If you work in software development, you’ve probably heard of the clean code approach. But what is much less known is the clean testing philosophy.
Test code is just as important as production code.
What Is Clean Testing?
Clean testing is a system of automated testing design patterns that is concise and designed to test only those things that are required to ensure that the code is effective.
Like clean code, a clean test is simple, direct, and not cluttered with unnecessary steps or information. So, let’s take a look at two patterns that will bring readability and conciseness to your automated tests’ code.
Arrange-Act-Assert
One way to set up clean tests is to use Arrange-Act-Assert as follows:
- Arrange: Create the test and set the parameters and objects you will use.
- Act: Choose an action that will trigger the test result – this could be a click, calling a specific function, or something else.
- Assert: Assert the result was what was expected.
F.I.R.S.T principle
Another way to make sure that your testing is clean is to base it on the F.I.R.S.T. principle, which is:
- Fast – which is achieved by using small tasks that perform one function.
- Independent – each test must run independently and not rely on any other testing or results.
- Repeatable – the test should be repeatable, and every time it runs, it should produce the same result.
- Self-validating – tests should not require manual validation from the developer or tester.
- Thorough – the test and its results should be complete and definitive.
It’s a well-known fact that good testing is one of the most critical steps in developing quality software. Keeping tests clean and straightforward, avoiding overly complex processes, and limiting the hands-on interaction required from testers and developers is the best way to ensure that testing provides the results needed to build a better product.
Tools and protocols like Arrange-Act-Assert and the F.I.R.S.T. principle testing are some of the fundamentals of clean testing automation and should be a part of your process.
Learn more about Allure tools
Qameta Software focuses on developing amazing tools that help software testers. Learn more about Allure Report, a lightweight automation reporting tool, and Allure TestOps, the all-in-one DevOps-ready testing platform.
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