To switch from manual to automation testing can be a complex and difficult process so you might ask yourself along the way — is it even worth it?
Many people will say that manual testing is enough for a project; and maybe they are right if the project is small, without too many features – for example, a landing page only.
But, when it comes to complex systems with many features, manual testing might not be enough and this is where we need to introduce automation testing to the project.
The advantages of automation testing
Automation testing is important because it will shorten the testing time. When we have a long-term project, and if new features are delivered after every sprint, regression testing must be done at the end of every sprint.
If we have automation tests written, we can easily start automation testing which will verify all written tests, and manual testing will not be required.
During my career as a Quality Assurance Engineer, I mostly tested projects manually. I had attempts to learn automation with different technologies, for example, Java, Katalon, Appium, Selenium, Cypress. Projects that I worked on were small and didn’t require automation testing.
As soon as I started working on a new project with Pontis, the client required automation testing using C# .NET and Selenium. I was familiar with Selenium, but C# .NET was completely new to me. I had to learn it from scratch, and that is how my adventure started.
First things first
My first task was to watch a lesson on Udemy called “Automation framework development with Selenium C#.” While watching the lesson, I was simultaneously doing the tasks described in the lesson. At first, I thought that it would be hard to learn a new coding language, but as the lessons went by, I was more and more positive that it would turn out to be successful.
After I was done with the Udemy lesson, I started writing my first automated test cases. I used JetBrains Rider as IDE, which was also something new to me and I needed to learn how to use it. Also, for the first time in my career, I had to use Gherkin syntax, which is a plain-text language with a simple structure. It helps with writing test scenarios and examples to illustrate business rules.
What to do when self-doubt sets in?
While writing my first cases, at first, I felt scared; I had a lot of questions in my head: “Will the test I write be good?”
“Will my first test be successful?”,
“What am I doing??”
But as soon as I got positive results for my first case, I was happy. I managed to find all the elements that I needed without any problem. I wrote tests that had an end-to-end test for creating an item in the project I’m working on.
After writing my first test, I had a review with my mentor — he was satisfied, but I had to make a little change in the code. I was happy and ready to move on.
The next step was to write a little bit more complicated tests. I was so confident that everything would be good. After a while, I had a problem that I thought was a big deal, but thanks to my mentor, we solved the problem pretty quickly.
After a few months, I learned enough to write automation test cases by myself. Now, every time that I write automation, I feel great and I feel proud of myself.
Be persistent and keep your eyes on the prize
On my journey from manual to automation testing, one big takeaway hit me hard – nothing’s off the table if you’re up for learning. The road might seem rocky initially, especially with coding languages and new tools thrown your way. Yet, along the way something clicked. It’s not about being the most brilliant tech wizard all the way from the beginning; it’s about the grind, the “aha” moments, and the small wins that pave the way.
Automation testing isn’t this unattainable beast; it’s more like a puzzle waiting to be solved. Yeah, there were times I felt lost and questioned what on earth I was doing, but here’s the thing – confusion is just a pit stop, not a roadblock. It’s okay not to have it all figured out at the start.
Remember, if you’re willing to navigate the confusion, every tangled line of code unravels into a victory. So, for anyone feeling a bit overwhelmed, take it from me – in the world of automation testing, possible is the name of the game, and the learning journey is as real as it gets.
In the meantime, maybe you’re interested to learn more about Regression testing?
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