In 2016, Nest Thermostat released an update that rendered all their devices’ software unresponsive. On one of the coldest weekends, customers were forced to contend with the weather. The company realized it needed adequate regression testing before upgrading the software. Regression testing is one of the forms of testing that the QA team uses to ensure that new features don’t break existing functionalities and that the software is working as intended.

Testing is frequently ignored or not given the same importance in the software development lifecycle. A feature-rich program that is buggy can cost more money and cause user base erosion. Regression testing is a technique used in software testing to verify that an application still performs as expected after any modifications, updates, or improvements to the code. In this article, we will look into the various aspects of regression testing and how regression testing enhances product quality. We will also see its contribution to Agile methodology and the tools used in regression testing by expert testers in the industry.

Why Perform Regression Testing

The general stability and efficiency of the current features are ensured with adequate regression testing. Regression testing is used to ensure that the system continues to function properly even after update. Some code changes can result in flaws or malfunctions. Regression testing aims to reduce these risks. An application typically undergoes a number of tests before the modifications are incorporated into the main development code. Product teams can obtain more detailed feedback and react immediately with a speedy regression testing procedure. Regression testing finds new vulnerabilities early in the deployment cycle, saving firms the expense and work of fixing the accumulated errors or bugs.

Significance Of Regression Testing In Agile

Agile methodology is based on quick iterative procedures with brief sprint cycles that provide features for each cycle. To maintain a healthy balance between sprint development and the iterative testing cycles that follow, testing cycles should be shorter. Agile development is quick and dynamic, and engineers rapidly produce new features. Regression testing must be prioritized and performed with each new build in the agile setting to ensure that the new addition or change to the code does not impair the functionality of already-existing functionalities.

Regression Testing Techniques

Expert QA testers employ different regression testing techniques based on the testing requirements. Here are the 4 main regression testing techniques:

Comprehensive Regression Testing

Testers test all critical test cases in regression testing. Although this approach demands a lot of time and resources, it is the safest technique to guarantee that ongoing modifications do not impact existing system functionality. There are some scenarios when the comprehensive regression testing strategy works better than others, such as when a modification is made to the application for a new platform or language or when the operating system receives a significant update.

Regression Test Selection 

Regression testing can be restricted to specific codes that new updates or changes may impact. The selection of test cases is done on the basis of code change in the module. Testers can execute fewer, more pertinent test cases by focusing on the connected regions, which will cut down on the time and work required for regression testing.

Test Case Prioritization 

Testers will prioritize the testcases to run them first, considering the factors like failure rate, business effect, new updates or changes and functionality used more frequently. Testers execute the high-priority test cases first over medium and low-priority test cases.

Hybrid Regression Testing

The hybrid approach combines test case prioritization with regression test selection. Choose only the repetitive test cases, according to the priority rather than choosing the whole test suite.

Regression Testing Tools

Here are some common tools for regression testing that helps QA testers to render a high-quality product for the end users.

Katalon Studio

Katalon Studio is an end-to-end automation tool that supports functional and regression testing. It makes these processes simple and straightforward tasks for testers. Through Katalon Studio we can test websites, web services, and mobile applications and also enables the execution of scripts across various platforms, browsers, and settings. Testers can review test findings in-depth using thorough and editable test reports in the LOG, HTML, CSV, and PDF formats.

Selenium

A wide range of Selenium’s functionalities is available for automating web applications. It is still one of the best tools for cross-platform and browser-based regression testing tools. Selenium supports Data-driven testing and automated test scripts for large-scale QA teams with in-depth knowledge of the tool. 

Watir

Watir stands for Web Application Testing in Ruby. It is a language-based open-source package that allows for creating simple-to-read and maintains tests on a light and adaptable user interface. Watir enables a range of user interaction features for website testing, functions like clicking links, completing forms, and validating texts across several browsers.

IBM Rational Functional Tester

IBM’s Rational Functional Tester, sometimes known as RFT, is a tool for automating software testing. Through RFT, we can perform Functional, regression, GUI, and data-driven software testing, as well as testing of applications (web-based,.Net, Java, Siebel, SAP, and more).

Apache JMeter

Through the open-source test automation tool Apache JMeter, testers can load functional test behaviors and gauge test performance. It can perform a wide range of testing functions, such as supporting load and performance tests on numerous servers, apps, or protocols and offering an entire regression test suite for the end-users.

Comprehensive Regression Testing Solutions

Regression Testing can enhance the user experience and overall product quality. The correct regression testing tools can effectively find errors and help deliver a clean, seamless experience for end users. Regression testing in Agile also has various technical and commercial benefits. Businesses have greater control over the budget, procedure, and error mitigation with a strategic test plan to conduct regression testing.

QAonCloud specializes in various tools and regression testing techniques to render a smooth, high-quality and error-free end-user experience. Our expert QA testers use their skills combined with the latest testing tools and techniques to perform comprehensive regression testing of any scale for various products. Learn more about how our Regression Testing solutions can enhance your product experience.