In a world of increasingly high user expectations, high competition and virtually no room for error, extensive functional testing is required.
They allow QA teams to detect and fix bugs, improve system functionality, and ensure that all new updates integrate smoothly with existing software.
In this article, we'll look at how to approach automating your functional tests so that your user journey goes as planned, as quickly and easily as possible.
What is functional testing?
Functional testing tests new features in software releases, mobile applications, or web applications, and involves testing each function of an application to ensure frictionless operation.
Functional testing allows software companies to deliver a great product to their user base and improve or maintain a brand's reputation.
It is much cheaper and less consequential to correct defects before a launch than after!
Benefits of automating your functional tests
Save time and resources
Functional test automation allows you to take the work out of the hands of your employees and entrust it to scripts and bots.
Thissaves a companytime and money since they don't have to pay employees to perform meticulous and repetitive tasks.
Functional test automation allows UAT (User Acceptance Testing) to be completed much faster than manual testing. This leads to faster move to prod / release deployment, smoother and bug-free applications.
Optimize processes
With automated functional testing, you don't have to worry about whether the tests are performed as efficiently as possible with automated tools.
This type of testing is also scalable since you don't have to pay for new recruits every time your company intends to grow.
Eliminates human error and extends test coverage
Test automation completely eliminates the human error component and allows developers to expand their test coverage almost instantly as needed, while collecting larger amounts of more accurate test data.
That's why automated testing is more or less the future of all software testing, whether it's functional testing, performance testing, load testing, and/or others.
Automated test classifications
The automation of your functional tests will be based on the type of test, and the scripts will be written accordingly.
Automation of functional tests
Functional tests are performed to test the business logic behind an application to validate the expected business functionality.
Automation of non-functional tests
Non-functional tests verify the non-business aspects of an application (security, for example). These expectations can be constant or scaled as needed.
Different approaches to automated functional testing
Keyword test
Keyword testing relies on the use of simple "keywords" that tell the functional testing tools exactly how to test the application in question.
These are commands that trigger certain events that are coded in the tools and scripts.
Data-driven testing
A data-driven approach involves storing data in external files instead of hard-coding it in test scripts.
The most common type of external file to store this data is a spreadsheet, which can then be used to create charts and tables to conceptualize their contents.
Frequent tests
The simplest of the automated functional tests is the frequent test, which follows the principle of running tests as often as possible.
This methodology is compatible with many different types of software testing, such as performance testing or cross-browser testing. It only dictates that the tests must be run very frequently.
Of course, it is much easier to run tests often when you use automated tools!
The biggest benefit of adopting a frequent testing methodology is that you'll be more likely to discover bugs sooner, which means it's cheaper and faster to fix them.
How to successfully automate your functional tests?
1. Plan the process
The first step is to define the parameters of your functional testing process. What is the scope? What steps in the process will you automate? It is important to have a concrete answer to these two questions before moving forward.
This is also the stage where budget, expertise and personnel are considered to formulate a solid plan.
2. Choose your automation tool
Now that your plan is in place, it's time to start thinking about the tools you want to use. The planwill strongly inform this decision. The tool you choose should be a perfect fit for the tasks you will assign it to.
No-code tools are especially handy because any member of your team could use them to perform your automated functional tests with little learning curve.
3. Design your test framework
You have a plan and you have chosen your tools. The next step is to create the framework in which all your tests will take place.
This includes describing the testing standards, defining the practices you will use, and choosing between data-driven, keyword-based, and frequent testing methodologies. Being thorough here can save time on test maintenance across the board.
4. Adjust the test environment
In this step, you will install the necessary hardware and software. You will also want to set up the schedule that the tests will follow, so that your teams can plan around it.
5. Write the test script(s)
The scripts will be used to run the tests themselves, so before you start testing, make sure your scripts are ready. They should be written according to the project requirements, which you will have defined in steps 1 and 3.
6. Run the tests
This is the easiest step. All you have to do here is run the tests exactly as you planned!
7. Analyze the results
The tests are over, and now it's time to analyze the results. The data will tell you if there are any bugs, as well as if further testing is needed.
To summarize
Functional testing is a necessary step in the software development lifecycle, and when automation is introduced into functional testing, each process runs more smoothly.
It takes the most repetitive parts of the test cycle and ensures that they all operate at the same level of excellence. It removes the problem of human error, while streamlining and improving the testing process.
Automation speeds up your production process, ensuring faster release cycles and reducing the likelihood of delays.
Need help with the automation of your functional tests?
Low-code solutions from Mr Suricate low-code solutions have helped countless companies fuel innovation and accelerate their digital transformation. Our solutions address a full range of use cases.
