The role of software testing is increasing every day. Today it is not just about finding bugs and improving the product. Now this is a lengthy phase that can begin at the stage of project approval. So, evaluating a product idea, predicting possible threats and analyzing user behavior are already part of testing.
The deadlines for the delivery and launch of projects have been significantly reduced these days. But the requirements for the result have grown. Now we will tell you what software testing will be like in 2021.
Using AI and Machine Learning
The latest advances in information technology, for the most part, are associated with the use of artificial intelligence and neural networks. AI and machine learning are increasingly influencing software testing.
- AI helps QA teams build tests from scratch with little or no human control. In particular, the AI removes all unnecessary scripts to speed up the testing process.
- AI provides the ability to build a new requirements tracking matrix to expand test coverage.
- Based on user behavior, machine learning can help predict potential problems and threats faster and more accurately.
- Ultimately, AI will help track existing problems more accurately.
Automation
The automation of test scenarios is developing as a consequence of the development of artificial intelligence. QA teams will be able to focus their time and effort on conducting new experiments rather than handling testing needs.
Experts suggest that in the future, the number of automated test processes will increase so much that teams will not be able to constantly run each of them. That is why it is necessary to correctly highlight new changes and focus on them.
Moreover, testing automation does not mean completely eliminating manual interactions. This is especially true for those elements that are responsible for the user experience. If you automate the wrong processes, you create even more problems.
Continuous Integration and Delivery of OP (CI / CD)
Every company that prepares to improve their workflows today is actively taking an interest in CI / CD. After all, such a principle is able to ensure the smooth operation of critical IT systems.
The essence of the concept is that at each stage of software development, different types of automated tests are included, followed by delivery and deployment of the code.
Its main advantage is that all kinds of errors can be detected instantly, and not at the final stage of the project. In this way it is possible to avoid delays in deadlines, and besides, it is better to handle every inaccuracy. Also, CI / CD allows you to fully implement the DevOps concept in practice.
High Quality Test Centers (TCoE)
On creation TCoE (Testing Centers of Excellence) say the first year. However, we have not yet seen the full implementation of this approach. And once again, experts predict that in 2021 TCoE will become a new trend in software testing.
TCoE is a team that develops reusable test environments and standards that an organization can follow when deploying a project.
The key reason for the creation of such centers is the need to approve new standards . After all, they will help to improve work processes and interaction within the team. In addition, TCoE will allow:
- reduce testing time without losing quality;
- lay the foundation for effective automation;
- adjust the quality assurance structure in the company.
Suppression of Performance Testing
For several years, the main task in software development has been to achieve high productivity. Developers today must provide top-notch quality for other components:
- safety;
- convenience and practicality in use;
- business value;
- simple configuration.
Therefore, it is no longer enough to just test performance. You need to take care of each of the listed components. Thus, there will no longer be just one element in the priority of testing. QA teams are required to closely monitor all pieces of software.
IoT testing
The Internet of Things is one of the fastest growing concepts. 5G standard will be adopted soon. It will dramatically increase the bandwidth and speed of the network, as well as improve the reliability of many connections. Accordingly, there will be thousands of new IoT devices on the market.
Software testers must be prepared for this scenario. After all, the Internet of Things implies a set of new programs in each device. First of all, you need to focus on identifying all the risks and threats associated with the use of the appropriate software. Subsequently, standards need to be developed to quickly eliminate such problems.
Testing software for IoT will involve testing the following aspects:
- safety;
- practicality and ease of use;
- compatibility;
- the integrity of the transmitted data;
- performance;
- scalability.
At the same time, security will become a key element, since any product is somehow connected to the network, which always increases the risks. In addition, IoT devices and related programs collect a lot of data without notifying users. In the end, due to the growing demand, some manufacturers may ignore some of the security concerns in order to quickly release a product.
Development of Application Security Testing
Even if the user uses the minimum of the Internet of Things, he is always at risk. The key reason is the use of a large number of applications, both on a PC and on a smartphone.
Each new software is not only an opportunity for the user, but also a potential vulnerability. That is why testing teams must develop standards and approaches for testing applications for penetration.
In addition, special attention will be paid to testing corporate software. Any modern business is completely tied to the use of a large amount of software. Even the smallest vulnerability can create a huge problem for team productivity.
Security is one of the key aspects that will overshadow performance testing. After all, today there are enough approaches to create effective software. But new vulnerabilities appear much faster.
Key Testing Tools
The ability to view and edit software source code is critical to the QA team. Because customization can help you work more efficiently, create a smoother learning curve for new testers, and more accurately complete project details.
This is why another trend is the use of open source tools to test software. They will make testing more personalized, more innovative, and more experimentation.
Any tester’s stack in 2021 should include the following tools:
- Selenium;
- Playwright/Cypress;
- Jmeter;
Today, each of these tools allows you to conduct a full-fledged quality assessment, identify all errors and bring the software to perfection. But testers need to keep up with new trends. After all, it is likely that new testing tools will be developed with the advent of new IoT devices .
The Tester’s Role Will Increase Several Times
As you can see, the first thing that awaits us in 2021 is a significant software update in all areas. When developing it, it is important to detect errors as early as possible. Therefore, the role of the testing team and quality assessment is predicted to grow.
First of all, they will work more closely with the developers at every stage of the project creation. Also, the benefits and quality of software will now depend on them as much as on the code developers.
Eventually, because of the evolving role of testing itself, companies will allocate significantly larger budgets for this element. Otherwise, they risk releasing a low-quality product or missing security vulnerabilities .
