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Table of contents
1.
Introduction 
2.
Importance of regression testing
3.
How to perform regression testing
3.1.
Test Case Selection
3.2.
Estimate Time For Execution
3.3.
Identify Test Cases For Automation
3.4.
Prioritize The Test Cases
3.5.
Execute Test Cases
4.
Automated Regression Testing Tools
5.
Types of Regression Testing Techniques
6.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Regression Testing
6.1.
Advantages of regression testing
6.2.
Disadvantages of regression testing
7.
Difference Between Regression Testing and Retesting
8.
FAQs
9.
Key Takeaways
Last Updated: Mar 27, 2024

Regression testing

Introduction 

In this blog, we will learn about regression testing and some terminologies related to it, and we will also discuss different types of regression testing techniques. Finally, we will discuss some advantages and disadvantages of regression testing.

Regression testing is a kind of Software Testing that verifies an application and continues to work as anticipated after any code revisions, updates, or enhancements.

The general stability and functioning of existing features are ensured via regression testing. Regression testing is used whenever a new change to the code is made to ensure that the system remains stable under continual improvement after each update.

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Importance of regression testing

In today's software development processes, test automation is a must. Likewise, automated regression testing is seen as an essential jigsaw aspect.

Product teams may obtain detailed feedback and react quickly with a fast regression testing methodology. Regression testing identifies new flaws early in the deployment cycle, saving organizations money and time by eliminating the need to engage in expenses and maintenance efforts to fix existing bugs. A seemingly little change may sometimes have a cascading impact on the product's core operations.

As a result, developers and testers must not allow any change to escape their control, no matter how little.

Functional tests look at how new features and capabilities behave, not with current features and capabilities. As a result, without regression testing, determining the underlying cause and product architecture is more complex and time-consuming.

How to perform regression testing

Below is a diagram depicting how regression testing is performed:

 

Test Case Selection

As the name implies, we choose the test cases that need to be retested. You will not test the whole test suite, and the test cases will be selected based on the module where there is a change in the source code.
Finally, separate the test cases into two categories: i) reusable and (ii) obsolete. Reusable ones will be utilized in future regression cycles, while Obsolete ones will not be considered for the subsequent testing cycles.

Estimate Time For Execution

The next step is to estimate how long it will take to run the specified test scenarios. Test data development, regression test preparation by the QA team, evaluation of all test cases, and so on are all factors influencing execution time.

Identify Test Cases For Automation

The QA team can pick which test cases to automate depending on the findings of exploratory testing in this stage. Automated test cases are more efficient than manual testing and allow you to reuse the same script several times. As a result, categorize the test cases as i) manual and (ii) automated test cases.

Prioritize The Test Cases

Here, we assemble all test cases and rank them as high, medium, or low. Based on this evaluation, you will execute the high-priority test cases first, followed by medium and low-priority test cases. The priority will be determined by the functionality of the product and the level of user interaction.

Execute Test Cases

Finally, it's time to go through all of the test cases one by one to see if the product is functioning correctly. Depending on the situation, you can choose between manual testing and automation. Using technologies such as Selenium, QTP, Watir, and others for automated regression testing helps you perform test cases more quickly.

Automated Regression Testing Tools

Automated Regression Testing (ART) is a type of testing that automates most of our testing tasks. We ran all of the previously executed test cases on a new build.

This shows that we have a set of test cases available and that manually executing these test cases takes time. Automating these test cases saves time and is an efficient regression test method since we know what to expect. The level of automation needed is decided by the number of test cases that will remain relevant over time. If test cases change over time and the application's scope increases, automating regression methods becomes a waste of effort.

Most regression testing tools are of the record and playback variety. You may record test cases by traversing through the AUT (application under test) and confirming whether or not the anticipated outcomes are there.

Following are some of the tools used for regression testing:

  1. Katalon Studio
  2. Selenium
  3. Watir
  4. IBM Rational Functional Tester
  5. Apache JMeter

Types of Regression Testing Techniques

There are seven different types of regression testing techniques which are as follows:

 

  1. Unit Regression Testing - This is a critical component of unit testing. This test is primarily concerned with the coding unit, and it ensures that any resulting dependencies are blocked out throughout the test. This test mainly focuses on reoccurring flaws and critical aspects under examination. The primary goal of this test is to provide a functional unit of code that improves and adds value to the program as a whole.
     
  2. Corrective Regression Testing - This form of regression testing is used when no modifications have been made to the product's specifications. Furthermore, no new test cases are required because current tests may be utilized to test and finally extract the desired conclusion.
     
  3. Selective Regression Testing - This regression test is designed to assess the impact of the newly inserted code on the current application software. This regression test ensures that only a subset of the existing test cases is used. This decreases the expense of retesting and the labor required to create a new test case from the start.
     
  4. Reset All Test Case - This is a time-consuming regression testing method since a lot of time is spent. This also includes testing all current features of any given product and reusing all test cases, even in regions or portions where no test cases have been created. This test is entirely unnecessary when only a minor update has been included in the existing product.
     
  5. Progressive Regression Testing - This regression test performs admirably when minor modifications are made to the program requirements, and new test cases are developed. This type of testing ensures that none of the prior features have been compromised in the current version.
     
  6. Complete Regression Testing - This is the most remarkable regression testing method to utilize if significant changes occur in your test code. This is utilized primarily when there is a considerable change in the software's base code. This is useful for dealing with unexpected errors and testing the program before passing it on to the user.
     
  7. Partial Regression Testing - As the name implies, partial regression testing is performed whenever new code is added to an existing piece of code. Check that the system is still operating as it did previously.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Regression Testing

Advantages of regression testing

  • Regression testing increases the quality of a product.
  • This sort of testing may be carried out automatically.
  • It assures that the flaws and issues that have been resolved do not reappear.
  • This form of testing ensures that the changes do not affect the previously tested code's functionality and discovers any side effects.
  • During integration testing, regression tests might be employed. They will be more beneficial in this instance.

Disadvantages of regression testing

  • If automated tools are not employed, it may be time and resource-intensive.
  • It's essential even if the code has just minor modifications.

Difference Between Regression Testing and Retesting


 

FAQs

  1. What are the different challenges faced in regression testing techniques?
    → High Upfront Cost
    → Testing Approach
    → Enormous scope and coverage
    → Complexity
     
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    Have you heard of the Internet, sometimes referred colloquially to as the NET? I think you came upon this Coding Ninjas Studio blog by surfing the web. Have you thought about the Internet? Computer networks have become a crucial part of our lives and technical interviews because the Internet links all network-enabled devices and allows them to share data and information.
     
  3. What is retesting?
    Retesting entails rerunning previously failed test cases on new software to see whether the faults reported before have been resolved.

Key Takeaways

This article discussed regression testing and some basic terminologies related to it. 

 I hope you have gained some insight into this topic of regression testing; please do upvote this blog, If you want to learn more about such interesting topics then you can refer to our platform Coding Ninjas Studio

Thank you for reading.

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