The year 2020 had a lot to offer in terms of software testing. Artificial Intelligence along with automation was a major trend this year. As we move towards 2021, the trends have started to shift to new verticals. The need to build quality software has pushed software testing to a different level now.

In this article, we will discuss some of the testing trends that we look forward to in the year 2021. If you are a software tester, Quality Assurance professional, or someone with an interest in testing, this article should be on your reading list.

1. Scriptless Test Automation

Test Automation has been on the rise with rapid web development. Manual testing alone is not enough to meet the current software development demands. A new trend in scriptless test automation is being practiced by leading industry software IT firms to maximize the scalability of their tests. It helps software testers and developers to run their test cases automatically without worrying much about the coding. These firms have achieved faster results and reduced time with scriptless test automation. This is something many IT firms are looking forward to introducing to their process.

2. Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

While automation was growing among software testing enthusiasts, there was another trend that was on the rise. Robotic process automation, as the name suggests features artificial intelligence (AI), cognitive computing, and the Internet of Things or IoT. This process has revolutionized the industry. The RPA has been implemented with self-driving vehicles and has already set a benchmark for upcoming business processes. Robotic process automation will definitely be something you will need to follow in 2021.

3. Combined Automation & Manual Testing

Software testing without manual testing is incomplete. There are certain aspects that automation testing cannot handle. In recent years, there has been a rise in automation and the need for automation testers. With automation, the efficiency and speed of software testing increase significantly but it cannot cover different aspects like usability, user experience, and design. The balance for both manual and automation testing in a software development process is the future of testing.

4. API and Service Test Automation

With the rise of microservice architecture in software and web development, the use of APIs (application programming interfaces) is growing day by day. It is being used in almost every other component. The Client-Server development is on the rise and the test team should ensure these APIs are communicating well with each other, as well as functioning independently. To make this process more efficient, test automation on the API and service level will increase as we head toward 2021.

5. More data, better data

Data play an important role in software testing and Quality Assurance(QA). New algorithm frameworks help facilitate the process of testing precisely. Using more and more tools to gather data is one of the trends to look forward to in software testing. Testing teams are now looking for ways to process data efficiently transforming into relevant insights, validating it against different criteria such as consistency, accuracy, validity, duplication, and completeness. The use of more and more data helps to increase the quality of a product being developed and will definitely be on the rise in 2021.

6. Performance Testing

Performance testing is so much more than regular testing. Along with writing scripts to validate all the working features and its functionality, teams will now have to see the project as a whole by ensuring its security, performance, and usability. Low software performance directly affects the brand and the loyalty of customers, it is necessary for testers to ensure the accessibility of the applications on all systems and in countries with low network connection speed. Performance testing also ensures quality functionality along with rapid application delivery.

7. Testing Centers for Quality

 A testing center for Quality has teams that are dedicated to building a reusable testing framework as well as standards for organizations to follow while developing. In the long run, this helps to build high-quality software and improves the overall workflow of the software development process. Implementing these centers will also help reduce testing time without reducing the quality of the product’s functionality, usability, and performance. This will also provide for efficient test automation, and create flexible standards in quality assurance practices to be implemented in future projects to come.

8. Cyber Security and Risk Compliance

The new digital world has its own challenges including cyber-attacks and risks. The new generation has been so dependent on digital living and the importance of security testing is on the rise. The product, networks, and applications should be well protected from cyber-attacks and different risk compliances. In 2021, secure coding practices will come into play. Cyber attacks can occur in any form, be it from the user end or from the server.  Testing for security has become a necessity by now–not just in applications that deal with transactions and money but also for the protection of their end-user. We can expect an increased number of cyberattacks in 2021 and we all need to be prepared.

9. IoT (Internet of Things) Testing

Internet of Things(IoT) is on the rise with recent technology development. With IoT, testers will have to be aware of ways to test and assess all the risks and threats releasing an IoT based tool. Easier processes should be developed to replicate the issues and mitigate them in a timely manner. Security, usability, device compatibility, data integrity, performance, and scalability will be the main focus of IoT testing. As per a survey, IoT will see a significant rise in growth, so will the testing related to it. IoT testing should not be overlooked in 2021. 

10. Mobile app testing automation

This trend doesn’t need much explanation. The use of mobile devices and applications is booming.  Millions of different mobile apps are listed on different play stores of different operating systems. There has been the development of more and more complex applications that are able to handle different customer needs. This requires end-to-end testing. So, the trend of increased automation in mobile app testing continues into 2021.

11. QAOps

Software development processes have changed, so has the role of every individual involved in the process. The role of QA or software tester is now not limited to testing. Testers are involved in every aspect of software development. QAOps is a practice that brings developers, testers, and operation teams together. Continuous testing is combined with DevOps. Test activities along with the CI/CD pipeline and testers/QA working in parallel with the dev team are the two fundamentals of QAOps. More and more companies are leaning towards DevOps, QAOps is on the rise for 2021.

12. Key Testing Tools

Testing tools play an important role in the software development process. Viewing and editing the source code of the software is necessary for testers and QAs. Customization can help teams work efficiently, create a smooth learning curve for new testers, and cater to the needs of the project with more precision. The use of open-source tools for software testing will be on the rise in 2021. It will make testing more personalized, innovative, and experimental. Every tester’s tool in 2021 should include Robotium, Cypress, and JMeter. 

13. Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

In 2020, almost everything has become increasingly dependent on the internet, so the cloud platform has attracted many organizations. Cloud services are being used by many IT firms in large numbers to achieve flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. More and more use of virtualization and cloud has changed the way servers were used. It has eased the bottleneck that was an issue in the past for allocating servers and configuring them. The next-generation infrastructure management technology has revolutionized the process of handling the architecture. The use of different tools like Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, etc., are on the rise and will continue to lead in 2021.

14. Application Penetration Testing

 More and more IT firms have started the practice of penetration testing. Penetration testing helps to find out loopholes in the software product before releasing it in the market. Penetration testing also works for APIs, microservices, and backend applications. The need to mitigate security flaws is on the rise and will continue in 2021.

15. Agile, DevOps & CI/CD

 Agile & DevOps are hot topics in the Software development industry. Most organizations use the Agile framework and DevOps process for software testing. DevOps uses CI/CI principles, which helps in rapid software testing and release. The test team will verify the build at different stages of development and deploy them after verifying its working. It will continue in 2021 with more and more organizations adopting this pattern.

In order to gain software, application, product-market fit, many enterprises focus their attention on quality and rely on professionals working for the QA testing company. At ISHIR, we help organizations find skillful QA engineers and software testing resources that are mature in terms of accomplishment and applied technologies. Reach out to us to know more about our QA Testing Services.