8 Signs you need mobile app test automation!
Tags: testing, mobile, development, automation
Published: 2023-05-15 15:06:42

The testing of mobile applications covers several devices and features. Functional mobile app test automation saves time when developed and done appropriately. In addition, it may your app development team time and effort by identifying code errors early on. [Mobile test automation](https://www.headspin.io/solutions/mobile-app-testing) compares expected and actual feature behavior using programmed tests. If there is a discrepancy, the QA team can locate the problem, and the development team can discover solutions before the app’s release.

## But how do you know if you need to automate your testing?
**Human error**
Primarily when evaluating a challenging use case, disadvantages might arise. During manual testing, even a skilled tester can make errors. Automated tests, on the other hand, can enforce tests with 100 percent accuracy since they always provide the same result. Moreover, for different QA engineers, testing automation gives the potential to develop cutting-edge tools for further optimizing the new testing suite or expanding it with contemporary features.

**It’s taking too much time to detect faults.**
Despite our best efforts, every software product will have bugs and faults. You will undoubtedly encounter issues regardless of how well you test your application. Since problems might arise at any moment, you must be able to address them as soon as possible. You have the most excellent chance of resolving these issues fast if you manage them as soon as you discover them while the impacted region is still fresh in the minds of the developers and testers. The longer a defect remains undetected, the more time and money will be required to debug and resolve the issue. 

When an organization needs more automated mobile app testing, faults are often discovered late in the process, resulting in significant delays. Even though automated end-to-end testing cannot avoid the occurrence of defects, it will alert your team to possible issues far more quickly than manual testing. If your development process incorporates continuous integration, it may automatically execute your test suite after each change and notify you if anything is not functioning as planned. Knowing an issue now is significantly less costly and time-consuming than finding it weeks later.

**Your app has repetitive features.**
The testing phase of developing an app is not exactly the most exciting aspect of the process, and testers will eventually become tired of repeating the same test cases. However, it is possible to utilize the same or comparable test automation across features in different applications due to the presence of repeating elements. For instance, the app’s next screen may change depending on the user’s age selection during registration. You may test the age-based options on the registration page by running the same test several times through test automation. Automated testing is straightforward to deploy across various user situations for these functionalities, whereas manual testing may be time-consuming and repetitive.

**Application is diverse**
The operating system that a mobile app is built for, like Android, may bring developers together, but the many versions of the OS create a gap. An Android app cannot be guaranteed to function across all operating system versions. Therefore, it is inevitable that the same program will be subjected to repeated testing on numerous devices, operating systems, and performances. In addition, a diversified app needs regular updates, which would start the cycle over again. Because of the high potential for human mistakes, this is one of the eight warning indications that it’s time to automate your mobile testing.

**Your testing needs to be more flexible.**
Manual methods provide testers more operational freedom, even though manual testing is not necessarily as precise as automation. Since [automated testing](https://dev.to/testfort_inc/what-is-automated-testing-in-software-testing-3i48) is intrinsically beneficial for recurring scenarios, it is common practice to reuse the same code and scripts. 

**App size is increasing.**
When the size of your mobile application starts to creep up over a certain threshold, it’s time to consider adopting mobile test automation. The number of test cases, and in particular the number of repeat tests, increases as the size of our project grows. Managers will sometimes determine whether or not automation is necessary by tallying up the number of test cases that can be run automatically. For instance, it is possible to automate between 300 and 500 test cases for a simple application. As the size of the application rises, so does this figure. Estimating a project from the outset may save you and your customer a lot of time and money. Starting the mobile test automation process early in the pipeline is possible because you know the size of the application with certainty (for example, when transitioning from web to mobile). However, manual testing should be prioritized above automated when embarking on a self-directed project of uncertain scope. Manual testers will have some repetition, but it will be minimal and cheaper than automating the process.

**The app is getting less coverage.**
The number of tests that may be evaluated or confirmed manually are limited. You may use the time you save from automating your tests to create new, cutting-edge tests and add them to your existing automated test suite. As a result, more of your product’s features will be evaluated in a realistic environment, leading to a higher-quality end product. More so, with automated testing, programmers may create comprehensive tests that cover a wider range of use cases. Unattended testing allows for the execution of lengthy tests, which are often skipped during human testing.

**Business needs to grow.**
It is reasonable to assume that mobile testing projects will follow the same trend as traditional testing projects, with the testing phase taking up around 50% of the allotted time. Some reports have put the figure as high as 75%. Wow, that’s an extended period. It’s possible to complete the project on time, but branching out into other areas presents difficulties. Working in software, you may expect daily market shifts. Constant iteration is required to monitor market trends and appropriately adjust the product. However, there is little room for learning about the industry or developing new tactics if all available time is devoted to testing the project.

## Conclusion
Automation testing will improve your entire testing process in many ways. But the result also depends on the tool you choose.