Combining CI/CD and QAOps for Continuous QA

Learn how QAOps teams test throughout the development lifecycle, along with continuous integration and continuous delivery, for rapid delivery of quality applications.

Software development and testing are changing and becoming increasingly flexible. Quality assurance operations (QAOps) teams depend on continuous practices that require frequent code changes and testing. Continuous practices include continuous integration (CI), continuous delivery (CD) and continuous testing (CT). Testing occurs using test automation in the CI/CD pipeline.

For QAOps teams, testing functions on two principles:

• Use CI/CT/CD (continuous integration, testing and delivery) to instill quality with rapid delivery.
• Testing works in parallel with development and operations throughout the development process.

The quality of the CI/CD pipeline automation is the backbone of high quality with rapid delivery and the heart of QAOps. Using a CI/CD pipeline enables testers to monitor and test during all phases of development. QA sees that each code change gets tested to provide application stability and improve user experience.

This guide describes CI/CD and how QAOps teams test through the development lifecycle for high application quality with rapid delivery.

What Are CI/CD and CT?

CI/CD and CT are crucial for QAOps teams to rapidly release stable and reliable code. CI breaks project code into simpler bits and then merges the code into the base or trunk. CI is an application development methodology that integrates code with the data repository.

Most CT testing is done during the CI cycle. At this stage, CT helps testers identify bugs or issues before coding is complete. Think of it as testing for completion. Code must pass testing before it moves on and is available for delivery.

CD extends the CI idea by releasing all production changes that pass CI testing. The purpose of CD is to deliver working, quality code to customers on a regular schedule so they don’t have to wait for long periods for bug fixes or new features.

CT helps accelerate delivery and retain a level of quality. CT also eliminates redundancy and reduces testing costs. In a QAOps team, CT provides a safety net so developers can focus on coding while QA executes tests.

How Is CT Performed in a QAOps Team?

The cornerstone of CT is test automation. Test automation accelerates the testing process and helps to provide repeatability and consistency. Automated tests fail quickly and enable developers and testers to identify issues and get them fixed quickly. Rapid feedback loops help fix defects when they occur, not later after the developer has moved on to a new task. CT feedback is critical for effective collaboration between QA and coders.

Rapid feedback comes not only from failed test executions but also from analyzing and troubleshooting failures quickly. During CT, testers also perform test maintenance. Rapid testing skills are essential for working within short sprints and frequent deployments. QA testers need extensive knowledge and experience in troubleshooting failures and creating valid test automation that’s easy to maintain. A solid understanding of UI/UX principles is also helpful for keeping testing at this level focused on the user experience.

QA testers run test automation throughout the development cycle, so failure analysis, troubleshooting defects and test maintenance are part of CT. Developing a strong QAOps testing framework and strategy is critical.

The four vital elements for a QAOps testing framework include:

• Automated test development
• Parallel testing
• Scalability testing
• Integration of development and operations tools with QA

Automated test development is essential for CT. Testers employ other testing types, but automation is central to providing thorough testing quickly and consistently. QA teams must analyze the project early and determine if all tests are automatable. If not, they must define a suitable approach, like pair testing. Pair testing is an efficient testing method where two team members sit together and work on a feature. When ready to test, one tests and the other verifies the results. Developers correct any issues during coding.

An important consideration is using test automation tools that integrate with development and operations tools and provide the necessary sophistication for all team members.

Teams need to consider using parallel testing to test components concurrently and reduce testing redundancy. Testers execute parallel testing using tools or scripts that execute test automation simultaneously on different servers or containers. This enables QAOps testers to cover additional testing without requiring more time.

Scalability testing checks that new changes or features do not impact performance. It enables testers to evaluate application behavior at various load levels. It effectively tests that an application runs at minimally acceptable levels during peak loads. It is also useful for detecting features that need fine-tuning for improved end-user experience.

In QAOps, the development, operations and testing team operates as one. The tools and processes must do the same. As a single, functioning team, be sure to integrate all processes, rules and operating procedures. Integration breaks silos and keeps the team communicating and collaborating as a team rather than being distracted by additional tasks or rules from other sources. QA testers must help eliminate bugs before they get coded by working collaboratively with development and operations.

Many QAOps teams also use test-driven development (TDD). In TDD, the team develops tests before the code gets written and merged into the code base. TDD enables unit tests to be written during coding, keeping quality in mind for all inputs, outputs and error conditions.

What Is the Value of CT for QAOps Teams?

CT provides continuous issue identification throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC). For example, instead of waiting until the end of coding and just before release to execute security, performance and API testing, include them all in the CT testing strategy upfront. With CT, there’s no longer a need to schedule different test executions right before a release. Instead, testers can create test automation, use pair testing and leverage parallel testing to perform thorough testing from day one to the release.

CT provides consistent testing between releases. Regardless of the number of bug fixes or new features merged into the code base, defects between releases are easier to detect and correct by repeatedly executing tests. The ability to identify defects or even usability issues early saves time and development costs while also improving the customer experience. CT also reduces risk by effectively monitoring quality in a consistent manner throughout the SDLC.

CT improves team collaboration by getting all team members involved in the development process at the beginning. No group is left waiting to perform work. Everyone has been active and engaged since day one, so team members better understand the background of all changes in the release. Understanding the background of changes helps testers develop focused tests that verify functionality and satisfy business objectives.

The benefits of investing in developing a communicative and collaborative QAOps team include increased productivity, precisely scheduled code deliveries and quality releases that are stable, reliable and consistently tested. Organizations using QAOps deliver higher-quality applications faster without skipping thorough and consistent testing.

Need help organizing test cases for continuous testing? Consider tools to make managing and developing test automation efficient and effective. Testing tools like Test Studio leverage the latest in testing technology for creating, managing and executing continuous testing.