Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) have transformed how mobile test applications are created, tested, and released. They help teams to automate mobile testing procedures, identify bugs early, and release applications faster. Selenium and Appium are popular and advanced testing automation frameworks that allow testers to include continuous testing. However, with the growing tasks, the complexity and frequency of tests, often lead to a bottleneck in the CI/CD process. This is when parallel testing in CI/CD comes in.
Parallel testing in CI/CD involves executing several tests concurrently to expedite the testing process. This approach is helpful in Selenium mobile testing as it allows testers to run tests in parallel on a Selenium cloud grid. By utilizing modern infrastructure and tools organizations can significantly scale mobile test automation without impacting accuracy or coverage.
In this article, we’ll discuss in detail about mobile automation testing. Covering the importance of parallel execution and CI/CD in scaling mobile test automation. We’ll also talk about the essential strategies for bringing mobile test automation to the next level.
What is Mobile Test Automation?
Mobile test automation involves employing specific scripts to automate test operations. It allows testers to perform repetitive and tedious tasks, ensuring that mobile applications function as intended regardless of the devices and operating systems. Mobile test automation is essential while creating mobile applications. It assures the application’s quality, performance, and security criteria required to provide a consistent user experience.
Mobile users do not have much patience for applications that perform poorly, and have bugs or crashes frequently. Mobile automation testing quickly identifies and addresses issues early on, evaluates new features, and assures application quality throughout the development cycle. This reduces the possibility of negative user feedback.
Benefits of parallel execution in CI/CD for mobile test automation
Parallel testing is a technique where multiple tests are executed concurrently across different devices and operating systems. This approach can be applied to various testing stages of mobile automation testing, including unit, integration, and system testing. Parallel execution in the CI/CD pipeline can provide various benefits for mobile application development, including:
Faster test execution
The fundamental advantage of parallel test execution into CI/CD is a significant decrease in test execution time. By performing mobile automation tests concurrently, teams may instantly collect feedback on the application’s state, allowing for faster iterations and more frequent releases.
Improved resource utilization
Parallel testing in CI/CD improves the utilization of existing infrastructure. Rather than executing tests consecutively on the same devices, the workload is distributed over different environments. This method not only accelerates mobile automation testing but also guarantees that device resources are utilized efficiently.
Wider coverage
Incorporating parallel execution in CI/CD allows for a broader set of tests, encompassing multiple setups and scenarios, without considerably raising the overall test duration of mobile automation. This extensive testing increases the application’s durability and stability, ensuring that it functions properly under various kinds of testing scenarios.
Cost efficiency
While parallel execution in CI/CD to automate mobile tests may necessitate a larger initial investment in infrastructure, it may eventually result in long-term cost benefits. Faster testing cycles mean shorter feedback loops, which can lower the costs associated with bug fixes and post-release patches. Additionally, higher resource utilization can save hardware and maintenance expenses.
Continuous feedback
CI/CD combined with parallel execution allows testers to include rigorous quality assurance and approval criteria in the mobile test automation workflow. Because these procedures and implementation tools are quite versatile and feature-rich. Testers get multiple functionality options for activities like bug tracking, logging, and reporting.
It provides continuous feedback by easily incorporating testing into the CI/CD workflow. Developers receive timely feedback on their modifications, allowing them to fix issues quickly and maintain excellent quality of code.
Performance optimization
Parallel execution in CI/CD enables the process optimization of mobile test automation. Once a process is properly established and visualized, it may assist testers in analyzing performance, memory utilization, CPU resource consumption, security features, etc, and optimizing appropriately.
Challenges in automated mobile testing
Automated mobile testing presents certain underlying challenges for both developers and testers. Here are the most typical challenges that they encounter:
- Device fragmentation- Numerous mobile device manufacturers provide different models, making automation testing difficult due to changes in screen size and functionality.
- Limitations of emulators- While emulators can evaluate screen size, user experience, and functionalities, they cannot simulate touch screen behavior, network connectivity, or battery difficulties. They may potentially fail to replicate the applications under unforeseen circumstances.
- Writing test scripts- Writing test scripts is time-consuming and requires technical knowledge. An incorrect testing script may potentially result in inconsistencies in the results.
- Inaccessibility– Large organizations prefer in-house testing under the supervision of their testers, which allows them to customize solutions. Most mobile testing tools do not provide large-scale testing capabilities.
Strategies for scaling mobile test automation with parallel execution and CI/CD
The scope of mobile test automation with parallel execution in a CI/CD pipeline varies from project to project. There are several best practices that can be implemented in every project, regardless of scale or size.
Asses infrastructure needs
Before implementing parallel execution in CI/CD, evaluating the current infrastructure is crucial. Testers must determine whether they have the necessary resources, such as sufficient hardware, network bandwidth, and storage, to support parallel testing for mobile test automation. In many circumstances, implementing cloud-based solutions offers the necessary scalability and flexibility.
Select the right tools and frameworks
Several mobile automation testing tools and frameworks support parallel execution in CI/CD pipelines. The choice depends on the specific needs, such as the programming languages used, test frameworks, and deployment environments. LambdaTest, a cloud-based automation testing platform offers modules for running parallel test execution in CI/CD pipelines. This capability is useful to enhance the testing process, as it allows tests to run simultaneously rather than sequentially. This leads to faster feedback and reduced bottlenecks.
LambdaTest is an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform that can conduct manual and automated tests at scale. The platform lets testers perform mobile test automation in real-time on a real device cloud using mobile automation frameworks like Selenium, Appium, Espresso, and XCUITest. This helps to ensure that the test results are more accurate and reflective of real-world conditions.
With access to over 3000 environments and real mobile devices, testers can perform cross-browser testing in parallel using the cloud Selenium grid to ensure that the applications work flawlessly across all browsers and versions. Thus, achieving a consistent user experience while reducing test execution time.
In addition, LambdaTest’s advanced test automation capabilities in mobile website testing and CI/CD enable development teams to streamline test execution, increase application quality, and speed up the delivery process. These capabilities use real-world circumstances and scalable infrastructure to ensure applications perform effectively in various scenarios.
LambdaTest’s comprehensive mobile testing platform, real-world device testing capabilities, accelerated testing speeds, advanced mobile test automation frameworks, and seamless integrations with CI/CD tools make it the ideal choice for organizations searching to improve the quality and delivery of their mobile applications.
Configuring test suites for parallel execution
Not all tests are suitable for parallel execution. Tests that rely on common state or external systems may not work properly in parallel. As a result, it is critical to classify mobile test automation based on its independence and adaptability for parallel execution. Setting up parallel execution in CI/CD requires grouping independent tests and ensuring they will not interfere with one another.
Utilizing containers for isolated environments
Containers, such as those provided by Docker, offer isolated environments that are ideal for parallel execution. They allow mobile automation tests to run in consistent environments, reducing the chances of environment-specific issues. Containers can be quickly spun up and down, making them a cost-effective solution for parallel execution in CI/CD.
Automate parallel test execution
Automation is at the heart of CI/CD. Automating parallel testing ensures that the procedure is efficient and consistent. Jenkins, CircleCI, and GitLab CI/CD can support the parallel execution of mobile automation tests, handle dependencies, and gather results.
Start small and scale gradually
When adopting parallel execution in CI/CD for automating mobile applications, start with a small set of tests and gradually expand. This method aids in the early detection and resolution of issues with test dependencies, infrastructure, or configurations.
Monitor and optimize
Continuously monitor the performance of the parallel execution in the CI/CD setup. To identify bottlenecks and optimize the setup, use metrics such as test execution time, infrastructure utilisation, and error rates. Fine-tuning the number of parallel threads or adjusting resource allocations can improve the efficiency of mobile test automation.
Tests rely on specific testers
Tests dependent on specific testers with domain knowledge can pose risks if they are unavailable during critical mobile automation testing phases. The tester alone knows the prerequisites and procedures, impacting project deliverables in their absence. Incorporating mobile automation into a parallel CI/CD pipeline can mitigate these risks and keep project deadlines on track.
Additionally, utilizing scalable tools and test platforms can enhance the use of mobile automation testing across various scenarios, helping organizations achieve their ambitious goals.
One-click migration
The work required to migrate code changes to the production environment can be considerably reduced if there is a one-click functionality for migrating code from one application environment to another.
A well-architected CI/CD pipeline should have a one-click migration since it reduces the friction (in code migration) between different operations. Opting for a good cloud infrastructure that provides this feature and efficient and elegant usage of mobile test automation could optimize the development and operation process. Pushing the development through a single click is great as a best practice for CI/CD.
Maintain test independence
Testers must verify that mobile automation tests running concurrently do not interfere with one another. This might include employing separated data sets, avoiding shared resources, or simulating external dependencies. Maintaining test independence is critical for achieving consistent results in a parallel test execution in CI/CD configuration.
Regularly update test suites
With the addition of new tests and the modification or removal of older ones, the test suite changes over time. Regularly evaluating and updating the test suites helps to reflect changes to the application. Thus keeping the tests useful and relevant while also ensuring broad coverage.
Secure Infrastructure
Security is an important consideration in CI/CD pipelines, particularly when leveraging cloud-based parallel execution. Implementing strong security measures, such as access restrictions, encryption, and frequent audits, aids in the integrity of the pipeline and the code under mobile automation tests.
Learnings from previously executed projects
Mobile automation tests involve phases like planning, requirement gathering, implementation, testing, and deployment. Learnings from each phase improve future tasks, leverage best practices to accelerate progress, and avoid past mistakes, even when projects differ.
Testers should make a note of the test automation techniques being used for accelerating the process as a best practice for CI/CD. Developers and testers need to look into a possibility where best practices for test automation can be reused so that they do not have to reinvent the wheel.
Conclusion
Parallel execution in CI/CD is an effective strategy for scaling mobile test automation, reducing testing time, and improving application quality. As the technology landscape evolves, the future of parallel execution in CI/CD becomes brighter. Advancements in AI, serverless computing, and cloud-based solutions are expected to increase the capabilities and efficiency of mobile automation testing.
Teams that use modern technology and strategy will be more equipped to offer excellent applications more quickly. This helps them achieve quicker feedback loops, improved resource utilization, and complete test coverage, allowing them to remain competitive in an increasingly digital environment. While there are certain challenges to embracing parallel execution in CI/CD, the advantages considerably go above them.
