Manual or Automated Testing: Which to Use?

By Prometteur solutions 18 Min Read

What is Software Testing?

Software testing follows different processes that involve well laid out procedures.

The procedures are meant to ensure that the software product does not have any errors, vulnerabilities and weaknesses that may be exploited by hackers. Software testing is aimed at checking to see if a software product meets the set standards…

You can use different software testing tools and the tools used will determine the type of testing -manual or automated testing. The software testing tools and software testing methods chosen are done with the aim of ascertaining how well the software meets the requirement. It also concerns itself with checking for errors, bugs and loopholes as well as addressing them.

Explore The Ultimate Guide to Manual Web Application Testing: A Step-by-Step Manual Approach

Why is Software Testing Important?

It is very crucial to perform software testing. This is because flaws, defects, and other software vulnerabilities can be discovered early and repaired before the software product is released. Software Testing will discover any flaws or mistakes in the software. Any software product which has followed different extensive testing processes will guarantee dependability, security, and excellent performance, which will save time, be more efficient financially, and satisfy customers.

Hire Software Testers

What are the Advantages of Software Testing?

The following are some of the advantages of using software testing:

  • Security: It is the most sensitive benefit of software testing. People want trusted products. It helps in removing risks and problems earlier.
  • Product quality: It is an essential requirement of any software product. Testing guarantees that clients will get products that meet or exceed their expectations.
  • Cost-effectiveness. Testing any IT project on time helps you save money for the long term. Moreover, if the bugs are caught in the earlier stage of software testing, it costs less to fix.
  • To Provide Satisfaction to Consumers: The primary objective of any product is to provide satisfaction to its customers. Testing the user interface and user experience helps ensure a positive customer rating

Manual or Automated Testing: Which Is Better:?

What Is Manual Testing?

The practice of testing software via a manual process is referred to as “Manual Testing.”

In other words, when testing is carried out using human resources, we refer to this kind of testing as manual testing. In Manual Testing, one of the essential factors is the level of expertise, knowledge, and experience possessed by the testers.

When Should You Use Manual Testing?

Even in this day and age of increasing automation, there are still certain circumstances in which doing tests manually makes the most sense. However, automated testing would result in higher financial and time expenditures under these conditions.

So, when should you choose manual testing? Let’s have a look:

During the Early Phases of Product Development

In the early stages of development, when the product is still being conceived, manual testing is among the most useful. During the early stage of development, it is easier for testers to identify bottlenecks or visual problems using manual testing processes. This leads to a reduction in the amount of time and resources spent on problem-fixing.

Spending money and personnel in automating your testing during the first development phase of the product development process is frequently not sensible. This is because the initial development phase is unstable.

In the course of ad-hoc testing

In this particular scenario, the main goal is to foster creativity and explore the system’s boundaries by attempting to “break” it, in order to identify any potential weaknesses and vulnerabilities. The most effective approach for conducting adhoc testing is through manual means, without any premeditated preparations or documented test cases. This process usually allows for spontaneous exploration and the discovery of unforeseen issues that may arise. By engaging in adhoc testing, we can thoroughly evaluate the system’s robustness and uncover any weaknesses/vulnerabilities that may have been overlooked in conventional testing methodologies.

Examining the appearance of the user interface

When it comes to evaluating the graphical elements of user interfaces, manual testing is quite helpful.

Imagine that your application has a button labeled “Submit,” but on mobile devices, the text on that button is so tiny that it is almost impossible to read. Nevertheless, consumers must be able to notice this button to understand how to efficiently enter their contact information to get additional information on a particular product.

The manual testers will identify this fault right away; however, the automated tests won’t be able to pick up on the flaw.

Additionally, manual testing of the user interface guarantees that the design components in the interface match the design elements present in the final layout.

For Projects That Aren’t Very Long-Term Or Very Large

Manual testing is also the ideal option for relatively short projects. However, even though automated tests often save time and resources over their lifetimes, it still requires time and resources to build and maintain them.

In some circumstances, such as when developing a simple landing page website or a teaser marketing application, manual testing may be the most time and labour-saving option.

What Is Automation Testing?

Utilizing test automation tools to execute test cases is a component of automation testing. It is advices that only personnel who are knowledgeable with scripting and other similar subjects should take this testing.

To mention just a few, automation tools include Selenium, QTP, and UFT. The programming languages C#, Java, Pearl, PHP, Python, and Ruby make up Selenium. Communication is therefore possible in any of the languages listed below.

In what situations do you use automated testing?

Automated testing has proven to be an invaluable solution for improving efficiency and reducing time wastage in software testing. It offers numerous benefits such as faster test execution, increased test coverage, and the ability to repeat tests consistently.

Nevertheless, there are certain scenarios where automated testing becomes a necessity and manual testing should be minimized or excluded altogether.

Take a look at some of the following scenarios:

Advanced GUI Testers

Automating these steps may help save significant time when doing advanced testing on Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs). In addition, automated graphical user interface testing can discover and keep track of behavioural changes across a variety of web browsers, operating systems, devices, and other types of software and hardware.

Additionally, automated GUI testing can successfully locate regression flaws in a more timely manner.

For Activities That Take Up A Lot Of Time

Dealing with time-consuming responsibilities is one of the most incredible times to use automated testing. After the adjustments or alterations that your development team makes to the application, you need to ensure that it is still functioning appropriately.

You may utilize automated regression tests to check each program function sparingly, saving you time.

For Functional Testing

Automated testing is another fantastic option to consider when doing functional testing. You can quickly determine how well an application performs in relation to the operational criteria it was designed to meet.

It investigates aspects such as correctness, interoperability, compliance, safety, and appropriateness in most cases.

To Accommodate Repetitive Tasks

Automated testing is ideal for routine jobs performed repeatedly inside an application. This kind of work lends itself particularly well to repetition.

The adaptability of automated tests may be a terrific time-saving option if you notice that the same features are continually added or that the same processes are conducted frequently. Unit testing is an excellent illustration of repetitive work that might benefit from automated testing.

Tests of Either Performance or Loading

Utilize automated testing if you need to examine the application’s or website’s performance or load. No manual alternative can provide reliable results for assessing load and performance.

Automated testing can simulate hundreds or even thousands of users all at once.

Where To Use Manual or Automated Testing

  • System Testing: This type of testing aims to assess whether the application functions appropriately as a whole. It focuses on evaluating the integrated system and its compliance with the specified requirements.
  • Unit Testing: Unit testing involves testing individual modules or components of the software to identify bugs and issues at an early stage of the development process. It primarily falls under the responsibility of developers, as they ensure that each module functions correctly.
  • Black Box Testing: This testing approach focuses solely on evaluating the functionality of the application, without requiring the testing staff to have knowledge of the underlying code. It emphasizes testing from a user’s perspective, without considering the internal implementation details.
  • White Box Testing: White box testing involves examining the internal workings of the application being tested. Testers need to have an understanding of the coding structure, branches, pathways, and conditions in order to design effective tests that cover all code paths.
  • Integration Testing: This testing method verifies the interaction and cooperation between separate modules and tests how well they integrate with each other. It ensures that the integrated system functions correctly and as intended.
  • Acceptance Testing: Acceptance testing focuses on evaluating the system from the perspective of the end-users. Its goal is to ensure that the software meets their expectations, fulfills their needs, and is ready for deployment. End-users will only accept and utilize the software once it satisfies their requirements.

What is Mobile App Testing?

A rigorous mobile app testing procedure is carried out before to a mobile application’s wide release to guarantee its usability, functionality, and conformity to commercial and technical standards. It is essential to test mobile apps to make sure they function properly on different mobile operating systems, such as iOS or Android.

The testing teams must consider a number of factors, including as screen resolutions, operating system versions, and network bandwidths, in order to conduct effective testing.

Developers and testers can guarantee that the app works flawlessly and gives a consistent user experience across a variety of devices and network configurations by doing mobile app testing with regard for these factors. This thorough testing strategy raises the likelihood of publishing a high-caliber mobile application that satisfies user expectations and functions well in actual use cases.

Why are mobile testing applications so important?

Increasing a company’s exposure to a more significant number of consumers in more locations worldwide is the end objective of building mobile applications. On the other hand, consumers are likely only to use the app if it is smooth and easy to use. No company wants its users to delete its applications and use those of a rival company instead.

If mobile applications are not fully tested, there is an excellent probability that users may find serious flaws on their devices. This can result in a negative user experience, especially for new users. Keep in mind that making a good first impression is of the utmost importance for the successful launch of any mobile app. Uninstalling an app immediately may be necessary if it unexpectedly crashes or suffers from a flaw in its operation. This leads not just to the loss of prospective clients but also of money.

Which features and functionalities of an app get tested?

Before releasing an app to the public, it is impossible to do thorough testing on each app’s features. In addition, because users have high expectations, app developers are required to deploy their products under rigorous schedules, which leaves them with little time to do comprehensive quality assurance testing all at once.

To begin, it is necessary to determine the elements of the app that will be valued the most by its intended users. The user interface, design, theme, security, and fundamental functioning are all essential characteristics that should be prioritized.

To standardize the procedure, begin the quality assurance process with a structured strategy that sorts characteristics in descending order of importance. First, ask a control group of prospective users what they believe matters the most in the app that is being created, and then organize the test plan according to their responses if feasible.

At Prometteur Solutions, we have the best manual and automated testing experts for your projects. You can always contact us; we will help you hire the best.

FAQs

Manual or Automated Testing: Which Is Better? 

Both have pros and cons, so it depends on your project type and resources. Meanwhile, if you want to save time and resources, automated testing is the best option.

What Are the Differences Between Automated Testing and Manual Testing?

The most significant distinction between manual and automated testing is how the test case is carried out. In manual testing, the human tester is the one who conducts the testing. In automated testing, the testing tool is the one doing the work.

What Exactly Constitutes Manual Testing?

Manual testing refers to the method in which quality assurance analysts carry out tests in an individual, one-by-one fashion. For example, before a software product is released to the public, it is essential to identify any bugs or other problems with its features via manual testing.

During manual testing, the tester verifies the software application’s essential components. Then, without the assistance of specialist automation tools, analysts carry out test cases and compile error reports.

What Exactly Is Involved in Automation Testing?

Automation testing refers to the process by which testers automate testing procedures using various tools and scripts.

Testers can improve test coverage and execute a more significant number of test cases thanks to automation testing. When compared to automation testing, manual testing takes significantly more time—the use of automated testing results in greater productivity.

What is the process of manual testing?

Manual testing requires a lot of hands-on participation. It requires analysts and QA engineers to be highly involved in everything from test case creation to actual test execution.

How Does Automated Testing Work?

Automation testing involves testers writing test scripts that automate test execution. (A test script is a set of instructions performed on target platforms to validate a feature or expected outcome.)

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using automated testing instead of manual testing?

Both have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Manual testing is sluggish and time-consuming. However, its power lies in the fact that it is better able to manage complicated situations. Coding and test maintenance are both necessities for automated testing. On the other hand, it is a lot quicker and considers a far more significant number of variants.

Share This Article
Leave a comment