When and How to Write End-to-End Tests: A Beginner's Guide to Automated E2E Testing
Tags: e2e, qa, tests
Published: 2023-02-22 13:10:14

Hey there! If you're new to QA, writing end-to-end (E2E) automated tests can be super overwhelming. But don't worry; it's a super important skill because it helps you ensure your software product is working as it should from start to finish. In this article, we're gonna talk about how and when to write E2E automated tests in a more chill way.


## What the heck is E2E automated tests anyway?


They're basically a type of software testing that looks at everything in your product to make sure it's working as expected, from beginning to end. E2E testing considers what the user sees and does when using your software and involves testing the user interface and various systems and components that the software interacts with, including databases, APIs, servers, and other external systems.

The main purpose of E2E testing is to catch any errors or issues that may arise as a result of the interactions between the various components of the software. By testing the entire application flow, E2E automated tests help ensure a better and more reliable product.

In short, E2E automated tests are an essential part of software testing because they simulate how a user would interact with the software, ensuring that all the various components of the application are working together seamlessly.

## So, how do you write E2E automated tests?

Well, first, you gotta get a good grasp on what your software product is all about. This means you must know what it does, how it works, and the user workflows. Once you've got that down, you can start writing your E2E tests.

Here are the steps you need to follow when writing E2E automated tests:

- Pinpoint the user workflows: Identity what your users are doing that you need to test. This includes all the user interactions and inputs.

- Create test scenarios: Think about different situations that might come up for each workflow. This includes defining the inputs, expected outputs, and other conditions that must be met.

- Set up the test environment: Get everything set up for testing with all the necessary tools and resources. This includes getting test data, setting up test accounts, and anything else you need.

- Write the test scripts: Now you get actually to write your tests. This includes defining the steps you need to take to test each scenario, entering test data, and checking for the expected results.

- Run the tests: Time to put your tests to the test! Run everything and see what happens.

- Analyze the results: Look at the results of your testing to see if you found any bugs or issues that need to be fixed.

## When should you write E2E automated tests?

Well, you should wait until your software product is stable before starting E2E testing. This means that all the major features have been developed, and your product is ready for testing. E2E testing should be done after unit and integration testing because you're testing everything simultaneously.

E2E automated tests can also be really helpful when you've made some big changes or added new features to your product. That way, you can ensure that everything still works how it's supposed to.

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In conclusion, while writing end-to-end (E2E) automated tests may seem daunting, it is an important part of ensuring your software product functions correctly. By following the steps outlined in this article and waiting until your product is stable, you can create thorough E2E tests that take into account user workflows and catch any bugs or issues before they become major problems. Remember, writing E2E automated tests is an ongoing process that should be updated as your product evolves, but with practice and perseverance, you'll become an expert in no time. So don't be afraid to dive in and start writing those E2E tests!