Introduction: 

The world is constantly evolving, and so must the software we use. Even a single line of code in developing software can significantly affect its other features. In such cases, software development companies need to revisit these features to ensure they still function correctly after introducing new changes. This is where regression testing becomes essential. There are two main approaches to regression testing: manual regression testing vs automated regression testing. Manual testing involves human testers running test cases by hand, while automated testing uses technology to speed up the process. In this article, we will explore both approaches in detail to help you determine which is best for your needs.

What is Regression Testing?

Regression testing is a vital aspect of software testing. It involves assessing previously released software to ensure that no existing functionality has been disrupted by recent changes or modifications. This process helps maintain the overall stability and functionality of the software’s current features by verifying that they continue to work as intended.

There are two  approaches to regression testing:Manual and Automated regression testing. The choice between manual vs automated regression testing depends on factors like project size and complexity, with manual testing offering flexibility and human insight, while automated testing provides speed and consistency. Good regression testing strategies use both manual and automated tests to thoroughly check software changes. 

Regression testing best practices include:

• Regular Updates: Keep your test cases updated with the latest changes.
• Automation: Use automation for repetitive tests to save time and avoid mistakes.
• Prioritization: Test the most important features and recent changes first.
• Comprehensive Coverage: Make sure to test all major parts of the software.
• Documentation: Record all test results and issues for future reference.
• Integration: Add regression testing to your CI/CD pipeline for quick feedback.
• Review and Refine: Regularly check and improve your test strategies.

After understanding Regression testing best practices, Let’s look at each approach closely to understand their benefits and drawbacks. At the end, we’ll compare manual vs automated regression testing to help you decide which is best for your situation.

Manual Regression Testing:

Manual regression testing is the process through which people test regression cases by themselves without the assistance of any automated means. This approach is preferred as it is seen as flexible and because of the specificity of comments that the student receives.

Advantages:

Flexibility:

One of the advantages of manual regression testing is its versatility as it enables the tester to change his or her tactics mid-process; therefore, it is suitable for exploratory and ad hoc testing.

Human Insight:

Manual testing is more effective to complement the automated tests as the tester can use his or her judgment on the specific problem area or a unique situation that an automated tool would not easily detect.

Cost-Effective for Small Projects:

If the number of test cases to be executed during regression testing is less then manual testing is more cost effective and time consuming as compared to preparing automation for the same.

Immediate Feedback:

On noticing some peculiarities of software functioning, testers can respond right away, thus, providing quick feedback on the software quality.

Disadvantages:

Time-Consuming:

When it comes to performing large test suites or when there has been an addition of new features then manual regression testing is time-consuming and tiring.

Prone to Error:

It may take the testers some time to notice certain flaws during the testing phase, or they may debug some problems that may actually be quite important.

Repetitive Work:

Carrying out the same tests over and over is monotonous and even more so, inconclusive thus affecting the results of the test.

Limited Coverage:

This is not that efficient and can lead to a situation when the manual testers did not check certain parts of the system, as the number of possibilities is very high.

Manual Regression Testing Process:

• Define Test Cases: Develop test cases and describe them taking into consideration the modifications that have been carried out on the software.
• Execute Tests: Go through them in order and try to reproduce the expected problems using the identified test cases.
• Document Results: Document; each test outcome which should include a record of any problems encountered or other departure from the expected behavior.
• Report Bugs: Analyze if there are any bugs or issues with the system after the testing is done then to look for someone to investigate and maybe deal with the bug or issue found.
• Review and Update: To ensure this, review and update the test case document after some time to incorporate new changes or new features in the application.

With the manual regression testing process you can  define test cases, executing them by hand, documenting results, and reporting any issues found.

Manual Regression Testing Tools:

• Spreadsheets: Good for monitoring test cases and the outcome but do not contain much features.
• Bug Tracking Systems: Such applications as JIRA or Bugzilla exist to manage the issues and report them but they do not control the testing process.
• Test Management Tools: Basic tools like TestRail or Zephyr can assist in organizing and tracking test cases but are not as advanced as automated solutions.

In short, Manual regression testing tools are basic tools like spreadsheets or simple bug trackers that help keep track of test cases and results. While manual regression testing is essential for certain scenarios, especially when detailed human insight is needed, it is often complemented by automated testing in larger or more complex projects to enhance efficiency and coverage.

Automated Regression Testing

Automated regression testing involves creating scripts to automatically execute regression tests. This approach leverages tools and frameworks to perform testing tasks that would otherwise be time-consuming if done manually.

Advantages:

Efficiency:

Automated regression testing gains result from running tests rather and quickly and with a lot of less effort than the manual effort. It is the most prominent point in the benefits of automated regression testing.

Consistency:

Handling this manually is often ambiguous since different people are likely to execute tests differently, but automation helps reduce this problem.

Scalability:

Perfect for tests requiring a vast number of test cases, because the number of test cases does not affect extra effort.

Coverage:

This is advantageous as automated testing can test more than one test case or more than one scenario as compared to manual testing and hence give a proper validation.

Continuous Integration:

Can easily be adopted and included in the CI/CD processes due to the fact that the testing is done at regular intervals in the development life cycle. In short, The benefits of automated regression testing include faster test execution, consistent results, and the ability to handle a large number of tests efficiently.

Disadvantages:

Initial Setup Costs:

Discussed that it involves the investment in automated testing tools and test scripts that needs to be written, this may take a lot of time and money.

Limited Flexibility:

Automated tests are done in line with a scripted sequence and can fail when it comes to situations that are not expected and cases of exploratory testing.

Maintenance Overhead:

When using automated test cases they are constantly changing based on updates in the application, thus they might entail continuous effort.

Complexity:

There are quite a few difficulties and challenges implied in the creation and further maintenance of the automated tests, especially in case of dynamic or rapidly evolving applications.

Automated Regression Testing Process:

• Develop Test Scripts: Derive the prerequisite test scripts from the test cases that you would want to automate.
• Execute Tests: Execute the tests utilizing automation software programs to perform the tests based upon the scripts that have been developed.
• Analyze Results: Examine the results obtained through the execution of Automated tests with a view of analyzing any problems or failures.
• Update Scripts: Update the test scripts periodically by making some changes on the available tests due to changes in the application or new tests.

The automated regression testing process involves setting up test scripts, running them with tools, checking the results, and updating the scripts as needed.

Manual Regression Testing vs Automated Regression Testing

Let’s compare manual vs automated testing benefits and their limitations as well to find out which one is best.