Automated Functional Testing: All You Need to Know

Functional testing, meant to analyze a given software’s functionality, is a crucial part of any development project. Interestingly, this process improves significantly with automation; automated functional testing allows the process to be streamlined and executed with consistency, thus considerably improving the pace and quality of the process.

Now, a list of different types of functional testing:

1. Smoke testing: A relatively basic form of testing, in smoke testing, you gauge usability, and stability, i.e., see if the app can run without crashing immediately.
2. Regression testing: This type of testing is about identifying unanticipated bugs according to the original plan.
3. Integration testing: Integration testing helps find problems in aspects such as API calls, system database access, UI operations, data format, operating timing.
4. Unit testing: Unit testing aims to verify the functionality of every unit within the app.
5. Alpha and beta testing: Alpha testing involves the internal team members, whereas the next step, i.e., beta testing, is essentially the middle ground between alpha testing and the app’s market launch.
6. User acceptance testing: User acceptance testing aims to ensure the app can function as expected in real-world situations.

Before we take a deep dive into automated functional testing, allow us to list some of its key benefits:

1. Accelerate testing process: Since the testing process is automated, the QA team has more time to focus on bugs and fixing them.
2. Better quality of apps: Testing, in general, is essential for ensuring the quality of apps; with automated testing, the process becomes quicker, more effective, and more efficient.

Let’s take a quick look at the overall automated functional testing process:

1. Planning: Define the parameters of the testing process, the steps involved, which actions will be automated, etc.
2. Select automation tool: This step warrants extra attention since the device you pick affects the testing plan and process.
3. Design testing framework: The testing framework you create must include testing standards, testing methodologies.
4. Configure testing environment: Install the hardware and software you need to run and schedule the tests.
5. Write testing scripts: Ensure the test scripts are written according to the project’s requirements.
6. Run tests: The tests you wrote? It is now time to execute them precisely as you strategized.
7. Analyze results: After the tests dole out outcomes, take a closer look at the results to identify bugs, need for additional testing.

Let us also take a look at some best practices you should keep in mind:

1. Research is crucial: Automated functional testing makes things easier, but only if you choose the right tool. So do not shy away from putting in the time. It would help if you researched the options available in the market.
2. Please choose the right automated functional testing tool: Given the sheer number of options in the market, selecting an instrument can get a bit challenging. We recommend gauging your QA team’s capabilities, including coding test scripts. Oh, and ensure programming language compatibility, of course.
3. Document: The idea behind extensive documentation of the process is to ensure that it is easier for the team to pinpoint the origins of problems, if at all.

Finally, some of the most popular automated functional testing tools currently available in the market:

1. Selenium: Selenium does not support many mainstream operating systems and browsers, such as Chrome, Edge, Linux, and Windows. Further, it also allows tests to be written in various programming languages, including PHP, Java and Python.
2. TestSigma: This one is compatible with mobile apps, web apps & API tests. It also offers support for various browsers and operating systems.
3. TestComplete: Offered with an in-built test editor for keyword-driven workloads, TestComplete covers several AFT tests and supports languages such as Python, C# and more.

There you have it, folks, a handy guide to automated functional testing. However, if you are still unsure about which one of the functional testing techniques is best suited for your project, we recommend engaging the services of a trusted expert to assist with the process.