What Not to Automate with a CI/CD Pipeline
As digitization permeates every industry, the demand for efficient and reliable software delivery has skyrocketed.
In a study conducted by CircleCI, companies that effectively implement CI/CD pipelines saw a 55% increase in the number of deployments and a staggering 50% decrease in the failure rate of these deployments.
These organizations have realized impressive efficiency and quality gains by automating the software development process from integration to deployment.
However, while automation scales testing and quickens delivery, it's essential to remember that not every aspect of the Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) pipeline should or can be automated.
The Impact of Automation on CI/CD
Automated testing, an essential feature of CI/CD pipelines, has transformed software development. By automating repetitive tasks, we can increase the speed of software releases and improve the reliability of the software produced.
Faster than Manual Testing
The CI/CD pipeline uses automation tools to execute a wide array of tests concurrently, which can be more thorough and quicker than manual testing. In a typical CI/CD pipeline, the development team commits code to the version control system.
Once the new code is detected, the CI server triggers an automated build process and runs a series of tests, such as unit and functional tests, to validate the code.
If these tests pass, the changes are integrated into the main codebase and pushed to the development environment.
Track Bug and Reduce Marketing Time
Automation in CI/CD helps catch bugs and issues early in the software development process, reducing the cost and time spent in debugging later.
Furthermore, it facilitates quick feedback loops between the developers and the testing tools, enabling rapid code iterations and reducing the time to market.
- Automated testing in CI/CD has been a boon to scaling testing, significantly reducing time consumption and improving the quality of delivery.
- By automating repetitive tasks such as unit tests, functional testing, and cross-browser testing, CI/CD allows for the rapid execution of tests, giving quick feedback to the team.
Version control, as facilitated by code repositories, and automated testing are key features in CI/CD. These automation tools help maintain a seamless flow between the development and production environments, driving continuous delivery and deployment.
Tip: Also read: How Can Selenium Improve CI/CD Performance?
The Benefits and Limitations of Automation
Benefits
Automation, undoubtedly, offers several advantages in a CI/CD pipeline. It can drastically reduce the time to run repetitive tests and catch bugs early in the software development process. In this way, automation bolsters the speed and quality of software releases.
However, relying too heavily on automated testing could lead to potential risks and challenges. For instance, writing test scripts for automation requires significant upfront effort and technical skills.
There may also be situations where automated tests fail to detect certain bugs due to the predefined nature of these tests. In such cases, the absence of a human perspective may lead to overlooking critical defects that could impact the user experience.
Limitations
Additionally, maintaining and updating automated tests can be resource-intensive. As the software evolves, test scripts must be reviewed and updated regularly to remain effective, which can drain resources considerably.
Furthermore, automating tests that are rarely executed might not be cost-effective and can result in a negative return on investment.
Usability Testing Within UI/UX Feedback, Accessibility, and Usability
Despite the advancements in automation, usability testing is one domain that greatly benefits from human judgment. While automated tests are excellent for assessing objective measures like performance and functionality, they fall short regarding the subjective nuances of human-computer interaction.
Automated tests, for instance, can't effectively gauge if a UI design is intuitive or aesthetically pleasing. They can't evaluate if the software's UX makes logical sense to a human user or if a web page's color contrast is appropriate for visually impaired users.
That's where usability testing steps in, providing insights into the software's user-friendliness and Accessibility.
Usability testing enables software development teams to obtain UI/UX feedback directly from the end users, making it a crucial part of the development process.
Whether determining if a feature is intuitive, verifying that the navigation is user-friendly, or confirming that the software is accessible to users with disabilities, usability testing plays a vital role that cannot be overlooked or fully automated.
Immediate testing - When Testing is Required Immediately
Immediate testing is another key area where manual testing proves its worth. There are times during the software development process when new features, bug fixes, or changes need immediate validation.
It could be a critical update that must be pushed live or a significant bug fix that can't wait for the next automated test run.
Setting up automated tests in these instances could be time-consuming and delay the release. Manual testing allows for immediate verification of the changes. Testers can execute specific tests relevant to the changes, providing quick feedback to the development team.
This approach is particularly crucial in high-paced agile development environments, where new features and improvements are continually being rolled out.
By enabling immediate testing, manual testers can ensure that these rapid updates do not compromise the software's quality and function as expected in the production environment.
While automated testing is the backbone of the CI/CD pipeline, manual testing, especially in usability and immediate testing, remains indispensable to high-quality software development and delivery.
Troubleshooting Failed Automation
Even the most sophisticated automated systems are not immune to failure. In a CI/CD pipeline, an automation failure can occur for various reasons, such as changes in the software's environment, alterations in the code that lead to unforeseen complications, or simply a fault in the automation script itself.
When automated testing hits a roadblock, it necessitates human intervention to troubleshoot and rectify the issue—making this yet another area where manual input is indispensable.
The first step of troubleshooting involves identifying the cause of the failure.
Is it a genuine bug in the code? Or is it a flaw in the automation test script? Armed with technical skills and a deep understanding of the software and its code, the software development team is tasked with deciphering the feedback from the automated tests, sifting through code repositories, and pinpointing the root of the problem.
Following the identification of the issue, the next step is to apply a fix. It could mean modifying the code, amending the testing script, or altering the environment. Subsequently, manual retesting is typically performed to verify the effectiveness of the applied fix.
This troubleshooting process underscores the importance of a skilled development team and testing experts who understand the intricacies of the software and the automation tools.
Wrapping Up
CI/CD has revolutionized the software development process, increasing productivity and improving the quality of the software delivered. The backbone of this process is a well-structured testing strategy that leverages both automated and manual testing.
While automation can handle repetitive tasks and scale testing, manual testing is essential for certain types of tests and for assessing the effectiveness of automated tests.
By striking the right balance between manual and automated testing, organizations can maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of their CI/CD pipelines, delivering high-quality software swiftly and reliably.
Ready to embark on a journey toward optimal CI/CD implementation? Contact us today. Let's harmonize your software testing, streamline your pipelines, and orchestrate the delivery of exceptional software together.