Is Codeless Automation Testing Revolutionizing the Testing Industry?

 

Codeless automation testing has been an industry buzzword for a while, and with good reason. It is quickly becoming an indispensable tool in test automation. Automation testing validates software’s proper functioning and features before launching it into production. Automation testing uses scripted sequences executed by various testing tools. It helps reduce human errors in application testing, simplifies the testing process into a set of scripts, ensures faster checking of the system, and runs multiple tests a day.

Advancements in automation testing — The rise of codeless automation testing

The first significant change in the testing industry was brought in with Selenium, launched in 2004. Before Selenium, testing was conducted manually. Companies started investing in Selenium when they noticed a high Return on Investment in the long run.

Selenium allowed test steps performed on a website to be recorded, which could then be replayed and converted to support a programming language as well. Since Selenium, the industry has seen multiple advancements in technology for website development. The increasing complexity of software products required more robust codeless testing tools that could counter the limitations of Selenium.

What is codeless test automation?

Codeless test automation is the process of creating automated tests where the Full-stack QA engineer (tester) is not required to write a single line of code. It allows complete automation, relieving developers and testers from time-consuming processes. Codeless automation helps expedite the testing and maximize the reliability of results. This way, developers and testers can focus their time and energy on more creative tasks such as product development and innovation.

How does codeless test automation work?

The standard process for codeless test automation is converting a website’s frontend representation into machine-readable code in the backend for execution. It combines Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning algorithms for self-healing or self-driving processes, so that problems are resolved autonomously, freeing up testers/developers to focus on less menial tasks. This also helps in continuous test execution and achieving consistent results.

Features of codeless automation testing

While codeless automation does not require a written script of code, testers still need to understand software testing and should have product development insight:

• While codeless testing cannot entirely replace code-based testing, it does, however, complement it.
• Any fault in the software is self-healed via AI and Machine Learning.
• It has the ability to record and playback, just like previous automation testing methods.
• It connects Continuous Integration (CI) to the cloud.

Due to the robust nature of codeless testing, it requires a solid foundation to scale, run without interruptions, remain highly secure, and offer enough storage capabilities and computing power.

Benefits of codeless testing

With the introduction of codeless testing, the gap between testing and automation has been reduced; some of its prominent benefits are:

• Allows manual testers to automate the test cases they’ve created
• Allows non-coders and non-programmers to create test cases without needing technical skills
• Makes automation quicker and easier without the hurdle of coding and debugging the code
• Enhances the efficiency of the automation process
• Makes automated test cases reviewable (Codeless testing allows non-technical team members and clients to review a project and provide necessary feedback. This ensures project transparency and collaborative workflow.)
• Covers a wide range of platforms, including — desktop, virtual applications, and web
• Allows companies to focus on product value and outcome rather than repetitive testing
• Allows easy maintenance and reusability by leveraging AI and Machine Learning tools

What tools offer codeless testing?

Today, there are several tools in the market that offers codeless testing, that is not just ‘record and playback testing. Some of these include:

• Testsigma

Testsigma allows you to create test cases in plain English, host them on the cloud, and run it from any browser that is hosted on the cloud. Minor application changes are automatically handled by AI.

• Ranorex

Ranorex offers a variety of solutions in one, including record and play. It has comprehensive UI testing tools for automation testing across desktop, mobile devices, and the web. Users can perform intelligent code completion, refactoring, and debugging to build reliable, maintainable tests. Teams can collaborate on workflow by sharing test automation modules and reusable object repositories.

• Tricentis TOSCA

TOSCA  by Tricentis is a tool that uses model-based testing. It creates a model of the application under test, creates test scenarios, and places test data. Minor changes in the application are automatically handled by AI. It accelerates and optimizes end-to-end testing with its codeless AI-powered approach by taking the bottleneck out of testing, reducing risks of software releases, and helping enterprises focus on creative innovation.

• Test.ai

Test.ai is an AI-first powered software test automation tool helping with building the tests, scaling them to platforms, and maintaining them as the applications change.

• Ghost Inspector

Ghost Inspector Provides codeless automation testing for web apps and websites. Its intuitive editor allows easy maintenance, continuous testing, requiring no coding skills. It has extensive features suitable for both novice QA testers and seasoned test engineers.

• Katalon Studio

Katalon Studio is an automation testing software tool that helps teams of all sizes to leverage Machine Learning and AI to optimize their quality process.

Future of codeless automation testing?

With multiple codeless applications, the world is entering a new era of technological developments. Test automation solutions are now accessible to everyone. Codeless tools like Squarespace or Wix have been widely marketed for widespread consumption by non-developers. Product delivery can be ensured even if the team does not have the necessary technical skills.

For these reasons, codeless automation is believed to be the solution to simplifying software-related complexities. As humans, we like to adopt tools that make our lives easier, and Mindfire Solutions serves to do just that: helping individuals, testers, developers, and business organizations equally. Like other businesses, if you too are looking for codeless automation testing solutions, Mindfire Solutions can be your partner of choice. We have a team of highly skilled and certified software QA and Testing professionals with an average experience of 5+ years and have been serving our global clients for many years.

 

Where Do I Hire A Dedicated Team Of Python Developers Online?

 

Python is one of the most popular coding languages used today. It was created by Guido van Rossum and released in 1991. Due to the versatility of the language, many Fortune 500 companies like Netflix and Uber work with Python. It has several uses that are beneficial to firms. Some of its benefits include creating web applications on a server, creating workflows alongside corresponding software, handling large amounts of data, and performing complex mathematics.

Why should you hire Python developers?

Whether you choose a team of Python developers or not depends on various factors such as the purpose of your project, performance requirements, and security requirements. For most projects, though, Python will be best suited as:

• According to the IEEE Spectrum, it is the best programming language. Its popularity has risen because it is a complete solution.
• Any developer using Python will be extremely productive. Its large libraries for artificial intelligence, micro-controllers, and its ability to perform analysis on large amounts of data ensure efficiency.
• Python is also an extremely concise language. It requires relatively fewer lines of code. This means hiring Python developers will lead to quicker results for your company.

What should you consider while selecting Python developers?

Before you start the process of hiring a professional team of Python developers, you should have a clear picture of your project. Your requirements will be based on your project, of course, but there are some other things you should consider:

• Expertise

The representatives of the company of Python developers should be well versed in all aspects of the Python language. They should know the basic Python concepts like the back of their hand. In addition to this, they should also be good with JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and other languages that are used to support Python.

• Data skill sets

Developers that have the most proficiency in data skill sets can sort through the most information and give you the quickest results. Therefore, the chosen Python developers should have experience with data wrangling, data analysis, mathematics, etc.

• Technological proficiency

Depending on your project, you should choose someone who is up to date with all the latest technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning. As the IT industry is fast-paced, your team should be able to keep up with the newest technologies available.

• Python framework skills

Popular Python frameworks like Django, Flask, and CherryPy etc. are a necessary requirement for all python developers. Python framework architectures help the developers reuse the same code they have created in another part of the application. This significantly reduces the development time for the project. Furthermore, the developers can collaborate to complete the project.

• Communication skills

Communication lies at the heart of any team within an organization. The representative company you choose should, therefore, be able to communicate with other departments in your company effectively.

Where can you hire Python developers?

The internet has given rise to many new methods of finding developers that suit your needs. Listed below are some of the best ways.

• Social networking sites

There are many highly educated and motivated people on social media like LinkedIn. The scale of the platform ensures that you receive many responses within hours. This method of recruiting is time-efficient and saves money.

• Job advertisement sites

Job advertisement sites are the most popular source of finding new employees for any company. Sites like Craigslist or Indeed offer you a myriad of applicants to choose from. These applications also allow you to save costs and time.

• Active recruitment

Actively recruiting candidates through platforms like Naukri, Monster, Clutch, etc. is another method to find a team of Python developers. You can also post hiring ads and conduct interviews for the same.

• Python Development Company

You can directly approach many Python developing companies to hire the best Python developers around. IT companies will likely employ developers with varied skill sets.

The top Python development companies

With the surge in popularity of Python, there have also been many companies that have grown and become industry leaders. Some of the best Python developing companies are listed below.

• Mindfire Solutions

By far the most experienced on this list, Mindfire solution is one of the best Python development companies with over two decades of expertise. It has over 500 clients across the globe and provides expert services. Mindfire Solutions specializes in PHP and Ruby on Rails. The company works using agile methodologies to stay flexible and serve clients with different needs. Mindfire Solutions has also partnered with prestigious brands like Adobe, Amazon, and Apple. It is the best source for hiring highly skilled Python developers for your company.

• Botree Technologies

Botree Technologies has more than ten years of experience building quality web and mobile apps. With a client base in 10+ countries, they are one of the leading Python developing companies. They provide Machine Learning and AI Solutions, game development, custom applications, mobile apps, Chabot applications, CMS app development, and complete Django web development services.

• PixelCrayons

PixelCrayons is a leading Python company. They work with technologies like Pyramid, Django, etc., to develop web applications.

• Codal

Codal is an agency located in Chicago, Illinois. They have a 90+ team of Python developers who are well-versed in mobile app development, strategy, and UX design. They are versatile, having worked in many different industries such as healthcare, education, and business services.

• Django Stars

Django Stars is a well-established name in Python development. Django Stars offers Python development services for a multitude of projects like app development, Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, UI/UX Design.

Summing up

Like other businesses, if you too are looking to develop IT Solutions with Python, Mindfire Solutions can be your partner of choice. We have gained significant experience over the years working on Python Projects. We have a team of highly skilled and certified software professionals, who have developed many custom solutions for our global clients over the years.

 

Primary concerns of CTOs with IT Outsourcing

 

As a phenomenon, IT outsourcing started in the 1990s to enable companies to cut costs and increase the availability of efficient resources. In the past few years, rapid changes brought about by the global pandemic have made organizations realize that outsourcing IT services allows them greater flexibility and access to top-quality talent from across the world.

According to Statista, in the year 2019, the global market size of outsourced services in the IT industry was $92.5 billion. The IT-Outsourcing market is expected to register a CAGR of 4.5% during the period between 2021–2026, primarily in the Asia-Pacific region.

India is the leading global destination for IT-outsourced services. The current contribution of the Indian IT industry to the country’s GDP is around 7.7% and this is expected to increase to 10% by 2025, which amounts to approximately $350 billion.

Despite its many advantages, IT outsourcing comes with its share of problems. Some of the top issues and their solutions are -

1. Incorrect choice of vendor/ team

It requires a lot of diligent planning and assessment to select an experienced IT outsourcing vendor who understands your business processes and/ or performance standards. In the initial stages, the outsourcing vendor will not be familiar with the parent organization’s workflow, best practices, and business processes. The parent organization must be prepared to withstand sudden changes in the vendor’s personnel or organization and build new partnerships if required.

The best solution is to conduct an in-depth assessment of the vendor’s expertise and background. Ideally, this assessment needs to include the CTO and a team of in-house experts capable of providing a comprehensive view of their requirements and expectations.

2. Uncertainty in Business / Technology

Emerging technologies are consistently driving the existing systems towards extinction in the IT industry. The main job of a CTO is to maintain pace with the latest tech developments without going blindly after every new idea. For every new and upcoming tech idea, the CTO should analyze whether or not to pursue it. In the race for popular technology, a bad decision can be disastrous for the CTO.

The lack of a clear understanding of the differences in technologies and solutions often leads to poor decisions. To minimize this risk, it is critical to identify what to outsource. For example, suppose outsourcing is done with the intention of minimizing costs or converting fixed costs to variable costs. In that case, the parent company is likely to lose some crucial competencies or capabilities, which an in-house team could best handle.

Outsourcing decisions must deliver cost-effective solutions, but the organization must retain in-house talent to define requirements and assess results accurately.

3. Defective cost-estimate or Hidden costs

When cost-reduction is the primary aim for outsourcing, early cash flow benefits and long-term cost savings are expected. However, the parent organization may not foresee future cost escalations due to unexpected reasons like technological discontinuities.

Most companies also underestimate the initial setup costs, like redeployment and relocation costs, and the costs related to running parallel operations until the new setup is up and running.

Accurate cost estimation is one of the most challenging issues with outsourcing. The solution to this lies in clearly defining project requirements. Explain your budget limitations to the vendor to minimize future misunderstandings.

4. Security and Compatibility

The data security and compliance requirements in the IT industry are constantly changing. A CTO must ensure that the company’s products are operating smoothly and are compliant with international security regulations and policies.

Since data security has the highest priority, managers must ensure confidentiality and integrity of information assets. Yet, they need to maintain transparency, coordination and easy data access between the vendor teams.

Take the example of Cloud computing services — they share their resources with other vendors. This helps to cut costs and makes IT scalable, but it also means that other companies use some of the same servers and devices, thus creating security concerns. Also, the compatibility of IT services is another big concern, especially if a company maintains some of its IT services in-house but outsources a significant chunk.

The solution to this lies in creating a seamless knowledge transfer plan. In the case of the cloud-computing service provider, the vendor may outsource some of the services covered in the contract to a third-party service provider. The third-party vendor needs to understand and accept the deliverables. The involved parties must clearly understand the agreement and other legal documentation.

While most IT businesses are well-aware of the first type of provider, sometimes they fail to consider the security concerns involved if their provider outsources to a third party. All these issues need to be understood and clarified through a contract.

5. Poor communication or Cultural differences

More than lack of technical ability, poor communication has emerged as the biggest reason for disputes between outsourcing partners. Communication is the backbone that supports the association between two parties in a contract and minimizes risks due to delayed delivery or poor output quality. Communication failure could be due to cultural diversities, language barriers, and time-zone differences, especially in overseas contracts. To reduce miscommunication, the CTO or in-house project manager in charge of the outsourced contractors could take help from a good mediator for overcoming language or cultural differences.

When it comes to communicating with offshore teams, both teams need to understand and appreciate their differences and select a mutually agreeable time for setting up meetings.

The five risks described here are not universal because they do not affect all outsourcing decisions. Most of these issues can be avoided or reduced by implementing the necessary suggestions and by carefully selecting the outsourcing team.

As corporate knowledge about IT outsourcing increases each year, the strategy of “smart sourcing” is fast becoming the norm. The usual reasons for outsourcing IT services — cost reduction, greater business focus, and subcontracting of the legacy systems — are still relevant and reasonable goals for most big IT companies.

Like other businesses, if you too are looking to develop IT Solutions, Mindfire Solutions can be your partner of choice. We have gained significant experience over the years working with a diverse clientele. We have a team of highly skilled and certified software professionals, who have developed many custom solutions for our global clients over the years.