Automated vs Manual Testing: Pros, Cons, and Which Is Better

Testing is an irreplaceable part of software development. Quality testing helps to battle security breaches, which currently cost companies about $25 per minute according to RiskIQ.

In Agile methodologies, testing is a continuous process that starts right at the beginning of development. Today, testing can be done either manually or automatically. Let’s look into the manual testing vs automated testing dilemma. You’ll learn the advantages of automation testing over manual testing and vice versa, and get advice on where to use which testing approach.

What’s the difference between manual testing and automation testing?

Manual testing is performed directly by a quality assurance (QA) specialist who runs software through test scenarios built on requirements. QAs test one scenario at a time.

In automated testing, test scenarios are run by software, which often enables multiple scenarios to be tested simultaneously. However, for automated testing to work, the test scenarios need to be prepared by an automation quality assurance specialist, so automated testing isn’t free from human involvement. To enable automated testing, a QA writes scripts in a programming language of their choice — generally Python, C#, or Java. Those scripts are then launched using tools such as TestComplete, Selenium, or Appium. Software runs tests faster than a human but needs a human to work.

Finally, not all tests can be run by software.

You can find more information about automated and manual testing in this article: Automated vs Manual Testing: Pros, Cons, and Which Is Better