Regression testing is a critical process in software development and quality assurance that ensures that the software remains functional and reliable after changes or updates are made to it. As software is updated or changed, or reused on a modified target, emergence of new faults or re-emergence of old faults is quite common. However, regression testing is not just about verifying that the software is still working correctly. It is about ensuring that the software meets the needs of users, meets the standards of the industry, and delivers value to the business.
So, let's start with why regression testing is so important when it comes to software. This important testing process offers numerous benefits that go beyond simply ensuring the quality of the software. Of significance, is the overarching benefits to companies, developers and users of an application, which include:
- Ensuring the User Experience
User experience is one of the most critical factors in software development. If a product is not easy to use or has bugs and issues, users will quickly become frustrated and look for alternative solutions. Regression testing helps to ensure that the software remains functional and reliable, providing a seamless user experience. By identifying and resolving issues early in the development process, regression testing can help to reduce user frustration, increase user satisfaction, and drive user adoption. Although you will never have 100% retention when it comes to user interaction, regression testing can help boost a user's experience and may stop your application becoming a contributor to the 71% application removal rate (yikes). In saying this, regression testing helps to identify and resolve any issues before they become a genuine problem for users.
- Protecting Your Reputation
Further to the above point, it's important to take note that the software industry is highly competitive, and reputation is everything. Did you know that Apple's App Store has over 3 million mobile apps available for download? Considering how competitive this environment is, if a software product has a reputation for being buggy or unreliable, this can be detrimental to the business. Regression testing helps to protect the reputation of the product and the company behind it.
- Saving Time and Money
This one is relatively simple, but worth mentioning. Fixing bugs and issues after a product has been released can be time-consuming and expensive. Regression testing helps to identify issues early in the development process, reducing the time and cost required to fix them. As stated by the late-Fred Brooks, a consequence of the introduction of new bugs, program maintenance requires far more system testing per statement written than any other programming. Theoretically, after each fix, one must run the entire batch of test cases previously run against the system to ensure that it has not been damaged in an obscure way. In practice, such regression testing must approximate this theoretical idea, and it's costly.
- Impact on Industry Standards
The software industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies, tools, and frameworks being introduced all the time. As a result, it is essential to ensure that software products meet the industry standards and expectations. Regression testing helps to identify any issues or bugs that may affect the compliance of the software with the industry standards. By addressing these issues early in the development process, regression testing can help to ensure that the software meets the industry standards, and is well-positioned to compete in the market.
- Improving Overall Quality
Finally, it's important to consider that by ensuring that the software is functioning as intended, regression testing helps to improve the overall quality of the product. This, in turn, leads to increased user satisfaction and a stronger reputation for the company.
Moving on, let's talk about the processes for regression testing. Regression testing itself is a complex process that involves multiple steps, including identifying test cases, creating a test environment, and running manual and automated tests. Some of the ways that we can tackle our regression testing processes are:
- The Use of Visual Regression Testing
Visual regression testing is a type of software testing that compares the visual appearance of an application before and after changes have been made to it. This type of testing helps to ensure that changes made to the software do not introduce unintended visual issues or defects. This testing can be performed manually or automated, depending on the complexity of the application and the number of visual changes that need to be tested.
Visual regression testing can also be used to verify the consistency of visual elements across different browsers, devices, and platforms. This type of testing can help to ensure that the application functions as intended across a variety of environments and provides a consistent user experience. One of the main benefits of visual regression testing is that it can help to identify visual issues that may not be caught by other types of testing, such as functional testing or unit testing. Visual issues can include issues with font sizes, colors, images, layouts, and other visual elements.
- Implementing Continuous Testing
Continuous testing is a software testing approach that involves the continuous and automated testing of software applications throughout the software development lifecycle. Continuous testing is a key component of the larger DevOps movement, which emphasises collaboration, automation, and continuous delivery. The primary goal of continuous testing is to ensure that software applications are thoroughly tested and ready for release at all times. Continuous testing involves the integration of testing into the software development process, enabling developers to identify and resolve defects quickly and efficiently.
Continuous testing includes a range of testing activities, including unit testing, functional testing, integration testing, performance testing, and security testing. These tests are automated and run continuously, enabling us to identify defects early in the development process. Efficient continuous testing can be achieved through the use of tools that automate the testing process. These tools can integrate with development tools and systems, allowing us to run tests automatically as change are made to an application's code. Overall, these tools can help ensure that our testing approach is consistent, reliable and efficient.
- Utilising Machine Learning
This point is part of a much larger argument with the current conditions of artificial intelligence (AI). Firstly, it's important to emphasise that AI is not going to steal all our jobs. However, one example of how machine learning can be used in regression testing is through the creation of predictive models. These models use historical data to predict which areas of the application are most likely to be impacted by changes, enabling testers to focus their efforts on these areas. Another example of how machine learning can be used in regression testing is through the use of anomaly detection. Anomaly detection involves analyzing data to identify unusual or unexpected behavior, which may indicate the presence of defects. Machine learning algorithms can be used to identify anomalies automatically, allowing testers to focus their efforts on investigating these potential defects.
- Collaborate with the Development Team
Collaboration between the testing team and the development team is crucial for successful regression testing. Why? Because then we can ensure that defects are identified and resolved early in the development cycle. Effective collaboration between testers and developers can help to improve the quality of the software application and reduce the time and cost associated with fixing defects later in the development process.
In conclusion, regression testing is a critical process in software development that has a significant impact on the quality, reliability, and value of software products. By ensuring that the software meets the needs of users, meets the industry standards, and delivers value to the business, regression testing can help to improve the success of software products in the market. Therefore, it is essential for organisations to invest in regression testing, to ensure that their software products are functional, reliable, and meet the needs of their users.
