What is a Test Case?
Letās start with the test cases. A test case is a specific set of actions or variables under which you evaluate whether a software application is functioning correctly. It includes:Ā
- The input
- Execution steps
- Expected outcomeĀ
And it verifies that a particular feature or functionality meets the required standards.
Talking about test cases without mentioning requirements would be a rookie mistake. Requirements are the foundation upon which test cases are built; they define what the software should achieve.Ā
Clear and well-defined requirements ensure the test cases meet your users’ needs and link back to specific functionalities. They also help you prioritise critical features and validate both functionality and user experience. So what makes the test cases so crucial?Ā
Importance of Test Cases
Some people claim they donāt need test cases. Letās look at this quote from Reddit:
Iāve not used test cases for almost 10 years now, except for the occasional scenario where itās particularly useful or a specific stakeholder is demanding them.
Although it really depends on the individual situation whether a QA might or might not need test cases, letās try to debunk this claim. Hereās what test cases bring to your efforts:
- Clarity: Test cases provide you with precise criteria for what needs to be tested. They eliminate confusion. Without clear test cases, you risk missing critical functionalities, which can cause defects that affect user satisfaction.
- Repeatability: Test cases ensure consistent testing across different cycles. It becomes easier to reproduce results and identify defects. When you execute the same test case multiple times, you can be confident that your findings are reliable. It also confirms that any discrepancies are genuine issues, not just inconsistencies in your approach.
- Documentation: Test cases are also a valuable reference for future testing cycles or audits. When you or your team need to revisit a feature months down the line, having test cases documented means you wonāt have to scramble to remember what was done previously.
- Efficiency: Well-structured test cases streamline your efforts in terms of time-saving and better resource allocation. Think about how much quicker you can execute tests when you have a straightforward script to follow instead of winging it each time.
- Communication: Test cases enhance communication among your team members. They keep everyone aligned on testing objectives. When everyone can reference the same test cases, it reduces possible misunderstandings.
Letās dive into some practical examples to illustrate test cases and their application.
Example of a Manual Test Case
When choosing a manual approach, you follow the steps outlined in the case without any help from automation tools. Hereās a straightforward example:
Test Case ID: TC001
Objective: Verify login functionality
Preconditions: User is on the login page
Test Steps:
- Enter a valid username.
- Enter a valid password.
- Click the “Login” button.
Expected Result: The user should be redirected to the dashboard.
I like writing in the Gherkin format (Given, When, Then). It helps me dive deeper into scenarios. If youāre writing scenarios with steps to follow you donāt need to write it out like a robot or include inane steps like logging in or simple navigation to get to the area youāre testing. I prefer writing it so it flows better. I find clunky steps difficult to follow, myself as opposed to a sentence that focuses on getting you to an end point.
This is how a manual test case is designed to validate a specific feature. Next, letās look at how test cases can be automated for greater efficiency.
Example of an Automated Test Case
Automation is taking over almost every single industry out there, and QA is no exception. Letās give you a simple example: automation can boost defect detection by up to 90% compared to manual testing. Or, the global test automation market is expected to be valued at around 50 billion next year.
So how does the shift from a manual approach to automation affect the test cases?
As you can see from the manual part, the main difference is, that you need the involvement of tools when creating automated test cases. For this practical example, we will use aqua cloud, the first solution that brought the power of AI to QA:
Scenario: Uploading Different Types of Files to a Ticket System
Requirements Creation:
The goal is to make it easy for users to upload files like images, documents, or archives all at once. This saves time and improves user satisfaction by providing a seamless way to share information. You create the requirement, click āTest It!ā, and wait just a few seconds.
Test Cases Functionality:
Hereās how aquaās AI generates an automated test case for this scenario:
Letās put it into perspective. Creating this test case manually would take you about 18 minutes. Remarkably, aqua completes this entire test case in just 13 secondsā98% faster than doing it manually! Imagine the potential savings when you need to create hundreds of test cases.Ā
aqua also allows you to customise tests for different scenarios, including positive, negative, functional, and performance tests. For larger requirements, aqua can intelligently split test cases into smaller, manageable parts, all while maintaining speed and efficiency.
With aqua, automatic generation does not stop with test cases; you can also generate requirements and test data with a single click. But aqua goes beyond just test case creation; it also allows for easy customisation across various scenarios and intelligently splits larger requirements into manageable test cases while maintaining speed. With 100% traceability linking every test case to its requirements, you ensure comprehensive coverage and accountability, guaranteeing 100% testing coverage. The integration with Capture for one-click bug recording, along with insights from the AI Copilot, enables rapid identification and resolution of issues. Coupled with seamless integrations with Selenium, Jenkins, and Jira, aqua is the ideal Test Management System (TMS) to take the pain of testing away.
Achieve test case creation in just 13 seconds instead of 18 minutes
Best Practices for Writing Test Cases
To maximise the effectiveness of your test cases, letās look at the best practices you should follow:
- Be Clear and Concise: Use straightforward language and avoid unnecessary jargon.
- Include Preconditions: Clearly state each required setup before executing the test case.
- Prioritise: Focus on critical features and high-risk areas for thorough testing.
- Use Consistent Formatting: Maintain uniformity in the layout for easy understanding and tracking.
- Review Regularly: Regularly monitor and update test cases to reflect changes in requirements or features.
If you follow the checklist, youāll have a concrete strategy in place. Now that weāve comprehensively covered the test cases, letās move on to the test suites.Ā
What is a Test Suite?
A test suite is a collection of test cases that are grouped together to test a specific functionality or feature of the software. It serves as an organised structure for executing multiple tests neatly. By bundling related test cases, a test suite allows you to efficiently manage and execute your testing efforts. It boosts your test coverage significantly.
Test suite is a collection of test cases that cover a particular feature or span of features. For example, a test suite can cover all possible test cases for login. In another example, a test suite can cover all possible iterations of a checkout flow.
Importance of Test Suites
Understanding the role of test suites in your testing strategy is crucial. Here are some key points highlighting their significance:
- Organisation: Test suites help you keep your test cases organised. Therefore, it is easier to manage testing efforts and track progress.
- Efficiency: By grouping related tests, you can execute them all at once. This helps you save time and ensure you test related functionalities together.
- Scalability: As your application grows, test suites enable you to scale your testing efforts more easily. This way, you are accommodating new test cases without losing structure.
- Reporting: Test suites simplify reporting by providing a combined view of test results. This allows you to assess overall quality more effectively.
- Reusability: You can reuse test suites for different testing cycles, so you donāt struggle with consistency while maintaining test coverage over time.
Having covered the importance of test suites, letās look at a practical example to illustrate their application.
Example of a Test Suite
Consider a test suite designed for testing the login functionality of a web application. This suite could include various test cases such as:
- Test Case 1: Verify login with valid credentials.
- Test Case 2: Verify login with invalid credentials.
- Test Case 3: Verify the āForgot Passwordā functionality.
- Test Case 4: Verify session timeout behaviour.
This test suite will help you quickly check the overall login feature reliability and test all related scenarios thoroughly.
Differences Between Test Suite and Test Case
So where do the differences lie? Although some are already obvious, letās put them into a comparison table:
| Aspect | Test Case | Test Suite |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A specific set of conditions to test a particular functionality. | A collection of test cases grouped for testing a feature or functionality. |
| Purpose | To verify a specific aspect of the application. | To organise and execute related test cases efficiently. |
| Scope | Narrow, focusing on a single test scenario. | Broad, encompassing multiple test scenarios related to a feature. |
| Execution | Executed individually to assess specific functionality. | Executed as a group to evaluate overall feature performance. |
| Documentation | Contains detailed steps and expected results for a single test. | Provides an overview of multiple tests, summarising their objectives. |
Understanding these differences will help you better structure and organise your testing strategy. Ultimately, youāll have more effective testing cycles and better software quality through targeted, efficient test execution.Ā
Conclusion
So what did we learn? Test cases focus on specific functionalities and provide clear criteria for testing individual scenarios. Test suites group related test cases to streamline execution and enhance organisation.
You should use test cases to maintain detailed validation of each feature while organising related test cases into test suites for efficient execution.
aqua cloud offers features that perfectly fit within your test case and test suite management. With the ability to automatically generate test cases from requirements, aqua saves you significant time. This means a better focus on detailed validation. Additionally, you can customise tests for various situationsāpositive, negative, functional, and performanceāensuring that your testing covers all angles. Beyond individual test cases, aqua’s centralised repository organises related test cases into test suites, boosting your efficiency. With 100% traceability linking test cases to their requirements, you guarantee comprehensive coverage. While youāre benefiting from rapid bug detection through Capture and insights provided by the AI Copilot, integrations like Jira, Azure DevOps, Selenium, Ranorex, etc turn your toolkit into a superpower. Choosing aqua means high-quality standards, and you are just one click away from that.
Go beyond test case and suite management; have a 100% automated test strategy
