What is Regression Test Automation? [Strategy + Benefits]

Regression testing ensures that recent code modifications have neither affected nor damaged a system’s existing functionality. We can achieve this in two ways: manual and automatic.

Regression test automation makes testing somehow easy to handle. With automation, you can write more and complex test cases. Let us have a detailed look at regression test automation.

What is Regression Test Automation?

Regression tests ensure that the previously working code does not regress when the code is updated. A complete set of unit-level regression tests acts as a safety net, ensuring that code changes do not damage current functionality.

Why is Regression Testing Important?

We can use regression testing for several software applications. It is an important technique for software development since it allows developers to identify faults or difficulties.

These problems may arise while introducing the new programming language into existing systems or applications. Regression testing is also necessary because:

• It allows us to evaluate the functionality of the new programming code.
• Regression testing ensures that new coding does not conflict with current coding.
• It ensures that there are no faults or issues after installing software updates.
• It allows retesting of the software after making changes to the application.

Automated Regression Testing Benefits

• Test automation is useful since it aids in the early detection of problems or errors during the development phase. Hence it increases the efficiency of the team.
• The team will validate fewer newly produced features if you automate your testing approach.
• You can spend more time writing new tests and adding them to your automated test suite because of automation.
• Developers can build more in-depth tests that examine complicated use cases with automated testing.
• It allows reusing information from the previous project to build up test automation for a new project.
• Automated software testing not only displays you the application’s memory contents, data tables, file contents, but it also shows you other internal program states.
• Automated tests give the same results after testing several times. So, the results are 100 percent accurate.
• We can achieve more functionalities with the help of an automated test suite.
• Test automation for your test suite reduces the risks rate.

Regression Test Automation Strategy

The regression test automation strategy has eight steps. These steps are:

1. Scope: The scope is the first step of the automation strategy. You must have an obvious idea, timeline, and milestones of the project’s sprints. The entire team should agree on all the requirements and divide tasks accordingly. A clear vision eliminates delays and misunderstandings in the project.  
2. Approach: The Automated testing strategy depends on three factors that are:
3. Process: Process defines the flow of the automated regression testing that how the project will work? When to develop sprints and automate test cases? What you need to automate and what not to? How to analyze results?
4. Technology: Decide which technology will you use to test the application? Regression testing will involve a variety of application types, including web-based, desktop-based, mobile apps, SAP/Dynamics/Oracle, and other open-source technologies like selenium.
5. Roles: In your team, you must identify the roles for automation. It is possible that regression testing is not the only thing you are automating. So, it is necessary to keep track of who does what is critical.
6. Risk Analysis: Risk analysis should be an element of your overall test automation approach, not simply your regression testing automation plan. The analysis depends on the complexity and level of the business or project. You need to observe some minute details for this like relevant metadata, chances of getting that error, how to reduce the risk, and cost estimation.
7. Environment and Data: The testing environments and data are the next items to consider in your regression testing automation strategy. Organizations having a software department usually have a well-defined process for releasing software to production. It frequently included one or more test environments in this approach.
8. Execution Plan: At this stage, implement the strategy you build in the first four steps. An execution plan should detail the day-to-day duties and procedures associated with your automated regression testing. You can select the test cases to be automated and begin developing your regression testing suite.
9. Release Control: Ideally, the final release decision should be based on a combination of algorithm results and manual examination. The findings of test automation will be essential in making this decision. However, it is up to you to determine whether you want to enable releases only if all regression tests pass, or whether you want the lead tester to endorse the outcome.
10. Failure Analysis: A critical part of a test automation strategy is having a plan for how to assess failing test cases and the actions that you must take. The time it takes from the time it notifies the test of a failing test case until it repairs, understands, and approves, the development backlog is more than the teams estimate. As a result, release cycles and the agile team become less agile.
11. Review and Feedback: Once you have written your regression testing automation approach, make sure it’s reviewed and approved by all members of the development team involved. Now, improve test cases by incorporating and embracing feedback from stakeholders, colleagues, and all team members working with automation and adjusting the plan as appropriate.

Regression Test Automation tools

There are several tools available for automated regression testing. Some of them are:

1. Selenium: It is open-source automation tool.
2. Sahi pro: It optimizes automation testing of web, mobile, and desktop applications.
3. TestComplete: It assures that tests are scalable, reliable, and giving accurate results.
4. IBM Rational Functional tester: It can test a range of applications including web-based and mobile-based applications.
5. Appium: It is a but complex but an open-source automation tool for iOS, android, and web applications.

Conclusion:

Regression test automation is better than manual testing. It allows evaluating the application in depth. It reduces the pressure over the team and makes the flow efficient.

You can even use the pre-written test cases for future applications. Simply, regression test automation is a blessing got testing applications.