#continuous testing framework

If a software is what drives our interconnected world, then API, or the Application Programming Interface, is the glue that makes it happen. It helps the software to connect across websites, devices, databases, systems, networks, and frameworks - not to speak of the other APIs. APIs help to keep things orderly, segmented, and integrated into the fast changing digital world. For companies that are increasingly embracing Agile and DevOps models of development, testing and delivery of products/services, APIs play an important role. To put it succinctly an API is a set of tools, standards, protocols, and codes that enable the functioning of a software to its optimal level. Such is the criticality of APIs in the seamless functioning of a software system that continuous testing of the same should be pursued as a part of Agile or DevOps.

The complexity and daunting nature of testing an API have meant it is not always executed rigorously. This is partly due to the demands of business on releasing applications quickly to meet the competition and address the changing market dynamics. Thus, even though automated testing has made much headway in the Agile cycle, the testing of APIs has left much to be desired. This calls for implementing continuous testing as part of the DevOps initiative. Let us find out why continuous testing in DevOps is important to ensure the successful testing of APIs.

Continuous testing services & DevOps

DevOps came into being as Agile was found to be lacking in meeting some of the business objectives. With changing customer preferences and the advent of new technologies, the success of businesses hinges on the customer experience. Since providing a rich customer experience is not exactly a one way street and requires the setting up of a total quality culture in the organization, Agile has been found wanting in meeting the objectives.

Creating a total quality culture in the organization needs the participation of all the stakeholders and departments. And since operations play an important role in offering the last mile connectivity or support to the customer, it is needed to be integrated in the whole exercise. Hence, we have DevOps (Development + Operations) as the next logical step of Agile as far as development, testing, delivery and customer query resolution are concerned.

The DevOps methodology is underpinned by Continuous Testing and Delivery. In other words, implementing a shift left testing strategy throughout the SDLC and beyond. Continuous testing solutions help in keeping the software updated at all times. They also help in ensuring the quality of APIs at all levels given the multitude of devices, database, networks, systems, and frameworks, which undergoes upgradation from time to time.

Why do APIs need continuous testing services?

The IT environment is going through rapid changes in terms of the use of technology, methodology, and processes. The changes are evident in the form of new devices, operating systems, architecture, databases, applications and others being adopted by the customers. Since the APIs need to incorporate these changes, they should be tested continuously and with considerable rigour. In the absence of such testing, the software containing the APIs will not function seamlessly leading to a bad user experience.

Benefits of testing API on a continuous basis

Quality of testing: If the APIs are tested post the development phase, the focus would be more towards ensuring the performance of the APIs rather than identifying the scenarios where they can fail. This approach often results in developing favourable test cases, which in the long run do not test the APIs for inherent glitches in the truest sense. On the other hand, if the APIs are tested continuously at every level, their integration with other components of the software will be tested and validated. This will result in raising the bar as far as the quality of software and customer experience are concerned.

Test coverage area: The very fact that API testing is a daunting exercise due to the presence of multiple interfaces often makes test experts not to execute it in a comprehensive manner. This approach leaves a lot of glitches to remain unidentified thereby impacting the quality of software. However, by embracing the continuous testing in DevOps model through test automation, the test coverage area of the APIs can be increased comprehensively. This ensures the software works well with the devices, server, website(s), other services, operating system, framework, or network. Since a software does not function on a standalone basis, increasing the API test coverage area will go a long way in enhancing its quality. Additionally, it will not burden the customer department with sundry quality issues.

Reusability of tests: Using an automated shift left testing in the early stages of development can be reused later in multiple environments especially when new end points are added. The reusability of API testing allows a greater collaboration among various stakeholders in the SDLC. This leads to improving the quality of software comprehensively.

Enhancing the customer experience: A software built and deployed on the ground needs interfacing with various components, systems, databases, and networks. If the interfacing process works well the software functions in accordance with its stated objectives. This invariably leads to a better customer experience and achieving ROI.

Conclusion

The quality testing of APIs is of utmost importance to ensure the functionality, performance, navigability and security of a software. However, the testing needs to be carried out on a continuous basis to account for the changes in the configuration of devices, operating systems, and networks etc. In the ultimate analysis, the quality of APIs will determine the quality of software and impact the user experience and ROI in a positive way.

The challenges of digital transformation and changing market dynamics have forced business enterprises to scale up their development and delivery of software products. The advent of Agile paradigm has led to the faster development and deployment of software, a key yardstick for business enterprises to feel happy (and complacent).

However, while doing so, continuous testing is often overlooked or somehow given lesser priority. This approach can make the software more vulnerable from the perspective of security, quality and compliance. If such a software is deployed, it will result in quality issues as well as a bad user experience. In the increasingly competitive digital landscape of today, such an application can simply mean trouble for its makers.

To prevent such an eventuality and to ensure that quality is maintained at all levels of the extended SDLC (including deployment,) continuous testing needs to be brought to the centre stage. Furthermore, the emerging areas of digital technology such as Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Big data, Predictive Analysis, and the Internet of Things (IoT) need QA at the core of everything. Enterprises are realizing that Quality cannot be separated from development and deployment.

What is continuous testing?

In an Agile ecosystem, the fast pace of developing software did not quite match up to the sluggish pace of manual testing practices. This resulted in the minimum coverage of the test area and the subsequent prevalence of quality issues. This led to situations where organisations were forced to slacken the pace of development or testing, leading to inefficiency.

Moreover, since Agile deals with the streamlining of the development and Quality Assurance processes, the inefficiencies of the operations team are largely left untouched. This lacuna has an impact on the end user experience as any feedback on quality is not promptly addressed. This has led to the adoption of the DevOps paradigm.

Here, quality is not treated as a component of the development process alone, but of the whole SDLC and deployment stages. The emphasis in DevOps is more on adopting a holistic approach towards process improvement through test automation.

Adopting a continuous testing framework

Due to the built-in inadequacies of manual regression testing, the reliability and efficiency of end to end SDLC was questioned. To get over the problem, software testing across the development and delivery stages is made an integral component of DevOps. The objective is to identify the quality issues early on in the SDLC and mitigate them before releasing the code for the next stage. The iterative process of conducting continuous testing services across all stages needs a change in the culture of the organization as well.

Continuous testing services helps enterprises to bring in these benefits -

Swift identification of quality issues across the build and deployment cycles

Prompt resolution of user feedback leading to a better user experience

Quick development and deployment of software into the market

Executing successful digital transformation strategy, wherein an update to the software is done without impacting the user experience

Better end user experience leading to a greater adoption of the software

Software meeting the overall business goals as far as speed, quality, and efficiency are concerned

Better realization of the ROI

Continuous testing framework and the need to change the mindset and culture

The embedded mind-set of business stakeholders and employees is mostly tuned towards achieving the production targets. However, with stringent compliance regulations in place, frequent release of the software without addressing the QA issues at all levels can be counterproductive. This calls for a shift in the mind-set of teams to treat quality assurance as an integral part of each and every activity of the overall SDLC.

Key features of continuous training services

Risk mitigation with optimization of the test coverage area

The quality assessment exercise takes the build to the next stage of the SDLC

QA processes are aligned with the compliance mandate and business goals

Optimization of testing leading to the elimination of rework

Incorporate continuous QA into the organizational culture as part of the DevOps philosophy

Conclusion

The integration of continuous testing framework into the development and deployment processes of a business enterprise leads to the quick identification and elimination of quality issues. As the quality of software improves across the spectrum, the user experience follows suit. This helps the enterprise to retain customers and achieve ROI.