Creating a huge demand for high-quality products in the shortest possible time makes testing a key element of the software development process. As technology continues to evolve, quality assurance engineers are always looking for new relevant testing techniques so they can remain relevant and meet growing demand.

Here are some of the most important software testing trends to watch out for in 2020.

Test Agile and DevOps

Among some of the most popular concepts in software development, agile and DevOps should definitely be mentioned first. Because both DevOps and Agile practitioners are committed to improving product quality, testing is an area of common concern for both groups. In the competitive software development race, more and more companies are opting for popular agile methods, which can have a big impact on testing practices. In particular, agile methodologies ensure that testing becomes an inevitable part of the development process, rather than a separate phase. At the same time, DevOps that implement continuous improvement cycles are designed to reduce the duration of the testing process. In the future, more and more companies will adopt the DevOps concept to improve the quality of their releases, and this will have a huge impact on how testing is done.

Big Data testing

The popularity of big data continues to grow. According to the report, the market for big data technologies and services will grow from $23.1 billion in 2018 to $79.5 billion in 2024. Although there are many companies dealing with big data today, managing large amounts of information is still a daunting task, so big data testing. To ensure that big data is of high quality, a thoughtful approach is needed, not just to test it with the help of traditional technology. In particular, this means a great emphasis on performance testing as well as functional testing of applications and software.

Data quality is also a key factor when testing big data, so it should always be validated before the testing process begins. There is no doubt that testing plays an important role in big data systems, and the right big data testing strategy can bring many benefits to an enterprise. These include improving data accuracy, minimizing losses, and simplifying business decisions. That’s why it’s easy to see big data services only becoming more popular in the future.

Iot solution testing

By 2020, the number of connected devices will reach $20.6 billion, up from $6.4 billion in 2016, according to the forecast. This figure illustrates the significant expansion of smart devices and the need for a thoughtful IoT testing approach. More than 50% of IT companies currently do not have a specific strategy for testing software using IoT elements. Meanwhile, more than half of them plan to develop similar strategies in the future. The iot environment will face many challenges, but it is critical for businesses to prioritize their iot testing in the near future. Obviously, this will require the adoption of advanced technology and the improvement of the skills of quality inspection specialists.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning

Artificial intelligence is a driving force in many areas of technological innovation. The potential for using AI to improve testing processes is also strong because machines can identify software errors in a similar or better way than humans. For example, the AI can compare a displayed image with a reference image to detect differences between them or determine if the UI is rendered correctly.

Machine learning can also make the testing process more efficient. It can be used for test suite optimization (identifying unique test cases), predictive analysis (predicting the main parameters of a test process based on historical data), log analysis (identifying test cases that need to be automated), and defect analysis (identifying high-risk applications to prioritize regression testing).

The rise of open source tools

More and more companies are using open source solutions in their workflows, and testing is no exception. Because open source tools are free, many people can use them and contribute to software quality assurance. In addition, customization can be done fairly quickly, so these types of tools can be easily adapted to business test requirements. Despite some security challenges, open source tools are likely to prevail in the software testing industry over the next few years.

Mobile test automation

According to statistics, today 5.15 billion people worldwide own a mobile device, and the number is growing. People are also spending more time on their phones, which means mobile application testing is becoming more important. Testing mobile apps has never been easier. Because of the different types of phones and operating systems, the same functionality must be tested many times before the application is released to the market.

For security, devices with Internet connections were tested more thoroughly. There are native, Web, and hybrid applications, each with its own specification. In order to keep up with constant updates, it is a must for a fast automated testing platform for mobile applications. Automation generally simplifies the testing process, helps speed up regression testing, and makes it possible to use previously inaccessible test types. Also driving the need for mobile test automation in a highly competitive market.

Testing blockchain projects

A recent survey shows that there is strong interest in blockchain solutions among enterprises. Fifty-three percent of the organizations surveyed said technology has become a top priority for their business this year. At the same time, most companies are aware of the risks associated with technology introduction, such as data security issues and integration with third-party applications. That’s why they understand the need for an effective blockchain testing strategy. Further development and adoption of this technology will lead to increased demand for quality assurance specialists who can ensure the quality and security of blockchain applications.

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