For a project, there are three important aspects to consider: cost, time and quality. Any project has the goal of getting a high quality product but reducing the cost and time required to complete the project. So software testing is an integral part of any project. Software testing is classified into Manual testing and Automation Testing. So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of manual and automated testing so that you can decide when to use manual testing and when to use automated testing to optimize costs? and the duration of the project.
1. What is Manual testing?
Manual testing is software testing done manually by humans. And the person who performs those jobs is also called the Tester.
The tester performs manual testing to ensure that a software / application works properly by following the conditions written in the testcase. The tester evaluates the design, function and performance of an application by clicking on different parts of that application / system.
For example, to test an add-to-cart functionality of an e-commerce website, the tester must test it by performing basic operations as an end user of the system, after selecting the item. If you want to buy on that website, you will have to manipulate which button to put the product into the cart. Analyze the results obtained after manipulating the desired results to draw conclusions about whether the function of the system is working properly.
2. What is automation testing?
Automation testing is performing software testing with a special program with very little or no human interaction, so that the tester does not have to repeat the boring steps. In Automation testing, there are pre-scripted tests that are written and run automatically. The tests are run to compare actual results with expected results. The tests run automatically to help the tester determine if the application is working as expected or not. Automated tests work very well when repeat and regression tests are needed to ensure that an application works correctly after a new change. Automated tests run with the help of tools, scripts, and software to perform predefined actions written in test cases.
3. Differences between Manual testing and Automation testing
| Manual testing | Automation testing |
|---|---|
| Manual testing is because it is entirely test by human action so it is easy to get errors caused by human. Therefore, reliability and test accuracy are low | Automation testing with the help of tools, scripts and software should be more reliable |
| The cost depends on the human resources used for testing | The cost depends on the testing tools deployed to perform the test. |
| The time required for manual testing is much more than the labor needed to execute it | The time required for automated testing is less than the software tools needed to execute the tests. |
| Manual testing is suitable when test cases are run once or twice. Therefore there is no regular repetition of test cases | Automation testing is suitable when test cases need to run continuously for a long time. |
| Manual testing helps find the user-friendliness of the application. Because people have to observe to find the instability of the application. Therefore Manual testing helps improve the user experience | Automation testing does not guarantee user friendliness. Because there is no human observation, there is no guarantee of customer experience. |
4. So when to use Maunal testing and when to use Automation testing?
4.1. When to use Manual testing
Manual testing is best suited for:
• Exploratory Testing : This type of testing requires testing of knowledge, experience, analysis / logic skills, creativity and intuition. This test is characterized by poorly documented technical documents, or a short time to perform. We need human skills to perform the testing process in this scenario.
• Usability Testing : This is an area where you need to measure the friendliness, efficiency, or convenience of software or products for end users. Here, observing people is the most important factor, so a manual method is an advantage.
• Ad-hoc Testing : In this scenario, there is no specific method. It is a completely unplanned test method where the understanding and insight of testing is the only important factor.
4.2. When to use Automation testing
Automation testing is best suited for:
• Regression Testing : automation testing is appropriate because of frequent code changes and the ability to run regressions in a timely manner.
• Load Testing : automation testing is also the best way to complete the tests effectively when it comes to loading the test.
• Performance Testing : testing that requires the simulation of thousands of users while requiring automation.
When developing software, the implementation of testing is very important and imperative to create a good software. Therefore, once you have knowledge of testing, it is necessary to choose the right type of testing for the product, no matter who the test taker is, only need to be involved in the development process. soft should be noted. Each type of testing has its own strengths and weaknesses. Currently almost all software development organizations and companies choose manual testing for their software testing. However, automated testing tools also have certain strengths that manual testing does not have, so it is necessary to consider the circumstances to be able to apply automated testing to the software testing process.
To optimize the cost and time required to complete a successful project, we cannot rely solely on manual testing or automated testing methods. There is a need to flexibly combine manual testing and automated testing to create the best product for users.
References:
https://reqtest.com/testing-blog/manual-testing-vs-automated-testing/
Thank you everyone for reading! (bow)