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Imagine when your users open your application and are surprised to see that application is crashed, full of bugs, or lags unnecessarily.
What do you expect from them?
Of course a simple uninstall! OUCH!
We know this situation is nothing less than a nightmare for any company. But it can exist!
There is a solution to this problem statement and that is Regression Testing.
Which sort of testing is it?
How to do it?
Will it be expensive?
RELAX!
We know you have oodles of questions floating in your brain and mind together.
To help you understand every bit of those questions and doubts, we have brought you this read today.
Let’s get started
The software development process includes regression testing as a necessary step. It is used to find any new bugs or performance problems that might appear as a result of changes in the code and environment.
By following this procedure, software owners may be guaranteed that their products will be delivered on schedule, on budget, and with the highest possible quality. Regression testing also makes it simpler to avoid expensive mistakes by assisting in the early detection of potential issues.
What is the need behind Regression Testing?
Well, as mentioned before, this process is necessary to detect any bugs or performance in the software. However, the exact purpose of regression testing may be questioned by software owners due to urgent production deadlines, a rapidly approaching time to market, and severe financial limitations.
In simpler terms, regression testing definition involves running previously passed test cases again against the updated version to make sure the app’s capabilities are operating as intended.
How did the concept of Regression Testing evolve?
Complex projects and systems used to be difficult to build and test in the past when the waterfall model was in use. As a result, due to time restrictions and a lack of organised procedures, old techniques of software testing were prone to mistakes and faults.
It was also challenging to retest any components of the software product that had already been evaluated and approved due to the waterfall model’s inherent limitations.
That was a cumbersome process as a whole!
Regression testing was developed to address this.
To ensure that all of the app’s features are functioning as expected, this comprises rerunning previously accepted test cases against the new version of the software. Software owners can ensure that their products will be delivered on time, within their projected budget, and with the greatest quality by following this process.
Connect With an Expert Team Of Regression Testers.
Regression Testing Types
Regression testing can be conducted in a variety of ways. The most common methods of regression testing are:
Corrective Regression Testing
This strategy requires less effort to conduct and uses the pre-existing test cases without altering the testing situation, resulting in a more simplified and effective testing procedure. Corrective regression testing’s primary benefit is that it can assist find problems that initial testing might have missed.
Also, it aids in the discovery of any problems that might have been introduced in the most recent application version.
This kind of testing is especially useful for software that goes through numerous changes or upgrades since it makes sure that all earlier versions of the program are still operating as intended.
Complete Regression Testing
When the application’s primary code is changed or the system receives significant updates, complete regression testing is crucial. It is used to make sure that every feature that is currently in use works as anticipated and presents no issues in the new version.
It also ensures that any code changes do not negatively impact the performance or user experience of the application.
Selective Regression Testing
Selective regression testing, as its name suggests, focuses on particular test cases from a wider number of test cases. This approach to testing helps find any problems that may have gone unnoticed during the original testing for specific test cases and ensures the software keeps working as it should.
Progressive Regression Testing
The beauty of this testing is when the product specifications are updated or changed, it can be implied. With this strategy, developers can build brand-new test cases that are customised to the modified test scenarios, new requirements, and evolving product requirements.
Worth to mention, it is a crucial stage in ensuring that the software is functional and that all new changes have been thoroughly tested.
Retest-all Regression Testing
Regression testing with this method is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Since this process includes thoroughly evaluating every aspect of the system, wherein it checks even any early-on tweaks that may have been made to it. To verify that everything is working as it should, this procedure includes a careful examination of each component of the system.
Unit Regression Testing
Well, it would not be wrong to say that this process is a clear and uncomplicated method of regression testing. It does not include the code’s innate dependencies, integrations, or interactions, rather it focuses only on testing the code as a single unit.
This means that while it can be used to rapidly and efficiently find faults in the code, it might not be as dependable as more thorough methods.
Partial Regression Testing
Partial regression testing is a robust approach that allows developers to test separate blocks of code, or modules, using existing test cases before merging them into a shared code integration.
This makes it easier to identify any bugs in the new code and ensures that the system functions as intended overall. Cutting down on time needed for troubleshooting and debugging, it can also help save time and money.
Must Read – Explore Latest Software Testing Trends
Guide to Regression Testing
Regression testing is generally carried out using the steps listed below:
Regression Test Selection
Choose the test cases that need to be retested; here test case selection depends on the module where the source code has changed.
Determine Time to Execute Test Case
The next step is to determine how long it will take to conduct the selected test cases. The development of test data, the QA team’s design of regression tests, the examination of all test cases, etc. are a few aspects that influence execution time.
Detect Test Case Automation
In this step, the QA team can choose which test cases to automate based on the results of exploratory testing.
Prioritizing Test Case
The test cases are all gathered together and given high, medium, and low priority levels. The high-priority test cases will be executed first, followed by the medium-priority test cases, and then the low-priority test cases, based on this evaluation.
Executing Test
It’s time to execute each test case individually and determine whether or not the product is functioning properly at this point. Based on the requirements, you can choose between manual testing and automation.
Techniques Involved In Regression Testing
Based on the needs of the project, QA specialists typically choose from a variety of regression testing methodologies. This combines methods such as robust testing, partitioning, and boundary value analysis.
It goes without saying but these methods help in finding any potential issues and guarantee that the system may encounter and give the outcome results as intended while ensuring quality assurance and testing services.
Below we have compiled a list of the common testing techniques:
Regression Test Selection
It is a quick and reliable method of testing software. It can be performed using a variety of tools, including JUnit, TestNG, and Selenium. These technologies not only support automated testing but are also very adaptable and may be configured to meet the specific requirements of a project. Overall, regression test selection offers a thorough strategy for assuring that any modifications made to software systems have been thoroughly tested.
Test Case Prioritization
This practice is largely based on different parameters, such as failure rate, impact on the business/product, and frequency of under-test functionality being used. To ensure the best outcome, here testers ensure to deploy a higher priority to customer-facing app features or any new or updated functionalities.
Complete Regression
Well, as the name suggests, this technique is used to test existing test suites that have already been developed. No doubt, this technique is effective in reducing the bugs in the already-developed code, but it requires time and effort investment extensively.
Challenges of Regression Testing
Can it be possible that this testing method would be applicable without facing any challenges?
Well, it is not!
The most common regression testing challenges include:
Challenge #1 Time-Consuming and Cost
Regression testing guarantees that any changes to a system have been extensively tested and are functioning according to plan. Furthermore, this kind of testing is often performed manually and demands a substantial investment of time and money. However, it can be expensive because the tests need to be carried out by qualified staff, and specialist equipment is needed to help identify any potential problems to attain qa & testing solutions.
Solution: By using test automation, a QA manager can adhere to strict time and financial constraints and produce a more effective testing plan. They can swiftly and precisely pinpoint issues as a result, ultimately saving time and money.
Challenge #2 Complicated Process
It is ubiquitous that with time and project demands, the complexity of software can be increased. This means the number of test cases that need to be executed also increases. Consequently, it leads to confusion and additional amounts of time and effort to test the product.
Solution: Regression testing’s complexity can be reduced by prioritising test cases, focusing on the test suite, and removing old test cases. Don’t forget, automation can reduce the challenges to a larger extent while making the process seamless.
Challenge #3 Scope Ambiguity
Between every build and release there is a need to update the test cases. It can be a difficult task to remember every single test case.
Solution: There are several ways to keep the test cases updated, such as covering all the elements in the new release and updating the old test cases.
Want To Automate Your Regression Testing Process?
Top Regression Testing Tools
- Selenium
- Katalan Studio
- Watir
- IBM Rational Functional Tester
- Apache JMeter
- AdventNet QEngine
- Cerberus Testing
- Testsigma
Tips to Create an Effective Regression Testing Suite
- Prioritizing Regression Tests– It is crucial for building a powerful regression testing suite.
- Developing Smoke Test– A smoke test label should be applied to the high-priority test cases, and you should run them every build, every two weeks, or every day.
- Touch of Manual Testing– These are some simple functions that users frequently utilise that can be manually checked.
- Integration testing– Implement a regression test suite that includes integrations such as APIs, backend engine features, database connections, data feeds, etc.
- Track RoI– The enhanced analytics and reports produced by automation systems should always be monitored by QA teams to track ROI.
Concluding Thought
When it comes to regression testing, planning for it in advance and executing it with precision is essential.
This note sums up that regression testing is not something that can be executed with a random approach, rather it needs to be conducted with a well-thought plan.
We have given you a thorough understanding of regression testing, including its types, tools, procedures, and anything else you need to be aware of.
This note sums up that regression testing is not something that can be executed with a random approach, rather it needs to be conducted with a well-thought plan.
We have given you a thorough understanding of regression testing, including its types, tools, procedures, and anything else you need to be aware of
But, if you’re still interested in learning more or would like to conduct regression testing, we at Hidden Brains are here to help you.
We’d be glad to use our expertise to navigate you through the testing procedure and smooth the way for your development process.
