All the stages that the software product goes through, both during production and at the customer, is called the software development life cycle (“Software Development Life Cycle”, “SDLC”). We can say that SDLC, which is an approach that the software world has added to the literature, has started to be referred to as “Systems Development Life Cycle” nowadays. Since every “system” has a structure that can be developed, while working on any system without considering only the software, the stages in the cycle are passed. So, how important is the place of software testing in this cycle and what will its future look like? In this article, we will seek answers to these questions.
Test in Loop
There is a software error underlying all of the situations such as the website we are visiting does not open, smart mobile phones fail, cash machines malfunction during the transaction. However, it is possible to test these software errors and minimize them. Software testing’s place in the loop begins after coding is complete and modules are released for testing. At this stage, the developed software is extensively tested and any defects found are assigned to the developers for their correction.
Acting with an early testing approach and having a testing perspective from the analysis stage will reduce our error rate and costs (time, money, prestige, etc.). There are many different categories and depths of test types that can be applied according to the process and situation, such as unit tests, smoke tests, false value tests, acceptance tests, usage scenario tests, load tests, user acceptance testing, passerby testing, test automation. The software is made up to the desired point according to the customer’s expectation. Testers refer to the SRS document to ensure that the software complies with the customer’s standard.
Why is Software Testing Important?
We have to control everything we produce because things don’t always go the way we want and some situations that we overlook can cause errors. Some of these mistakes are so minor that they can be ignored, but some can be costly and, more importantly, dangerous. That’s why software testing is so important for the following 4 reasons:
1. Software testing protects from high product cost and financial loss.
Testing on your project saves money in the long run. Software development consists of many stages, and if bugs are caught at an earlier stage, the cost of fixing them is much lower. Therefore, it is important to get tested as soon as possible. Bringing technically trained and experienced testers into teams for a software project is just like an investment and directly benefits the economy.
2. It minimizes the security vulnerabilities that may occur in the product.
Today, there are many situations where user information is stolen or hackers capture this information and use it for their own benefit. That’s why people look for products they can trust. What we do with our personal information, our banking information and other security aspects must remain confidential. It is possible to minimize these services that may create security vulnerabilities by testing them.
3. Software testing improves product quality.
The products always serve the users, so the quality of the service it provides is very important. To provide a great customer experience, the app or service must function properly. For example, it is tested whether an application’s graphics are properly aligned, whether it performs major tasks, and how it works. Fixing errors found after testing improves the quality of the product.
4. It provides customer satisfaction.
One of the ultimate goals for a product owner is to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction. The reasons for testing applications and software are to provide the best possible user experience. Making a quality product in this huge market helps in gaining reliable customers in the long run.
What awaits in the Future?
Considering the dizzying progress of technological development, it is seen that the work of software developers and quality units is getting harder and harder. Based on this progress, the need for automation is also increasing. It is seen that the need for test software is progressing in parallel with technology.
For mobile applications that are changing rapidly in the market, the focus of companies is to use their customers’ experiences without any problems. Testing users’ experiences means testing human experiences. No matter how fast automation tests develop, it is thought that manual tests will not lose their importance in terms of quality and assurance, since the human factor is touched. In this context, it will gain more importance to be able to use both manual and automation tests with the right approaches.
Test Automation
Automation testing is built on artificial intelligence technology and visual modeling and provides acceleration of test scenarios that address test automation. Using advanced automated testing tools, you can create test cases with zero coding knowledge and minimize the time spent on repetitive test cases. No-code automated testing tools will be increasingly adopted and this technology will hold its ground in the future.
Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for Automation
According to the latest trends in software testing, machine learning is one of the main areas of change in the future. Some notable changes have already begun to be made in the development and use of applications. Accordingly, the artificial intelligence market is growing massively, which means that the IT industry is increasingly turning to machine learning.
Machine learning can check and test:
- Optimization of test suite to find extreme or vice versa
- Estimation of key test configurations based on previous checks
- Ability to perform identity checks that need to be done automatically (log analysis)
- Identify major risk application status for rank regression testing (defect analysis)
Increasing Demand for IoT and Big Data Testing
Automated testing has an important role to play in this area as the IoT creates a whole new set of testing requirements. Simulation models will also be crucial, given the challenges of real-time testing. Testing tools and procedures will need to validate various communication protocols, including WiFi, Bluetooth, CDMA and 3G.
IoT testing will present a host of new challenges as well as opportunities for better testing practices. These products or systems that follow sound QA practices will create more reliable systems as well as business gains for themselves.
Another big phenomenon that is making big data testing an increasingly common practice is that data is the new ruler of marketing strategies. Company processes get very complex every year, so big data testing requirements will remain with us into the future.