Regression testing is a crucial component of software testing that guarantees the dependability and stability of a software application after modifications have been made. Even seasoned testers, nevertheless, have the potential to blunder and harm the precision and effectiveness of regression testing.
This article outlines the top 10 most common regression testing errors to avoid. You may ensure the success and efficiency of your regression testing process by being aware of and implementing these flaws. This will allow you to produce high-quality software that meets your customers’ expectations.
What Is Regression Testing?
Regression testing is a software testing technique that involves rerunning previously executed test cases on a modified or updated software application to ensure that any changes or updates made to the application have not caused any unintended impacts on previously implemented features.
Benefits of regression testing
- Regression testing ensures that new modifications have not negatively affected current functionality.
- It guarantees the dependability and stability of the application.
- Swiftly locating and resolving faults lowers the cost of bug fixes.
- It aids in locating and resolving any conflicts between various program components.
- It aids in accelerating development and enhancing the software’s general quality.
- Quickly detecting and resolving issues before they become significant problems helps to lower the likelihood of producing a flawed product.
- By automating the regression tests, manual testing efforts are reduced.
- It helps to improve customer satisfaction by providing a better quality software application.
The Top 10 Common Errors in Regression Testing to Avoid
Here, we’ll review the 10 frequent regression testing errors you should avoid.
Lack of a Well-Defined Regression Testing Plan
A common error in regression testing is not having a clear plan for carrying it out. Testers might not know the tests to run, when, or how to prioritize them without a defined plan. Longer testing cycles, missing problems, and higher expenses can result.
Creating a plan for regression testing before beginning testing is crucial to avoid this error. A list of tests that need to be run, their order of execution, the expected outcomes, and the standards for judging when testing is finished should all be included in the plan. The strategy should also account for any modifications made to the system since the last round of testing and any new features that have been added.
Testers can prioritize tests based on risk and importance by establishing a clear regression testing plan covering all of the system’s important regions. This can lessen the possibility of flaws making it into the final product and help to guarantee that the program is delivered on time.
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Giving New Features More Weight Than Regression Testing
Regression testing is often neglected in favor of new features, which is a typical error in software development. This error can happen when software testers and developers emphasize adding new features to a system and undervalue the value of regression testing. Regression testing ensures that the existing features of a software system are working as intended after changes or updates have been made.
By neglecting regression testing, developers and testers may miss critical issues that can lead to software failure or user dissatisfaction.
To prevent making this error, software development teams should prioritize regression testing as a crucial step in their development process. Before adding new features, the system’s current features should have undergone extensive testing, and regression testing should be given ample time and resources. By doing this, they can continue introducing new features that expand the capability of the software system while maintaining its dependability and stability.
No Automation
Regression testing errors can undoubtedly be categorized as not automating regression testing. Manual testing is still necessary for the testing process, but it is frequently time-consuming, labor-intensive, and prone to human mistakes. On the other hand, automating regression testing can greatly accelerate the testing procedure, cut expenses, and improve the quality and dependability of test results.
Automated regression testing enables the writing of scripts that can run the same tests repeatedly without human involvement. As a result, it is possible to ensure that the same tests are run consistently, which is crucial for finding any regressions that can arise due to code modifications.
Moreover, automated testing can free up testers’ time so they can concentrate on testing jobs that are more difficult and exploratory and better suited to the expertise of human testers. This can enhance the overall quality of the program being produced and lessen the likelihood that flaws will go unnoticed.
Digital experience testing platforms like LambdaTest provide a range of automation testing capabilities that enable users to automate their regression testing workflows and improve overall testing efficiency.
LambdaTest enables users to test their web and mobile applications on a variety of real browsers, operating systems, and mobile devices. It provides a comprehensive testing infrastructure that allows users to perform manual and automated testing, as well as parallel testing, to speed up the testing process.
Using Automated Testing Mostly
Regression testing mistakes might result from heavy reliance on automated testing. While time and productivity can be improved with automated testing, manual testing still needs to be done. Automated tests may be unable to discover some problems that a human tester can, such as usability or accessibility concerns, because they are often created to check for specific situations.
Automated testing can also result in false positives or negatives, which can waste time and resources looking into and resolving problems that do not exist or are not found. Hence, to provide thorough test coverage and the detection of all key errors, a balance between the usage of automated testing and manual testing is imperative. To increase the likelihood of discovering flaws and guarantee the quality of the software product, a well-designed regression testing plan should incorporate both automated and manual testing techniques.
Failure To Keep A Test Case Log
Testers can keep track of what has been tested and what requires more testing by using a test case log, a document that records the tests that have been run, along with their outcomes.
Identifying whether all pertinent situations have been evaluated without a test case record can be challenging since testers could forget which tests have been run. This may result in incomplete testing and overlooked defects.
Also, keeping a test case diary can aid in monitoring testing progress, spotting patterns and trends in errors, and giving the development team insightful input. To guarantee that the same tests are run in the following regression testing cycle, test case logs can also be utilized as a reference for subsequent testing cycles. Therefore, it is essential to maintain a test case log to ensure comprehensive and effective regression testing.
Not Examining Every Potential Situation
Not looking into every feasible scenario is another error when performing regression testing. This implies that some edge situations or scenarios might be missed, which could result in problems or bugs being missed. Even if a certain scenario seems uncommon or small, considering it and thoroughly testing it is still necessary. Failing to do so could lead to unforeseen faults or issues in the future. Therefore, regression testers should strive to examine every potential situation and test them rigorously to ensure the system is functioning as expected.
Barely Understanding The Changes
Regression testing entails more than just executing previous test cases again; it also entails locating potential new test scenarios. The tester may overlook potential impact areas if they are unfamiliar with the changes being made, which would result in incomplete or poor regression testing.
Testers should collaborate closely with developers and other stakeholders to fully understand the changes being made and their potential effects on the system. This will assist them in creating an efficient regression testing plan incorporating current and new test cases, ensuring that the system’s many components are thoroughly tested, and any problems are found and fixed before the system is made available.
Leaving out Functional Testing
Regression testing, as well as non-functional testing, are both crucial components of software testing. Non-functional testing ensures a system’s scalability, performance, security, and other crucial components fulfill the criteria. Regression testing should, therefore, not be excluded from non-functional testing as this could result in problems with the system’s functionality, stability, and security.
By including non-functional testing in regression testing, testers can help ensure that the system functions correctly and meets the required standards for performance, security, and other critical aspects.
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Not Adequately Communicating Results
The results of regression testing must be appropriately communicated. Results must be reported succinctly and clearly, mentioning any problems detected and the steps taken to resolve them. All stakeholders should be updated on the status of the software and any potential issues that may affect users through effective communication.
Any effective communication of regression testing findings should include a brief and straightforward overview of the testing process, including the various test types performed, test cases executed, and testing outcomes. It is important to fully detail the issues that were discovered as well as the steps are taken to address them.
Conclusion
Regression testing is an essential part of the software development lifecycle that helps ensure that system changes do not break previously implemented features. However, it can be challenging to conduct effective regression testing, especially when mistakes are made.
In this article, we have highlighted ten common regression testing mistakes to avoid, including needing a clear regression testing plan, not prioritizing tests, not considering non-functional requirements, relying too much on automation, and not adequately tracking and reporting issues. By avoiding these mistakes, testers can conduct effective regression testing that helps ensure software systems’ quality and reliability. Effective regression testing can help organizations reduce costs, improve customer satisfaction, and maintain their competitive advantage in the marketplace.