There might be instances where the software might go through frequent updates, modifications and changes in the code, while it is still being developed. For this purpose, the platform of regression testing is used so that any new updates or modifications done to the software while it is in the development stage are rigorously tested to ensure that it does not impact the current functionalities of the application. In this article, you will get to know how to build an automation framework for regression testing.

Following are a few key reasons that depict the importance of automating regression testing:

1.Updating the product frequently: If new features are continually developed and rolled out in an application, then it would become a tedious task to do it manually to check for existing and new bugs. Hence, regression testing can be automated to solve this issue.

2.The context of legacy code: Automated regression testing can be utilized when despite the software product going through multiple updates, the core code remains the same. This will ensure smooth performance without the need to focus on time-consuming manual regression testing methods.

The following are the steps required to automate regression testing:

1.The software changes need to be identified: The changes made in the software should be identified along with its anticipated effect. The changes can be minor and yet automating regression testing can be run.

2.Preparing the strategy: There are specific ways through which regression testing is carried out for applications. Each scenario might be unique and require methodologies and different tools to achieve the desired results.

3.The importance of resources: The following are the three key resources that need to be pondered and worked upon:

lPeople: The time of the QA team is saved to a considerable extent by the automated regression testing platform. Here people are referred to as professionals having expertise in regression test. Hence, the testing strategy is outlined and the best practices are executed by these people.

lTools: Automated regression tools play a key role in automating regression tests efficiently and productively. The team should decide and select the right tools.

lThe value of time: The entire testing process can be carried out quickly and effectively, without the time being wasted on unnecessary activities.

4.The team needs to be assembled: Depending upon the project size and requirements, the management should form a team comprising professionals catered to work on various dimensions of the project

5.The appropriate test cases need to be selected: The new version of the software product can be checked for regressions by a test case, which acts as a roadmap for the QA engineer. Hence, appropriate test cases need to be strategically included in the regression test strategy.

6.The framework needs to be selected: The most appropriate framework needs to be selected, which can include anything from primary and secondary tools to the programming language.

7.Test scripts need to be developed: The test scripts should be carefully designed to prepare a well-defined automated regression test strategy. Relevant test scripts should be selected so that a detailed understanding of the changes brought into the application can be done.

8.Run the tests: All the tests that have been planned should be executed. Every level of the application should be covered by the tests and a clear idea of how the product affects the new functionality should be known.

9.The results should be analyzed: The team will get a better idea about the attainment of the quality of the software and how prone it was to regressions by scrutinizing the results.

10.The significance of documentation: The test results and the testing activities should be systematically documented. In the future, whenever there is a need to perform an automated regression test, then it can be carried out quickly and rewardingly.

Conclusion: Organizations of today know to a certain extent what kind of loss can happen by making a wrong business decision. Hence, it would be really wise if the organization knows where exactly they are in terms of project requirements and whether “automated regression testing” can prove to be a game-changer for them.

About the author: I am a technical content writer and I write articles on various IT-related topics. In this article, I have tried to share my views on automating regression testing.