To become profitable, software applications need to deliver both complex functionalities and richer user experience across devices and platforms. Businesses nowadays keep changing the requirements and specifications throughout the development process to make the software more innovative and distinct. Each time the source code of the software changes, there is an impact on existing features and functionalities. Hence, it is also important for the business to get both changed and unchanged parts of the software tested each time a new feature or functionality is added to the software.
The Software QA testers need to perform elaborate regression testing to check how the changes made to the code or program affects the existing features and functionalities of the software. They have to re-execute all test cases to check if the application is functioning flawlessly despite the changes made to the code, and if the changes made to the code created any new bugs. There are a number of reasons why regression testing must be performed as part of the release cycle of the software application.
Understanding Importance of Regression Testing
Assess the Compatibility of New Code and Existing Code
While adding a new feature to the software, developers have to write additional code. They further integrate the new code into the existing code base without focusing on quality. So it becomes essential for businesses to assess the quality of the entire code base. The modified and unmodified code must comply with each other perfectly and without affecting the functionality of the software. The testers perform regression testing to check if the new code complies with the existing code base, and identify all bugs or issues which gets added during the compilation process.
Detects Bugs Created due to Changes Made to the Code
The developers often rewrite specific parts of the software while adding a new feature or functionality. Likewise, they also make changes to the source code of the application while repairing bugs or issues identified during testing. A number of new bugs comes up each time the source code changes. Regression testing helps testers to identify the new bugs, so that developers fix them without any delay.
Helps to Identify Undesirable Issues
Each time the developers do changes in source code, the testers need to assess the software’s functionality and performance in varying environments. When the software is testers under different conditions, it becomes easier for testers to identify the undesirable issues generated due to changes made to the code. The users can reuse the existing test cases to perform regression testing of the application in different environments and conditions.
Facilitates Integration Testing
The testers often explore ways to perform integrating testing of software efficiently and quickly. The conventional integration testing techniques require testing professionals to put additional time and effort. But regression testing makes it easier for testers to perform integration testing without any hassle. They can perform elaborate regression testing to ensure that the application functions flawlessly after integrating all parts or modules of the project.
Simplifies Software Maintenance
An organization can easily deliver a flawless software application by testing it early and continuously. The testers can re-execute all test cases to check how the software functions each time they modify the source code. They can further identify the real issues affecting the software’s functionality after adding new features of fixing bugs. QA testers need to identify and repair all bugs and performance issues during development phase. Businesses can perform regression testing as part of software release cycle to simplify maintenance and avoid bug fixes in future.
However, Software QA testers often have to conduct regression testing within a stipulated amount of time and without increasing the software’s time to market. So it becomes essential for businesses to perform regression testing with specialized tools and frameworks. These tools enable testers to re-execute all test cases within a shorter amount of time. Also, the testers can reuse test cases to assess the impact of changes made to the code under varying conditions.
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