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REGRESSION TESTING

Agile software development is all about continuously delivering software products to their users increment by increment. Modifications to a software product, no matter how small it is, may still have unexpected effects. This is why Agile testers must include regression testing in their test activities: to check if the entire software application and its old capabilities are still working as expected. In this activity, testers execute existing test scripts or charters that have been used to catch bugs from previous releases to ensure that fixed issues remain fixed.

Regression Testing in Agile

Regression testing, regardless of the software development method, is carried out in order to mitigate risks within the system. In Agile software development, development teams deploy code every one or two weeks. This means testing cycles are also just as short, making it necessary for testers to keep up with the speed without compromising the quality of each product increment. Even if development is only done on one part of the system, the entire system may still need to be checked to ensure that it will work as expected.

As the software product grows in size, so does the coverage needed for regression testing. However, the Sprint length does not change, and this constraint gives testers less time to test all the features. Furthermore, builds and tests are repeated in every cycle could also allow room for testers to assume that some features are working fine.

Manual testing done by the Agile team alone may suffice at the start, but it is not sustainable in the long run. Spending time to automate tests – especially for features that are stable – will greatly help Agile teams to have more coverage for their regression testing. The important thing is for testers to come up with an Agile Regression Testing Strategy that works for their team. Having one will help them address issues such as lack of coverage, short time constraints, and escaped defects in production.

Recommended Further Reading

The following materials may assist you in order to get the most out of this course:

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