases exponentially as the software system grows larger and more advanced, demanding a significant number of test cases. Handling and doing manual regression testing for such a large number of test cases may be difficult and time-consuming.
• Test Case Coverage: To ensure comprehensive regression testing, a wide range of test cases needs to be covered; therefore, an experienced testing team is maintained for this purpose. This includes testing various scenarios, inputs, and combinations. Creating, organizing, and executing a large number of test cases manually can be complex.
• Time and Resource Constraints: Manual regression testing involves experienced testers who commit time and effort to carry out the test cases. Limited resource availability and timing restrictions complicate the testing process.
• Test Data Management: Regression testing requires relevant and representative test data. Manually managing and preparing the necessary test data can be complex, especially if the data is large or complex.
• Repetitive Testing: Manual regression testing involves repeatedly executing the same test cases to ensure the stability of the software. This repetition can be monotonous and increase the chances of human error.

To overcome these difficulties, numerous organizations opt to automate regression testing by employing dedicated tools and frameworks. Automation enables quicker and more effective execution of test cases, expands test coverage, and minimizes the likelihood of human errors. Automated regression testing proves especially advantageous in situations demanding frequent regression tests or when the software experiences regular updates and releases.

Note : Perform your Automated Regression Testing on cloud!

What is Automated Regression Testing?

Automated Regression Testing is a testing practice that involves re-running functional and non-functional tests to ensure that previously developed and tested software still performs as expected after changes (like modifications, patches, or configuration changes) are made. The key word here is "automated". Instead of manually executing the tests every time there's a change, automated tools are used to run the tests, which saves a significant amount of time and effort.

Automated testing involves the building of scripts or the use of test automation tools to automate the execution of test cases. It helps in drafting a detailed report by analyzing the test cases and hence, compares the actual results with predicted outcomes.

Why do we need Automated Regression Testing?

There are several challenges an organization has to face during manual regression testing. These challenges are:

• Time-Consuming: Manual regression testing takes an immense amount of time and effort to perform a huge number of test cases repeatedly. It takes time for testers to follow step-by-step instructions and manually check expected outcomes.
• Resource-Intensive: Manual regression testing usually requires a professional team of testers doing repeated activities, which may exhaust resources, particularly in big and complicated software systems.
• Human Error & Limited Test Coverage: Human mistakes can occur during manual regression testing, resulting in erroneous test results and the failure to discover key vulnerabilities, putting software stability at risk. Due to time and resource restrictions, manual regression testing may concentrate on a subset of test cases, resulting in unstable software.
• Repetitive Nature: Manual regression testing is continually running the same test cases, which may be tedious for testers. Repetition can weaken concentration and raise the overlooking of disregarding key concerns.
• Scalability and Maintainability: Maintaining and updating test cases and test documentation manually becomes difficult as the product matures and new features are added. As the number of test cases grows, the process becomes less scalable, making it difficult to react to changing needs.

How does Automated Regression Testing ensure system stability?

Automation regression testing addresses these challenges by providing the following benefits:

• Improved Efficiency and Time Optimization: Automation enables the quick execution of many test cases, minimizing overall testing time and effort. Testers may devote more time to higher-value tasks like analyzing data and detecting critical concerns.
• Consistency and Accuracy: Automation ensures that the test cases are executed consistently and accurately, reducing human error and variability. The specified test scripts ensure that the same processes are performed correctly each time, increasing the dependability of test findings.
• Enhanced Test Coverage: Automation regression testing expands test coverage by running more test cases and confirming more features. It guarantees that essential portions of the software are extensively tested, lowering the likelihood of undetected regressions.
• Continuous Integration and Deployment: Automation integrates easily into the CI/CD pipeline, thereby providing faster feedback and enabling rapid identification and resolution of regressions. It contributes to the stability of the development process and facilitates frequent releases.
• Reusability and Maintainability: Automated test scripts can be efficiently reused and maintained. Rather than rewriting test cases from scratch, software updates are carried out by simply updating the scripts, making regression testing more scalable and manageable.

Features of Automated Regression Testing

Automated regression testing offers several unique features that distinguish it from other testing approaches. These features include:

• Test generation powered by AI technology: Algorithms can design test cases automatically by utilizing machine learning, natural language processing, and pattern recognition. It constructs models of software behavior, generates test data, and applies mutation-based techniques. To produce relevant and diverse test cases, these algorithms analyze the application under test, its specifications, and the available input data.
• Intelligent Execution: In automated regression testing, intelligent test execution relies on algorithms to prioritize key test cases, dynamically assign resources, and optimize testing time and resource utilization. This method improves the efficiency and efficacy of regression testing while maintaining the system’s stability. It prioritizes testing in high-risk regions, optimizes resource allocation, changes testing duration based on input, increases code coverage, and adapts based on continuous learning.
• Regression Test Suites: Automated regression testing allows the creation of comprehensive test suites that cover critical functionalities and user workflows. These test suites can be executed as a whole or in smaller subsets, providing flexibility in testing different parts of the software based on the specific needs of each regression testing cycle.
• Continuous Integration: Automated regression testing smoothly integrates with continuous integration (CI) practices, allowing regression tests to be executed frequently as part of the CI pipeline. This automation enables teams to detect issues early on in the development cycle, ensuring that the software remains stable and functional throughout the entire development process.
• Cross-Browser and Cross-Platform Testing: Automated regression testing simplifies testing the software's compatibility on various browsers, operating systems, and devices. This ability ensures that the software functions accurately and consistently across a diverse range of user environments, leading to an improved user experience overall.

How to Automate Regression Tests?

Automating regression tests includes the following essential steps:

• Identifying Test Cases: Determine which test cases should be automated. Consider stable test cases having a high likelihood of regression, cover crucial edge cases, and provide a broad test range.
• Framework Configuration: Select an automation testing framework compatible with your application code and technological stack. Import the necessary tools, libraries, and dependencies to enable successful test automation.
• Test Script Generation: Generate test scripts using the automation framework of your choice (e.g., Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, etc.). Scripts should be written to imitate user interactions, input data, and desired results. Create these scripts using programming languages like Python, Java, JavaScript, etc., or test automation tools.
• Test Data Preparation: Collect the necessary test data or datasets for usage during test execution. This might include producing artificial data, establishing test data files, or extracting data from existing sources.
• Environmental Configuration: Configure the test environment so that it is as near to the desired production environment as feasible. Install and set up the software, databases, servers, and dependencies required for the test application.
• Test Execution and Reporting: Run the automated regression tests using the test scripts you developed. Monitor the progress of the test execution and record the test results, including pass/fail status, error messages, and any other relevant information. Produce comprehensive reports for analysis and tracking.
• Test Updation: Review and update automated test scripts regularly to cope with the modifications to the software code or its environment. Maintain the test scripts by fixing any errors, introducing new test cases, and improving current tests in response to changing needs.
• CI/CD Pipeline Integration: Integrate the automated regression tests into the continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline. To guarantee extensive regression testing as part of the software development process, automatically trigger the automated tests whenever there are code changes or new releases.
• Continuous Improvement: Evaluate the efficacy of the automated regression tests regularly and look for opportunities for improvement. To improve efficiency and accuracy, incorporate feedback, analyze the data, increase test coverage, and optimize the test suite.