Software testing can be done in many ways. With low-code and codeless automation testing platforms, you can build software with little to no coding experience. This is revolutionizing the world of application development.
Those without programming skills can use codeless automated testing as a solution. In addition, it can be beneficial for knowledge-based teams that are looking to accelerate their test development. In the case of software testing, codeless automation tools aim to accomplish just that.
Although it isn’t yet widespread, QA engineers and testers are increasingly attracted to codeless automated testing. Take a look!
Hoping this article would be valuable to learning more about codeless automated testing, what it is, the benefits and limitations of using it, and how it can be implemented in your organization.
Automation Testing vs Manual Testing
An agile development process must include automation testing. Automated means of testing the primary solution are established in a different framework. As the complexity of a solution increases, so does that of the testing framework.
It becomes critical to automate testing when you have to execute thousands of test cases and actions on every release. The traditional automated testing process involves the development of separate software scripts for each of the test cases and then executing them by way of different software setups for running, monitoring, and logging the tests.
It takes a tremendous amount of time and resources to prepare a test environment and write test scripts for large projects or projects with a fast release cycle. Automated testing was designed to reduce testing times and resources, defeating the whole purpose.
How Does Codeless Automated Testing Work?
Automating tests without writing code is known as codeless automated testing (or codeless test automation). Users of codeless automated testing tools can therefore only pick predefined tests and tweak them to their needs through simple interfaces without writing a single line of code.
By incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning, these platforms ensure that tests and adjustments are tailored to users’ needs. Some of these tools use Natural Language Processing (NLP) to allow users to give orders and directions to the program in plain English.
Automated codeless testing goes beyond creating tests and also involves maintenance. Anyone on the team can use these platforms to boost testing in a development project, time-consuming activity. Thus, these tools support modern development, aiming to make quality a shared responsibility among the entire team.
Even though users don’t need to learn how to code testing scripts, they must understand how software testing works and its objectives and role within the development cycle. The purpose of codeless automated test platforms, after all, isn’t to do the testing for the users but make their lives easier by providing features such as self-healing thanks to artificial intelligence and record and playback capabilities.
Why Does Codeless Automated Testing Have Benefits?
It should be enough to convince anyone to give codeless automated testing at least once because they can create and maintain tests with a general understanding of what testing is. Despite this, these aren’t the only reasons they grow in popularity. Here are a few more.
- Improved Efficiency
Creating automated tests with codeless tools is quick, and easy, and virtually anyone can use them. Using automated scripts can get accurate scripts up and running quickly, boosting your testing processes while letting you focus on other urgent tasks.
- Economies of Resources
By eliminating specialists, you’ll be able to save money. Your testers won’t have to learn a new language or tool as an added benefit.
- Simple to Use
Learning the ropes is so easy with codeless automated testing tools that anyone with even an essential background in testing can get started. In addition to their intuitive nature, these platforms come with well-documented guides and assistants to help users get the most out of them.
- Easy to Review Tests
Your team members can read and understand the test cases since no code will be involved. It means anyone can find out whether the tests you implement are testing the exemplary aspects of your project.
These advantages set atop the inherent advantages of automated testing, which is often far more effective than manual testing. Test automation can be a gateway to automation, which increases the benefits, as mentioned earlier, even more.
Codeless Automated Testing Has Some Disadvantages. What Are They?
In addition to the fact that codeless testing tools are quite beneficial, you should know that they won’t be able to fit every scenario. Occasionally, you may have to write more sophisticated or tailored tests, which will require the assistance of a testing specialist. Furthermore, codeless test automation cannot replace scripted automation but can only contribute. This is due to the difficulty of dealing with the complexity of codeless test automation platforms.
Indeed, codeless automated testing does not work well in situations where manual testing is the best option. Here the reference is to the testing factors that demand a more subjective approach, such as testing user experiences or trying specific user interface aspects.
Lastly, codeless automated testing is typically most effective on the cloud, meaning you’ll rely on third-party providers for these tools. Although that’s not necessarily bad, it may prove challenging in environments that tend to be more closed out for strategic reasons.
Is Codeless Automated Testing Right For You?
You might wonder what tests are suited for codeless automated testing since one of the cons is that not all tests are done. Codeless automated testing has some flexibility (best for tests requiring subjectivity, third-party dependencies, or complex prerequisites); however, it won’t replace manual testing anytime soon.
Test cases with inconsistent results or those with fluctuating results are perfect candidates for these tools. These tests can run multiple times, learning as they go and ultimately detecting patterns.
It is also possible to have tests that are so simple that it would be a waste of time to have a senior QA engineer do them. Testing the functionality of a system comes to mind, particularly those that aim to cover simple things (like buttons and menus that perform correctly or events that should trigger specific actions).
Furthermore, codeless platforms are always better considered supplementary to other testing practices and tools. There is a way to create a sophisticated test to test the functionality of a complicated software with codeless tests feeding results to more sophisticated automated and manual tests, thus becoming a cog in a unique testing mechanism.
Myths On Codeless Automated Testing
The origin of confusion and misinformation is often wrong assumptions and shady marketing practices that promise the world to users when a new technique or technology emerges. Below are three myths surrounding codeless automated testing, dispelling some confusion.
Testing without recording or playing back is the same as code-based testing. In the past, recording and playback tools were prevalent, but they required the user to input code for them to work. As everything is automated, codeless testing doesn’t require users who know how to code. Some codeless testing platforms offer Record and Playback features, but as part of a broader offering).
Test engineers have resisted codeless automated testing as they believe it isn’t codeless since some tests require their knowledge and experience. While this may be true for some platforms, many codeless automated testing tools can be codeless thanks to artificial intelligence and machine learning. In other words, “codeless” is just a marketing ploy.
The second myth is closely related to the first and is based on a misperception of what these tools are capable of. It is hard to maintain tests on codeless platforms. With AI, ML, and NLP assisting with the creation and maintenance of test cases, editing tests have become more accessible.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Codeless Automated Testing?
Don’t you think this is the crucial question? You shouldn’t implement codeless testing tools because they seem appealing to you. You must fully understand your testing needs. When you have a good testing team, and manageable amounts of tests, codeless might not be a good choice.
However, Codeless test automation may be a good choice if your testing team is overburdened or if you have gaps in your QA testing team. The situation is especially problematic if you still struggle with many manual tasks, which can significantly impede your development progress.
You can get integrations for codeless testing from LambdaTest – a continuous quality testing platform that enables test orchestration and execution. It offers manual and automated testing across an online browser and device farm of 3000+ real browsers, devices, and OS combinations.
LambdaTest platform has codeless test automation integration capabilities, making it easy to run codeless automation for testing web applications. You can integrate LambdaTest with QMetry, Katalon Studio, Ranorex, and many more. Visit the LambdaTest Integrations page to see more integration.
Concluding Thought!!
Codeless automated testing tools may prove helpful to you if you find yourself in one of those situations. If you want to get the most significant benefit from these platforms, you’ll need to conduct research, understand your requirements, and perhaps consider hiring an outside consultant.
One of the best things about all of this is that codeless automation is a trend that’s just getting started, which means you’re not too late to the party. Therefore, take a moment to evaluate if it’s something you need and join today to reap the benefits of a method that can revolutionize your testing process.