Automation Test Categories

Because of the forward nature of UI automation, it is usually the responsibility of testers. For every new feature, testers will try to set up UI automation testing for every permutation of the feature. While some of these tests may seem redundant, it is vital to hit the product from a variety of different angles. Many software bugs can be contextual, so the automation must attempt to replicate numerous different contexts in testing.

Unit testing encompasses the back end logic of a product. Because of the nature of unit testing, developers are responsible for including it in their code. In many cases, unit testing is accomplished by creating a test program that “plugs in” to the classes and utilities that the software uses. This program will attempt to run through each of the methods and tools, and test whether the result is the same as what the developer anticipates.

The “middle” category of automation testing refers to the interaction between the front end and the back end. Occasionally, unit tests will pass and UI tests will fail, but the problem exists between the two. There may be an issue with handing off data between the front and back end, or some sort of conversion issue. Developers and testers may need to work together to create automation tests for this middle layer, and rely on utilities specifically designed for that category.

Recommended Further Reading

The following materials may assist you in order to get the most out of this course: