Automated Testing Services vs Manual Testing Services
Briefly speaking, automated testing services are extremely helpful in improving the reimbursement for testing expenses. Some tests appear to be effective only if using automated approach for them, but the rest can be performed manually. Besides, unsuccessful automated testing projects are costly and politically hazardous. How can one know whether a test needs to be performed automatically or manually?
Introduction
Some tests need to be automated since they are appropriate for this process, but there are certain tests that cannot be run manually because it is not reasonable. Other tests are the most effective only if they carried out manually. Automated testing projects are risky and more often deemed to failure. Structural, behavioral and static testing techniques, as well as the correct choice of testing process, help to reimburse testing expenses.
When is time for Automated Testing Service
There are the kinds of tests that should be performed automatically:
- Regression and confirmation. Doing repeated testing after the software update to make sure that the product behaves as it is expected to, or to confirm that fixing a bug was just a solving of underlying problem – this is the case where test automation is a perfect fit for the process.
- Volume, capacity and load. It happens that systems must perform under too heavy loads. For example, one system under custom load was tested automatically to know how it would behave when used by 50 000 people simultaneously. It was not justified.
- Monkey (or random). It is easy and profitable to automate tests that fire large amounts of transactions, data and other inputs at a system with the purpose of searching for errors at random.
- Structural, mainly API-based unit, integration, component. Most structural tests involve some kinds of harnesses so they are often automated.
- Performance and reliability. As web-systems become prosperous, automated software testing as a service is increasingly used to get web-systems run slow and even fail.
When to Use Manual Testing
Due to high costs of each automated test, it is preferable to perform manual testing. The other reason for this choice is an obligatory participation of a man in test run to make sure that the procedure is carried out correctly and to assess the test results. There are the tests below that should be done manually:
- Installation, operations, setup and maintenance
- Fixing and repairing of errors
- Compatibility and configuration