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4 Must-Have Skills a Competent QA Engineer Should Possess

by admin | Sep 17, 2021 | Software Testing, Blog | 0 comments

For those looking to work in the field of QA and testing, it’s important to get the quality assurance skills and competencies required to become a first-class QA professional. QA engineers, in particular, require a combination of soft and hard skills that can help them work better alongside software developers. Here are some of those desirable qualities that every QA engineer should possess.

Broad Understanding of the Product

To test a product efficiently, a QA engineer needs to know it well enough to know how it should function normally. This skill may sound obvious, but a lot of QA engineers struggle with testing because they barely know the product and its capabilities. This skill is often taken for granted, especially if the QA engineer’s only goal is to just get it over with. This is the wrong mindset when testing products. You need to study the product thoroughly before you can perform accurate and impartial testing for it. The more you know the product, the better you’re able to test it and all its functions.

Proficiency in Bug Tracking, Ticketing, and Tests

A QA engineer needs to have a solid understanding of testing tools, opening and tracking tickets, and direct knowledge of a company’s QA process. The less time it takes for a company to train you, the more likely they are to hire you or promote you. This means you can already work independently and fulfill the functions of a QA engineer with little to no supervision. They also need to have a ‘customer-focused’ vision where they know exactly what the customer needs and how they think when using the product.

Avoiding QA Ping Pong

This is an industry term used by many QA professionals when the same ticket is being juggled between QA and developers several times. Such a situation can happen due to a number of reasons. Either the developer doesn’t want to admit their mistake and rejects the QA findings without verifying it, or the QA marks a ticket as failed as soon as the first bug occurs. Those two scenarios are very likely to happen, especially if both developers and QA engineers can’t get past their egos.

A good QA engineer will check whether any failed issues are affecting further use cases or not. This lessens the need for the unnecessary back and forth between developer and QA. If the fail issue doesn’t affect other use cases, then you can proceed so you can discover more bugs as early as possible.

Development Knowledge

Quality assurance requires knowledge about software development as well. While they don’t perform tasks as developers do, having knowledge of how the development process is done is a huge advantage, especially when testing software applications. Development capabilities also happen to be required to eventually code automated tests. If you want to make your job a little easier, you can create tools that could aid you in running an automated test. Also, knowing how to develop gives you an edge since you know what “dangerous” code is that requires focus when testing. 

Conclusion

QA engineers basically understand what users need and help programmers build what is necessary for the product to become successful and easy to use. If you want to start a career in quality assurance, you better possess these skills in order for you to fulfill your role effectively.

Codoid is considered one of the top QA companies in the world today. With our team of QA experts passionate about software testing, we deliver a level of service that our competitors try to emulate but fail to do so. If you want to experience our QA services, partner with us today!

Automation Testing and DevOps: How These to Work Together

by admin | Aug 4, 2021 | Software Testing, Blog | 0 comments

We’re truly living in a fast-paced digital world. Because of this, it’s much easier to miss out on golden opportunities if your products don’t reach the right consumers at an opportune time. Because of this, businesses need to act immediately when they receive feedback from their customers. By staying on top of your engagements with users, you can create changes in your campaigns and come closer to leading the pack in a saturated digital marketplace. 

Automation testing is indeed an integral part of the software release cycle, especially since businesses can achieve more by integrating Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment in the process. For this reason, working with a credible DevOps team and performance testing companies is a must if you want an agile-driven enterprise. With that being said, automation testing and DevOps work flawlessly to achieve this goal.

What is DevOps?

DevOps or Development and Operations cover a set of practices that limit software release cycles through continuous software delivery with excellent quality.

With DevOps, you get to create software enterprises that offer high-quality products and services that help accelerate your pace in the digital world and boost your ranking in the digital landscape. 

How Can DevOps Speed Up Bug Fixes?

When you work with your consumers, you get to focus on integral parts of your product development that you won’t notice since you’re working on the backend. This is why consumer feedback is crucial since it plays a huge role in the betterment of your product. 

But besides that, rolling out new product changes and updates frequently isn’t that easy. This is due to the complexities that may arise in updates that have been released on different devices, target geographies, and platforms. However, you can achieve a speedy rollout of updates by ensuring smooth product development, testing, and deployment strategy to eliminate bugs and glitches. 

Seeing as manual testing isn’t enough to achieve these tasks, you need to cope with agile demands to help eliminate human errors and app bugs. With that being said, working with performance testing companies is crucial in developing a solid DevOps approach to fixing issues quickly. 

Why Automation Testing and DevOps is a Winning Combination

There’s no doubt that integrating automation testing for web products can bring many benefits to your business. Especially now that you have a limited time to win the hearts of your consumers, you need to ensure that your product isn’t at their disposal. 

Since you get to test your product at every stage, you get to boost your product’s performance and could help accelerate testing for the DevOps team, limiting the time it takes to revisit feedback and send it over to the development team. 

With that being said, here’s why automation testing is crucial for DevOps:

• It provides consistent test results to help reap the benefits of an effective DevOps strategy;
• It improves your communications across different teams, eliminating reasons for delays;
• It helps produce faster test outcomes;
• Offers exceptional stability for product releases, which ultimately equates to great customer experience;
• Improves testing scalability and can focus on running different tests to help improve product quality.

The Bottom Line: Integrating Automation Testing and DevOps Strategies Can Help Improve Product Releases

Software enterprises are indeed walking on a thin rope, especially when you’re dealing with a fast-paced, ever-growing environment. With that, your software must be up to speed with these developments, and proper automation testing and DevOps strategies can help. 

No matter the size of your company, it’s crucial that you consult with performance testing companies and experienced development teams to help provide you with test automation services that will be incorporated into your DevOps strategies. 

Trust us — this will help boost your software capabilities and quality.

How Can Codoid Help You?

If you’re looking for performance testing companies, Codoid is here to help you. 

We are an industry leader in QA, leading and guiding communities and clients with our passion for development and innovation. Our team of highly skilled engineers can help your team through software testing meetup groups, software quality assurance events, automation testing, and more. 

Learn more about our services and how we can help you today!

The Benefits of Using Open-Source Tools in Software QA

by admin | May 26, 2021 | Software Testing, Blog | 0 comments

Open-source testing tools aid developers in determining functionality, regression, capacity, automation, and many other aspects of a mobile or desktop application. A software tool is open-source if its source code is available for free and if users can modify its original design. 

Many open-source testing tools are available online—Robotil, Selenium, and JMeter are examples of open source testing tools, and they test different aspects of software use. QA and software testing services also use open-source tools; here are some reasons why open-source products could be a better option than a licensed tool.

Open-Source Tools Are Often More Stable

The most significant reason why you should choose open source tools is that they typically have large developer communities backing them, fueling innovation. With more developers or organizations using a tool, the more stable and mature it is. Selenium, a test automation tool for trying out actions in the browser, is one of the world’s most active open-source projects.

Selenium’s GitHub page shows hundreds of contributors and releases. In fact, Codoid has VisGrid, a GUI for Selenium Grid enabling a developer to create hubs and nodes for testing on a user interface instead of Command Prompt. Codoid released VisGrid in 2016, and it has since undergone 14 updates—the current version, VisGrid-1.14, integrates with Selenium 3.5.3.

Open-Source Tools Have No Vendor Lock-In

A common problem among companies that use proprietary databases, platforms, or software is vendor lock-in. When businesses choose a vendor with a lock-in period on their software, they cannot quickly move to an alternative without incurring much business disruption or expenses. Using open-source software is a workaround—since open source tools do not belong to only one vendor, companies do not have to deal with lock-in periods when using them.

Open-Source Tools Are Highly Customizable

If you want to use a single platform for many years, you need to ensure it will evolve with your needs. Companies would always need unique features that tools do not provide out of the box, so your QA tool should allow you to build a solution or adopt one from other developers.

It is why software testing companies use open-source tools. These software provide various extensions, plugins, custom commands, and other ways of modifying programs and applications to suit their clients’ needs. For example, Codoid has WelDree, a beginner-friendly, UI-based Cucumber feature executor. Some plugins or extensions are available on vendors’ websites or places like GitHub, while you can download others on forums and blogs.

Open-Source Tools Are Versatile

Software testing teams need to be fluent in various programming languages and know how to operate different platforms. The testing tools they use should be versatile and cover mobile apps, web apps, native apps, or hybrids. Open source tools are viable across platforms and languages, and they enable the versatility that software quality testers need. These tools have widespread adoption across organizations of all types and sizes.

Conclusion

Open source tools drive innovation and have plenty of support from developer communities. They are built on open standards, so you can customize open-source tools extensively. If you have needs unique to your company, using an open-source tool to build a custom solution is a great way of addressing these. Partnering with a performance testing company should ensure that your application works smoothly and efficiently.

Codoid is an industry-leading software testing company. We provide robust test automation solutions across cloud, mobile, and web environments, using Selenium, Appium, White Framework, Protractor, JMeter, and more. Contact us today for more information!

How to Write Effective Test Cases? A Comprehensive Guide with Examples

by admin | May 25, 2021 | Software Testing, Blog | 0 comments

Test cases are documentations that consists of line-by-line instructions that define how testing has to be done. Test cases are very crucial when it comes to testing, as it acts as a well-defined guide for the testing team to validate if the application is free from bugs. Another important aspect is that test cases help to verify if the application meets the client’s requirements. So if a test case is written on the go without any planning or effort, it will result in huge losses, as a mistake here would act like a domino effect that impacts all the upcoming stages of testing. As one of the best software testing companies in the market, we have seen great results when effective test cases were implemented. So in this blog article, we will be focusing on how you can effectively write test cases.

What are the Headers that should be present in a Test Case?

Before we discuss on How to Write Effective Test Cases, let’s cover the basic aspects that every test case must have.

Name of the Project:

Whenever we write any test case, we should make sure to mention the name of the project to avoid any unnecessary confusion.

Module Name:

The software will usually be broken down into different modules so that they can be tested separately. So it is important to give each module a unique name so that different methods of testing can be assigned and implemented without any errors.

Reference Document:

A software requirements specification (SRS) or the Customer Requirement Specification (CRS) must be specified so that the testing team can test the application based on it.

Created By:

Every written piece of content would have an author and so make sure to mention the name of the person or the team that has created the test cases. Though it is not mandatory to include the designation of the person, it is recommended that you do so.

Test Case Created Date:

It goes without saying that when all the above information is vital, the date would be important as well. So make sure to specify the date that the test team should start testing, as it helps set a deadline.

Test Case ID:

Each and every Test Case should have a unique individual ID. It is like how each student has their own and unique identification number. It will help locate the test case if you want to reuse it or be helpful for any future references.

Test Scenario:

It acts as a descriptive guide that helps us understand each step. It also highlights the objective of the action that we are going to perform in the Test case.

Test Script (or) Steps:

Every step that should be carried out has to be mentioned under the Test Steps header. It is like explaining each step in an in-depth manner so that the testing test doesn’t miss out on any step resulting in deviations from the client requirement.

Test Data:

Mentioning what input should be given in each step is equally important while testing the application. It helps to keep the testing process on track without any missteps.

Expected Result:

The primary objective of any test is to verify if the expected or desired result is achieved at the end. The client requirement can be firmly established by properly defining the expected result to make the application error-free. Let’s take a look at an example to get a better understanding.

Example: If the user turns ON the fan switch, the Fan should rotate in an anticlockwise direction.
The expected result here is that the fan should rotate in the anticlockwise direction when it is switched on.

Actual Result:

But we cannot expect the result to be as expected in every scenario. That is why we have to make a note of the actual results we obtain while executing the test.

Example: In the same scenario as discussed above, it doesn’t mean that everything is working fine if the fan rotates. It must be verified according to the expectation and see if the fan rotates in the anticlockwise direction. If the fan rotates in the clockwise direction, we should make sure to make a record of it.

Status (or) Comment:

Once we have the expected result and the actual result, we will be able to come to a conclusion and decide if the application passed the test or not. Apart from updating the status, we can also add remarks about the result such as special scenarios and so on. We can also compare this to a student’s report sheet which denotes if the student has passed or failed and would have remarks based on the result as well.

What is the Difference Between Test Case and Test Scenario?

This could be a common question that arises in many minds when this topic is discussed. So we have created a tabular column to establish the key differences between a test case and a test scenario.

Sample Test Case:-

Now that we have gotten the basics out of the way, let’s dive into a full-fledged example and understand how to write effective test cases.

Test Scenario: A user has to send an email to someone else using their Gmail mobile application.

What are all the different types of Test Cases available?

Generally, test cases are classified into two main types,

i. Positive Test cases

ii. Negative Test cases

Positive Test cases:-

The Positive test cases do not differ much from the usual test cases, and so they are also known as formal test cases. A positive test case is used to very if the correct output is obtained when given the correct input.

Example:

Let’s say a user wants to transfer money through any UPI app, then he/she should find the correct recipient using their UPI ID or mobile number, enter the respected amount that they wish to transfer, and also enter the right UPI pin to complete the transaction. A positive test case would have the tester do the same actions by giving the correct input and seeing if everything works smoothly without any mishaps.

Negative Test cases:-

Negative Test cases are opposite to Positive test cases, as testers will provide an intentional negative or false input to make sure that the output is also negative. If we consider the same example we saw for positive test cases, the tester would try entering an incorrect UPI pin and see if the transaction fails. This is to make sure that only the authorized user will be able to operate the application, thereby increasing the security of the app. These tests are also called informal tests as they are not needed in every scenario, but they are pivotal in making sure that the application is secure.

Types of Positive Test Cases:-

Apart from the rare scenarios where negative test cases are used, positive test cases would be the more widely used preference. The Positive test cases can be further classified further based on the type of the project and the testing methods. But we will not be focusing on every type of test case as the other types are just subcategories of these 5 main types.

1. Functional Test cases

2. Integration Test cases

3. System Test Cases

4. Smoke Test cases

5. Regression Test Cases

Functional Test Cases:-

These test cases are written to check whether a particular functionality of the application is working properly or not.

Example:

If we take the same email sending example, then the test case that verifies if the send functionality is working correctly would be an apt example.

Integration Test Cases:-

These test cases are written to ensure that there is accurate data flow and database change across two combined modules or features.

Example:

The UPI money transaction example would fit well here too. During the transaction, the user enters the amount and enters the pin to complete the transaction. Once the transaction has been completed, the user will get a message about the deduction from their bank account as a result of the database change that has happened.

In this example, there is both data flow and database change between the two different modules.

System Test Cases:-

Earlier types saw us writing test cases only for a particular functionality or to see if the two modules work properly. But whenever the Testing environment is similar to the production environment, then the system test cases can be written to verify if the application is working correctly from its launch till the time it is closed. That is why this type of testing is also called end-to-end testing.

Example:

Here also we can take the same money transaction test case, but we have to test it starting right from the launch of the application to the successful transaction, and even until we receive the amount deduction message and have the transaction history updated in the user’s bank account.

Smoke Test Cases:-

Smoke tests that are also known as initial testing are very important in software testing as it acts like a preliminary test that every application should pass before extensive testing begins Smoke test cases should be written in a way that they check the critical functionalities of the software. We can then verify if the software is stable enough for further testing.

Example:

If we go back to the UPI payment app, then the testing team would have to test the application launch, account creation, and bank account addition before heading on to the transaction feature itself.

Regression Test Cases:-

Whenever the application gets any updates like UI updates, or new feature updates, the regression test cases come into play as they will be written based on the changes.

Example:

Let’s take an application most of us use on a daily basis, WhatsApp. Previously their testing team could have written test cases where the expected result could have been a list of emojis and the gif option being displayed when a user clicks on the Emoji option in the input text box.

But in one update, WhatsApp had introduced the stickers option. Since the new stickers would appear alongside the emojis and the gif option, the new test case would have been updated accordingly.

Guidelines on how to write effective test cases:

We have covered all the basic requisites that a test case must have and also the different types of test cases. This doesn’t necessarily mean that we can start writing perfect test cases right off the bat. So we will be covering a few important guidelines you should keep in your mind to write effective test cases.

1. CRS & SRS

The Testing team should be able to read and understand the Client requirements. But how is that made possible?

The client requirements for a project can be called a CRS or a Contract in simple terms. In this CRS document, the client will mention all their expectations about the software, such as how the software should perform and so on. This CRS document will be handled by the Business Analyst-(BA) of the company, and they will convert the CRS document into an SRS [System Requirement Specification] document.

The created SRS document has the functionality for each and every module and co-modules. Once the Business Analyst converts the CRS document into an SRS document they will provide the copy of the SRS document to the Testing and Development Teams. So the Testing team can read and understand the client requirement from the SRS.

2. Smoke Tests

Whenever we start writing the test cases, we should ensure to add smoke test cases to verify if the main functionality of the application is working.

3. Easy to Read

Writing easy-to-read test cases have advantages of their own. We can call it a success if a person who doesn’t have any technical knowledge can read the test cases and understand them clearly to work with the test cases.

4. Risk Evaluation

Writing extensive test cases that are not necessary should be avoided as it is a waste of resources. So proper risk evaluation has to be done prior to writing test cases so that the testing team can focus on the main requirement and core functionalities.

5. Format

The test cases always should start with either the application or the URL being launched, and it should end with the logging out option or closure of the application.

6. Avoid Assumptions

The Expected Result should be clearly captured for each and every test step, and all the features of the software (or) application should be tested without making any assumptions.

7. Dynamic values

Each and every step should not consist of multiple actions based on a single dynamic value. The dynamically changing values should not be hardcoded while writing the Test Cases. We have listed a few examples of such dynamic values.

Example:

Date, Time, Account Balance, Dynamically changing Game Slates, Reference Numbers, Points (or) Scores, etc.,

8. Dynamic Test Cases

But what should be done if we have to write a test case for a dynamically changing value? We can make use of common terms.

Example:

Let’s assume there is an online shopping site that is running a promotional campaign called ‘Happy New Year’ that provides its customers with a 20% off on their purchase. The dynamic value here is the campaign as it keeps changing in both name and value. So instead of writing a test case with the name of the one particular offer, it is better to use generic terms like ‘Promotional Campaign’

9. No Abbreviations

The Test cases should not be consist of any abbreviation (or) short forms. If in case the usage of an abbreviation is unavoidable, make sure to explain or define what it is in the test case. If not such open-ended information can lead to unnecessary mix-ups.

10. Optimal Distribution of Tests

A component level of verification should always happen only when you are writing functional test cases. You have to make sure that the same is not carried over when writing Integration and System Testing Test Cases. The Test Case document should cover all the types of the Test cases like Functional, Integration, System, and also Smoke Testing Test Cases.

How the test case helps the Testing team:

• Test case helps reduce the time and other resources required for testing.
• It helps to avoid test repetitions for the same feature of the application.
• It plays a major role in reducing the support maintenance cost of the software
• Even if we have to add a new member to the team during the course of the project, the new member will still be able to keep up with the team by reading the test cases.
• It helps to obtain maximum coverage of the application and fulfill the customer requirements
• The test cases help to ensure the quality of the software
• Test cases help us to think thoroughly and approach the process from as many angles as possible.

How to write effective test cases using the software?

The testing community has been writing test cases manually from the very beginning. But if you are looking for any software that reduces the time spent on writing test cases. You could take a look at the below test management systems,

• TEST LINK
• TEST RAIL

Conclusion:

We hope you have enjoyed reading this blog. As a leading software testing service provider, we have always reaped the benefits of writing effective cases. But there is just no defined way to write test cases, as they are written in different formats depending on the project, the requirements, and the team involved. But we must always keep one point in our minds when we are thinking of how to write effective test cases, and that is to think from the point of view of the Client, Developer, End-User, and Tester. Then only we will be able to write quality test cases that will help us achieve 100% coverage.

6 Ways to Develop a Successful DevOps Testing Strategy

by admin | May 18, 2021 | Software Testing, Blog | 0 comments

Many companies run with Development and Operations teams working separately, which can cause problems in the long run. That is what DevOps plan can address: a collaborative approach that brings these two teams together. It streamlines and automates the software delivery lifecycle and aims to build better and more responsive software. 

Contrary to popular belief, DevOps involves more than just a change in processes or tools. It is a cultural shift that removes barriers between teams to respond more efficiently to changing business requirements. As a result, it helps optimize workflow, deliver high-quality applications, and achieve other business goals. 

Most organizations prefer continuous testing, but some are struggling to have a solid foundation for test automation. To address this, here are the methods to develop a DevOps testing strategy:

1. Scale test automation

Building a successful DevOps testing strategy requires scale test automation on the web and mobile. To scale web testing, use DIY, containerized computing, and cloud. For scaling mobile testing, opt for DIY, crowdsourcing, and cloud testing labs. Other options for scaling web and mobile testing are doing codeless and using open source frameworks.

2. Use supporting frameworks

Another method to create a DevOps testing strategy is to use supporting frameworks. To do this, provide assertion functions, a testing structure, mocks, spies, stubs, and a browser or browser-like environment with control of UI testing, scenario execution, and more. 

Don’t forget to generate code coverage reports and display and watch test results. You also need to rely on a secure and up-to-date robust lab that can scale, is always available for all testing types, and can support all advanced automation capabilities. 

3. Maintain a stable test automation suite

Since your product code is ever-changing, testing must also keep up with these changes. A stable test automation suite is crucial to ensure that automation continuously adds value. It has to be constantly maintained, audited, and refactored whenever required.

4. Use headless browsers

Headless browsers are developer-friendly tools that affect your testing strategy for web apps. Using them delivers a more stable build. Best of all, they are free, which can help you save money in the long run.

To use headless browsers, setting up Selenium Grid is not required. You just plug Google Puppeteer into your environment to do accessibility testing, performance auditing, and unit testing in JavaScript. This tactic helps scale test automation.

5. Use advanced reporting and analysis

Every testing activity requires a test report. Ensure to use a robust reporting platform and create detailed and actionable reports to help developers determine the root cause of issues and address them quickly. 

6. Involve the full team in testing

When doing test automation at scale, involve the entire team. Assign business testers for exploratory and structured manual testing. On the other hand, software developers will create code-based test automation scripts and unit and build acceptance tests. 

Conclusion

The secret to frequent, high-quality software delivery and becoming more competitive in the industry is DevOps testing. Since testing’s success highly relies on how you incorporate DevOps culture into your company, consider following the suggestions listed above. Also, seek automation testing services like ours as they play a major role in DevOps testing strategy.

If you need assistance from the best QA company, turn to us for help. At Codoid, we take pride in being an industry leader in QA. We offer analytics testing services, performance testing services, mobile application testing services, and more. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you!