Q11: What is a test automation platform?

Ans: A test automation platform is a technology or framework that allows for the easy automation of software testing. It automates the entire process by utilizing programmes and scripts developed by developers or testers. A test automation platform generally includes all of the capabilities required to begin with automated testing. It saves you from having to use a multitude of tools and makes them all function together. Test automation systems are most commonly used in complicated or big software projects when performing manual testing on all of the product's capabilities would be difficult or time-consuming.

Q12: What is CAPTCHA?

Ans: CAPTCHA is an acronym for Completely Automated Public Turing Test to Distinguish Between Computers and Humans. It is a sort of security mechanism that is sometimes referred to as challenge-response authentication. The CAPTCHA's principal aim is to protect you against spam or denial-of-service attacks by bots/scripts by requiring you to complete a basic test that computers find difficult to understand. It demonstrates that you are a human, not a computer. A CAPTCHA challenge is made up of two parts:

• A letter/number sequence is created at random. These alphanumeric characters appear as deformed pictures and may appear behind other non-significant characters, making computer parsing problematic.
• A text box in which the user is instructed to copy the characters. The user writes the characters in the text field to pass the test and show that they are human.

Q13: Should you automate all testing?

Ans: Although test automation offers benefits, it is impractical to automate all types of testing. Some tests, such as user interface testing, usability testing, and accessibility testing, can only be performed by a human tester. Another form of testing in which a human tester adds more value than an automated test is exploratory testing. In exploratory testing, a tester randomly examines the programme, much as an end-user would, to uncover flaws, UI inconsistencies, or hidden problems that developers may have ignored. Automated testing is useful for big projects involving complex computations and for test cases that can repeat. A human tester delivers a higher ROI than automation for features that often change and seldom completed test cases.

Q14: What are some development practices to follow when writing automated tests?

Ans: When developing automated tests, the same software development rules apply. Here are some of the best practices for exam administration.

Validating the tests will fail

• Just as it is critical to verify that software will work, it is critical to ensure that the test will fail if the feature being tested does not satisfy the criteria.
• A test that never fails is worse than no tests since it provides false assurance that the functionality is operational.

Don't Repeat Yourself (DRY)

• It is critical to avoid code duplication.
• The advantage of this technique is that the modification is limited to a single area, which eliminates problems and mistakes.

Keep Functions Small

• Because the testers writing automated tests are unfamiliar with acceptable coding standards, it is easy to fall into the trap of writing massive functions that attempt to handle everything.
• This soon leads to unmaintainable code that the team is hesitant to alter when the requirements change, resulting in out-of-date tests that verify the system's legacy behaviour.

Write Good Documentation

• Having well-written documentation that explains the what and the why is critical for new team members trying to comprehend the tests.
• It can also benefit the person who developed the tests when they want to modify/understand the tests.

Q15: Who should be responsible for test automation? Developers or the QA?

Ans: Since a team is meant to be a unified entity responsible for delivering a high-quality software system, the team must create, execute, and manage test scripts. It means that the developers and QA should work together and complement each other's abilities to execute automated testing properly. Each squad has a unique skill set. Some have more technical testers, some have quality-focused developers, while others have testers from development backgrounds and vice versa. As a result, relegating automated testing to a certain department is not a smart idea. Instead, communication and teamwork are essential for a successful automated testing approach.