Mastering QA Automation: A Comprehensive Guide

In today’s era, both technology and quality matter. Software development has picked up a rapid pace, and its thorough testing also needs to match the speed. Quality Assurance or QA automation is the tool that can make the testing process faster and yet more reliable.

QA automation or Automated QA testing is a software testing method that uses automated testing tools to execute a set of test cases. In this article, we will discuss QA automation, its advantages, automation tools, processes, examples, and best practices. So, let’s get started with the article.

Understanding QA Automation

Quality Assurance (QA) automation (or automated QA testing) is the process of automating the testing activities of various software using automation tools and automation testing frameworks. Majorly, QA automation is used to perform repetitive (or manual) testing tasks previously executed by a human tester.

With the help of QA automation, we can streamline the testing of mobile apps or software with improved efficiency. Automated QA testing empowers us to deliver more reliable and robust software to end-users more effectively.

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Advantages of QA automation

In today’s era of fast-paced software development, QA automation has become a crucial tool for testing. Also, the complexities of software are increasing day by day along with the increased demand for faster delivery. Hence manual testing itself is not enough. To overcome this scenario, we can use automated QA testing, which offers many advantages over manual testing of software applications or mobile apps. Listed below are the key advantages of automated QA testing:

Faster & efficient testing: QA Automation, when used correctly, can execute test cases much faster than humans without human error. This reduces the total time required for software testing. Automated QA testing allows us to write feedback and report quickly on software quality. Also, automated testing can execute more reliable and efficient testing because it has lesser human intervention leading to fewer human errors.
Improved test coverage: With automated QA testing, we can run advanced tests like “parallel testing“. You may read about it in our blog on parallel testing. With the help of this feature, we can ensure comprehensive coverage of test cases across different situations, edge cases, and data combinations.
Consistency and repeatability: In automated QA testing, the tests follow predefined automated scripts without human interference. Hence the chances of human errors are completely eliminated while the execution of the tests. This ensures consistent execution of tests for reliable and reproducible results.
Cost and time savings: There are several test cases that consume a lot of time for proper execution if done by human testers. With automated QA testing, we can automate these time-consuming manual test cases. Hence we can save a significant amount of cost and time in the long run.
Regression testing: The objective of software testing is to find and fix various bugs. However, when one bug is fixed, other bugs often ensue. It is when regression testing comes into play. Regression testing ensures that no additional problems arise after a bug is fixed or a code is changed. With Automated QA testing, we can implement regression testing on our software applications or mobile apps.
Scalability: When any new feature is introduced in software, it needs to be tested thoroughly, and hence newer test cases are introduced. So, with the introduction of newer features, the number of test cases also increases. Manual testing itself cannot handle a large number of test cases, and thus QA automation is required. Automated QA testing can be easily scaled to handle a large number of test cases. It also allows for seamless testing across multiple operating systems, browsers, and platforms.
Continuous Integration and DevOps: With manual testing, it is difficult to manage the software’s code base as it becomes more complex. QA automation can solve this problem as it can integrate seamlessly with continuous integration and DevOps tools. This enables faster feedback loops, faster releases, and improved collaboration between teams.
Early bug detection. With manual testing, early bud detection is difficult; it can only find a bug after proper testing. But with the automated QA testing, we can find the bugs in the application earlier because of the predefined automated script. It is faster than manual testing for bug detection.
Increased productivity. With QA automation, we can automate repetitive and time taking tasks. Hence, QA testers in the team can focus on more critical aspects of testing, like test strategy planning, analysis, and exploratory testing.

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Selecting the Right Tools for QA Automation

Picking the right tools for QA Automation could be tricky as the use case can vary from person to person and also based on the project requirements.

Following are top-of-line checklists that one can consider while making a diligent choice:

Environment Support. While selecting a QA automation tool, we should always ensure that it supports the technology and environment in which the application operates. This includes compatibility of the software with web, desktop, mobile, or cloud-based platforms, as well as support for different operating systems and browsers.
Ease of Use. We should always look for a tool that offers a user-friendly interface and requires minimal effort to understand and utilize effectively. For this, we can consider factors such as intuitive navigation, clear documentation, and available training resources.
Database Testing. If the application interacts with databases, we should see if the automation tool we choose has database testing features. Selecting a testing tool that supports the generally used databases and supported query languages can have an enormous impact.
Object Identification. We must verify that the automation tool offers reliable and efficient support for identifying and interacting with application elements or the DOM. It ensures effective location and manipulation of the components on the UI of the software.
Error Recovery Testing. We should also consider whether the selected automation tool facilitates testing error handling and recovery scenarios. This involves the ability to simulate and handle unexpected errors. It should also be able to handle exceptions effectively during test execution.
Scripting Language Used. We can also check that the automation tool supports a scripting language that we are familiar with or willing to learn. Some common scripting languages used in automation tools include Java, Python, C#, and JavaScript.
Test Types Support. It is a good idea to confirm if the tool supports a wide range of test types based on our requirements. This may include functional testing, regression testing, performance testing, security testing, mobile testing, and test management.
Testing Frameworks. An ideal testing tool must support popular and important testing frameworks. Hence, before selecting the testing tool, we should check that the tool has proper support for popular testing frameworks such as Selenium, Appium, or TestNG. This allows us to leverage existing frameworks and libraries, enhancing test development and maintenance.
Comprehensive Reports. Detailed and well-structured data is very important for analyzing the test results and debugging. Therefore, we must pick an automation tool that can generate thorough test reports and outcomes. It would be preferable if the automation tool could also have some more functions, including customizable reporting formats and visual displays of test results. We should also check to determine if the tool provides us with useful insights that aid in our analysis and selection of test strategy.
Training Cost. Last but not least, we should also consider the cost of training and certification associated with the selected automation tool. For this, we should properly evaluate the available training materials, online and offline courses, and community support.

Therefore while selecting the right automation tool for our needs, we should start by identifying our specific requirements. And then, we can explore different tools and their capabilities. Proper research and comparison of various tools will also help. Finally, we should conduct a Proof of Concept to assess the tool’s suitability for our automation needs.

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Best Automation Testing Tools

There are hundreds of QA Automation tools available in the market. Here are some best automated QA testing tools.

LambdaTest LambdaTest is one of the most preferred cloud-based cross browser testing platforms where we can fasten our release speed with high-end test automation on the cloud. It supports all popular frameworks and tools integration for web testing and app test automation, such as Selenium, Appium, Cypress, Puppeteer, Playwright, Taiko, XCUITest, Espresso, and so on.
Puppeteer Puppeteer is a Javascript library based on Node.js developed by Google that lets us control headless Chrome through the DevTools Protocol. Over the DevTools Protocol, it provides an API for controlling headless Chromium or Chrome. Puppeteer lets us automate the testing of our web applications. With it, we can run tests in the browser to see the testing results in real time on our terminal.
Playwright Playwright, built by Microsoft, is a Node.js library that uses an API for automating Firefox, Chromium, and WebKit. It is mainly designed to enable efficient, powerful, and reliable automated browser testing. The playwright can also automate Microsoft Edge as it is built on the open-source Chromium web framework. It shares a similar syntax to Puppeteer, but it has overcome many limitations present in Puppeteer.
Selenium The most popular and widely used testing tool among all automation testing tools listed is Selenium. Selenium is an open-source and free-to-use automation testing suite of automation tools. It is widely used for testing different web applications because of its customizable test automation features. It offers compatibility with various programming languages such as Python, Java, JavaScript, C#, and more. Hence, Selenium allows testers to automate website testing in any programming language.
Cypress Cypress is a new automation testing tool specially built for front-end developers. Written in JS (JavaScript) and built on top of NodeJS and WebDriver, Cypress tests run in almost all modern browsers. It’s simple to use, fast, and reliable. Cypress is also open-source and free to use.
Appium Appium is popular, open-source, and widely used for automation testing native, hybrid, and mobile web apps. It can run Windows, Android, and iOS apps that use the WebDriver protocol. The main idea behind the screens of Appium is when we test a native app, it should not involve an app recompilation or SDK.
Cucumber Cucumber is a popular and widely used testing tool that supports Behavior Driven Development (BDD) . With cucumber, we can write more understandable tests with no technical knowledge. As for BDD, business analysts and product owners would write acceptance test cases or test scenarios to check the system behavior from the business perspective. The combination of Selenium Cucumber provides a more reliable and robust framework that allows us to create functional tests easily.

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Automated QA Testing Process

The process of automated QA testing involves several key steps to ensure efficient and effective testing. Let’s explore each step in detail.

Test Tool Selection It is crucial to select the appropriate automation tool that aligns with the technology used in the Application Under Test (AUT). We should consider factors such as compatibility, ease of use, available features, and support for the desired programming language or framework.
Define the Scope of Automation Proper testing of the areas and features of maximum business importance needs to be prioritized. Hence we should first define the areas or features of maximum importance that need to be automated. We can analyze the data volume and identify common functionalities that must be tested repeatedly.
Planning, Design, and Development It is essential to properly plan the process before automating the test cases in any organization. Thus we should design and develop a comprehensive automation strategy. Properly planning the goals, timelines, and resources required will make the testing as easy as ABC. But that alone is not enough, designing and developing strategies for automated QA testing also carries weight. In the end, this step cannot be completed without properly selecting the right automation framework, test architecture, and test scenarios.
Test Execution Properly planning and developing the strategies for automated QA testing makes it easier to do the rest. But still, one of the most important tasks to do is actually to execute the automated tests. We can plan out the algorithm to write the automation scripts. And hence we can execute test cases using the automation scripts with the selected tool. The selected automation tool performs the actual test just as it is directed by the automation script.
Test Automation Maintenance The automated QA testing needs to be regular as clockwork and hence needs to be maintained properly. Regular testing helps us go the extra mile to check the quality of new features added. To succeed, we should regularly maintain and update the automation algorithm. This helps us in avoiding script and test case failures.

By following through with the above five processes, we can increase the chance for automated QA testing to succeed. With these processes, we can efficiently execute tests, fastly give feedback, and ultimately, improve the software quality.

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A Step-by-Step Example of Test Automation

In this section, we will implement automated QA testing on a calculator app. With the help of programming, we can automate the testing. For simplicity, let’s take the example of adding two numbers in the calculator. Listed below are the manual testing steps.

Steps for Manual Testing:

Launch the app.
Press the number 4.
Press the addition button (+).
Press the number 2.
Press the equals button (=).
Verify that the app displays the number 6.
Close the calculator.

Now to automate the testing we need to choose the appropriate logic and programming language. In this example, we will use the C# programming language. We can write the automation logic in C# similar to how we wrote the manual testing steps. Below is the script for automation testing.

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Automated Testing Script:

[TestMethod.] public void TestCalculator() { // Launch the app. var calc= ApplicationUnderTest.Launch("C:\Windows\System32\calculator.exe");

// Perform the necessary operations. Mouse.Click(button4); Mouse.Click(buttonAdd); Mouse.Click(button2); Mouse.Click(buttonEqual);

// Evaluate the result. Assert.AreEqual("6", txtResult.DisplayText, "The calculator should display 6.");

// Close the app. calc.Close(); }

The above C# code first launches the calculator application using the ApplicationUnderTest.Launch method. Once the calculator opens then the script performs multiple mouse clicks one by one in the following order:

Automatic mouse click on (button4) number 4.
Automatic mouse click on (buttonAdd) addition button.
Automatic mouse click on (button2) number 2.
Automatic mouse click on (buttonEqual) equals button.

As soon as the (buttonEqual) is clicked the result is displayed on the calculator app. Next, it compares the value of txtResult.DisplayText with the expected value of “6” to verify the result displayed in the app. If the values are not equal, it raises an assertion failure, and hence we can say that the above script automates the testing.

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QA Automation Best Practices and Scenarios

To maximize the return on investment (ROI) of QA automation, we need to select the right test cases for automation. Similarly, we should also know about the test cases that do not require QA automation.

Test cases that require QA automation

Listed below are a few scenarios ideal for automated QA testing.

High Risk — Business Critical Test Cases Automated testing is crucial for test cases that pose significant risks if not executed properly. These test cases help ensure stability, reliability, and security.
Repeatedly Executed Test Cases Test cases that need to be executed repeatedly, such as regression tests, are excellent candidates for automation. Automating these tests saves time and effort. It eliminates manual repetition and finds potential issues more frequently.
Tedious or Difficult Test Cases Test cases that are laborious, monotonous, or involve complex steps are ideal for automation. Automating these cases reduces human error and increases accuracy. It also frees up valuable time for testers to focus on more challenging or exploratory tasks.
Time-Consuming Test Cases When we test some test cases manually with human intrusion, some of them consume a long time. Such test cases can be automated, which will speed up testing and boost output.

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Test cases that do not require QA automation

On the other hand, automated QA testing is not always advantageous, and there are some situations in which it may not be very effective.

Let’s see some of the scenarios where using automated QA testing will not be ideal:

Newly Designed Test Cases

There are test cases that are newly designed and are not executed manually ever. We should test these newly designed test cases manually at least once. This allows for a better understanding of the issue and the potential need for adjustments.

2. Frequently Changing Requirements Test cases subject to frequent changes in requirements may not be suitable for automation. Here, maintaining and updating automated tests can become challenging and time-consuming. Manual testing may be more flexible and adaptable in such cases.

3. Ad-hoc Test Cases Test cases executed on an ad-hoc basis, often without predefined steps or expected outcomes, may not be the best fit for automation. These cases need human judgement, and flexibility, which are better in manual testing.

By considering these scenarios, we can optimize the effectiveness and efficiency of our QA automation efforts. Carefully selecting these test cases for automation ultimately improves the software quality.

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How LambdaTest Helps Implement Best Practices in QA Automation

LambdaTest is a powerful cloud-based testing platform. It helps streamline QA automation processes, enhancing overall testing efficiency. Here’s how LambdaTest helps us implement best practices in QA automation:

Comprehensive Browser and Device Testing With LambdaTest, we can perform cross-browser and cross-platform testing effortlessly. This ensures compatibility and a seamless user experience with our product.
Parallel Test Execution Here, we can execute automated tests in parallel across multiple browsers and devices simultaneously. It reduces test execution time and accelerates the overall testing process.
Test Case Analytics LambdaTest offers advanced test case analytics that allows us to track the tests conducted on the platform. It provides us with deep-level insights along with the numerous widgets.
Easier Integration with Automation Frameworks We can integrate it with all popular automation frameworks like Selenium, TestNG, and Appium.
Scalability and Flexibility Scale automation tests effortlessly on LambdaTest’s scalable cloud infrastructure, handling projects of any size without compromising performance. Flexible plans cater to specific requirements and budgets.

By incorporating LambdaTest into our QA automation strategy, we can enhance testing efficiency, improve software quality, and achieve faster time-to-market. Leverage LambdaTest’s features and capabilities to optimize QA automation efforts and ensure a seamless user experience across browsers and devices.

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Overcoming Challenges in QA Automation

QA automation brings tons of benefits when it comes to software testing. But it also has its own set of challenges. By understanding and overcoming these challenges, we can ensure the successful implementation of QA automation. Listed below are some common challenges in QA automation and methods to overcome them:

Choosing the Right Automation Tool or Framework

Choosing the correct automation tool or framework is very important for successful QA automation. There are hundreds of tools available, both open-source and licensed, making it difficult to choose. We must evaluate different options based on our project requirements, compatibility, scalability, and ease of use. We should also conduct thorough research and consider industry best practices. And seek recommendations from experts or peers to make an informed decision.

In the process of identifying the right automation tool, LambdaTest emerges as a compelling choice. With its robust and reliable features and capabilities, LambdaTest offers a comprehensive cloud-based testing platform to simplify QA automation. It provides a wide range of real browsers and operating systems. This allows testers to perform cross-browser and cross-platform testing effortlessly.

Employing Skilled Testers or Training Existing Teams

QA automation needs skilled testers who know programming languages and automation tools. We should invest in hiring experienced testers or provide training to our existing teams to enhance their automation skills. We can offer relevant training programs, workshops, or certifications. This ensures our testers are well-equipped to handle automation challenges effectively.

LambdaTest’s user-friendly UI and easy-to-use features make it accessible for both freshers and skilled testers. LambdaTest has sufficient resources, blogs, learning-hub, and documentation to help us collect the specified abilities in one place. With the help of proper sources from LambdaTest, teams can overcome the trouble of unskilled trainers and testers.

Deciding on Test Automation Strategies

It could be essential to properly plan the technique before automating the test cases in any enterprise. Thus we must design and increase a comprehensive automation strategy. We need to analyze our software’s necessities and prioritize the test cases accordingly. We should also identify appropriate test cases for automation. To design our automation strategies and a balance between manual and automated testing we should consider the factors like the frequency of test execution, complexity of test case and software, and business goal.

LambdaTest’s vast browser and operating system support enable us to implement diverse test automation strategies. It allows us for cross-browser and cross-platform testing, facilitating comprehensive test coverage. With LambdaTest’s parallel test execution capability, we can execute tests simultaneously across multiple browsers and devices. This reduces test execution time and increases efficiency.

Setting Realistic Expectations

We should set very realistic expectations for QA automation, considering factors like resources, time, and scope. Automated Qa testing is a long-term investment and thus requires continuous effort and maintenance. To align our expectations with the project’s reality, we should also consider the benefits, limitations, and expected outcomes of QA automation.

LambdaTest offers scalable and flexible, and budget-friendly plans that can align with our expectations. It provides us with a cost-effective solution. By exploring LambdaTest’s capabilities, we can set realistic expectations for QA automation and improve test efficiency and software quality.

Initial Investment of Capital

Implementing QA automation may require an initial investment of capital for tools, infrastructure, and training. We should calculate the potential return on investment (ROI) by considering factors like time, improved test coverage, and reduced human error.

LambdaTest reduces our need to invest heavily in infrastructure and tool setup. As a cloud-based platform, it provides a cost-effective testing tool. LambdaTest’s flexible pricing plans cater to organizations of all sizes. It allows us to optimize our automation efforts without significant upfront costs.

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Conclusion

In this blog, we discussed QA automation along with its advantages, automation process, and selecting the best tool for automated QA testing. We also discovered a detailed example of automation to test a calculator for adding two-number functionality, along with the best practices and scenarios for automated QA testing. Various challenges in QA automation and strategies to overcome them were also discussed. We also explored how LambdaTest, a powerful cloud-based testing platform, can help overcome the challenges in automated QA testing.

By incorporating LambdaTest into our QA automation strategy, we can optimize our testing efforts, enhance software quality, and accelerate time-to-market. Embrace the best practices in QA automation, overcome the challenges, and leverage the power of LambdaTest to achieve seamless testing experiences across browsers and devices.

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