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Software Testing Knowledge

Application Consultant working as a Tech Writer


[https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominikdurejko/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominikdurejko/)

Dominik Szahidewicz

[TABLE_OF_CONTENTS]

Whether you're a software developer or someone still delving into the depths of programming, having a quick and reliable cheat sheet can transform your testing experience. **Cypress Cheat Sheet** is your free ticket to mastering the essential commands and elements of [Cypress](https://www.cypress.io/) with ease. 

![cypress commands meme](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/6ntu0z_7803032403.jpeg)

With the latest updates in online resources, many platforms may offer insights into Cypress, but this cheat sheet aims to provide the most useful and succinct information you need. From simple commands to select elements to master intricate data manipulations for user-centric application development, this sheet has it all. 

If you're gearing up for an interview, want to create robust cypress tests, or just wish to learn more, please keep this guide handy. With a fusion of the 1, 2, 3 (and yes, even 5) **best practices, techniques, and tricks**, our cheat sheet is your go-to guide to ensure you're always a step ahead in your Cypress journey. So, without further ado, let's dive into the world of Cypress and unravel the magic it can bring to your testing repertoire.

**Check out our [Cypress Best Practices Guide](https://bugbug.io/blog/software-testing/cypress-best-practices/).**

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<- 

## Cypress Basics

### Language and Syntax of Cypress.io
- Written in JavaScript.
- Tests are written using Mocha and Chai syntax, which many JavaScript developers are familiar with.

### Environment
- It runs directly in the browser, ensuring tests are executed in the same run loop as the application.
- Unlike [Selenium](https://www.selenium.dev/), which runs outside of the browser and communicates over a server, Cypress commands run natively within the browser.

**Check our [Best Selenium Practice Websites](https://bugbug.io/blog/software-testing/best-selenium-practice-websites/) article.**

### Real-time Reloading
- Cypress automatically reloads tests when changes are made, making for a smoother developer experience.

### Time Travel
- Cypress takes snapshots as your tests run. With the Test Runner, you can hover over commands in the Command Log to see exactly what happened at each step.

### Debuggability
- Built-in debugging capabilities.
- Developers can use the `.debug()` method or utilize browser dev tools.

### Network Traffic Control
- Can stub and intercept network requests.
- Enables testing scenarios without relying on an actual server or backend.

### Automatic Waiting
- Cypress automatically waits for elements to exist, commands to execute, and network responses to complete before moving on. This means tests are less flaky and brittle.

### Cross-browser Testing
- While originally designed for Chrome, Cypress now supports multiple browsers including Edge, Firefox, and Electron.

### Dashboard
- Cypress offers a Dashboard Service that provides insights into test runs. It includes features like video recording, test result history, and collaboration tools for teams.

### Parallelization and Load Balancing
- Using the Dashboard, Cypress can run tests in parallel, across multiple machines, speeding up test execution.

### Integration with CI/CD
- Cypress easily integrates with Continuous Integration (CI) tools like [Jenkins](https://www.jenkins.io/), [Travis CI](https://travis-ci.org/), [CircleCI](https://circleci.com/), and others.

### Community and Plugins
- It has a strong community with numerous plugins available, extending its core capabilities.


->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<- 


## What are Cypress Locators? 

In Cypress, the term "**locators**" typically refers to the methods or strategies used to identify and select elements within a web page to interact with or validate during tests. The primary locator method in Cypress relies on CSS selectors, but Cypress also provides additional, specialized commands that function as locators. 

A wide range of locators are supported, encompassing tags, IDs, classes, attributes, and even text content. While Cypress does offer support for XPath selectors, it requires an additional step: installing the third-party [cypress-xpath plugin](https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress-xpath). Unlike other selectors, XPath isn't natively supported in Cypress.

### Here are the main Cypress locators

-   cy.get(): This is the primary method to select elements in Cypress and it uses CSS selectors.\
    -cy.get('.class-name');  // Selects elements with the class "class-name"\
    -cy.get('#element-id');  // Selects the element with the ID "element-id"

-   cy.contains(): This command searches for an element containing specific text. It's helpful when you want to locate elements based on their content rather than attributes.\
    -cy.contains('Submit');  // Finds the first element containing the text "Submit"\
    -cy.contains('p', 'Hello');  // Finds the first <p> tag containing the text "Hello"

-   cy.root(): Returns the current root element. By default, this command yields the <html> element, but the subject changes as more commands are chained onto it.

-   cy.document(): This yields the entire document object, allowing you to interact directly with the whole document or use it as a starting point for other commands.

-   cy.viewport(): While not a direct locator, this command allows you to set the size of the viewport, indirectly affecting which elements might be visible or accessible for interactions.

-   cy.window(): Returns the window object of the page under test. This can be useful when you need to interact or check properties on the window object itself.

It's a common best practice in Cypress (and other testing tools) to use dedicated data attributes, like data-cy, data-test, or data-testid, in the HTML markup to identify elements explicitly meant for testing. This approach decouples your tests from CSS or JS changes, making them less brittle. While CSS selectors are the backbone of element locating in Cypress, these specialized commands and approaches make the process more flexible, effective and robust. By understanding and combining these locators appropriately, testers can ensure they're interacting with the correct elements in a resilient manner.

## Cypress Cheat Sheet

### Context and Hooks

-   describe() / context(): Define a test suite.

-   it() / specify(): Define a test case.

-   before(): Run once before all tests in a block.

-   after(): Run once after all tests in a block.

-   beforeEach(): Run before each test in a block.

-   afterEach(): Run after each test in a block.

### .should & Common Chainers

-   .should('not.exist'): Assertion to check if element does not exist.

-   .should('be.visible'): Assertion to check if element is visible.

-   .should('contain', 'text'): Assertion to check if element contains text.

-   .should('have.value', 'value'): Assertion to check if form element has a value.

-   Chainers like .and, .not, .eq, .first, .last, .have.length can be used for more complex assertions.

### Utility Commands

-   cy.log(): Log a message to the Cypress Command Log.

-   cy.clearCookies(): Clear browser cookies.

-   cy.fixture(): Load a fixed set of data located in a file.

-   cy.reload(): Reload the current page.

-   cy.screenshot(): Take a screenshot of the current state of the application.

### Selection Commands

-   cy.get(selector): Select DOM elements.

-   cy.contains(content): Select elements containing specific text or content.

-   cy.root(): Get the root DOM element.

-   cy.within(): Scope upcoming commands to within a DOM element.

### Action Commands

-   cy.click(): Click a DOM element.

-   cy.type('text'): Type text into a DOM element.

-   cy.check(): Check a checkbox or radio button.

-   cy.uncheck(): Uncheck a checkbox.

-   cy.select('option'): Select an option in a <select> element.

-   cy.submit(): Submit a form.

### Browser Commands

-   cy.visit(url): Visit a URL.

-   cy.location(): Get the current URL, pathname, or hash.

-   cy.title(): Get the title of the current page.

-   cy.url(): Get the current URL as a string.

-   cy.go('back') / cy.go('forward'): Navigate back or forward in the browser's history.

### Assertion Commands

-   cy.should('be.checked'): Asserts that the element is checked.

-   cy.should('have.class', 'className'): Asserts that the element has a specific class.

### Network Requests

-   cy.request(): Make an HTTP request.

-   cy.server(): Start a server to manage HTTP requests.

-   cy.route(): Control behavior of network requests.

### Aliases

-   cy.as('aliasName'): Assign an alias for later use.

-   cy.get('@aliasName'): Retrieve an aliased element.

### File Upload and Download

-   cy.readFile(): Read a file's contents.

-   cy.writeFile(): Write data to a file.

### Environment and Configuration

-   Cypress.env('VAR'): Access environment variables.

-   Cypress.config('key'): Get or set configuration.

### Debugging

-   cy.debug(): Debug the command's subject in the developer tools.

-   cy.pause(): Pause test execution.

This cheat sheet provides a quick reference to some of the basic commands and utilities in Cypress. For comprehensive details and updates, refer to the[ official Cypress documentation](https://docs.cypress.io/).


## Conclusion

**These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Cypress's capabilities.** 

These commands are foundational and are frequently used in most Cypress test suites. As always, the Cypress documentation provides a comprehensive look at all the commands and their various options. 

Stay up to date and check our [Xpath Cheat Sheet](https://bugbug.io/blog/software-testing/the-ultimate-xpath-cheat-sheet/) and [Cheatography.com](https://www.cheatography.com/) for more automation tips.


**Happy (automated) Testing!**


->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<- 



## FAQ

#### Q: What is Cypress Cheat Sheet about?

**A:** Cypress Cheat Sheet is a guide that provides commands, assertions, and other useful information for using Cypress, an end-to-end testing framework, efficiently.

#### Q: How can I use Cypress Cheat Sheet?

**A:** You can use Cypress Cheat Sheet as a quick reference while working with Cypress. It provides handy commands, syntax examples, and tips to make your testing process smoother.

#### Q: What is Cypress?

**A:** Cypress is an end-to-end testing framework that allows you to write and perform tests in JavaScript. It provides a rich set of commands and assertions to accurately test web applications.

#### Q: Can I use Cypress with JavaScript in plain English?

**A:** Yes, Cypress supports writing test cases using JavaScript in plain English. You can use natural language commands to describe your test scenarios, making them more readable and understandable.

#### Q: How do I select an element with Cypress?

**A:** To select an element with Cypress, you can use various commands such as `cy.get()`, `cy.contains()`, or `cy.find()`. These commands allow you to access DOM elements based on CSS selectors, text content, or other attributes.

#### Q: Is Cypress free to use?

**A:** Yes, Cypress is an open-source tool and is available for free to use.

#### Q: What is Berastis?

**A:** Berastis is a company that provides consulting and migration services for Cypress. They help clients in migrating from Cypress to other testing frameworks such as Playwright.

#### Q: Can you tell me more about migrating from Cypress to Playwright?

**A:** Migrating from Cypress to Playwright is a process of transitioning your existing Cypress tests to use the Playwright framework instead. This allows you to leverage the benefits and features offered by Playwright.

#### Q: What is the latest version of Cypress Cheat Sheet?

**A:** The latest version of Cypress Cheat Sheet is the most up-to-date version that includes the latest commands, assertions, and best practices for using Cypress.

#### Q: Can I write advanced test scenarios with Cypress Cheat Sheet?

**A:** Yes, Cypress Cheat Sheet covers advanced concepts and techniques in Cypress testing. You can learn and implement advanced test scenarios using the provided commands and examples.



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Cypress Cheat Sheet: Commands, Assertions and More

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Front End Testing Frameworks: Explained

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- Back in the day, before Google was popular and AI was only found in Sci-Fi movies, we all had our favorite forums, where we had to ask a question and wait to see if someone knew the answer.

- Grandpa, what is a forum?

That was more or less the first thing that came to my mind when I found out I need to write an article on forums. After a while it came back to me, that we are not moving back to the internet stone age. Amazingly whenever we "google stuff" lots of the answers still come from web forums. 

Whether it is a topic on tools, software quality or something else related to software. 

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

One of the biggest reasons that forums are a great resource is the fact that you always get a discussion and different points of view coming from different experiences. The fun thing about IT is that you can reach certain outcomes in more than one "proper" way. 

Of course there are the trolls and the "laugh-at-alls", but still it is more common to find a decent engineer or an expert rather than a moron. Here is our list of the most useful testing forums for testers and quality assurance engineers.

## Software Testing Forums

### **Stack Overflow**

![stackoverflow - best forum for qa](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Screenshot_2023_10_24_at_13_40_28_5b87345f4b.png)

Do you imagine a different #1 here? The creators of this web space should receive a Nobel Prize, or even a few. I believe this is a foundation of the whole IT industry. I still remember my teacher from the software development class saying "You can be 99.99% sure that if you are stuck with a problem, somebody else in the world was there before you and put the answer on [Stack Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com)". 

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

After a few years of working in IT, I had 1 case where I didn't find an answer. You can place your issue online and someone from the software testing community will let you know how to proceed (or at least will point to an answer in a different topic).

It is a very active space, but mostly focused on technical aspects rather than for example test process management. 

### **The Club**

![the club best software testing forum for qa](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Screenshot_2023_10_24_at_13_42_12_66b08b1fbc.png)

This is a forum hosted and supported by the [Ministry of Testing](https://club.ministryoftesting.com/) with the aim of co-creating better testing. It is a safe platform for all software testers. You can not only submit and answer questions but also network with software quality assurance engineers from all over the world.

The Ministry of Testing is a quality brand on its own and a very professional community. So feel free to look at what is happening "in da Club" (just couldn't resist) and learn how it can contribute to your automation project.

### **The Huddle**

![the huddle forum for qa](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Screenshot_2023_10_24_at_13_44_16_3485e12e05.png)

This is (unfortunately) not a q&a space for football fans. This is a software testing club hosted by [EuroStar](https://huddle.eurostarsoftwaretesting.com/forums/). It is more than a space for attendees of their [QA conferences](https://bugbug.io/blog/software-testing/best-qa-conferences/). 

There are lots of questions related to software testing from many perspectives and approaches. The range is much more than test automation or best practices - is it worth learning German for testing - one person asked. It is an open forum and it has lured a faithful and proactive online community.

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

### **SQA Forums**

[SQA Forums](http://www.sqaforums.com/) is one of the most traditional software testing forums provided on this list. The range of topics is comprehensive and the number of members - more than 210K - speaks for itself. 

It is a great space for people who are new to software testing and also for experienced developers and QA engineers. You will need to register to be active there but there is plenty to take from that forum. 

## Additional Resources for QAs

As we mentioned before in our article, most highly recognized software quality control experts are active on their social media. Those industry experts not only post on their blogs but also contribute to LinkedIn groups. Following them is highly informative and might come in handy one day or another. 

### QA Conferences 

Another practical thing to do is the [QA Conferences](https://bugbug.io/blog/software-testing/best-qa-conferences/) and seminars where you can really network with other visitors and speakers.

There are also other entities where you can discuss with other automation engineers.

### Subreddits for QA

First, there is **Reddit**. Of course, it is filled with content on every topic in the world, but if you click [here](https://reddit.com/r/softwaretesting) or [here](https://reddit.com/r/qualityassurance) you will find content relevant to software testing and quality assurance respectively.

### Other Software Testing Communities

There are also many **Slack** and **Discord** channels dedicated to testing - one of them is mentioned above the Club or [his one](https://discord.com/invite/TPR6vjxTE9).

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

Forums are a great way to archive knowledge, way better than events or even articles, which often get outdated. Last but not least, if you are at the beginning of your test automation adventure you will just take knowledge from such places. 

But as your experience gets bigger and bigger, please start contributing. Always remember where you came from.

**Happy (automated) testing!**

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Best Software Testing Forums for QA

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UI Automation Testing Tools: Curated List for QA

[TABLE_OF_CONTENTS]

The testing community has a love and hate relationship with events. On one hand it is a great opportunity to exchange knowledge, be up to date with the newest tools and techniques and just learn about the latest breakthroughs. On the other, there is one factor we all would rather escape from - human interaction. In the end though it is not that bad. If there is one group we all feel relatively well with, it is the fellow nerds. It ain't that bad - trust me. 

Each software tester will benefit from attending a quality assurance conference, there is no doubt about that. This is why we have created a shortlist of conferences in 2023 and 2024 especially for you. 

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

## Software testing conferences in 2023 

Let's pretend for a moment that we are a travel agency and use one of the most famous buzzwords in that industry - **LAST MINUTE**! These are the events you can attend in 2023. Some of them are not only last minute, they are "last second".

### [TESTCON EUROPE](https://testcon.lt/)

![Zrzut ekranu 2023-10-20 o 16.26.30.png](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Zrzut_ekranu_2023_10_20_o_16_26_30_a4a7d7f543.png)

- **Type:** online and offline
- **Date:** Oct 24-27 2023
- **Location:** Vilnius, Lithuania

The biggest software testing and QA conference in Europe is just around the corner. Maybe you will not be able to find a cheap flight so late, but it will definitely be worth the effort and costs. You can choose one of eight workshops every day. You are either free to roam or choose one of the 4 prepared paths. The list of keynote speakers includes **Rolf Molich** - the Vice President of [UXPA](https://uxpa.org/) or Rik Marselis - a top software testing author and coach. 

It is a great place to improve your testing skills in the following topics: Test Management, Testing Techniques and Methodologies, Test Automation, Performance Testing, Testing the Internet of Things (IoT), Testing Metrics, Agile Testing and many more.

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

### [AGILE TESTING DAYS](https://agiletestingdays.com/)

![Zrzut ekranu 2023-10-20 o 16.27.08.png](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Zrzut_ekranu_2023_10_20_o_16_27_08_8d3d9f0caf.png)

- **Type:** online and offline
- **Date:** Nov 13-16 2023
- **Location:** Potsdam, Germany

A great international conference on software testing that starts with (yoga and coffee and then) a bang - "10 x software testing" keynote talk from **Kristel Kruustuk**. We wrote about her in our ["whom to follow" article](#). This is a great opportunity to meet her and take as much as possible from her vast expertise. 

As the title of the conference states, the focus is on agile testing and the best practices from that aspect. 4 days of the event are full of workshops on the most common testing problems and other testing fields. What is very nice about Agile Testing Days, is the fact that it shows software engineers not only the knowledge aspect but also the wellbeing. Every day has a break for fresh air or yoga or something else that will pull your bottom away from the chair.

### [AUTOMATION STAR](https://automation.eurostarsoftwaretesting.com/)


![Zrzut ekranu 2023-10-20 o 16.27.18.png](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Zrzut_ekranu_2023_10_20_o_16_27_18_b3cba37c57.png)


- **Type:** offline 
- **Date:** Nov 20-21 2023
- **Location:** Berlin, Germany

It is a good idea to remain in Germany a few days more and participate in Automation Star conference as well. Even though it is not the cheapest event in the world (a 1,5 day ticket costs the same as 4 days on TestCon) it is definitely worthwhile. 

You will not only learn from quality assurance professionals but also you can take a dive into the world of test managers. The workshops and talks during Automation star vary from software testing and quality assurance, through management up to soft skills. 

If you are a fan of space and movies, you will love the "Apollo 13 and the Danger of Automation Bias" by **Andrew Brown**. He will present what does the Apollo 13 spacecraft disaster have in common with various automation problems within our DevOps, CI/CD, and agile developments? The content is divided into smaller and quicker chunks. Automation star is prepared by the [Eurostar Conference](https://eurostarsoftwaretesting.com/) brand - true moguls in the industry. 

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

### [UCAAT - User Conference on Advanced Automated Testing](https://www.etsi.org/events/2188-2023-11-10th-ucaat-user-conference-on-advanced-automated-testing)


![Zrzut ekranu 2023-10-20 o 16.27.30.png](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Zrzut_ekranu_2023_10_20_o_16_27_30_0ad7a54179.png)


- **Type:** offline
- **Date:** Nov 14-16 2023
- **Location:** Timisoara, Romania

The biggest Romanian testing conference will take place for the 10th time already. The UCAAT 2023 theme is focused on maximizing the benefits and outcomes of automated testing. It is a great place for upcoming test automation professionals who not necessarily have vast resources to attend such events. The reason for it - UCAAT is a free event. 

As always - it focuses on the latest testing trends, but the fact it is hosted by the Polytechnic Timisoara University gives it a bit of a science zing among other testing conferences 2023. It is a great opportunity to bring the European testing community together with lecturers from different universities.

## Test automation events for QA engineers in 2024

First let's play with the Arkham's razor (kids don't try this at home). You can easily add those events we listed for 2023 to your 2024 calendar whether you attend online or onsite. If you are new to the event industry do understand that the topics and speakers change every year. It makes such events worth attending for testing professionals on yearly basis. 

Secondly we have prepared a list of quality conferences you can attend next year. They cover various testing topics including quality assurance and software development as well.

### [Testµ (TestMu)](https://www.lambdatest.com/testuconf-2022/)


![Zrzut ekranu 2023-10-20 o 16.27.47.png](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Zrzut_ekranu_2023_10_20_o_16_27_47_27746a7979.png)

- **Type:** online
- **Date:** Aug 22-24 2024

By the community and for the community - this is the crucial take from the events' website. In 2023 they hosted over 30 sessions for 20K attendees. The opening note was presented by **Joe Colantonio** (we covered him multiple times as well). 

Amazingly you can still watch all sessions from 2023. The testing experts covered many topics including mobile testing, automation testing and exploratory testing. Fortunately, you can assess whether participating in this conference will be beneficial for you.

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

### [Software Quality Days](https://www.software-quality-days.com/en/)


![Zrzut ekranu 2023-10-20 o 16.27.58.png](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Zrzut_ekranu_2023_10_20_o_16_27_58_db0f8ee9ba.png)

- **Type:** offline
- **Date:** Apr 24-25 2024
- **Location:** Vienna, Austria

This event has already established itself on the QA landscape. They might not have the same reach as TestMu (which is undoable for a stationary event) they do lure approx. 170 companies yearly. What is definitely their asset is the way that the visitor can use one of 5 prepared tracks during the event. Some are more tool oriented, others will have a more scientific approach to general testing. 

The guiding topic for 2024 will be "Software Quality as a Foundation for Security". And also if you haven't ever visited Vienna, do not hesitate to do so. I'm sorry other host cities, but Vienna is the real deal! Attending conferences is a great excuse for sightseeing!

### [Test Automation Days 2024](https://www.testautomationdays.com/)


![Zrzut ekranu 2023-10-20 o 16.28.06.png](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Zrzut_ekranu_2023_10_20_o_16_28_06_f8ec0de0d3.png)


- **Type:** offline
- **Date:** May 29-30 2024
- **Location:** Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Over the past ten years, Test Automation Days has established itself as the primary gathering for the global test automation community. This two-day conference offers a rich array of cutting-edge presentations, interactive workshops, and hands-on learning opportunities. 

Explore the latest methods and testing tools, connect with professionals in the field of software testing, and gain insights from top experts in test automation worldwide. You can expect topics on testing in DevOps, security testing, and continuous testing from the best software testing professionals and automation experts.

### [Nordic Testing Days](https://nordictestingdays.eu/)


![Zrzut ekranu 2023-10-20 o 16.28.12.png](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Zrzut_ekranu_2023_10_20_o_16_28_12_87f8856ef1.png)


- **Type:** offline
- **Date:** Jun 5-7 2024
- **Location:** Tallin, Estonia

Nordic Testing Days is an annual conference originally designed for software testers. Nevertheless, in recent years, we've expanded our scope to include all IT specialists. In essence, anyone interested in exploring testing practices and making contributions to enhance the software development process and quality is welcome.

We believe this approach will lead to a broader spectrum of learning opportunities for all. This event is voluntarily set up by QA community members and is a great opportunity for software developers to take a look on the other side of the court. 

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

## Conclusion

There are many more events than those we covered. Disclaimer - we do not have any marketing deals with any of them, we just strongly believe those are worth your time. We did not cover the best upcoming, smaller events. 

If you heard of good software testing conferences happening across your neighbourhood, do let us know in the comments.

Happy (automated) testing!


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Best QA Conferences: Curated List for 2023 and 2024

Software developer currently working as a tech writer and PM.  
[linkedin.com/in/marcin-%C5%82ojewski-a4191518/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcin-%C5%82ojewski-a4191518/)

Marcin Łojewski

[TABLE_OF_CONTENTS]

There are many types of software tests. Some of them overlap or are responsible for similar testing aspects. This can be confusing, especially for novice testers. In this article, we will show the differences and scopes of responsibility of smoke testing and regression testing. Both of them are used to verify if changes in the code are negatively influencing any existing functionality. 

Let's not perform spoilers though! So dig thru the smoke and see if your testing knowledge did not regress recently.

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

## Smoke Testing

**[Smoke testing](https://bugbug.io/blog/software-testing/what-is-smoke-testing/)** is a type of test that aims to confirm whether the basic functionalities of your software are working as intended. It might be also known as build verification testing. We created a separate article on smoke testing process. It is performed at the very beginning of the software's life cycle. 

![smoke testing](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/mze03_ac177a7675.jpeg)

Preferably on the very first software build. In general, performing smoke tests serves two goals.


First, it ensures that the most basic functionalities work properly.
It does not have to be pretty, you do not have to move that logo 2 pixels left or right, it just has to do the job. If all currently existing features (even if its just logging and CRUD) work properly, you can move on to different areas of the software.

Secondly, it allows you to identify critical issues with your software.

Basically, it is an opposite scenario to the one above. Smoke testing helps to identify what should be working but fails to do so. There is no point in moving along with works if the basics fail to execute. Sticking to the logging example - you will not able to test the features available for the logged user if you can not log him/her in, right?

See our other article [Smoke Testing vs Sanity Testing](https://bugbug.io/blog/software-testing/smoke-testing-vs-sanity-testing/).

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

## Pros and Cons of Smoke Tests

**Smoke testing** is like triage in a hospital. First thing that you do in triage is checking if the patient is dead or alive. And this is basically what the testing team does. Smoke testing is executed to estimate if we can proceed with the next stage of the software development cycle. The QA team needs to provide fast feedback and let everyone know if the app is stable enough to hold new functionalities. Early bug detection is another reason why smoke testing is done.

There are two sides of this coin actually. There is a certain level of randomness while this testing is performed. It may miss those issues, that are considered subtle. Of course the level of subtlety is defined test case after test case. One would consider a typo subtle, other will agree to SQL injection as subtle (please don't). The other key disadvantage would be very limited test coverage.

## Regression Testing

Guess what? We have an article on that one as well - [What is Regression Testing?](https://bugbug.io/blog/software-testing/everything-you-need-to-know-about-regression-testing/). 

![regression-testing-meme](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/regression_testing_again_222bcf554b.jpeg)

**Regression testing** is a software testing method that aims to investigate and locate any possible flaws or bugs in software that has already been fully developed. Regression testing is a process that is performed to verify if the software is still functional after bug fixes or new features were implemented. It is especially important for those teams that work in an agile way (scrum especially) since in theory they implement new features every sprint. 

This much more detailed testing approach is one of the main reasons for test automation. With every feature released, you need to check more and more dependencies so your testing phase gets longer and longer.

Automation saves you a lot of effort and money. Regression testing is performed to ensure the stability of your software after any change (even from the software/hardware standpoint). 

Catching the so-called "regression bugs" is also a key reason why you perform regression testing. It is quite common in the software development world that some bugs emerge or even re-emerge whenever there are changes made in the code. The number of test cases here is way bigger than in smoke tests and it increases basically every release.

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

## Pros and Cons of Regression Testing

Well first of all you have to mention the regression bugs again here. Imagine your marketing department spending a wagon of cash to advertise the "exciting new features" of your applications. Then zillion of customers download the update and the whole thing just crashes. Not the best case scenario, isn't it?

Regression testing is used to avoid such circumstances. Another reason why such testing takes place is to ensure that your software is reliable. 

On the other hand regression testing should occur regularly after each update. This means that you launch the whole last testing scenario and then some. It is time and resource consuming. Those tests cannot really just scratch the surface. The testing tools have to work overtime for a really thorough testing. Also, such a rigorous testing might cause your testing scripts to require regular maintenance.

This is a good place to emphasize the importance of proper test documentation. If you fail to prepare it, your developers and testers will waste hours on checking "where on earth did we test that form".

## Comparison: Smoke Testing and Regression Testing 

Smoke and regression testing have a few things in common, but in general those are two separate testing types. Here are the key differences between both:

- **Timing** - smoke testing is performed rather early in the development process, it is basically surface-level testing. On the other hand, regression testing never occurs during the initial builds, but is used later in the software development life cycle.
- **Scope** - you use smoke testing to address potential bugs of core functionalities whereas the regression testing process has to have as large coverage as possible. 
- **Test cases** - when it comes to smoke testing a relatively low number of simple test cases is used, but regression testing cases need to be very extensive, they have to cover all bases. 
- **Frequency** - one of the most subtle differences between smoke testing vs regression testing is how often they are executed. Smoke testing occurs basically every build and regression testing as the more extensive testing takes place whenever changes are implemented in the app. 
- **Goal** - those two types of testing focus on different stages and aspects. Smoke tests focus on new features and regression testing check if those (previously checked in separate tests) functionalities do not break the whole app altogether
- **Environment** - smoke tests are usually executed in a clean or separated environment. Regression testing is carried on a stable environment which should be as similar to production as possible

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

## Difference Between Smoke Testing and Regression Testing

Both regression tests and smoke tests are a must-have for your testing strategy. Understanding the differences between them is also crucial. Smoke testing takes place earlier in the testing process and speaking in a non-technical way is similar to random bug hunting. Smoke testing reduces the risk of proceeding with development of a malfunctioning application.

**Regression testing** ensures that the already implemented functionality works properly with others, that were in place before. This is more advanced testing than smoke tests. Longer your development takes (more iterations), the more your app requires regression testing. Last but not least - regression testing is a great place to implement [BugBug](https://app.bugbug.io) or another test automation software since this type of tests are very repetitive.

**Smoke testing** requires more manual work since you test different functionalities per release. The manual work pays off though, since much of it can later be introduced to regression test suites.


Happy (automated) testing!



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Reliable, modern end-to-end test automation tool that improves testers’ and developers’ work.


Before you release your product into the market, it is extremely important to properly test whether it’s functioning as intended. To do that, software developers utilize a variety of testing techniques that verify the software’s integrity. To thoroughly check their software from start to finish, developers implement **End-to-End testing**, often simply called **E2E** testing – an elaborate technique that mimics end user experience. 

There are many layers to End to End testing, as it is one of the most complex testing methods. This type of testing involves testing every part of your software that the end-user interacts with in any imaginable way.

With this guide, we want to show you the importance of E2E tests, as well as tell you precisely what they are, including a few specific examples.

**Also see:** if you're new to software automation, take a look at this [beginner's guide to automation with step-by-step screenshots](https://docs.bugbug.io/in-depth-guides/beginners-tutorial-to-automation-testing).

[TABLE_OF_CONTENTS]

## What exactly is End-to-End testing?

**End-to-End testing** is one of the most useful and informative techniques for software testing, providing valuable data about the inner workings of the program from the end-user perspective. With E2E testing, developers can thoroughly verify the behaviour of their software. During the test, you will be trying to replicate key user behaviour scenarios when using your software. The actual list of things to do varies, depending on the type of software you’re testing – but in all cases, it is rather extensive.

When performing a software testing method, like an End-to-End test on a web application, you would start with opening your browser and navigating to the proper URL, and then proceeding to use the software as intended for the end-user.

Similarly, in the case of a regular desktop application or mobile application, you would open the app just like a user would, checking out every bit of functionality that is intended for the users to work with. Keep in mind that during E2E testing you won’t need to check developer-specific aspects of the software, only the end-user perspective if it is important to you.

## End-to-End test goals

During an E2E test, your goal is to verify all of the dependencies and data integrity that directly or indirectly influence the reception of the software by the end-user. This usually includes any external services, as well as databases used by the software and metrics, as well as any other system dependencies. 

E2E tests will ideally be performed in the production environment, but this isn’t always possible. The tests can, of course, be performed in an independent End-to-End testing environment, but you should make sure it is as close to the production environment as possible.

Within the SDLC process, E2E tests are performed in the Testing phase, which is situated after Coding and before Deployment. 
->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-


## Why is End-to-End testing important?

Is End-to-End testing necessary? It is true that more and more developers make sure to implement an E2E testing phase before the final deployment of their software. There are many benefits to E2E tests, but the most crucial ones are:

- The ability to verify software performance from the end-user perspective
- Testing verifies not only the software itself but also any interrelated sub systems, increasing test coverage
- Validation of back-end systems
- Immediate end-user-like feedback on test failing

While tests such as unit testing or integration testing are very useful (functional testing), allowing you to verify the working of each component and providing quick results, they don’t give you the whole picture. By not performing E2E tests, you won’t know how the experience of using your software will look like from the end-user perspective.

For example, individual component testing (integration tests) might show promising results and full functionality. However, when combined, something goes wrong and produces a bug. By only checking individual components, you wouldn’t be able to find out about the bug. 

With a proper End-to-End test, you can verify whether everything works correctly together as it should. Even integration testing doesn’t cover all of the system components of your software, and you might never know whether every aspect of your app clicks together.

E2E testing doesn’t necessarily have to discover bugs – it can also give you useful insight into the user scenario of your product. Overall, all types of tests play their respective roles in the whole vertical end-to-end testing process (differently to horizontal end-to-end tests). Just because E2E tests give you a more complex understanding of your software as a whole doesn’t mean that other test types are less valuable. 

Before releasing your app, always make sure to proceed with a thought-through testing strategy. However, while they’re certainly extremely useful, keep in mind that E2E tests occupy the top of the testing pyramid, making them the most expensive and most difficult to perform.

End-to-End testing is also one of the few functional types of tests that can be performed manually, as well as automated - which is done especially often in Continuous Integration. In such a scenario, a chosen set of tests can be run automatically each time a new iteration is uploaded to the testing server.

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

## Benefits of end-to-end testing

One of the goals of this software testing technique is to simulate the end-user's perspective. This means that this type of testing helps to verify not only the security or performance, but the business aspect as well. It will check whether the software collects and processes data as it was designed to do. End-to-end testing is essential for a comprehensive validation of your product. This testing ensures that all integrated parts of the application work together as expected.

Another purpose of E2E testing is to mitigate risks. E2E testing verifies if the software is ready for deployment. The confidence in stability is a crucial factor which the stakeholders consider while approving the next release. 

There are obviously much more obvious benefits of this form of testing (like bug fixing or testing across different user scenarios), but we described them already in this article.

## End-to-End Testing Framework

Alright, so now you know what End-to-End testing is – but how to exactly implement it? There is a wide variety of checks and individual tests that must be covered by your end-to-end testing plan, some of which include:

- Establishing test requirements in the preparation phase (including software and hardware requirements)
- Creating proper documentation
- Deciding what type of test environment will be used (production environment or independent test environment)
- Preparation of test cases and general E2E design
- Tracking of data input and output
- Test execution and evaluation

When executing E2E testing methods, developers usually follow an established E2E testing framework that guides you throughout the process, enumerating various tasks and responsibilities. The framework is relatively simple and consists of only three elements:

### Establish user functions

The User Functions relates to listing the features of your software, as well as all of its interconnected software systems. To properly measure and test software functionality, you need to first think about what you’re going to test. After you’re finished with listing user functions, remember to record everything relevant to each of them, including both the input and output data. Since E2E testing can be considered holistic, you also need to pay attention to all of the relations between every individual function – how they work together and whether there are any clashes.

### Come up with specific conditions

Now that you have established the user functions you’re going to test, you need to think about the testing conditions. Try to come up with as many quantifiable indicators that can be measured for each of the functions. These can range from response time to consistency of data flow, to simple convenience of use. Remember – you’re trying to imagine yourself as an end-user, so try to keep track of anything that might be an issue for a non-developer.

### Create individual test cases

Finally, before the E2E testing can commence, you need to prepare specific test cases for each of the conditions. At this point, you have prepared a list of user functions to test, as well as data conditions that will be measured during the test. Now, you need to create at least one test case for each of the conditions. By test cases, we mean user scenarios during which specific indicators will be able to be measured.

And by test case preparation status, we mean the precise location of the test instances being developed, as compared to intended test cases.

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

## End-to-end test cases for your testing process

Congratulations, you’ve almost reached the end! At this point, you should pretty much be a walking fountain of knowledge about End-to-End tests. However, the raw theory is one thing, and implementing those types of tests for system testing in reality is another. To make the process a bit more digestible, consider this End-to-End testing example for a website with shopping functionality:

- Go to the specified URL
- Open a list of products
- Check whether the information on the list correlates with specific product pages
- Try to add the product to the cart and look for visible confirmation
- Navigate to the cart and check whether the product has been successfully added
- Double-check all of the relevant information (price, product info, etc.)
- Proceed with the check-out and verify payment options integration

See how simple it is in the end? Now you can implement E2E testing methodology in your software to ensure better end-user reception, increase your product quality, and build a positive brand image.

This is just a high level example. If you would like to learn how to create a proper test case from start to end, please check out our article on [test case creation](https://bugbug.io/blog/software-testing/how-to-write-automation-test-cases/). You will have a better understanding on how to design test cases for manual and automatic testing. Also check out our other topics in our testing guide. 

## End to End testing tools

Proper tools may play a crucial role in reducing your effort by automating your end-to-end tests. These tools provide a range of features and capabilities to support horizontal testing and vertical testing of the entire system. They allow testers to perform comprehensive testing processes. Choosing a proper tool for testing is typically a long-term investment. If you research and choose a tool that will enable you to execute and record complex user scenarios and allow testing across multiple technologies, your job will be way easier. 

One of the tools that meet such requirements is BugBug. This automated testing tool proved its efficiency for many clients. On the picture below you might see how many steps might an end-to-end scenario actually have.

![n example of a passed test with a proper output statement.](https://bugbug-homepage.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/88bc1d9e_16f8_4e1a_b33d_15e2a8d17cdf_cdfc84abfc.webp)

## Summary

End-to-end testing is a type of testing that focuses on validating the whole system from start to finish rather then testing individual functionalities. It is often seen as a software testing methodology, but it is not the case. It may be a part of a methodology (i.e. Agile testing) but it is by definition a type of software testing. 

Performing end-to-end testing covers an important task of checking data flows and focuses on testing if any functional gaps occur. This type of testing is necessary to verify if the software is ready for the next release cycle.

## Frequently Asked Questions

1. **What is automated testing?** \
Automated testing in software development is a form of software testing that uses the execution of predefined sets of operations to probe and validate the software system. The fundamental purpose of automation testing in software development is to generate objective feedback about the quality of the product. One such testing tool is Selenium. It can run UI tests. The ideal situation is to run E2E tests with both manual testing and automated testing approaches. If your application has a lot of complicated user interfaces, you'll need more end-to-end testing.

2. **What is software development lifecycle?** \
Software development lifecycle (SDLC) is the process used by developers to create, deploy and maintain software. This process includes several steps that are all closely connected with one another. These steps include requirements gathering, analysis and design, coding and testing.

3. **What is a testing pyramid?** \
In software development projects, we have limited time and resources. This is why it's important to consider our test efforts carefully and find the right balance between different types of testing. Basically, there are 3 layers in the testing pyramid: Unit Tests, Integration Tests, and E2E Tests.

3. **What is a selector?** \
A selector is a small piece of code that describes a specific button in your app. It allows you to clearly define what should be clicked in automated end-to-end tests. You can learn more about selectors using [this interactive XPath learning tool](https://bugbug.io/xpath-selector-builder/?ref=blogarticle)



Happy (automated) testing!


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Professional Quality Evangelist, experienced in testing web and mobile applications.  
[linkedin.com/in/kinga-witko-b5bba659/](https://linkedin.com/in/kinga-witko-b5bba659/)

Kinga Witko

[TABLE_OF_CONTENTS]

The term “shift left” expresses movement. It can describe the movement of an entire team or individuals.
What does it do in a project or an entire development lifecycle? Putting it simply,  it reflects the position of testing on a timeline. 

**Shift Left means testing earlier in the development process.** It also means repositioning the engagement, development, and testing efforts towards the customer.


Typically, in a traditional (waterfall) model of software making, testing lands at the end of the pipeline or is one of the last phases of the process. Bringing testing at the very last stage usually causes many problems such as:

- delays in the deployment
- a lot of bugs at the end of the development lifecycle
- bugs discovered just before or after the release to production
- lack of collaboration between developers and testers through the entire process.

Poor software quality is one of the most harmful consequences of all of these pains listed above.

At first, the team members do not communicate with each other and they fail to communicate the problems early. 

It must not necessarily be a bug; sometimes there is some issue with the application setup, there is no testing environment, access to certain resources (such as specific tooling or external software providers), the task description is vague, or the team setup is incorrect. 

If communicated and fixed earlier, the entire process can be smoother and cause less frustration in the team. It also encourages people to focus more on the code quality and to deliver earlier and faster.

Most of those issues can be avoided by changing the style of working and shifting testing efforts at the beginning of the process.
->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-


## Agile way of working

If you care about the quality of your product, your mindset has probably shifted left already.

This approach is strongly connected with the agile way of thinking and using agile work methods in software projects.


In this setup, testing is an integrated part of the team and accelerates software development at higher quality. As a result, testers can identify bugs sooner, saving time and effort. Notably, the earlier you test, the less expensive bugs are to fix.


[T The Seven Testing Principles (ISTQB)](https://www.istqb.org/downloads/syllabi/foundation-level-syllabus.html) tell that testing everything is not possible unless a system or functionality is very simple. In practice, however,  the testing efforts should be targeted appropriately at the risk analysis, techniques, and bugs prioritization rather than be attempted thorough testing. 


One of the good methods of approaching testing strategy for a specific application can be the guideline from [Agile Testing Quadrants](https://bugbug.io/blog/software-testing/agile-testing-quadrants/). The quadrants are a taxonomy to help teams plan the testing process and testing activities and make sure they have all the resources they need to accomplish it.


## Shift Left approach and DevOps and agile background

With the rise of the DevOps movement, there is an increased focus on delivering automated, continuous improvement. It holds true for development and testing alike.

What is more, Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) are core software development disciplines integrated into the agile software development cycle. The point is to release fully-tested and stable builds early and as often as possible. Development, delivery, and test automation are crucial components of this process. 

## What it means to “Shift Left”

As mentioned at the beginning, Shift Left testing pushes testing to the “left”, to the earlier stages in the pipeline. This improves software quality and reduces time spent on resolving issues later in the pipeline.

Introducing testing early on the “left-side” of the development process, starting with unit tests and complementing with functional and integration tests is fundamental to making CI/CD happen. But that may not be enough.

The team can go even further: to eliminate unclear and contradicting requirements and improve the end-user experience, it is best to involve test engineers in the clarifying and prioritising application requirements. Test engineers can check the available or newly created requirements or user stories for clarity, consistency, testability, and traceability.

This also improves the shift towards client happiness. An early review of the requirements and spotting the flaws marks an early start of the communication with the end-user. 

The Shift Left approach introduces more care and thought exchange concerning the client. The team can be perceived as more proactive and more dedicated to the best quality standards of a project.
->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-


## Benefits of Shift Left Testing for Agile and Devops teams

Agile teams benefit most from Shift Left Testing in terms of clearer specifications, smoother implementations, earlier testing, and reduced costs. However, Shift Right Testing has more benefits like the ability to incorporate user and system feedback based on real usage scenarios. 

In opposition to testing early, Shift Right can provide an additional context to the testing scenarios. Shifting right means testing at the end of the process, typically when the software is deployed to production (the post-production environment). 

It is performed by a group of experts or selected end-users. It can utilize testing methods such as API Monitoring, using Feature Toggles, or measuring the performance of a live application. 

This helps to understand the application better and discover some other flaws that could have been omitted earlier.

Nevertheless, when quality comes first:

- developers spend more time on coding because they discuss potentially good solutions - they do not investigate who pushes the code first into production without testing

- there are Unit Tests beside the application code, available and maintainable

- there is an infrastructure that allows testing before pushing to production, usually the entire team is responsible for the process health

- there is room for improvement and mistakes

- developers pair up to catch obvious errors on the fly and learn from one another

- teams estimate tasks together, taking quality and risks into account

- potential risks in the systems are spotted and minimized rather than left alone

And finally - the application is tested - not only by one automated or manual test  but by a set of different functional and non-functional scenarios. 

The tests are regularly reviewed, adjusted, and observed. This approach introduces a new way of working and highlights the value of testing.


## Benefits of the Shift-Left Testing approach

The idea of shift left testing is simple to understand but hard to implement in the development cycle. It is worth the effort though, especially when the team and the entire organization understands the main benefits of this approach, such as:

- Lower costs - as explained above, bugs detected earlier are less expensive to fix.

- Increased efficiency in the software development process.

- Improved product quality and reliability because more bugs are detected at earlier stages.

- Reduced time to market since the QA process covers the entire development cycle, not only its’ last phase.

- A competitive advantage gained by letting development teams move fast, build and defend their credibility by innovating in iterations.
->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-


## Get started with “Shift Left” Testing in Agile

How to approach the change and switch to early software testing? Here is the basic list: 


1. **Plan**

Shape development in a way that is friendly to Shift Left testing. Once the requirements have been established, developers and testers should ideate how to shape the coding and software testing as early as possible. 


Depending on the product expectations as well as the limitations of the team, specific strategies, such as involving testers in the project since the planning phase or using the TDD approach, might have to be crafted to accommodate the Shift Left way of working.


2.** Review the requirements**

It is best to verify not only the existing code but also all the requirements necessary for the code to be written. Early verification can spot obvious mistakes.


3. **Use Static Code Analysis**

Static code analysis is the practice of checking the code without executing it. It runs through the basic code structure and ensures that the code is aligned with many standards and guidelines. By following the approach the team can early detect:

- Programming errors

- Violations of commonly followed coding standards

- Syntax anomalies

- Security issues

A static code analysis is best done via automation. The software should scan all untested codes in a project before it moves to the test phase.

4. **Collaborate**

As in any other [agile testing](https://bugbug.io/blog/software-testing/agile-testing-organized-chaos-or-a-planned-way-of-improving-your-software/) technique - early software testing requires a lot of collaboration with the team: Developers, Product Managers, Business Analysts, and other stakeholders responsible for the overall product. 

Everybody needs to understand the value of the Shift Left approach and spot the difference after some time of the new process introduction because as a result, the client benefits from better software quality and receives a lovable product.

## Conclusion for Left Shift Testing in test automation

There are a number of benefits to left shift testing in test automation. One of the primary benefits is that it helps to identify defects earlier in the development cycle. This means that defects can be caught and addressed before they become more complex and costly to fix. In addition, left shift testing can help to reduce the overall time and effort required for testing by identifying and addressing issues earlier in the process.

Another benefit of left shift testing in test automation is that it can help to improve the quality of the software being developed. By identifying and addressing defects earlier in the process, developers can ensure that the software they are creating is of higher quality and meets the requirements of the end-users.
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One of the keys to successful left shift testing in test automation is to incorporate testing into the development process **from the very beginning**. This means that testing is not an afterthought or an additional step at the end of the development process, but rather an integral part of the development process itself. Test automation tools and frameworks can be used to automate testing activities and make it easier to incorporate testing into the development process.

It is also important to involve testers in the development process as early as possible. This allows them to provide feedback and identify potential issues before they become more complex and difficult to fix. Testers can also work with developers to ensure that the code being developed is testable, and that the testing process is efficient and effective.

Overall, **left shift testing is an important approach in test automation that can help to improve the quality of software, reduce testing time and effort, and identify defects earlier in the development process**. By incorporating testing into the development process from the very beginning, developers and testers can work together to create software that is of higher quality and meets the needs of the end-users.

Happy (automated) testing!

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Guides to Test Automation

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Testing Tools for Web Application - The Ultimate Guide 2023

Testing is an ever-present part of a software developer’s job, performed at every stage of the production process. There is a wide range of test types used for software testing, some performed at various points during production, and some performed after production to confirm that the software functions as intended.

Regression testing is performed on a product that has already been finished and released. How exactly is it performed? What are the objectives and how does the procedure look? If you’re keen to find out, keep on reading as we explain everything you should know about regression testing.

[TABLE_OF_CONTENTS]

## The definition of Regression Testing

**Regression testing** is a software testing method that aims to investigate and locate any possible flaws or bugs in software that has already been fully developed. Regression Testing is performed to find out whether your software has regressed (surprise, surprise) as you continue introducing new updates and bug fixes. Whenever a piece of software is changed in any way, new bugs might emerge and some of the older ones re-emerge.

Most often, regression testing is performed immediately after introducing a new update, but it isn’t the only factor that might call for the test. If any software or hardware-related factor has changed, regression testing should be committed to find out whether everything performs as it has before the change. 

This can include any sort of bug fixes and software changes, but regression might also be caused by hardware configuration changes and electronic component degradation over time. Regression testing isn’t easy – it requires cooperation and diligence out of all of the team members, which makes it perfect for agile software development practices.

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## Regression Testing process

As with most testing efforts regression testing is an art rather than science. Let us describe the regression testing process that our development team uses. You may then use and adapt it to your existing test strategy. As regression testing is a type of testing that occurs whenever any change in your software occurs, the smartest way to start is to..

### Identify code changes

This will allow you to asses the number of test cases for regression testing that will need to be created. The testing team will need information on the impact that the current changes may have on the whole application. This is done also during this step.

### Prioritize changes

You finished step one with a list. Now you need to create a queue out of it. By proper prioritizing the changes in your software application you reduce the amount of time you will use on 

### Select for re-run

This is the part where the selection of test cases is performed. After the first test is done, test cases are categorized into reusable and obsolete ones. The reusable ones create a regression test suite. The others are will not be used for regression. 

### Categorize manual and automated regression test cases

Here is where the test automation actually begins. Test cases that occur more often within one process are perfect candidates to for the automation tool to do the work for you. If you want to automate tests in a fast and efficient way, try BugBug as your tool for regression testing. You will soon find out that it is great to reduce regression testing costs.

### Prioritize test cases

Here is where regression testing becomes a tad tricky. One would think, that the most often occurring test cases should have the biggest priority, right? Well the theory on that one is a tad different. The need for regression testing, therefor the priority, is the highest for those cases, that cover all essential features. The lowest on the other hand are stated as "technical complexities". 

### Plan and execute

This one is rather obvious, but we have to put it here. After doing all the analysis, you have to plan when regression testing is done and "push the execute button". 

## Regression Testing techniques

Regression testing can include various functional and non-functional tests in its process to thoroughly investigate the software in search of flaws. There are also many techniques with which developers and QA specialists perform regression testing, including:

- Retest All
- Regression Test Selection
- Test Case Prioritization
- Hybrid approach

### Retest All – an accurate yet expensive solution

**The Retest All ** technique is the most accurate and all-around method of regression testing, but it is also the most expensive one. In Retest All, every test case is checked again on the software to confirm if all of its parts are working as intended. That’s all there is to Retest All – it might be simple in definition, but it is definitely the hardest and most costly technique to actually perform.

### Regression Test Selection – when you realize you might not have enough for a Retest All

**Regression Test Selection** has been designed as a solution to the expensive nature of the Retest All technique. In RTS we don’t run all of the tests in our test suite, but instead we divide all of the tests into three categories – reusable test cases, retestable test cases, and obsolete test cases. In addition, RTS might actually create new test cases that haven’t been in the suite before, but might be relevant for regression tests.

If you’re interested in finding out more about regression testing examples, we recommend taking a look at Understanding Regression Testing Techniques by Gaurav Duggal and Bharti Suri. The authors further divide RTS techniques, naming two most important categories – coverage techniques and minimization techniques, and explain what are safe techniques.

**Coverage techniques** feature specific coverage criteria, often provided by the client who wants their software regression tested. These techniques sift through all test cases, selecting only the ones that are relevant for the covered parts of your software. **Minimization techniques** work in a way similar to coverage techniques, but instead of selecting cases based on set criteria, you select a minimum set of cases that you think will do the job.

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### Test Case Prioritization – a rational approach

**Test Case Prioritization** aims to maximize the rate of fault detection, creating the most thorough regression test for the lowest cost. First you prioritize the test cases one by one. Then all of them are performed in order, starting from the most important one and finishing on the least important one. Thanks to that, even if your resources aren’t enough to perform all of the tests in your suite, you will still perform the ones that should detect the most flaws.

**TSP** might be performed in two ways – the first one, called **General Prioritization**, selects test cases that should be effective (on average) on all versions of the software you’re working with. The other way, called Version Specific **Prioritization**, only takes into account a specific version of the software, without considering other existing or potential future versions.

### Hybrid approach – the best of both worlds

When choosing one technique of regression testing is impossible – why not combine the best features of Regression Test Selection and Test Case Prioritization? 

The hybrid approach is still being developed, and every researcher gives a personal spin on the idea. Since there isn’t an exact definition of what a hybrid approach actually is, there are tons of versions available – each one with its own upsides and downsides.

## Regression Testing tools

Regression testing ensures that each version of your software runs smoothly. We have described various regression testing techniques, but our article would not be complete without a few hints of what tool to use for proper test execution. 

Regression testing is used on an incremented basis. Each release of your software means building another layer of an already high pile of multiple regression test cases. A good tool will allow you to perform regression tests without writing a single line of code. 

If you want a specific list of tools, please redirect to our article [HERE](https://bugbug.io/blog/guides/testing-tools-for-web-application/).

->[Automate your tests for free](https://app.bugbug.io/sign-up/){.markdown-cta}<-

## Disadvantages of regression testing

Well now that's a shocker isn't it? We have many articles on testing in the BugBug blog, and never have I ever wrote anything negative about testing. Until now. We found four "buts" on regression testing and we tried to tackle them immediately.

- "but regression testing is time consuming" - yes, but only if you only perform a manual test, this is why selecting a good testing tool is essential
- "but you have to do it after even the smallest patch" - yes, but this is why you build a good regression cycle. You store all the recurring tests and only build a few on top of them for that given patch. It is like CI/CD for your testing process
- "but that process might interfere with the sprint planning" - only if you do regression tests without automation. Think of it from a business perspective - would you have a task that goes cross-sprint or a large bug in the production environment?
- "but it is difficult, to write those test cases" - ah, an oldie but a goodie. There are great no-code regression testing tools. Those might be used not only by QA or other technical personnel but by a PM. Such a person would be even able to automate the test or record and recreate it. 

Regression testing is one of the key ways to have your code thoroughly checked and ready to start earning you money!

## Conclusion – is Regression Testing necessary?

As you have already learned, regression testing plays a key role in keeping the quality of your software as high as possible for as long as possible. Updates and changes to your software might introduce new problems, which is exactly why regression testing is so important – to keep user experience high throughout all iterations of your program.

Not all projects require regression testing, of course. In projects that are already finished and won’t be further updated, regression testing is mostly irrelevant. However, if you are planning to continue development further – never forget to properly regression test your software before releasing an update.


Happy (automated) testing!

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