Why Should You Use Automation Testing Instead of Manual Testing?

It’s impressive how the overall software quality has improved in the last couple of decades. Access to better technologies and bigger investments in development projects aren’t the only reason behind these admirable results. 

Experts agree that test automation was a revolutionary breakthrough in software development.

Until the end of the 20th century, manual testing was the only option to check how the software works. Manual tests require human involvement, and they’re often isn’t enough time to complete everything.

Everything changed when automated testing entered the market. Automated testing allows companies to reduce the time and effort of the testing process and get more reliable results as the process doesn’t require human participation, unlike manual testing. 

The beauty of automation lies in that computers perform the checks while the human workforce can focus on other tasks. But this isn’t the only benefit the test automation brings. Keep reading to learn about all the advantages of adopting automatic tests!

1. Get Reliable Feedback

The difference between humans and well-programmed machines is that the latter won’t make errors. Manual testers might accidentally miss something important or write the wrong test results. That can’t happen with an automatic test.

An engineer uses a test automation tool to set the desired parameters. If it programs the test correctly, you can rely on 100% accuracy. There’s no risk of human error, meaning any results you get are reliable.

2. Receive Fast Feedback

The problem with manual tests is they often take time. A tester needs to go through the specified tasks and note the results. Then, it takes additional time to sort data into a presentable report. Many developers give up on performing all the planned tests because they take forever.

Automatic tests guarantee a faster feedback cycle. Computers can process loads of information each second, speeding up the process of performing large-scope tests. And the best part is you can run automatic tests 24/7. 

So the computer can keep collecting data even if nobody’s at the office. Once the tool finishes, it can generate reports automatically. It’s the fastest way of receiving feedback about the software feature you are testing.

3. Improve Resource Allocation

Test automation requires two things. The first one is acquiring an automated testing tool and adjusting it to check the desired features. And the second is having a computer used to run the test. 

Although this is an upfront cost, it provides a high return on investment. Your engineers only need to program and run the test. From there, they can work on other pending tasks requiring human attention.

It significantly increases their productivity and can boost motivation. Each employee enjoys working on new features more than fixing existing issues.

4. Release the Product as Planned

Planning a software development schedule is a demanding task. Even if the manager inserts some time for unpredictable events, it still happens that the final version must be pushed for a later release. 

That’s usually because developers spend a lot of time looking for bugs and ironing issues.

Test automation largely helps with following the schedule and releasing the software as planned. 

It speeds up the testing process and allows more frequent tests. That will enable you to identify bugs early and avoid them becoming big issues. This contributes to a smooth development process and helps get everything ready for the release date.

5. Enhance Software Quality

Automatic tests are more convenient than manual tests. They are easier to run and can identify bugs with maximum accuracy. By running them more often than manual testing, automation ensures you discover as many issues as possible.

The facts above contribute to the software quality. If you identify a feature that doesn’t work properly, you can iron out issues before pushing the unit into the master branch.

6. Reusable Tests Save Even More Time

Test automation tools require setting the parameters before running a test. Let’s say you are checking a specific feature and notice a bug. Developers fixed the issue but would like to run another test to confirm it.

The good news is you can use the same settings and rerun the test. It only takes seconds to rerun the test. That’s much faster than having a manual tester checking the same feature multiple times.

7. It’s the Only Option for Some Tests

Automated tests can’t replace manual testing completely. You still need to do exploratory and UX-related tests manually. But you can also run some checks only with test automation tools.

For example, what if you want to check how your web-based app performs when thousands of visitors use it simultaneously? Automated testing can simulate that environment to confirm your software’s stability. 

Of course, if you have an experienced engineer and a top-quality testing tool, automation will also make running complex tests easy.

Final Thoughts

Automation is undoubtedly a revolutionary breakthrough in the software testing industry. You can speed up development and receive accurate feedback that provides insights into potential software issues. 

Test automation contributes to maximizing product quality before the release, and you risk falling behind the competition without implementing this major change. 

Automated testing is a wise investment, especially for big software teams and projects. Don’t hesitate to give it a shot and see why it has become an integral part of the development process for many companies!