Software testing is an essential part of software development and new technologies and methods greatly improve efficiency and play a key role in creating top-quality software products. In the next year, several emerging trends are set to redefine software testing, introducing new aspects to this crucial sector.
Here are some software testing trends that are likely to impact and shape the future of the industry:
1. Shift-left testing
The ‘Shift-left’ approach, emphasising early and frequent integration of testing in the software development cycle, is set to become increasingly prevalent. By 2025, it is anticipated that shift-left testing will be a standard practice, incorporating functional and other types of testing concurrently with development.
This method identifies and addresses issues sooner, accelerating market time and enhancing software release quality. This early detection is key to reducing the time spent on debugging, enabling teams to devote more effort to feature and functionality enhancement.
Shift-left testing approach helps you avoid the negative consequences of delayed testing, such as:
- Insufficient testing resources
- Missed design
- Architectural or requirements flaws
- Complexities in debugging and issue resolution
- Project delays.
Four approaches to implementing shift-left testing There are four key strategies used to implement shift-left testing in the earlier phases of the software development lifecycle:
- Model-based: Uses modeling techniques to predict and mitigate potential issues early in the development process.
- Traditional: Integrates standard testing practices earlier in the development timeline.
- Incremental: This applies testing incrementally throughout the development phases rather than at the end.
- Agile/DevOps: Incorporates testing as a continuous practice in Agile and DevOps methodologies, aligning it closely with ongoing development activities.
2. AI and machine learning in testing
The evolution of software testing is increasingly intertwined with the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies, revolutionising traditional testing methodologies. AI algorithms now have a crucial role in generating test cases, and ML techniques are instrumental in identifying patterns and anomalies in test data. This synergy of AI/ML in automated testing is poised for further growth as businesses strive for faster, more accurate, and streamlined testing processes.
With the ongoing AI revolution, it’s no surprise that AI will significantly alter software development and testing. Developers are increasingly turning to tools such as ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot, known for their code generation capabilities. While these tools have certain limitations, they drastically reduce the time and effort required for code writing. Similarly, AI-based testing tools are also emerging, offering benefits such as identifying critical test scenarios, generating and maintaining test cases, and optimising test suites for comprehensive coverage.
Benefits of incorporating AI in a software testing
| 1.Swift testing | 2. Comprehensive flexibility |
|---|---|
| 3.Efficient defect tracking | 4. Script Automation |
| 5.improved testing scope | 6. Visual UI testing |
| 7.Evolving bots | 8. Launch in small timelines |
AI software testing – what the future brings
The use of AI in software testing is leading to a significant change. In the near future, AI may be able to create initial code and tests, which will serve as a foundation for developers to build upon and handle more complex tasks. This shift has the potential to increase efficiency and enable developers to concentrate on more creative and valuable aspects of software development.
AI is increasingly being used to write documentation, which is a task that developers usually dislike. With the help of natural language processing and large language models, AI tools can make this process more efficient.
AI is also becoming more involved in ensuring software security and compliance, including threat detection and vulnerability assessment for software applications.AI in software testing is expected to increase, bringing about unprecedented changes to the industry.
3. Rising significance of QAOps
QAOps, blending quality assurance (QA) and IT operations (Ops), revolutionises software development by integrating QA into the DevOps cycle. This fusion ensures high-quality software standards, as QA is a vital checkpoint before software release.
Contrasting traditional DevOps, which focuses on uniting software development and IT operations, QAOps fosters closer collaboration between QA engineers and developers throughout the development process. This approach embeds quality considerations from the start rather than treating them as a later addition.
The emergence of QAOps represents a new software process model that aims to improve both quality and efficiency. This model brings engineers, functional teams, and testers together, emphasising quick, effective communication and collaboration. The outcome is better products, faster delivery, and the development of advanced features.
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Enhanced productivity and cost-efficiency | QA engineers’ continuous learning leads to higher productivity and higher efficiency, reducing costs. |
| Improved inter-team collaboration | QAOps enhances cooperation QA, development, and operations teams, fostering skill development in various areas. |
| Accelerated defect resolution and deployment | A clear understanding of testing process by all teams allow for faster defect resolution and earlier deployment. |
| Early detection of issues | CI/CD testing in QAOps enables early problem identifications, resulting in more reliable product. |
| Superior product quality and customer satisfaction | QAOps ensures higher product quality and performance, boosting the likelihood of better customer experiences. |
In essence, QAOps is a strategic evolution in software development, prioritising quality at every step and promising a more integrated and efficient development lifecycle.
4. Crowdtesting
Crowdtesting is a method that involves a large group of testers who are not part of the company’s internal QA team. These testers have unique skills and access to various devices. Organisations can engage with these testers through crowdsourcing platforms where they can submit their software or applications for testing. This process helps companies to complete their test cycles quickly. The significant benefits of using crowdtesting include:
Complementing in-house testing, crowdtesting offers effective user acceptance testing, providing real-world usage insights. As more organisations adopt this strategy, the global market for crowdtesting is expected to expand.
5. Evolution of test automation: low-code and no-code approach
The trend of testing earlier in the development process, or ‘shift-left’, is gaining popularity as testing is now being conducted in parallel with development. Low-code and no-code technologies, becoming increasingly popular in software development, are now set to revolutionise the testing domain.
Scriptless test automation enables testing without extensive coding. This evolution transforms a field traditionally reserved for developers, allowing non-technical stakeholders to engage in testing. They can now plan, execute, and analyse tests without the need for complex coding. This approach saves developer hours and broadens productivity across the organisation by granting non-technical team members access to customised software solutions.
6. Enhanced focus on security testing and DevSecOps
Given the surge in cybersecurity threats and data breach incidents recently making headlines, it’s unsurprising that security testing and the emerging field of DevSecOps are poised to dominate the tech landscape. Integrating security measures right from the initial stages of product design and development, along with continuous security testing, is now essential.
This shift underscores the importance of various security testing methodologies, such as:
- Vulnerability scanning
- Penetration testing
- API testing
- Web application security testing.
Cybercrime expected to skyrocket in the coming years
Estimated cost of cybercrime worldwide: |Year | Cost (in trillions $USD) | | — | — | | 2019 | 1.16| | 2020 |2.95 | | 2021|5.99 | | 2022 |8.84 | | 2023 |11.50 | |2024 |14.57 | | 2025 |17.65 | | 2026 |20.74 | | 2027| 23.82|
Many companies opt to use security-as-a-service instead of developing in-house security management and testing capabilities. This is due to a growing focus on security, resilience, and compliance.
This trend is similar to TestOps testing integration into the DevOps workflow. DevSecOps aims to embed a stronger security focus throughout the software development lifecycle. While DevSecOps is already gaining traction, significant shifts in how organisations approach software and cybersecurity are expected in 2025.
7. IoT (Internet of Things) Testing
The global IoT testing market, valued at over USD 1.89 billion in 2023, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 31%, reaching over USD 21.99 billion by 2032. This significant growth reflects the increasing reliance on IoT devices and the need for effective testing to ensure their functionality and security.
8. Mobile test automation
With the advancement of mobile technology, the development of mobile applications is rapidly growing. This trend calls for a transformation in testing techniques, especially in mobile test automation. Though mobile test automation plays an essential role in supporting DevOps, it is not being adequately used due to a lack of efficient tools and methods.
How to perform mobile automation testing:
- Understand your end-users and their requirements
- Choose frameworks based on the app’s platform
- Build end-to-end test cases
- Use automation tools to increase test coverage
- Optimise your mobile testing strategy
The increasing complexity and number of mobile applications demand a shift towards more advanced mobile test automation. This need is driven by the pressure to reduce time-to-market and to cope with the rapidly expanding mobile technology landscape.
Integrating cloud-based mobile labs and test automation tools represents a promising development, potentially elevating mobile test automation to new heights. As the industry matures, overcoming these challenges will be essential for fully harnessing the power of mobile test automation in the DevOps ecosystem.
9. API test automation
The rise of microservices architectures has significantly increased the number of application programming interfaces (APIs), making API-driven development more relevant than ever. However, using APIs comes with the risk of security breaches involving sensitive data. API testing is a more efficient alternative to extensive graphical user interface testing in Agile or DevOps environments, where speed is crucial.
In order to meet the increasing requirements of API testing, it is important to embrace more powerful automation techniques. This includes various types of testing, such as:
- Interoperability
- Smoke testing
- Runtime error detection
- Penetration and security testing
- Basic unit testing.
Automation is the solution for achieving higher efficiency, enabling more tests to be performed in a shorter time and, ideally, at a lower cost. Moreover, automating the recurring execution of API tests, whether at specified intervals or designated stages in the CI/CD pipeline, is increasingly becoming the standard practice. This approach streamlines the testing process while also ensuring consistency and reliability in API performance across different stages of development.
10. Focus on accessibility testing
In the era of web and mobile accessibility regulations, ensuring compliance through accessibility testing has become a critical component of software development. To ensure applications are accessible, organisations must focus on aligning their applications with accessibility standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.
Incorporating automation and AI in testing can efficiently handle the repetitive aspects, especially when testing functionalities like screen readers, magnifiers, and captions. Additionally, crowdtesting offers valuable perspectives from users with disabilities. For global applications, refining accessibility testing practices is essential to bridge compliance gaps and cater to a diverse user base.
To wrap up, embracing the latest developments in software testing, including integrating innovative technologies, is key for teams to ensure their testing strategies are in sync with the dynamic nature of software development. Organisations that prioritise these software testing trends will be able to deliver high-quality software with enhanced performance, setting new standards in the tech industry.