As technology advances, testing solutions become more scalable, accelerating the transition of teams from manual testing to Selenium test automation. But in the adult world, nothing is easy. Running multiple tests in parallel is still not scalable for many teams. They tend to follow the traditional sequential approach to testing, but this requires a lot of time, effort.
At this time, a more efficient testing method is needed to solve these problems.
parallel testing
Parallel testing refers to a testing method that runs test cases simultaneously on multiple computers or processors to improve testing efficiency and accuracy. Through parallel testing, the test execution time can be greatly shortened, thereby improving test efficiency, and more defects can be found to improve test coverage and test quality. Through parallel testing, the speed of testing can be accelerated, and potential problems can be found faster at the same time. When a test automation framework is integrated with a cloud solution, it enables testers to scale multiple tests in parallel and smoothly across platforms. The main benefits of parallel testing are:
- Improve testing efficiency: Parallel testing can execute multiple test cases at the same time, thereby speeding up testing and improving testing efficiency.
- Find more defects: Parallel testing can execute more test cases in less time, which can find more defects and improve software quality.
- Reduced cost of testing: Parallel testing can reduce the time and human resources required for testing, thereby reducing the cost of testing.
- Improve test coverage: Parallel testing can execute multiple test cases at the same time, thereby improving test coverage and finding more defects.
- More accurate test results: Parallel testing can execute multiple test cases at the same time, thereby reducing test errors and improving the accuracy of test results.
Parallel Testing in Selenium
Parallel testing in Selenium is a software testing method in which many applications and functions are tested simultaneously in different environments, saving a lot of time and effort and ensuring product quality. Suppose you want to perform sequential testing on 50 different browser and operating system combinations. If each test takes two minutes to complete, the total time required to test all combinations will be 100 minutes. Unlike the above scenario, if four tests are run simultaneously, the execution time is reduced to twenty minutes.
Parallel testing with TestNG and Selenium
Parallel testing is critical to any DevOps testing strategy. Cross browser testing is important and can be achieved with the help of TestNG and Selenium Webdriver. Testing multiple test scripts sequentially on different browsers can be time consuming. TestNG is a Java testing framework that triggers parallel testing. It helps to organize tests and execute them in a structured manner. In Selenium, testers can use parallel properties to execute tests, classes and methods. This all happens simultaneously in an automatically defined XML file, using Java's concept of multithreading. Another way to implement parallel testing with TestNG in Selenium is to pass complex parameters by setting the parallel attribute to true in the method of the data provider annotation.
Why do we need parallel testing in Selenium?
With continuous integration, testers have to write different test scripts for each unique feature. Scripts take time to run, and the only way to speed up testing and other QA tasks at the same time is to parallelize testing. Parallel testing with Selenium is therefore a critical step towards an automated browser testing approach. Parallel testing is mostly used in Selenium due to the cross browser testing feature. Some of the reasons are as follows:
More test range
Parallel testing in Selenium provides better test coverage in less time by allowing automated cross-browser testing without compromising quality. Parallel testing is a faster testing method compared to sequential testing. With parallel testing, there is no need to run tests repeatedly for different operating systems and browsers. Instead, multiple parallel tests can run concurrently.
reduce test time
Parallel testing reduces testing time, allowing QA teams to run important tasks, such as focusing on QA strategy. Unlike sequential testing, parallel testing allows tests to be run on multiple machines simultaneously, reducing testing time. In addition, the latter also removes the chance of human error so that the quality remains the same. Sequential testing is undoubtedly a comprehensive approach to automated browser testing. However, it is neither efficient nor as fast to deliver as parallel testing. And as mentioned earlier, parallel testing is several times as efficient as sequential testing.
Cost-effectiveness
Sequential testing is a time-consuming process that requires development, maintenance, and constant updating of test environments. Managing all of these factors, along with expertise, adds cost to the QA department. On the other hand, parallel testing in Selenium is automated and cloud-based. Therefore, there is no need for maintenance as the cloud infrastructure is always kept up to date with the latest changes.
Optimize CI/CD process
In the evolving combined practice of continuous integration and continuous delivery, testers need to run functional tests frequently. On the other hand, parallel testing allows the QA team to save some time in obtaining and analyzing test data for bug reports. These reports allow developers to understand problem areas and fix bugs quickly, thereby optimizing the CI/CD process. This way, developers can keep up with continuous integration practices and deliver faster. Reports also subtly improve communication between the QA and development teams.
continuous testing
In the case of continuous testing, the testing cycle is faster. Only possible with the help of parallel testing in Selenium. Parallel testing also enables testers to take full advantage of cloud facilities, enabling them to release quality products by executing more tests quickly.
Implement parallel testing
Selenium parallel testing is suitable for the following scenarios:
- Large projects: For large web applications, testing can take hours or days to complete. In this case, using parallel testing can significantly reduce the testing time.
- Multi-platform testing: If you need to test your web application on multiple browsers and operating systems, use parallel testing to run multiple tests simultaneously, saving time and cost.
- Multilingual testing: If you need to test your web application on multiple language versions, use parallel testing to run multiple tests simultaneously, saving time and cost.
- Multiple test types: If you need to run multiple test types at the same time, such as functional tests, performance tests, and security tests, using parallel tests can shorten the test time to a minimum.
The method of choosing Selenium parallel testing depends on your needs and resources. Here are a few options:
- Using Selenium Grid: Selenium Grid is a distributed test execution system that can distribute test cases to multiple nodes for execution. It can set the number of nodes and browsers through configuration files or command lines, and supports different operating systems and browsers. Using Selenium Grid can improve test efficiency and coverage, but requires certain configuration and maintenance work.
- Use multithreading: Using multiple threads on a single machine allows for easy parallel testing. This can be achieved using multithreading libraries in languages like Java or Python. Using multithreading can reduce test time, but it may also cause problems such as resource competition and deadlock.
- Use cloud testing platform: cloud testing platform can provide distributed testing environment and automated testing services. These platforms often include multiple nodes and browsers and can be used on demand. Using a cloud testing platform saves cost and time, but issues such as data privacy and security need to be considered.
In general, which method to choose depends on your specific needs and resources. If you need to implement parallel testing quickly and have the budget, then using a cloud testing platform is probably the best option. If you want to implement parallel testing locally and have some understanding of configuration and maintenance, then using Selenium Grid may be more suitable for you. If you just want to simply implement parallel testing on a single machine, then using multithreading is also a good choice.
Summarize
The timing of Selenium parallel testing can be done at different stages of software testing. In the early stages of software development, Selenium parallel testing can be used to verify the basic functionality and user interface of the system. In the middle stages of software development, Selenium parallel testing can be used to verify the performance, reliability and security of the system. In the later stages of software development, Selenium parallel testing can be used to verify aspects such as compatibility, ease of use, and maintainability of the system. Regardless of the stage of Selenium parallel testing, it can help testers find and fix software defects quickly and accurately, thereby improving software quality and user satisfaction.
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