Automation Tools: Weak Points

The IT sphere began to develop rather fast and it still does not ‘lose its steam’. Since1950, the programming products are developed very often, and their types and capabilities are extremely different. Various programming languages have appeared.

Last decades, automated testing is applied rather widely. But earlier (until the end of 1980), the automation was rather inconvenient procedure, as it required complex and bulk equipment. Thus, the automation could be performed only by certain organizations.

Moreover, it was impossible to automate module testing; only the whole system checking could be conducted. And developers could not check their own programs because they did not have the necessary equipment.

Fortunately, nowadays the situation is totally different. Different automation tools are available (open-source and commercial). To perform automated functional testing or load testing, the huge equipment is not required.

Modern automation tools have a range of advantages, such as:

• It is possible to check the product through the user interface.
• Some tools do not require the programming knowledge and skills.
• They are able to imitate the user’s activity.
• The tools can record and reproduce the user’s actions.

The tools of this type are widely used not only be testers but by the programmers as well. But still, such tools have several weak points. The key aspects are:

• flexibility
• maintenance.

To maintain the auto tests requires much effort. These tests are not flexible – they should be edited after every (even small system change). This point affects the product cost-effectiveness and may lead to serious problems. 

Source: QATestLab