As the software testing world shifted left, regression testing has emerged as the hero. This process helps agile teams focus on new functionalities, simultaneously maintaining product stability. In other words, the target here is to keep the product’s performance intact no matter how many modifications it undergoes. Automated regression testing is the key path toward success.
This post will take a detailed look at regression testing, its hurdles, strategies, and best practices. We will start with what regression testing is and move on to the upcoming sections. Let’s dive into the details.
Regression Testing Challenges
Undergoing regression testing is one of the best things to happen to a software product before it is out there. However, the best things always come with their own set of hurdles. Speaking of which, this section will take a look at prominent regression testing challenges Quality Assurance teams might encounter. Let us take a look.
Time Limitations
Most organizations are hyper-focused on delivering quality applications quickly. Due to a high focus on faster time-to-market, testers have to deal with strict deadlines to complete regression testing. As a result, they might have to import a greater emphasis on some high-priority regression tests, simultaneously skipping some.
High Costs
Regression testing is a worthwhile yet hefty investment for a business. What makes matters worse is that there are no documented commercial benefits regarding management. The excessively high costs can sometimes prompt companies to skip this step.
Obsolete Test Cases and False Positives
Maintenance can get tricky if testing teams fail to isolate obsolete test cases by evaluating automated regression test suites. Sometimes, some tests can report failure even when a product is free of issues. Another cause of false positives is inconsistent flaky tests.
Fragmented Information
Sometimes, a project requirement calls for new hires or more people to be added to the team in the middle of the project. In such a scenario, the current team might not be able to offer every single bit of information to the new joiners. There are so many features, functionalities, and data details that it becomes impossible to bring everyone on the same page when there is a time crunch. Insufficient information can make things difficult cooperation-wise.
Regression Testing Strategies
Regardless of the testing you’re dealing with, devising an efficient strategy is necessary to make the most out of an agile framework. Let us look at some regression testing strategies that help the end product in the long run.
- Start with gathering all the test cases. It is the primary step toward building a robust regression testing strategy.
- Take a subset of those test cases designed to determine how the core and primary product workflows occur. Combine it with sanity testing that ensures the smooth running of the basic app functionality.
- Identify the scope of improvement in test cases and have a time estimate for execution. Also, prioritize the test cases according to which area is the most and the least affected by project changes. The most frequently used and critical functionalities should be at the top.
- Locate error-prone areas, such as the test cases with the highest failure rates. After efficiently keeping track of these, please give them a spot in your regression test suite.
- Outline the test cases you can automate and segregate them from those that require manual labor.
- Analyze bug reports with the help of tracking tools, screenshots, and recordings. Testers need a clear idea of what happened during regression testing, the affected code, and what caused a failure.
- The communication between developers, testers, and product owners should be transparent so that they can be on the same page and clearly understand the changes during iterations.
Regression Testing Best Practices
Regression testing is one of the most challenging types of testing processes. But since it is a fundamental component of the STLC, Quality Assurance teams have to take how to utilize the power regression testing into account fully. Let us check out these top regression testing best practices.
Automate As Much As Possible
There is no shortage of case-specific tests for the QA team to work on. Why increase their burden with too many manual regression tests? You can quickly implement automated regression tests overnight or pair them up with manual testing processes to increase efficiency. After all, exploratory testing is one heck of a field that requires extra human attention.
Updating The Regression Pack
A regression pack refers to a bunch of test cases the Quality Assurance team needs to perform collectively. Testers must frequently update the regression pack based on the requirement specifications of scripted tests from the older version of an application.
Focus on Highly Trafficked Paths
Highly trafficked paths are usually areas on which the core customers heavily rely. They form the most persistent use cases for an application. An efficient regression test pack focusing on highly trafficked paths integrates tests guaranteeing the optimal performance of core features.
Perform Continuous Regression Testing
Continuous regression testing involves running tests fast and more often. The end goal is to identify and fix defects before delivery quickly. In such a scenario, they don’t have a heavily negative impact on the software later. If a particular test has previously recognized glitches and bugs, the Quality Assurance teams might want to incorporate them into a previously existing test pack.
Summing It Up:
AI testing-based automated testing tools are the best bet if you want your regression testing to break all records. Regression testing is a vast field, and there are different approaches you can take to address the challenges it brings forth.
The current digital space boasts continuous evolution. It means that testing has to be an evolutionary process with changing customer demands in different sectors. Regression testing is all about maintaining the smooth functioning of the end product. No matter how many updates it takes, it shouldn’t negatively impact the functioning.
We hope this comprehensive regression testing guide clarifies challenges, strategies, and best practices. Suppose you have any queries in the comments section below. We will be happy to clarify.
