Continuous testing is an effective way to support, enhance, and hasten DevOps pipelines. It relies heavily on automation to execute part of the software delivery pipeline. However, many industry experts agree that the two terms are not interchangeable. Continuous testing also transforms testing from a linear, time-based approach to more comprehensive monitoring of every activity in the software delivery cycle. This process relies not only on automation but also on teams, tools, and operations.

With this in mind, here are six ways continuous testing in DevOps can prevent disasters on your software journey.

1.Catching Errors Early

Continuous testing in DevOps starts with unit testing that aims at getting quick responses on newly written code. A unit is essentially the smallest identifiable component of code in a system. It could be an individual function, module, or procedure. This phase helps ensure that the code is structured well and optimized for implementation in later stages.

A well-organized and executed unit testing will make it easier to catch errors in isolated components of your pipeline. And debugging and fixing problems become more streamlined. The more rigorous the testing, the fewer problems arise later on.

2.Well-Planned Integration

The integration testing phase monitors what happens when individual software components merge into the shared pipeline. The aim here is to test the interface between modules and ensure that the build remains stable as you introduce new code. The process will test whether the components work as intended when they are integrated and expose faults in the integration between individual components.

A module may be designed by an individual developer with a different understanding and approach to programming than other team members. Such differences in approach make integration testing necessary to ensure the software modules work in unity.

3.Ensuring Continuity

We start the regression testing phase when the code is finalized by deploying it across different servers and resources to test whether the application works in an environment that mimics the production. The aim here is to ensure that changes made to the codebase do not impact the software’s functionality. Additional improvements such as bug fixes, software updates, and new features are tested to ensure that the software can be modified without compromising its intended functionality.

4.User Feedback

After the initial testing phases, when the software is proven to be stable and functional, the next testing phase is production testing. After the software has been released to a limited audience, new updates to the code are tested. The testing is done on live traffic rather than in a staging environment. It is an essential part of understanding the scope of your software, as live traffic will reveal scenarios and context that is hard to simulate in a closed environment.

Live feedback also provides the opportunity to understand whether your software meets expectations. This stage of the product life cycle allows developers to see what improvements are needed and act on them. Therefore, user feedback is essential to continuous testing as it enables product modifications where necessary.

5.Exploration and Discovery

The final testing phase occurs when automated testing is shifted to manual or live testing with interactions designed to break an application or reveal unexpected outcomes purposely. The aim here is to subject the software to unpredictable outcomes to see how well the build holds up against parameters that are not controlled. The focus here is not stability but discovery.

This is how developers learn to adapt to circumstances and discover the potential of what the software has to offer. This phase is also described as simultaneous learning, test design, and execution. The scope of other testing phases does not reveal the defects that become apparent in the final testing phase.

6.Time Management

Applying DevOps continuous testing to your pipeline has several benefits, including saving time on builds. Developers don’t have to wait for quality analysis teams to complete their testing to go back and fix their code which is a laborious process. It cuts the feedback cycle significantly, allows faster release cycles, and improves the overall quality of the software as everything is tested on the build or earlier.

Read how Continuous testing in DevOps can accelerate your Agile journey 

Conclusion

Continuous testing in DevOps is a practice utilized by many high-profile software companies and is proven to be an effective way of ensuring your software performs well. Repeatedly checking different aspects of the pipeline from the early stages to final delivery saves time, reduces risk, and improves the quality of your build. Shifting from a linear to a cyclic approach in DevOps continuous testing offers improved efficiency with a holistic understanding of the different nuances of a DevOps pipeline.

No doubt, applying continuous testing in DevOps to your project will be highly beneficial to the team and the outcome of your software build.

 

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