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5 Major Myths Around Scriptless Automation Testing

What is Scriptless Automation Testing?

‘Scriptless Automation Testing’, “an automation technique that does not require writing lines of testing script/code.”

The best part of this type of the scriptless test automation technique is that automation can be done by both manual and automation testers.

The main logic of Test Automation needs to be handled at the framework level and thus the framework for scriptless automation testing should provide a good capability of customization to cover complex testing scenarios.

Features of a Scriptless Test Automation Framework

The approach for building a framework for scriptless automation testing should ensure the following features:

  • Ease of use – Since the end-user is not going to write code, the framework should be built in such a way that the end-user can automate the functionalities easily in simple steps
  • Minimum Maintenance Effort – By knowing the fact that the user of this technique is a non-coder, the backend configuration should be done in such a way that minimum maintenance is required from the automation side. In other words, it should be robust 
  • Scalable – Framework should be able to handle different set of scenarios in a single method and make the whole framework more scalable

Advantages of Scriptless Automation Testing

Scriptless Automation has the following benefits- 

  • Enables Manual Tester For Test Automation – Since this technique is all about scriptless test automation, it gives leverage to manual testers to take the driver’s seat in automating their own functionalities
  • Saves Cost For Industries– This technique can help industries to save their cost of hiring automation experts and can get their functionalities automated by manual testers

Scriptless Automation Testing is based on the concept of wrapping the technical layer by another layer using a workflow-driven approach which builds automation cases and makes them run in the background and thus converting workflows into scripts

Now, let’s move towards understanding what myths most test automation developers tend to believe about scriptless automation testing.

Major Myths Around Scriptless Automation Testing

1: Testers need not have any knowledge on programming language:

Manual testers can automate tests using scriptless automation testing. However, they should also have some basic knowledge of coding to work on custom requirements like basic knowledge of methods, classes, exception handling and mainly the identifiers. This helps if any custom requirements need to be written in code format. But, a lot of scriptless testing tool providers help with this.

2: Scriptless Testing is only for manual testers:

There is a myth amongst the testers – automation testers to be precise – that scriptless testing methods are only for manual testers. This myth is not baseless, it came into being because when automated testing started, there was a method, “record and play” launched with almost all automated testing tools that only needed the testers to record the steps and play as it is. This recording only worked for basic scenarios and for any complex scenarios or changes in the basic recorded scripts, automation testers were required.

But, at this moment of time, it is no more than a myth. Because scriptless testing methods have evolved to a state where complex test scenarios could be automated without the need of writing a single line of code. Not only this, now AI, ML & NLP is being used to automatically maintain those test cases in case they start failing because of some changes in the code.

3: Scriptless Automation Testing is all about Record and Play Feature:

Scriptless automated testing is more structured and provides better customization options in comparison to ‘Record and Playback Tools.

The ease of test case creation and understanding of created test cases also ensures that other members of the team that are not aware of any programming languages can review these test cases and create them if need arises.

There are a lot of customizations required at different levels for automating any functionality using the Record and Play technique.

User starts recording and manually performs some testing steps on functionality. In the backend, the recorder generates the script automatically. 

The recorded script typically don’t work in the long run as it is not scalable, robust, and easy to maintain.

The script that is generated can only handle specific cases. However, in order to handle dynamic scenarios, customize that script. Well, that requires a basic knowledge of coding. 

Usually, when manual testers go ahead with this, they are able to exactly pinpoint a particular functionality and use this to go ahead with scriptless automation.

Keep in mind scriptless test automation is not just about record and playback method! Read about the different scriptless automated testing methods in addition to record and playback.

4: Scriptless automation is not reliable:

 This technique does require a minimal level of coding. However, this does not imply that it is not reliable. By including correct customizations,it could become reliable and less maintainable.

It is a well-designed script-less technique that traces all components and dependencies in the test automation lifecycle.

It is only making a top layer where end-users write simple test scripts but at the back of it, there are methods written and they are mapped to these words. So whenever the end-user writes some words, the particular method mapped to that word is being called and that logic starts executing.

Therefore, this technique is reliable as well as scalable. Using this technique, multiple functionalities can use the same set of code, thus making it reusable as well.

5: Automation Experts are no longer required:

Just like the above point, scriptless automation does not signify the depleting requirement of an automation expert. While this is a code-less concept, it in any way does not mean that automation experts are not required. 

Automation experts are required to prioritize test cases, create and maintain framework concepts, strategies of object mapping and many more technical complexities.

Now with the application of AI in testing, scriptless automation makes the otherwise complex test automation process easier!

Conclusion

Scriptless Automation Testing is an excellent blend of functional and technical expertise and can help in achieving both automation and functional implementation.

There is a fair amount of ease of use, low maintenance effort and therefore consequent cost saving with this particular technique. It also helps in letting manual testers come forward while being able to automate their own set of functionalities.

Scriptless automation testing always allows your subject matter expert to go ahead and automate their functionalities, all these while bridging the gap between domain and automation expertise.

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