“Innovation is the calling card of the future” – said Anna Eshoo, and this is so true of the digital world, where innovation does not walk, but moves in gigantic leaps and bounds! The software testing world has seen rapid changes both in technology and methodology making what trended yesterday, the tradition of today; and what’s trending today, the tradition of tomorrow!
If you take a poll on what’s trending today in the world of software testing, Codeless Testing will most likely be the winner, right on top of the charts. So, let’s understand what Codeless or Script-less Testing entails, before we move into its comprehensive comparison with Traditional Testing.
Codeless Testing is a method of automating tests without the need for writing coded scripts, enabling testing along-side app development. It greatly simplifies the job of testers who only need to indicate the testing steps, instead of having to write actual code. Codeless Testing fast-tracks projects and runs a regression test before every app release. Obviously, Codeless or Script-less Test Automation is a great time saver as the endless hours spent in creating, executing and maintaining test scripts is eliminated. This results in much faster test execution; improves accuracy; saves on time, money and efforts; as well as promotes much faster app release.
Traditional Testing on the other hand is the testing methodology within the ambit of software development, where each organized phase must be completed before the next one begins. Thus, the software development process follows a unidirectional path beginning with designing; moving on to requirements; followed by coding; then testing; and finally, app release. Traditional Testing largely refers to Manual Testing done on apps, by Testers/QA specialists, who manually execute test cases and generate test reports to detect bugs and glitches in the app.
In the digital world anything that strengthens its three pillars of speed, accuracy and security, is bound to lead the way. Hence Codeless Testing which greatly supports these pillars is fast gaining ground, in the wake of the speed with which innovation is consistently changing the digital world.
With this backdrop, let’s move to unfold a comprehensive comparison between Codeless Testing, and Traditional Testing.
Codeless Testing v/s Traditional Testing
|
Sr.No. |
Description |
Codeless Testing |
Traditional Testing |
|
1 |
Key Players and Resources |
Testers (including non-technical players) and Codeless Automation Tools. |
Software Engineers/Testers and Software. |
|
2 |
Execution of Test Cases |
Tests are executed using codeless automation tools, eliminating or greatly minimizing the amount of scripting involved in the creation of tests using model, object, data, or keyword driven approaches. |
Test cases are executed manually by Testers using guidelines, checklists and strict processes to write test cases. |
|
3 |
Speed |
Up to 70?ster than Traditional Testing. |
Traditional Testing is a time consuming, long drawn process. |
|
4 |
Accuracy |
Codeless Testing is more accurate, as approved test scripts are automatically executed without human intervention. The results are reliable, consistent, and accurate, tremendously improving efficiency. |
Traditional Testing is prone to human error in writing test cases and test reports. Boredom and fatigue are other factors that affect accuracy. |
|
5 |
Go-to-Market Time |
Codeless Testing brings around 15% reduction in time-to-market – giving a sharp edge over competitors. |
Takes much longer for the app to be ready, making it in-compatible with the rapidly changing, highly competitive digital world. |
|
6 |
Cost of Capital |
Initial investment in a Codeless Automation Platform is high, but pays off in the long-term, considering faster app release and faster time-to-market for all future projects. |
Capital investment is not much for Traditional Testing. |
|
7 |
Skill sets and Cost of Manpower |
Saves on manpower costs as detailed coding is eliminated, saving on precious man-hours. Besides, even non-technical staff can test, reducing the cost of expensive programming experts. |
Higher manpower cost as manual processes depend heavily on Software Engineers who need to be well versed in programming languages, and come at a high cost. |
|
8 |
Capability in Live Environment |
Codeless/Script-less Automated Testing can function robustly in a live environment and handle live business data. |
Traditional Testing does not support working on live data. |
|
9 |
Risk Mitigation |
Risk mitigation considerably high as the well tested automated scripts are not subject to human intervention and fallibility. |
Low risk mitigation as it is subject to human error, fatigue and the attention drop, that comes with repetitive work. |
|
10 |
Testing Productivity |
Much higher testing productivity due to better speed in executing tests, re-usability of test scripts, and higher testing frequency, resulting in quick detection and rectification of errors. |
Lower testing productivity as Traditional Testing processes can’t be recorded and reused. Furthermore, it takes much longer to write individual test cases and test reports. |
|
11 |
Test Coverage |
Tests can be designed to cover all application features, ensuring that even the smallest unit is tested. More cycle of executions can be achieved through codeless test automation. |
In Traditional Testing, test coverage depends on the skill and experience of the tester and is also subject to testers’ fatigue, memory, circumstances etc. |
|
12 |
Promotes Team Collaboration and Modern Testing Methodologies |
Codeless Testing allows testing to take place as the app develops, thus greatly supporting collaboration between teams; and methodologies like Agile, Devops, and CI/CD. |
Processes follow a linear path; hence testing cannot start till development is complete. Thus, it does not support concurrent collaborative team work and modern methodologies. |
|
13 |
Scalability via Could Services
|
Testing can be done on the cloud, resulting in unlimited scalability in terms of mobile devices, that too, without requiring additional setup or infrastructure investment. It widens geographical access too. |
Traditional Testing offers only limited on-site access, and cannot access cloud services; thus, hampering scalability. |
|
14 |
Execution Across Operating Platforms |
In Codeless Automated Testing, parallel execution across platforms can be efficiently done, reducing test execution time, without a disproportionate increase in costs. |
Parallel execution across operating platforms, comes at an additional cost under Traditional Testing, since expensive human resources need to be increased. |
|
15 |
Concurrent Reviews by all Stakeholders including Business Owners, and Technical Team |
In Codeless Automated Testing, test cases and reports are readily accessible by all stakeholders via secured login access. Concurrent reviews by developers, testers, business analysts, app owners, and other non-technical stakeholders becomes possible. Ongoing communication enhances clarity. Furthermore, documentation generated has good training value, which helps new developers and testers to take over easily. |
In Traditional Testing, reports are recorded in Excel or Word and are not readily available at will for others. This also becomes a problem if another tester needs to take over for any reason. |
|
16 |
Return on Investment (ROI) |
The long-term ROI is higher under Codeless Testing, because of the increased productivity, cost-efficiency, time-efficiency, risk mitigation, etc. The product is ready much earlier and has a longer run for yielding returns before the technology gets outdated. |
Long-term ROI is comparatively lower, as speed decides who gets the first mover advantage. The slow pace is not compatible with the speed of technological innovation, which requires rapid testing for investments to pay off, before technology gets updated or outdated. |
|
17 |
Suitability |
Codeless Testing is the way forward for almost every kind of testing barring a few, as indicated in the next column.
It is ideal in the following cases: § Test cases are voluminous in number or size. § High priority cases where human error is a strict no-no. § Repetitive testing of the same features. § Concurrent testing on multiple systems or cross browsers. § Testing multi-lingual products. § Testing after every release. § High Regression volumes. |
Traditional Testing is suitable in the following cases: § Testing aspects requiring detailed human observation, intuition, sensitivities, and insights. § Exploratory Testing. § Usability Testing. § Ad-hoc Testing. § Small changes in User Interface (UI). § Application Under Testing (AUT) changes frequently. § Testing of newly designed features that have not been tested manually, at least once.
|
The foregoing debate clearly tilts the scales in favor of Codeless Testing, although as seen above there are still very few areas where Traditional Testing scores better. However, the boundaries of Traditional Testing are fast closing in.
We can safely conclude that in a world driven by speed, Codeless Testing is the way to go. If you have taken the step to Automated Testing, great, but to ensure you are ahead of all competition, Codeless Automated Testing is the place to be. If you have not yet made the transition, it’s time to hop on, to still be counted in the all-important time-to-market race.
Here are some useful tips to make your transition smooth and successful. Although the term used is Codeless or Script-less Testing, it actually indicates ‘low code’ rather than ‘no code, as there will be limited code-based testing too. Hence ideally exclude the tests that will operate codeless from the actual code itself, apply the codeless test, and then bring it back into the sequence.
It’s also important to choose your Codeless Testing Platform wisely, as your future success will ride on it. Carefully assess your existing testing environment, the issues that need addressing, the infrastructure and technology, and then zero in on the codeless platform that best answers all your needs. Ensure that the platform incorporates the latest in technology, provides robust analytics and reporting, has proved its mettle, and is open to providing support if required.
If you are interested in exploring Codeless Testing, visit us at botmtesting.com, and begin your free trial to experience the bliss and confidence of Codeless Test Automation.
What you will encounter is a futuristic AI and ML driven accelerator BOT for automated and manual testing of mobile apps, developed for both Android and iOS devices.
Experience the power of our platform’s error-free mobile app testing across spectrum – the result of our in-built state-of-the-art app testing technologies. Explore our UI dashboard that allows for smart capture of insights and analysis, with easy control tools during test execution, and post script device logs at every step. Check out our advanced facilities that include audio interaction with Alexa; and our Appium Converter feature which enables you to convert Appium Script Logs into BOTm Script format.
With BOTm, productivity increases 5 times, freeing up your valuable time to focus on your business goals.
GET IN TOUCH
022 40508200
sales@botmtesting.com www.botmtesting.com
BOTm is the accelerator BOT for automated and manual testing of mobile applications – developed for both Android and iOS devices.