This tutorial encapsulates the symbiosis between Developers and QA while providing a solution to the dilemma. Get to know the Katalon Recorder and how to automate browser testing with its use:
The era has passed when conventional software development techniques were deemed sufficient, and clients served as definitive testers. In the present day, product delivery speed is key, and even the slightest inadequacy can result in disastrous consequences for businesses (as witnessed in the Mt. Gox instance, a prior worldwide bitcoin trading firm).
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To ensure both quality and profitability, testers and developers now interact intimately within a consolidated pipeline for the continuous development and testing of applications.
However, does this practice bring as much value to testers as it appears to?
This article will review the existing method of software testing from a tester’s perspective. We will also suggest a solution to potential quandaries resulting from the collaboration between developers and QA, serving as a resource for QA teams and easing the transition for some developers.
What You Will Acquire:
Creation of An Age-Old Strategy
Aside from specific tests, the QA team primarily carries out most testing responsibilities. While certain developers specialize in creating testing software, we will focus on end-to-end client interface testing, which traditionally happens towards the end of the software development life cycle.
This testing style is vital because it directly affects the user experience, and these end-users are the main product users and the income source for the company.
The term “traditionally” is used here because quality assurance now begins earlier and involves more team members, as several studies have pointed out the drawbacks of a blocked testing model.
A study by the Ponemon Institute disclosed that detecting a bug during the initial production stages costs approximately $80 to repair. However, if the bug is identified after the product’s launch, the repair expense shoots up to a staggering $7,600.
Another factor promoting this shift is the interference theory, suggesting that memories often intervene with each other, particularly when the events are similar. Traditional software development methods (like the V-model or Waterfall) do not initiate testing until after the coding completion by developers.
Consequently, while developers progress to new projects, testers continue identifying bugs in previous ones. When the test findings are recorded, it becomes more difficult for developers to remember the original code structure and make suitable modifications without impacting the complete system.
To address these matters, the shift-left approach was introduced. This strategy involves integrating testing earlier in the pipeline rather than postponing it until the final stages. The primary objective is to save costs, time, and manpower by executing static and dynamic tests as early as possible, hence the term “shift-left”.
In this innovative strategy, testing tasks are equally shared among testers and other stakeholders at each phase, including project managers, UX designers, and developers. As an element of the Agile methodology, the shift-left approach tackles time-consuming blocking issues earlier in the process, permitting substantial modifications if required.
From a business perspective, this means releasing faster products with superior quality, which is crucial in this era of “Quality at Speed”.
Introduction of the Shift-Left Approach
So, what implications does the Shift-left approach have for the Software Development group?
Contrary to the classic model where QA teams wait for the final product, the shift-left methodology involves testers in the early phases of development. They engage in tasks such as detecting bugs in requirements with customers and business analysts and collaborating with developers and product managers during design sessions.
Furthermore, testers get more leeway to plan comprehensive end-to-end testing and familiarize themselves with tools and novel technologies if needed. Imagine the customer satisfaction knowing their application is delivered punctually, fulfills all requirements, and undergoes extensive testing, surpassing their competitors.
Shifting to the shift-left approach demands close cooperation between testers and other stakeholders. Among these collaborative relationships, the one formed between developers and QA teams is most common.
Per the State of Frontend 2020 Report, over 70% of frontend developers bear testing responsibilities, either independently or in collaboration with QA experts. This underscores the importance of end-to-end testing, with 40% of developers conducting UI tests themselves. Nonetheless, this trend also brings forth challenges.
According to the 2019 Front-End Tooling Survey, nearly 36% of developers currently do not utilize any testing tools. Manual testing of numerous end-to-end scenarios is labor-intensive and time-consuming.
Additionally, the extra workload burdens developers’ cognitive load, as their expertise is in crafting software rather than testing it. As a result, the cognitive capacity available for software development diminishes as the number of new domain requirements (such as regression testing) increases.
Instead of being a time-saving strategy, the shift-left approach can impose time restrictions on developers, creating obstacles for other teams dependent on the product code within the pipeline.
The optimal resolution is to deliver swiftly without causing any disruption
A popular misunderstanding about the shift-left approach is the lack of supportive tools. In reality, shift-left aligns with Agile practices, deeming automation tools indispensable.
In response to this demand, corporations have developed multiple developer-friendly testing tools that facilitate shift-left approach implementation and enhance productivity in collaboration. An example of such a tool is Katalon Recorder, a lightweight web plugin that enables automated testing. With no complex setup needed, Katalon Recorder offers various testing features to software development team members, especially developers.
The features include:
- Record and Playback: This function aids developers in automating manual testing tasks like form filling, game automation, or user flow procedures.
- Data-driven tests and AI-supported test analysis: Testers can obtain real-time information, facilitating comprehensive testing orchestration and downstream activities.
- Test Scripts Export from Selenium IDE: This capability allows Selenium IDE users to export their scripts in multiple formats and frameworks, including Python, C#, Java, JavaScript, Ruby, Groovy, XML, and Protractor.
- Integration with Katalon Studio and Katalon TestOps: This enables software development teams to streamline their testing procedures and enhance test quality through advanced test generation, reporting, and test orchestration.
Usage of Katalon Recorder
Let’s delve into how to get started with Katalon Recorder.
To commence with Katalon Recorder, install the free plugin from either the Chrome or Firefox web store, or directly from the Katalon website. After a few straightforward clicks, once Katalon Recorder is installed on your browser, open the plugin and hit the Record button to begin recording your actions on the web.
When completed, click the Stop button to terminate the recording, then press the Play button to execute the recorded steps.
To harness advanced analytics and data visualization capabilities, hit the Report button. This might demand you to log in to the Katalon portal. If you’re without an account, creating a complimentary account on the Katalon website is merely a few clicks away. These capabilities are realized through integration with Katalon TestOps – an AI-supported analytics and test orchestration platform.
By integrating Katalon Recorder and Katalon TestOps, all test outcomes are centralized in a single interface. This serves as a hub for real-time data and test analysis conducted using Katalon Recorder. Additionally, all charts and reports are shareable among team members to encourage collaboration.
Both Katalon Recorder and Katalon TestOps are products developed by the Katalon team, a reputed software testing platform provider. You may already be acquainted with Katalon Studio – one of the most widely adopted codeless testing tools available.
Check out this Quick Video tutorial illustrating browser testing automation using Katalon Recorder:
Closing Thoughts
Though attaining 100% defect-free software is impractical, incorporating a teamwork approach to development and testing can assist in avoiding catastrophic bugs in new product versions.
We can significantly enhance effectiveness by being mindful of our daily activities and searching for methods to refine our processes. Moreover, we can expand our professional horizons to explore tools that can provide instant aid.
Among the tools available, Katalon Recorder is an exceptional choice for developers transitioning to software testing. It guarantees an effortless experience in automation testing, offering robust features combined with a user-friendly interface and slight learning curve.