Automated Testing Without Scripts: Is It Possible?
Software testing plays a key role in checking the quality of any IT product. Previously, testing was performed only manually, which required significant effort and time. However, with the development of technology, testing automation is becoming increasingly popular.
Traditional test automation typically relies on writing scripts to create and execute tests. This requires testers to know programming languages and specific tools, which can be a limiting factor for many professionals.
So many companies are faced with the question: is it possible to create and execute tests using more accessible tools that don't require testers to have deep knowledge of code?
In this article, we will look at this issue and explore new approaches to test automation that allow you to create and run tests without writing scripts. We will also look at the advantages and limitations of this approach.
Limitations of Traditional Automation
Below we will take a closer look at the limitations of test automation that requires scripting.
1. Maintenance complexity: When using scripts to automate testing, the maintenance complexity may be an issue. When the software changes, existing scripts need to be updated and maintained, which will require additional company resources.
2. Dependence on programming skills: Traditional automation methods require testers to know programming languages and specific tools. This can be a problem if the company cannot invest additional resources in training QA specialists.
3. Test development time: Writing and debugging scripts to automate testing can take a significant amount of time, especially for complex software.
Scriptless automation capabilities
There are several approaches to test automation that allow you to create and run tests without having to write scripts. Below we have listed a few:
1. Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for automation: Some tools allow you to record user actions on the screen and generate automated tests based on these actions. Examples of such tools are Selenium IDE, Katalon Recorder, and TestCraft.
2. Low-code / No-code platforms: These platforms help create automated tests even if a person has no knowledge of coding. Users can drag and drop test components to create them without writing scripts. Examples of such platforms are TestProject, Leapwork, and Katalon Studio.
3. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Some tools use artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to create automated tests. They can analyze software, identify elements on the screen, and generate tests based on this analysis. Such tools include Mabl and Testim.
Benefits of Scriptless Automation
1. Simplifying the test creation process: The scriptless approach makes the test creation process more understandable. This speeds up the development of test scenarios.
2. Increased accessibility for specialists without programming skills: even specialists without knowledge of code can create automated tests. This expands the circle of workers who can participate in the process of automated testing.
3. Improved maintainability of automated tests: With scriptless testing automation, software updates can be reflected in tests without the need to manually change them. This reduces the cost of maintaining automated tests and makes them more resilient to changes in the system.
4. Faster implementation of automation: By simplifying the process of creating and maintaining automated tests without scripts, the company can more quickly implement automation into its workflows, which helps reduce the cycle time of IT product development.
Limitations and Disadvantages
While scriptless test automation has its benefits, it also has some limitations:
1. Limited capabilities for complex scenarios: A scriptless approach may be less suitable for complex test scenarios that require deeper interaction with the software. Traditional script-based automation may provide more flexible tools to implement this.
2. Limitations in functionality extension: Some scriptless automation tools may have limited functionality extension capabilities, which can be problematic when you need to implement specific or atypical tests.
3. Dependence on the quality of interface element recognition: many scriptless tools rely on the recognition of interface elements, their hierarchy and properties. This can lead to problems when changing the interface of an IT product, which will require additional work to support tests.
4. Difficulty in handling large amounts of data: When automating tests without scripts, it can be difficult to handle large amounts of data or perform repetitive operations.
There are advantages to scriptless testing automation. It will help specialists without deep knowledge of writing code who want to do automation. If a company wants to improve the quality of its IT product, it is better to find experienced QA specialistswhich will also be able to carry out automated testing.
