Latest revision as of 14:38, 21 August 2018

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Pattern summary

Use the same good programming practices for test code as in software development for production code.

Context

This pattern is appropriate when you want your automation scripts to be reusable and maintainable, that is when your test automation is to be long lived.
This pattern is not necessary if you only write short disposable scripts.

Description

Scripting is a kind of programming, so you should use the same good practices as in software development.

Implementation

If you don’t have an automation engineer, have developers coach the automation testers. Important good practices are:

DESIGN FOR REUSE: Design reusable testware.
KEEP IT SIMPLE: Use the simplest solution you can imagine.
SET STANDARDS: Set and follow standards for the automation artefacts.
SKIP VOID INPUTS: Arrange for an easy way to automatically skip void inputs
INDEPENDENT TEST CASES: Make each automated test case self-contained
ABSTRACTION LEVELS: Build testware that has one or more abstraction layers.
Separate the scripts from the data: use at least DATA-DRIVEN TESTING or, better, KEYWORD-DRIVEN TESTING
Apply the "DRY" Principle (Don’t Repeat Yourself), also known as "DIE" (Duplication is Evil)

Put your best practices in a Wiki so that both testers and developers profit from them.

Potential problems

If the software developers don't use good programming practices, then don't follow them, but investigate good programming outside of your company. (Read books!)

Issues addressed by this pattern

BRITTLE SCRIPTS
BUGGY SCRIPTS
DATA CREEP
GIANT SCRIPTS
HIGH ROI EXPECTATIONS
OBSCURE TESTS
SCRIPT CREEP
TEST DATA LOSS
TOOL-DRIVEN AUTOMATION

Experiences

If you have used this pattern and would like to contribute your experience to the wiki, please go to Feedback to submit your experience or comment.

.................................................................................................................Main Page / Back to Process Patterns / Back to Test Automation Patterns

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 =<span style="font-size: 16px">'''Implementation'''</span>=
 <span style="font-size: 16px">If you don’t have an automation engineer, have developers coach the automation testers. Important good practices are:</span><br />
-* <span style="font-size: 16px">[[DESIGN FOR REUSE ]]</span>
+* <span style="font-size: 16px">[[DESIGN FOR REUSE]]: Design reusable testware. </span>
-* <span style="font-size: 16px">[[KEEP IT SIMPLE]]</span>
+* <span style="font-size: 16px">[[KEEP IT SIMPLE]]: Use the simplest solution you can imagine.</span>
-* <span style="font-size: 16px">[[SET STANDARDS]]</span>
+* <span style="font-size: 16px">[[SET STANDARDS]]: Set and follow standards for the automation artefacts. </span>
-* <span style="font-size: 16px">[[SKIP VOID INPUTS]]</span>
+* <span style="font-size: 16px">[[SKIP VOID INPUTS]]: Arrange for an easy way to automatically skip void inputs</span>
-* <span style="font-size: 16px">[[INDEPENDENT TEST CASES]]</span>
+* <span style="font-size: 16px">[[INDEPENDENT TEST CASES]]: Make each automated test case self-contained</span>
 * <span style="font-size: 16px"><span style="font-size: 16px">[[ABSTRACTION LEVELS]]: Build </span>testware that has one or more abstraction layers.</span>
 * <span style="font-size: 16px">Separate the scripts from the data: use at least [[DATA-DRIVEN TESTING]] or, better, [[KEYWORD-DRIVEN TESTING]]</span>
@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 ''<span style="font-size: 16px">[[BRITTLE SCRIPTS]]</span>''<br /> ''<span style="font-size: 16px">[[ BUGGY SCRIPTS]]</span>''<br /> <span style="font-size: 16px">''[[ DATA CREEP]]''</span><br /> ''<span style="font-size: 16px">[[ GIANT SCRIPTS]]</span>''<br /> ''<span style="font-size: 16px">[[HIGH ROI EXPECTATIONS]]</span>''<br /> ''<span style="font-size: 16px">[[ OBSCURE TESTS]]</span>''<br /> ''<span style="font-size: 16px">[[SCRIPT CREEP]]</span>''<br /> ''<span style="font-size: 16px">[[TEST DATA LOSS]]</span>''<br /> ''<span style="font-size: 16px">[[TOOL-DRIVEN AUTOMATION]]</span>''
 =<span style="font-size: 16px">'''Experiences'''</span>=
-<span style="font-size: 16px">If you have used this pattern, please add your name and a brief story of how you used this pattern: your context, what you did, and how well it worked - or how it didn't work!</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: 14px">.................................................................................................................[[Main Page]] / Back to [[Process Patterns]] / Back to [[Test Automation Patterns]]</span><br /> <span style="font-size: 14px">B3 11</span></div>
+<span style="font-size: 16px">If you have used this pattern and would like to contribute your experience to the wiki, please go to [[Feedback]] to submit your experience or comment.</span><br /> <br />
+<span style="font-size: 14px">.................................................................................................................[[Main Page]] / Back to [[Process Patterns]] / Back to [[Test Automation Patterns]]</span>

Difference between revisions of "GOOD PROGRAMMING PRACTICES"

Latest revision as of 14:38, 21 August 2018

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