Can automated testing Replace manual Test _ Testing

Absrtact: Manual testing and automated testing are important ways of software quality assurance, and are also two kinds of testing methods that many testers scramble to discuss. How to correctly look at these two test methods, better to make the combination of both is the topic we want to discuss now. This paper summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of automated testing and manual testing, enumerates their applicable ranges, and analyzes the reasons why automated tests cannot ultimately replace manual tests.

1, automated testing is a panacea.

Automated testing has many advantages, such as fast, comprehensive, reliable, programmable, reusable, reusable. Potential customers of automated test products and solutions often envision automated tests in the following ways:

Fast: Obviously test script execution is much faster than manual execution, and compared to manual tests, computers can perform tests without fatigue, and work 24 hours a day without a break

Comprehensive: All tests can be automated, and you can build a test package that covers every function of the application

Reliability: Each test script performs the same operation at run time, thus reducing the human error, eliminating the uncertainty of the human test and making the test results more objective.

Programmable: You can write complex test scripts to find hidden information in the application

Repeatable: For the same operation to repeat, computer software can be easily completed

Reusable: You can use test scripts repeatedly to test different versions of your application, even if the user interface changes

So it's possible to replace manual tests with automated tests. The answer is in the negative. There is no doubt that automated testing has these advantages, but these advantages exist under certain constraints. Although people have a good desire for automated testing, automated testing is not the weapon of God we dream of.

Frederick p. Brooks, Jr. In 1986, wrote an article entitled "No Silver Bullet: the fundamental and secondary issues of software Engineering" (No Silver bullet–essence and accidents of Software Engineer ing). This article lists some of the expectations of the development of software engineering technology and compares it with reality. His arguments are summed up as follows: Without a single technical or managerial advance, you can independently commit to significantly improve the productivity, reliability, and simplicity of the software within 10 years. Brooks encourages us to view technology and methods as an evolutionary tool, not a revolution.

I fully agree with Brooks, which helps us to understand the true meaning of automated testing, automated testing, or the implementation of automated testing strategies and tools, which is undoubtedly powerful, efficient, and rewarding, but is just a tool in the tester's toolbox that does not replace the status of testers. Let's go back and analyze the prerequisites that are required to automate the test features.

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