Best Practices to Follow for Automated Regression Testing
Tags: automated, regression, testing
Published: 2024-01-09 08:29:52

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Regression testing entails re-running the test cases for features that are already stable to determine whether the new code changes attributable to the new release had any adverse effects on the functions that were already in place. Due to the volume of data moving between various application modules, a feature update or bug correction may result in unforeseen problems with the system’s functionality.

Regression automation must be a part of the software testing process to find these flaws before they cause trouble in production. Here are some best practices that you must adhere to make regression testing more effective and powerful.

**Prioritize important test cases**

Testing should be prioritized for the most crucial or frequently used functions because running every test case in your regression pack could take too much time. When you are unable to run each test case in your regression pack due to time or financial restrictions, testing the most crucial functionality is another effective risk-mitigation technique.

**Plan little-and-often releases**

The more code changes made in a release, the more likely it is that regression issues will increase as a result of the modifications made to the existing application code. It should be encouraged for the development team to often update the testing environment with new code.

**Keep your regression pack organized and current**.

Regression tests can take a lot of time, so it’s important to update regression pack often to display the software state by adding new test cases or changing those that already exist. Whenever something new is introduced or old functionalities are changed, it is a good idea to update a test case.

Also, by maintaining current test cases, testers can avoid running tests to validate features that are not present any longer or do not accurately reflect how customers use the system.

**Utilize defect-tracking software to record**

Tracking anything that doesn’t function as planned is crucial in the current agile environment, which prioritizes more frequent releases, as it serves as the foundation for the regression test programs. And one of the recommended practices for regression testing solves the problem of inadequate documentation. It should be recorded in the form of thorough instructions and supporting data that can later be transformed into automated test cases.

**Participate in Code Reviews with QA**

Participating in code reviews with the QA team is usually advantageous. Although they don’t have to delve deeply into the code, it helps students to comprehend the locations where there have been code modifications. Additionally, it helps figure out ongoing updates. This then aids them in identifying potentially affected regions for the regression issues.

**Engage in cooperation with software developers**

Work together with software developers to make sure the regression test suite is in line with the process of creating software. This will make it easier to guarantee that any fresh modifications are thoroughly tested.

**Final words**

Testing for regression is crucial. It provides a thorough understanding of the updates of each code modification and aids in making the product stable. Opkey is a thorough testing automation platform that can assist teams testing software in streamlining their regression testing procedure. Opkey helps you to integrate your end-to-end business processes across packaged apps, bespoke apps, and online apps and decreases test maintenance efforts by 80% with self-healing scripts. Opkey supports over 150 technologies and enterprise applications. You may quickly reach 90% test coverage with the 30,000 pre-built tests provided by Opkey!