Key Features for Effective Functional Test Automation

Given the frequency and quantum of applications that are launched in today’s day and age, hitting the bull’s eye in terms of end user acceptance remains a far cry. And to stay afloat in an ocean milling with mobile based applications an application should be guaranteed for quality, which can only be made possible by following various testing modules in the overall SDLC. Amongst many such testing modules, functional or its various forms like user acceptance testing play a critical role in ensuring the quality of an application. Importantly, by adopting automation in functional testing various features and links pertaining to numerous applications can be effectively tested within a short time span, that too in a cost effective manner.

Why functional testing software solutions are needed?

An application can catch the fancy of users only if it works seamlessly. In fact, users should be able to download it faster and easily navigate through its links and features. And to ensure its suitability, navigability and usability from the users’ perspective, employing automation in functional testing cannot be overlooked.

A suite carrying functional testing software solutions – be it manual or automatic, does the following:

• Carries out repetitive tests by entering inputs that may include the erroneous ones to check if the outcomes are desired
• Detects anomalies in the links, features, scripts, APIs, databases, and interfaces
• Covers a vast swathe of domains especially while carrying out automation in functional testing
• The script for functional test automation can be reused as many times as needed

Since functional testing validates an application from the perspectives of robustness, responsiveness, navigability and usability, automating the process would do a world of good. Functional test automation easily scores over manual testing, as it can identify glitches that manual testing may not be able to find given the repetitive nature of such a testing. Furthermore, the consistency in manual testing can be a suspect at times, for it may not deliver similar results for successive test runs with similar inputs.

Functional test automation is helpful during regression testing when features, links and other aspects related to the updated version of an application can be tested at speed by using a vast range of input parameters. The suite of functional testing software solutions comprises a series of tests such as unit test, black box test, regression test, system integration test, and user acceptance testing. The last test ensures the suitability of an application in the market, as it is tested by actual users.

Companies may hesitate at incorporating automation in functional testing due to incurring an initial higher cost. In the long term, effective testing across various scenarios, inputs, functions, interfaces, helps to keeps it in good stead instead. Besides, the usage of cloud based resources where scripts can be reused help functional test automation score over manual testing. Some of the cloud based open source tools are Selenium, Cucumber, and HP QTP.

Conclusion

Carrying out functional testing of mobile applications is a must to ensure their quality vis-a-vis competitors, and by following functional testing software solutions in that respect hastens the process.

Michael works for Cigniti Technologies, which is the world's first Independent Software Testing Company to be appraised at CMMI-SVC Level 5, and an ISO 9001:2008 & ISO 27001:2013 certified organization.