Shift your testing to the left and ensure a better software development process.

Learn how Azure DevOps supports shift-left testing, including its benefits, features, and use cases. …


Updated October 18, 2023

Learn how Azure DevOps supports shift-left testing, including its benefits, features, and use cases.

Shift-left testing is a software development practice where automated tests are created and run early in the development cycle, even before code is written. This approach helps identify and fix issues earlier, reducing the overall time and cost of development. Azure DevOps supports shift-left testing by providing robust test automation features that enable developers to create and run automated tests easily and efficiently.

Benefits of Shift-Left Testing with Azure DevOps

  1. Early detection of defects: Shift-left testing helps identify defects early in the development cycle, reducing the overall cost of fixing them. By running automated tests before code is written, developers can catch issues that might otherwise have been overlooked until later stages of development.
  2. Improved quality: Automated tests created using Azure DevOps provide a higher level of testing coverage compared to manual testing. This leads to a better overall quality of the software being developed.
  3. Faster feedback: Shift-left testing provides fast feedback on the quality of the software being developed, enabling developers to make necessary changes early in the development cycle. This reduces the time and effort required for debugging and fixing issues later in the development process.
  4. Increased efficiency: By automating tests early in the development cycle, developers can save time and effort that would otherwise be spent on manual testing. This allows them to focus on other important tasks and ensure that the software meets the required quality standards.

Features of Azure DevOps for Shift-Left Testing

  1. Test Plans: Azure DevOps provides a test plan feature that enables developers to create, manage, and track automated tests. Test plans can be created early in the development cycle, even before code is written, allowing developers to catch issues earlier.
  2. Test Cases: Azure DevOps allows developers to create and manage test cases, which are used to define individual tests. Test cases can be organized into suites for easy management.
  3. Test Automation: Azure DevOps provides a range of automated testing features that enable developers to create and run automated tests quickly and efficiently. These features include support for popular testing frameworks like Selenium, Appium, and JUnit.
  4. Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): Azure DevOps supports CI/CD pipelines, which enable developers to automatically build, test, and deploy code changes. This allows them to quickly identify and fix issues early in the development cycle.

Use Cases for Shift-Left Testing with Azure DevOps

  1. Functional testing: Shift-left testing can be used to create automated functional tests that ensure the software meets the required functionality. This includes testing features like user interface, navigation, and other functional aspects of the software.
  2. Performance testing: Shift-left testing can be used to create automated performance tests that ensure the software performs well under different conditions. This includes testing for issues like slow response times, memory leaks, and other performance-related issues.
  3. Security testing: Shift-left testing can be used to create automated security tests that identify vulnerabilities in the software early in the development cycle. This helps developers fix security issues before they become more serious problems later on.
  4. Regression testing: Shift-left testing can be used to create automated regression tests that ensure changes made to the software do not break existing functionality. This includes testing for issues like compatibility, functionality, and other regression-related issues.

Conclusion

Shift-left testing is a powerful software development practice that enables developers to identify and fix issues early in the development cycle. Azure DevOps provides robust test automation features that support shift-left testing, including test plans, test cases, test automation, and CI/CD pipelines. By using these features, developers can create automated tests early in the development cycle, ensuring higher quality software with faster feedback and increased efficiency.