Why use test automation over manual testing? What are the benefits of test automation?

Manual testing was and will sustain in the software testing world because there are certain manual testing activities that are still considered to be good practice. But, with increased competition, high-end complex software development projects are giving organizations a new set of technical challenges for which there is a need to bring in the effective platform of automation testing. Test automation ensures that the testing process is faster, efficient, and less prone to errors with a focus on high-quality output. In this article, you will know why automation testing is considered to be a way better option than manual testing. 

What is manual testing?

It is a testing method where the execution of test cases is done without any automation tools. Manual testers are responsible to check whether the software design and functionality are correct or not by developing test cases, preparing test plans, and thus implementing them manually. Finally, reports are prepared where the status of test case execution is taken into consideration.

Drawbacks of manual testing:

1. More prone to errors: Manual testing cannot provide accurate test results when compared to automation testing. There will be instances wherein bugs remain undetected, especially when the tests are repetitive, thereby negatively affecting the end-user experience. Those tests that are repetitive are difficult to perform manually, as it consumes a lot of time.

2. Limitations to perform testing: Manual testing workflow comes with a number of technical limitations. There are certain essential testing types that cannot be performed manually. Some of the non-functional testing types such as stress, load and performance testing can prove to be really challenging for manual testers. 

What is test automation?

Test automation uses automation tools and scripts to perform testing activities. Automation testing is best suited for those tests that are repetitive because these tests are automated. A QA engineer must have knowledge of programming so that pre-scripted automated tests can be effectively written.

Following are two key reasons that justify as to why test automation is way better than manual testing:

1. Enhanced testing coverage: Since automation testing is performed by scripts and tools, it provides more reliable and accurate results thus allowing for better resource allocation and hence offering enhanced testing coverage. The scope of automated tests is deepened and broadened due to the effective use of automation testing tools. By utilizing these tools, tests can run on different versions of an application (like desktop, web and mobile applications) and also on systems with different configurations.

Thousands of complex test cases can be executed by automated scripts during every test run thereby providing test coverage. This particular activity is next to impossible with any of the manual testing techniques. Automated testing can easily detect a huge lot of bugs when compared to manual testing and therefore is considered to be versatile and robust.

2. In-depth reporting and faster delivery: As tests are executed through automation testing tools, the testing process becomes incredibly faster compared to manual testing. In fact, test sessions can be recorded by these tools, so that they can be reused for other scenarios. 

Application functionality can be tested by test automation, where validation of the same functions happens with a lot of large data sets and different inputs, such as search or login queries. This results in making the testing process more efficient and scaling up productivity.           

Benefits of test automation:

• The feedback cycle is reduced and faster validation is done for different phases of software development

• For validating the newly developed features of the software product, the testing team has to spend considerably less time as it is entirely taken care of by the test automation framework

• New tests can be written and then added to the automation test suite. This will in turn improve the test coverage activity of the software product.