How Can You Design and Execute Regression Testing to Detect Software Defects?
Regression testing is performed whenever the software code is updated. This is done to make sure that new code changes don’t affect the working of existing codes.
Most of the time the new code that we write can contradict the logic of the other codes which in turn can mess up the entire project. The issues can get so complicated that it will take a lot of time to fix those things.
Let’s suppose you wanted to add a new update to the software. That didn’t work out so well, and now you have to fix even those things that were working well before. This is not a smart move now, is it?
So, to solve this problem, we perform regression testing. It saves a lot of time by detecting issues early in the process. With regression testing, we know exactly where the bug came from, which helps us troubleshoot it much faster.
In this blog, we will discuss how you can design and execute regression testing to detect software defects. First, we will talk about how to set up an environment for regression testing, and then we will discuss some of the best practices for the same.
Set Up The Environment For Regression Testing
To set up an environment for regression testing, you need to first understand how your software works. See how everything is arranged and make a separate space just for testing the changes. This will help you protect the real version that works well.
You can also create a system to track all the changes you make and use tools to automatically set up the testing area. Before you start testing changes, see if the testing area is working well on its own. Run some basic tests to double-check that everything is in order.
Decide what parts of the software you want to test. You can also create a separate folder of tests that covers the most important things and the new changes that you made. Regular execution of tests will not only help catch the issues early but will also make sure that everything runs smoothly.
Write down how you set up the testing area, what tests you ran, and what were the results of those. This helps you understand and fix problems that may come up unexpectedly. Also, don’t forget to keep updating the application while simultaneously making changes to it.
This way, you can create a safe and reliable space to test your software.
Strategies To Perform Regression Testing
- Complete Regression Testing
Complete regression testing examines everything to make sure recent changes haven’t caused any unexpected issues. It involves executing some tests that cover every feature and function of the software.
This type of testing executes automatically whenever there’s a new change in the software. It also uses version control to compare different versions of the software. With this, testers see exactly what changed and how it might affect the overall performance.
The main aim is to make sure the essential parts of your software are still working. Complete regression testing can use both manual and automated testing methods. Some things are better checked by humans, while others can be efficiently tested by automated tools.
- Selective Regression Testing
Selective regression testing does not test everything. It focuses on particular areas that might be affected by recent changes. Here, the goal is to be efficient and quick. It saves a lot of time without leaving anything important unexecuted.
Even though it doesn’t test everything, it maintains a balance in coverage. Choices made during selective regression testing are documented. It keeps a record of why specific areas were chosen for testing.
- Progressive Regression Testing.
This approach breaks down the testing process into manageable steps. Instead of overwhelming ourselves with testing everything at once, we take it one step at a time. Progressive regression testing makes sure every part of the software gets tested regularly without causing a testing overload.
This approach is decision-informed. The focus is always on areas that are most relevant and important. Progressive regression testing safeguards the reliability and performance of the software, one step at a time.
- Configuration Management
Software has different versions of codes and files. Configuration management helps you keep track of which version you used for each release. It helps maintain a consistent environment for your software. When you’re testing, you want the same conditions each time, whether you’re checking if a new feature works or making sure an old one didn’t break.
When you’re doing regression testing, you’re simply rechecking your old codes to make sure they still function well. Configuration management makes this process smoother. It ensures that you’re testing the exact same version of your software every time, helping you catch any unexpected changes.
Best Practices To Design And Execute Regression Testing
- Regularly Execute Your Tests
It is advised to frequently execute your code to catch bugs early in the process. Because if you don’t find and resolve the issue beforehand, it will become bigger and pricier in the future. Not to mention it will take up all your time as well.
Even though regular execution is important, it is a tedious task that takes all the energy and time of testers. This time could have been used for something much more important than just repeating the same task of executing tests.
That is why you should automate your regression tests as much as possible. In this fast-paced world, it’s the only way to frequently execute your tests without increasing the effort.
- Manage Your Test Data
Understand your software and identify the important things that might change when you update it. Then collect examples of real situations the application may potentially face. Then make a simple plan for how you’re going to test the code.
Try out the tests using the examples you collected. If you’re changing or adding things to your program, adjust your tests to include these changes. After the changes have been made, compare it with the initial data. If something seems off and not up to the mark, find what’s the issue and resolve it immediately.
Update your tests and repeat this process each time your app gets a new update. This ensures your app stays solid and reliable over time.
- Communicate Effectively
Teamwork and clear communication make regression testing more effective. It’s good to keep everyone in the loop by talking about why you’re testing and what needs attention. This will make sure everyone in your team knows what’s going on with the software changes.
The team needs to decide together which parts of the software are crucial to test again. Share the workload among your team. Gather data that represents real situations your software might face, and keep each other informed about any changes needed to the test data.
After testing, talk about what you found and let them know if everything looks good or if there are issues. Also, don’t forget to maintain documentation for test cases, test data, and regression testing processes. Make sure that the documentation is accessible and understandable by all team members.
How LambdaTest Helps Enhance The Process Of Regression Testing
LambdaTest, an AI-powered test orchestration and test execution platform that lets you do cross-browser testing of your software on various web browsers and different versions of them. This means that the app will work smoothly for users, no matter if they’re using Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or any other browser.
With LambdaTest, you don’t need to worry about setting up computers or other devices for testing as it’s all handled in the cloud. It also allows you to interact with your application in real-time. Cross-browser compatibility testing, cloud-based convenience, and scalability enhances the overall regression testing process.
LambdaTest helps scale up your testing efforts by adding more browsers or running more tests. You and your team can easily share test results, screenshots, bug reports, and discuss issues collaboratively. It also provides a seamless experience for teams working from remote locations as well.
Conclusion
Regression testing makes sure the app or software always works as it should, even when you make changes or add new features. When designing these tests, make sure to check all the important things. The goal is to find and fix any problems early in the testing process so that the software stays reliable.
Its integration with LambdaTest makes sure the software works well across different setups.
It’s not just about identifying issues, it’s about making your software the best it can be. Think of it as a constant journey of improvement, like adding new features to your favorite app. Always keep enhancing the software to meet the needs of your users.
Use handy tools like LambdaTest to make things easier, fix things early, work smart by collaborating with your team, and always aim to make your software reliable and user-friendly.