Test Automation vs. Autonomous Testing: The Pros and Cons

Feb 13, 2023 | Product Insights, Test Automation Insights

There are benefits and drawbacks to both test automation and autonomous testing. Learn what they are here to make the best testing decision for you.

An essential part of any software development project is the testing stage. No company wants to release software to the public without being sure it works as intended. Software development teams have found multiple ways to test their creations and ensure that your software works correctly without major bugs. Two popular testing methods are test automation and autonomous testing, which are faster than manual testing. 

Today we will look at test automation vs. autonomous testing and the pros and cons of each of them. 

Test Automation vs. Autonomous Testing: Which Is Right for You?

When creating operating systems or applications, the lines of code are the most important parts and must be tested thoroughly. Unit testing ensures everything works correctly, and then you must do regression testing to provide a product of the highest standard. 

Test automation uses automated testing tools to look for any flaws in your code and reports them. The test can be run on multiple devices and is normally created and checked by humans. This is unlike autonomous testing, where a test suite is created without human assistance. 

Each team and the software they are creating will have its own testing needs. Some teams could choose to use test automation, while others may feel they should try autonomous testing.

The differences between these tests may appear confusing at first glance, but they have unique benefits. Test automation can reduce fatigue and increase productivity, while an autonomous test takes less training to perform the test. Let’s discuss the pros and cons of each testing process in more detail to find out which would be better for you. 

Pros of Automation Testing Practices

Why use test automation in software testing? Automation testing allows teams to run many unit tests at once. A continuous testing process can be installed on multiple mobile devices and ensure that functional testing can be performed on every piece of the code created. 

There are many pros of test automation practices. Automated testing tools and trusted brands like Ranorex can equal a lot of savings for your company in terms of labor and time.

Minimizes Manual Tester Costs

Manual testing was once the only way to ensure that a team’s creations were bug-free. But performing multiple tests on each piece of code can take a really long time, as can the creation of tests in the first place. It also takes a lot of money.

Manual testing allows you to personalize the test you use to check your work, but it can be hard to determine which tests are needed and then implement them.

That is where test automation comes in. The process is much quicker, and the testing suite is already created for you if you use a third-party company to perform the test. All tests performed on your product are relevant and thorough.

Increases Accuracy and Efficiency

Another massive bonus of test automation is that it can increase accuracy and efficiency in the workplace and during the creation process. 

Testing the code ensures that your final product is accurate and all faults are removed before it impacts your investors and users. The test finds the mistakes, and human engineers review the code and fix any errors. You can even use automation tools to test specific pieces of code.

Cons of Testing Automation

As much as we love test automation, this process can have a few drawbacks. Automation engineers and testers need experience and knowledge to create automated tests, and these tests can take time to create. Using a company that is focused only on creating these tests makes this a lot easier.

Implementation Takes a Long Time

Creating a test script automation can be tricky, and it can take time to implement this series of tests into your development process. But this can be avoided when using automated testing tools that will run these tests for you at a fraction of the time limit. 

Increases Time Spent on Maintenance Efforts

Automated testing tools need to be maintained and adapted for different types of software under development. Doing all of this yourself can increase the time that you have to spend on maintenance, but partnering with a company like Ranorex can eliminate this problem.

Pros of Autonomous Testing Solutions

Autonomous testing has been compared to AI technology due to the fact that no human contact is needed during the test process. 

Ranorex DesignWise is a powerful tool that offers a comprehensive solution for autonomous testing. This tool gives users the ability to create test cases and run them in an automated manner. You don’t need any manual intervention. It has an intuitive graphical interface that makes it easy to create and maintain test cases for any application. Not only does it support a variety of technologies (such as artificial intelligence and machine learning) to enable advanced automation capabilities, but it also has comprehensive reporting capabilities.

This allows for detailed test results that can be analyzed quickly and easily. Because it has such powerful and comprehensive capabilities, Ranorex DesignWise can automate the entire testing process, allowing for rapid and efficient testing of different applications.

Autonomous testing is still relatively new and is less trusted than other testing processes, but there are a number of benefits to using this type of technology. 

Doesn’t Require Extensive Training

One of the most significant benefits of autonomous testing solutions is that it does not require extensive training to perform these tests. The tests are performed by a machine that does not need human intervention to do its job. Autonomous capabilities ensure that you don’t need skilled testers on the project. 

At the same time, forgoing human involvement to check for mistakes or errors can be risky. Having a human employee review the results is still a good way to pick up any errors. 

Gives You an Advantage Over the Competition

Autonomous testing is newer technology and can be used to give you an advantage over the competition. Your entire team can stay focused on the software development process and leave the autonomous testing solution to take care of the testing phase of the project. 

This frees up a lot of time for your team. They will have more opportunities to be creative and inspired and get ahead of the game when it comes to the competition. 

Cons of Autonomous Testing Tools

As great as this new tool is, it still has a long way to go to be completely free of any cons. We are living in a time of digital transformation. Autonomous technology is growing, and many industries are using this type of tech more often. But they aren’t foolproof 100% of the time. 

For example, self-driving or autonomous vehicles have come a long way, but there are still several things that can go wrong. And while they are called autonomous, they still need a human driver behind the steering wheel to step in if anything goes wrong. 

Much the same can be said for autonomous testing tools. They are great tools, but some drawbacks have still been reported. 

Autonomous Tools Can’t Test Live Data

It isn’t easy to use autonomous testing tools to test live data because these tools aren’t as adaptable as some other solutions could be. They are programmed to assume a certain state and perform a list of actions. These actions will then expect certain results. If these results aren’t met, then the autonomous tool sees the test as a failure. It will assume there is an error somewhere.

With live test data, things can change slightly and create different results without any bugs or errors. But since the autonomous testing tool can’t adapt to these changing situations, it will still conclude that there was a failure analysis. 

Results Are Hard To Produce Using Data-Driven Testing

Data-driven tests use a large amount of data to test the code. Large amounts of coding are needed to perform these data-driven tests, and they can require some time and maintenance. And once again, the results of these types of tests can be hard to predict. 

Because such a large amount of data is involved, it is hard to predict exact results for certain actions. This means creating autonomous tests that will give accurate results will be challenging. You need different tests to run at the same time to work through all of the data and human testing engineers who can look at the results and interpret them. 

Autonomous testing makes this difficult.

Invest in the Best Test Automation Solution

Autonomous testing is an excellent tool for the future. But at the moment, it still has a lot of drawbacks that can cost your team more than benefit it. That is why many software development groups still use a trusted name in test automation solutions: Ranorex. 

Our test automation tools are reliable, and we can help you get the best results. You can save your team time and money while making sure that your software has been tested thoroughly. Contact us today to find out more about the benefits of using a test automation tool.

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