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Model-based test automation and record and playback — have you heard these buzz phrases before in the world of software testing? They’re two similar approaches to testing, yet they’re vastly different in their execution. But what exactly is the difference between these two techniques and why does it matter?
Model-based testing is a technique in which a model of the software system is used to generate test cases. The model is typically a visual representation of the system’s UI components. Each model consists of functional actions that can be performed on the system or application. Test data is added separately to test different scenarios. The advantage of this approach is that it allows for testing a variety of scenarios without hard-coding test data or business logic into the models. The model is used to automatically generate test cases that cover various scenarios and test conditions, making it useful for complex scenarios that rely on several integrated applications and technologies. The models are code-free and highly reusable.
How does it work? Simply scan your application’s user interface or API to create the models. Drag and drop the models into place to create your test cases. Add your test data and the functional actions you want enacted on those screen elements. When done, run your test case.
Record and playback is a test automation method that allows testers to record their interactions with the software system and then replay those interactions as test cases. When recording your actions with the application, the steps are saved as a series of test steps. These test steps can be modified in an editor to add or remove steps, insert data, add assertions, and so on, resulting in a test case. The recorded interactions are typically user actions, such as clicks and key presses.
Record and playback testing maintains a tighter link between the objects, test logic, and data. However, data can be separated through a process called parameterization.
Other terms have evolved for record and playback testing such as activity-based testing, flow-based testing, or testing the user path or journey across an application. In general, this approach is simple to use and offers a quick, efficient way to author tests for repetitive and time-consuming tasks.
Model-based test automation provides benefits such as being highly reusable, codeless, easy to maintain and update, and able to test a variety of scenarios. This can help to reduce maintenance while providing greater stability to the testing process. Because of its codeless approach, model-based testing lowers the barrier to entry, meaning that any team member regardless of technical skillset can create test assets, boosting overall team productivity. Because model-based testing separates the object discovery from test case creation, it can require more up-front time to create test cases than a record-based approach. The tradeoff is that model-based design separates the testing model from the underlying technology, which can help test case reusability when the system under test undergoes major changes but the business logic remains intact.
Record and playback, on the other hand, is a quick and simple method for authoring test cases that is particularly well-suited for Agile teams wanting to prioritize speed of testing over long-term maintenance. It is also more suited for developers wanting to do quick validation of their code at the unit level. However, its biggest drawback is that when significant changes are made to the application under test, such as updating the page design, it may require you to re-record that part of the journey. In many cases, record and playback solutions use AI-generated and auto-improving multi-attribute locators to reduce maintenance and provide a more efficient way to deal with minor UI application changes.
One of the main differences between these two approaches is that model-based testing has a much higher level of abstraction between the user’s test actions from the underlying technology of the application, whereas record-based testing has a tighter coupling between the two. This means that model-based testing is better suited for testing a wider range of scenarios across multiple integrated applications where the scope of testing may be larger. In essence, model-based testing is better suited for “regression testing,” and is considered the secret sauce behind reducing long-term maintenance. Record-based testing, on the other hand, is better suited for quickly testing individual apps that are required for agile development. This makes record and playback better for “progression testing.”
When deciding between the two methods, consider the size and complexity of the application or multiple applications concerned for an end-to-end flow, the frequency of changes to the application, and the level of expertise of the testers. Both methods can offer no-code/low-code options that make them easy to adopt. Either approach can be used to ensure that the software application is fully tested and working correctly, but it depends on the objective of the testing process.
Here is a useful summary of some notable differences between the two approaches:
Suppose a company sells products through a web app. On the back end, it’s connected to Salesforce for account management, SAP for inventory management, NetSuite for billing, and Amazon Web Services to deliver custom-built services.
In conclusion, both record and playback and model-based test automation have their place in the world of software testing. Record and playback fits best for single application use cases when the team is prioritizing speed over long-term maintainability. Conversely, model-based test automation can provide greater flexibility and stability while lowering maintenance costs when testing across multi-app business processes.
Read here to learn more about how to leverage SaaS model-based testing to drive speed and agility of your end-to-end application development.
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