automated testing – Definition and meaning

Definition: What is automated testing?

Automated testing describes the targeted use of software tools to automate recurring test tasks within software development. In contrast to manual testing, where test cases are processed individually and by hand, these processes are controlled by automated scripts and executed independently. Such test scripts simulate defined usage scenarios and test software solutions specifically for functionality, stability and freedom from errors. The aim is to make quality assurance more efficient and detect errors at an early stage.

Functionality and types of automated testing

Automated tests are often integrated as an integral part of the development process - especially within modern continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines. Proven test frameworks such as Selenium, JUnit, TestNG or Cypress can be used to create test cases that either test user interactions in the front end or specific interfaces in the back end. Depending on the use case, these tests can be executed locally, on server environments or in the cloud. Different test types fulfil different quality requirements:

• Unit tests: Here, individual functions or methods are considered and checked in isolation.
• Integration tests: The interaction of several software components is validated in its entirety.
• System tests: This type of test focusses on the entire application system, including all interfaces and interactions.
• Acceptance tests: Business logic and specific requirements are tested from the user's perspective, for example with Cucumber.

In practice, the benefits are evident in the development of web applications, for example: An automated test can track whether processes such as filling out and submitting a form work without errors and whether the expected confirmation is displayed. Backend interfaces can also be tested specifically for return values and error messages.

Areas of application and practical scenarios

Automated testing is particularly important in development environments that rely on short release cycles, stable product quality or DevOps approaches. Typical areas of application are

• Agile software development: Continuous testing provides the development team with prompt feedback on the current status of the application after each code commit.
• Regression tests: With every code change, automated tests can ensure that no unintentional errors occur in existing functions.
• Testing large amounts of data: While manual testing is often no longer practical here, automated testing reliably handles extensive mass testing.
• Device and browser tests: Web applications can be tested efficiently and in parallel on different platforms and browsers.

In the day-to-day work of development teams, the use of Selenium in e-commerce projects has proven its worth: Before the go-live of a new version, several thousand test cases for functions such as the shopping basket, order process or user login are automatically run through within a few minutes. This procedure ensures rapid feedback and makes sources of error visible at an early stage.

Advantages and disadvantages at a glance

Automated testing offers numerous advantages, but should be used selectively and with caution:

• Advantages
  • Less time and manual effort compared to manual tests
  • Shorter feedback loops and greater test coverage, even for complex applications
  • Long-term cost reduction through more efficient test procedures
  • Consistent, reproducible test results at all times
• Disadvantages
  • Initial investment for the development and maintenance of test scripts
  • Not every use case is suitable for automation - especially for subjective UI tests or exploratory testing
  • Regular maintenance of the tests necessary, especially when changes are made to the software

A sustainable test process combines automated and manual approaches: While routine tests and critical core processes are automated, exploratory tests, for example to test usability, continue to lend themselves to manual execution.

Conclusion and recommendations

Automated testing is an integral part of modern software development processes. Investments in stable and flexible test automation generally lead to improved software quality and noticeably accelerate development cycles. The key to success is the targeted selection of suitable test cases and the continuous maintenance of the test environment. This approach enables risks to be recognised at an early stage and user satisfaction to be ensured in the long term.