Understanding Testing in production

Introduction

Testing in production was previously ignored by Product Developers, But recently it has gained Popularity Again! Even, more organizations are planning use this.

In this Article, We'll explore What is Testing in Production,How & Why to use it,It's Benefits , drawbacks and many more.

So Without Delaying Further, Let's START!

What is Testing in Production?

Before we dive deep into this Topic, let's understand what is Testing in Production.

“Testing in production” refers to the practice of running code on production servers, using real data from real users, without showing the new behavior to the majority of users.

In other testing we used to do this by creating staging Environment. Creating a staging environment takes a long time, and the result may not match the actual product. Therefore, many web developers include testing in production as a complementary phase after pre-deployment examinations.

Note: Testing in production is not a substitute for quality assurance (QA), or a shortcut to eliminating unit testing or integration testing. Instead, it is an extension of testing and QA control points into the most realistic environment possible—the real-world.

Why to use Test on Production?

Because of it's unique advantages, Testing in Production is becoming an popular testing approach for Testers and QA Engineers.

Here are some reasons why one should start Testing on Production

1. The Most important point is, TiP works on real-world conditions, including user traffic, diverse data sets. This provide moe authentic Testing Environment than the stagging Environment.

2. It helps to detect issues in a live environment, which reduces the time between problem detection and implementation of solutions.

3. TiP provides immediate feedback, with which the Development team can fix emerging problems and make quick adjustments.

4. TiP utilizes real user data and traffic, providing accurate insights into actual application performance.

5. TiP can be more cost-effective compared to replicating complex production environments in pre-production stages.

Drawbacks of testing in production

While Testing in Production (TiP) offers various benefits, it comes with certain drawbacks which we should keep it mind before using it.

Here are some Drawbacks of TiP:

1. If a test fails or doesn't go according to plan, it can impact the production environment and potentially cause downtime.

2. Testing in Production may expose sensitive data and vulnerabilities, which can leave the system vulnerable to attacks.

3. If we have real-time payment processing, then it can be tricky as we can't perform actual transactions during testing.

4. Non-production tests often use mock data, but using this data in a production environment can impact the integrity of the production data.

5. Reproducing issues encountered in a dynamic live environment may be difficult, It makes debugging hard.

Best Practices:

To ensure successful testing in production, follow the points mentioned below:

1. Using Feature Flags: Feature flags allow testing of new features in production It also gives us the the ability to roll back changes if it's necessary. It reduces the risk of testing in the live environment.

2. Gradual Rollouts: Do changes gradually to a subset of users or servers, which will allow us to monitor carefully and identify issues before full deployment.

3. Automated Testing: Use automated testing processes to streamline the testing workflow. Automation ensures consistency, efficiency, and rapid identification of issues during testing in the production environment.

4. Monitoring and Observability: Use monitoring tools to track key performance metrics, errors, and user interactions in real-time. This provides valuable insights into the application's behavior during testing, facilitating quick issue resolution.

By following these best practices, development teams can enhance the effectiveness of Testing in Production.

Conclusion

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