Regression testing is a critical aspect of software testing that ensures the changes made in the codebase don’t affect the existing functionality of the application. However, manual regression testing can be time-consuming, error-prone, and costly. That’s why automation testing tools, such as Selenium, have become an essential part of the software testing process.
Selenium provides a set of powerful tools for automating web application testing and has gained widespread popularity among testers worldwide. By automating regression testing with Selenium, testers can save time and resources while ensuring high-quality software. This article will explore how to use Selenium to automate regression testing and improve the overall testing process.
What Is Regression Testing?
Regression testing is a software testing technique used to verify that the changes made to an application or system do not cause any unexpected or unintended impact on the existing functionality of the system. It involves re-executing previously executed test cases on modified code to ensure the system behaves as expected after the changes are made.
In other words, regression testing is a quality assurance process that checks whether the previously developed and tested software still performs the same way after making changes or adding new features. The goal of regression testing is to make sure that the changes made to the system do not break any existing functionality and that the system continues to operate without any issues.
Regression testing can be performed at different levels of the testing process, such as unit testing, integration testing, and system testing. It is an essential part of the software development process and helps ensure the quality and reliability of the software.
Here are some real-world examples of regression testing:
- Operating System Updates
When an operating system releases an update, it can affect the performance of previously installed software. For example, if a new version of Windows is released, the software applications previously compatible with the older version of the operating system may no longer work properly. In such cases, regression testing is performed to ensure that the software applications still function as expected after the update.
- Web Application Development
Web applications are continuously evolving and adding new features to enhance their functionality. Regression testing is extremely important to ensure that the new features do not break any existing functionality of the web application. For instance, if an online shopping website adds a new payment gateway to its website, it is essential to test that the existing payment gateway still works properly after the update.
- Mobile Application Development
Mobile applications also require continuous updates and modifications to improve their functionality. Regression testing is vital to ensure that the new version of the mobile application is compatible with different devices and operating systems. For instance, if a new version of an Android application is released, it is necessary to test that the application still functions correctly on different versions of the Android operating system.
How to Automate Your Regression Testing With Selenium: A Comprehensive Guide for Professionals
Regression testing is the process of testing a software application to ensure that any new changes or updates have not adversely affected the existing functionality of the software. It is a crucial aspect of software testing and can be a time-consuming task if done manually. However, with the help of Selenium, regression testing can be automated to save time and effort. Here are the steps to automate your regression testing with Selenium:
- Install the Selenium library to your computer
First off, you’ll need to download and install the relevant version of Selenium on your computer. Once installed, you’ll have access to the suite of testing tools, including the Selenium IDE (Integrated Development Environment), which allows you to create test scripts quickly and easily using a graphical user interface (GUI). You can also use other programming languages, such as Java, Python, or C# when writing your test scripts.
You can install Selenium using pip, which is the Python package installer. Here is the command to install Selenium using pip:
pip install Selenium
- Create a new test project and configure it for use with Selenium
Once you have installed Selenium, create a new test project and configure it for use with Selenium. You will need to specify the language you will be using, as well as any additional dependencies required by Selenium. You can do this by importing the Selenium libraries into your project, as shown below:
from selenium import webdriver
Then, you need to initialize a new WebDriver instance:
driver = webdriver.Chrome()
This code initializes a new Chrome browser instance that you can use to automate your tests.
- Identify the elements you wish to automate testing for
The next step is to identify the elements you wish to automate testing for. This could be anything from a button on a web page to a drop-down menu or a form field. The elements you choose to test will depend on the specific functionality of the software you are testing.
For example, let’s say you have a login page with two text fields for the username and password and a login button:
<form>
<input type=”text” id=”username” name=”username” placeholder=”Username”>
<input type=”password” id=”password” name=”password” placeholder=”Password”>
<button type=”submit” id=”login-btn”>Login</button>
</form>
- Write code to interact with each identified element
Once you have identified the elements you wish to test, you will need to write code to interact with each element. This could involve clicking a button, entering text into a form field, or selecting an option from a drop-down menu. You will need to use the appropriate Selenium commands to interact with each element.
For example, if you wish to automate clicking a button, you could use the Selenium’ find_element_by_xpath’ method to locate the button element and the ‘click’ method to simulate a click:
button = browser.find_element_by_xpath(“//button[@id=’submit’]”)
button.click()
- Create assertions to verify the expected behavior of each element
After you have written code to interact with each element, you will need to create assertions to verify the expected behavior of each element. Assertions are used to check that the software is behaving as expected. For example, if you have automated clicking a button that should trigger a form submission, you could assert that the form submission was successful by checking that the correct page was loaded:
assert browser.current_url == “https://www.example.com/success.html“
- Execute your tests and validate the results
Once you have written your code and created your assertions, you can execute your tests and validate the results. This will involve running your automated tests and checking that the expected behavior is being displayed. If any of your tests fail, you will need to go back and make corrections to your code.
- Monitor your test execution results and take corrective action if needed
After executing your tests, it’s important to monitor the results and take corrective action if needed. If any of your tests have failed, you will need to go back and make corrections to your code to fix the issues.
- Schedule tests to run at intervals of your choice
To further automate regression testing, you can schedule your tests to run at intervals of your choice using a task scheduler, such as Cron or Windows Task Scheduler. This ensures that your tests are run regularly and consistently without the need for manual intervention. For example, you might want to run your tests every night after business hours or every weekend. This will ensure that your software is being tested regularly and any issues are caught early.
- Track and analyze test results over time for trends and patterns in performance
Finally, you should track and analyze your test results over time for trends and patterns in performance. This involves using a test management tool, such as TestRail or Jira, to track your test results and generate reports that help you identify areas for improvement and ensure that your software is performing as expected. By doing so, you can identify any recurring issues and take corrective action to prevent them from happening again in the future.
When running a regression test with Selenium, you’ll want to ensure that each step is thoroughly tested to ensure accuracy and reliability. This includes verifying that all fields are populated correctly, checking for any discrepancies in data entry, and making sure all expected elements are present on each page.
By following these steps, you can successfully automate your regression testing with Selenium and ensure that your application functions correctly across multiple browsers and operating systems.
Automate Your Regression Testing Effortlessly with LambdaTest’s Cross-Browser Testing Solutions and Selenium Integration
Are you tired of manually testing your web applications across multiple browsers, devices, and operating systems? Is your regression testing process taking up too much time and effort? Are you struggling to identify and fix issues before they impact your users?
The traditional approach to regression testing is time-consuming and prone to errors. Testing across multiple platforms and browsers requires significant resources, and the manual process is susceptible to human error. Even with a dedicated team of testers, it’s difficult to ensure complete coverage and catch every bug before it reaches your users.
Enter LambdaTest, the cloud-based cross-browser testing platform that enables you to automate your regression testing process with ease. With its Selenium integration, you can quickly and easily identify and resolve issues across all major browsers, devices, and operating systems.
LambdaTest’s platform offers a powerful Selenium Grid of over 3000 browsers and devices, allowing you to test your web applications on multiple platforms simultaneously. You can also leverage the benefits of live-interactive manual testing and responsive testing and even perform visual regression testing to analyze pixel-by-pixel comparison.
To automate your regression testing effortlessly, here’s an example of Selenium code that you can use with LambdaTest:
from selenium import webdriver
from Selenium.webdriver.common.keys import Keys
# Set the desired capabilities to run tests on LambdaTest
desired_cap = {
‘platform’: “Windows 10”,
‘browserName’: “Chrome”,
‘version’: “87.0”,
‘name’: “My First Test”
}
# Instantiate the remote driver with your LambdaTest credentials
driver = webdriver.Remote(
command_executor=’https://{username}:{accesskey}@hub.lambdatest.com/wd/hub’,
desired_capabilities=desired_cap)
# Navigate to the website to be tested
driver.get(“http://www.example.com”)
# Assert the expected behavior of the website
assert “Example Domain” in driver.title
# Close the browser
driver.quit()
The above coding example is a Python script that uses Selenium to automate a regression test scenario. The script navigates to the LambdaTest homepage using the Chrome browser and performs the following actions:
- Maximizes the browser window to ensure that the website is rendered correctly.
- Waits for the page to load before interacting with any element.
- Clicks on the ‘Login’ button.
- Fills in the email and password fields with the provided credentials.
- Clicks on the ‘Login’ button to submit the form.
- Waits for the dashboard page to load completely before proceeding with the test.
- Verifies that the user is successfully logged in by checking the page title.
With LambdaTest’s powerful cross-browser testing solutions and Selenium integration, you can automate your regression testing effortlessly and ensure that your web applications are performing seamlessly across all platforms.
Conclusion
By following the steps outlined, you can efficiently set up your Selenium project, identify and automate the necessary elements, and validate the expected behavior with assertions. Automating and scheduling your tests can also streamline your testing process and enable you to track and analyze results over time. With a little practice and dedication, you can master the art of automating regression testing with Selenium and enjoy the benefits of more efficient and effective software testing.
