The importance of testing in the Software Development Lifecycle is sometimes neglected or not given the same weight as development in the process. While not as crucial as development, it is just as or even more important since a problematic programme with several features may cost you money and create a reduction in your user base.
As a result, guaranteeing the best possible quality of the programme is critical, and this is where Simform’s Software Testing and Quality Assurance Services come into play. We assist businesses in delivering and releasing the highest-quality product available on the market.
The service consists of many sorts of testing that are carried out by a quality assurance team before the product’s ultimate release. Examples of these sorts of tests include regression testing, which the QA team use to determine if the app is operating as intended after the implementation of a new feature or a big update.
In this article, we will talk what is regression testing in software development and we will read about the use cases of regression testing.
Intro 1: What Is Regression Testing?
Let us see what is regression testing with example. The definition of regression in the dictionary is “the return to a previous or less developed condition.” As a result, regression testing is defined as testing performed to identify any regressions in previously tested functionality.
Regressions in the code may emerge as a consequence of “bug fixes,” “new features being added to the code,” or “changing needs.” The goal is to test all of the code that might be affected by recent changes to verify that no new defects are introduced into a previously tested feature after it has been tested.
Although regression testing and retesting are sometimes confused, testers should remember that retesting and regression testing are two distinct processes. A regression test is similar to a verification technique in that it checks for errors. Test cases are often automated since they must be conducted again and over again, and doing the same test cases over and over again manually is both time-consuming and labour-intensive.
Consider the following scenario: a product X has the feature of sending confirmation, acceptance, and despatched emails when the Confirm, Accept, and Dispatch buttons are used, respectively. There are some difficulties with the confirmation email that needs to be addressed, and some programming modifications need to be implemented to resolve them.
Non-confirmation emails such as Acceptance and Dispatched emails must also be validated in this scenario to verify that the code change has not been impacted by the change in the confirmation email code. Regression Testing is not dependant on any specific programming language, such as Java, C++, C#, or any other similar language.
This is a method of testing that is used to check for product modifications or any updates that have been made to the product. It ensures that any changes made to a product do not have an impact on the modules that are already in use by the product. Determine whether or not an issue was caused by a bug in the prior functional version of the programme and whether or not the newly added features caused any problems in that version.
When a new build is available for verification, functional testing is carried out by the testers. The purpose of this test is to ensure that the modifications made to the current functionality, as well as the newly added functionality, are accurate. This test should be performed to ensure that the old functionality is functioning as anticipated and that the new modifications have not produced any defects in functionality that was previously functioning properly.
This is regression testing example and what is regression testing in agile.
Challenges Faced In Regression Testing
We have seen what is meant by regression testing. Now we will see what are the challenges faced in regression testing:
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High Upfront Cost
Manual regression testing takes a long time and is quite time-consuming. That is why automation is preferred, and for this to occur, high-end equipment and tools are required, which may be prohibitively costly.
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Testing Strategy
When it comes to regression testing, selecting the most appropriate testing approach is critical to achieving success. You may have a large number of experienced resources and tools at your disposal, but if you do not have a clear strategy for when and how to approach or execute regression testing, you may find yourself in trouble.
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Extensive Scope & Coverage
The effectiveness of regression testing is dependent on the sort of test cases suite that has been developed for it. It is necessary to update the regression suite that was developed between each build and release.
Now, it would be difficult for testers to recall each change, and regression testing would be impossible without this ability. That is the only method to ensure that all of the aspects are covered. As a result, the huge scale represents a significant obstacle.
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Complexity
As you go from the first build to the second and so on, the number of test cases grows in proportion. As a result, the regression test suite will get more and more sophisticated over time. You will be required to test both the new and the old instances continuously, regardless of the situation.
When To Perform Regression Testing?
After modifications or new functionality have been verified, it is common practice to undertake regression testing. This, however, is not always the case. To ensure that the release is completed on time, regression tests must be included in the daily test cycle.
This will take many months. To achieve weekly releases, regression tests might be carried out after Functional Testing for the modifications has been completed. Regression checking is a kind of retest that is more specific (which is simply to repeat a test). When retesting, the cause for the retest might be any reason.
Consider the following scenario: you were testing a certain feature and it was the end of the day; you were unable to complete the testing and were forced to halt the process without determining whether the test succeeded or failed. When you return the next day, you will retake the exam, which means you will be completing a test that you have already completed once before.
A Retest is a simple act of performing a test more than once. When it comes down to it, a regression test is nothing more than a retest. Something in the application/code has been modified only to commemorate this unique event. It might be code, design, or anything else that controls the general architecture of the system, but it is always code.
The software regression testing is a kind of Retest that is performed in this circumstance to ensure that the change has not had an influence on anything that was already functioning properly before the change was implemented. One of the most typical reasons for doing such an audit is because new versions of the code have been developed or bugs have been resolved.
What Is Automation Regression Testing?
A functioning deliverable is anticipated at the end of each sprint when software development is carried out using agile methods. New changes are introduced into the product with each sprint, and the intended outcome for each sprint is a working delivery. This implies that the product should be tested and functional in every sprint it is implemented.
As a result, after each sprint, regression testing of the product will be critical once all of the changes have been implemented. Performing manual regression testing after each sprint would consume a significant amount of time and resources. However, this is not the case.
As a result, automation of regression test cases will play a critical role in saving time while also ensuring that the quality of a product remains constant from one sprint to another. It is imperative that what needs to be automated be carefully considered throughout the automation process.
It is recommended that high priority test cases be automated first, with the automation of smoke and sanity test cases following suit. Furthermore, if there are any aspects of the product that are prone to changes and are not yet stable, it is preferable to avoid making modifications to such regions.
A technology that facilitates the automation of regression test cases should be used for the automation of the test cases. Even though most firms today adopt Agile because of the speed it brings to the whole development process, it does present some issues in terms of regression testing impacting it.
In a scrum environment, the in-sprint automation method is the most effective method of implementing automation. In Sprint automation guarantees that all activities completed in a sprint are automated in the same sprint by using In Sprint automation. Furthermore, it indicates that the duties have been completed under the genuine concept of ‘definition of done’.
Recommended Tools For Regression Testing
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Avo Assure
Avo Assure is a 100% no-code and heterogeneous test automation solution that simplifies and accelerates regression testing by eliminating the need for code. Because of its cross-platform interoperability, you may test across a variety of platforms, including the web, mobile, desktop, Mainframe, ERPs, related emulators, and more.
With Avo Assure, you can perform end-to-end regression tests without having to write a single line of code, allowing you to deliver high-quality software on time.
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TimeShiftX
TimeShiftX provides significant advantages to enterprises by enabling them to complete shorter test cycles, fulfil deadlines, and reduce the number of resources necessary. This results in a quicker release cycle while maintaining high software dependability.
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Selenium
You may be familiar with Selenium, which is one of the best regression testing software available. As a consequence, whether it comes to browser-based or cross-platform regression testing, selenium is likely to be one of the first names that spring to mind.
The programme generates automated test scripts from datasets and is particularly well suited for large-scale quality assurance testing with competent testers, as shown by its high suitability for large-scale quality assurance testing.
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Katalan Studio
Katalan Studio offers a complete solution for regression automation testing from start to finish. Its goal is to make the testing process easier and more accessible to those who are new to the field. Web services, web applications, and mobile application testing are all handled by Katalan Studio, which is a one-stop-shop.
In addition to all of these features, the programme has a reporting and sophisticated analytics feature.
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Watir
Watir is a Ruby-based open-source regression testing tool that is free to use. Testers may create test cases that are simple to read and comprehend with the assistance of this tool. Watir also offers a user interface that is both lightweight and adaptable. Aside from all of this, it provides interactive features for website testing, which is one of the reasons it is in such high demand.
Regression Testing: Best Practices
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Regression Test Selection
As the name implies, you will choose the test cases that will be retested in this section. Not every test case will be tested, and the selection of test cases will be determined by which module has had a change in the source code since the last test.
Finally, you separate the test cases into two categories: (i) Test Cases that may be reused and (ii) Test Cases that are no longer needed. The reusable ones will be utilised for future regression cycles, whilst the obsolete ones will not be considered for the following testing cycles, according to the policy.
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Determine The Time For Executing Test Cases
It is therefore necessary to estimate how long it will take to run the specified test cases in the following stage. The production of test data, the design of regression tests by the quality assurance team, the evaluation of all test cases, and other variables all contribute to the execution time.
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Identity The Automated Test Cases
Based on the findings of exploratory testing, the quality assurance team may choose which test cases should be automated. Automated test cases are more efficient than manual testing since they enable you to reuse the same script over and over again. Separate the test cases into two groups: (i) manual test cases; and (ii) automated test cases; and (iii) other test cases.
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Test Case Prioritization
In this section, you will assemble all of the test cases and assign them to one of three levels of importance: high, medium, and low. Based on this judgement, you will begin by executing the high-priority test cases, followed by the medium-priority test cases, and finally the low-priority test cases.
The functioning of the product as well as the level of user participation will determine its priority.
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Execute Test Cases
Finally, it is time to go through all of the test cases one by one to see whether or not the product is performing as expected. Depending on the requirements, you may choose between manual testing and automated testing.
When doing automated regression testing, using technologies like Selenium, QTP, Watir, and others, you may complete the test cases much more quickly.
Use Regression Testing At The Right Place
To guarantee that the newest code changes have no adverse consequences on existing programs and functions, it is critical to verify that the current code continues to perform properly after the latest code changes are introduced.
It is required to determine whether the modified/new code has an impact on the other software components or the execution of the software application, to add new features to the software application, to fix defects, to fix performance-related issues, and to define regression testing. It is also required to define regression testing.
