DEV Community: TestMu AI Team

Recapping Conversations From Selenium Conf and Appium Conf 2025 | LambdaTest

TestMu AI Team — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 10:29:18 +0000

At this year’s Selenium Conf and Appium Conf, we had the pleasure of hosting booths where industry experts like Angie Jones, Christian Bromann, and Jonathan Lipps stopped by for engaging Q&A sessions.

From thoughtful discussions to spontaneous insights, these moments captured the pulse of where testing is headed-AI, automation strategies, and ethical considerations were all on the table.

Here’s a quick look at what went down.

Angie Jones on AI, Ethics, Adaptation, and MCP

In a recent fireside chat at Selenium Conf and Appium Conf, test automation leader Angie Jones shares valuable insights on the evolving role of AI in testing, the ethical considerations it brings, and the growing importance of frameworks like the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

What AI Can’t Do (Alone)

Angie begins by addressing a common misconception: that AI can operate entirely independently. She stresses that AI, while powerful, can’t go from zero to 100 without human involvement. “ Trying to get it to solve everything on its own is a futile effort,” she explains. Humans must continue to guide and structure the problems AI solves, remaining the architects of their solutions.

Ethics in AI Implementation

When asked about ethical concerns, Angie emphasizes the importance of data responsibility. In industries like healthcare and finance, testers must be cautious about how AI interacts with sensitive information. It’s not just about what AI can do but what it should do. She also points out the risk of AI being exploited by bad actors and stresses the need for strong safeguards.

The Power of Model Context Protocol (MCP)

A self-described “huge Model Context Protocol (MCP) advocate,” Angie speaks passionately about the benefits of MCP. She describes it as both “simple and elegant” while enabling complex integrations across teams and systems.

Her company uses MCP organization-wide, including for CI/CD workflows and test automation. By adopting MCP, testers can expand beyond basic scripting and begin exploring how customer data and system interactions can enhance test coverage.

A Message to Testers

Angie closes with a powerful reminder: adapt or be left behind. She acknowledges fear about AI replacing jobs but points out that those who embrace AI are already working smarter. “ There’s a guy at my job who uses AI, finishes early and has time for more,” she said. “ That’s the person who’s getting the promotion.”

Christian Bromann on Agentic Workflows and Web Standards

At Selenium Conf and Appium Conf, we had the opportunity to sit down with Christian Bromann for a thoughtful discussion on how AI is shaping browser automation, the evolution of web standards, and what lies ahead for the testing ecosystem. He is well-known for his contributions to the open-source testing community.

Rethinking Agentic Workflows

When asked how AI might reshape browser interactions in the coming years, Christian had a grounded perspective. While agentic workflows-where browsers are controlled via prompts-are getting a lot of attention, he believes their long-term value might be overstated. “ If I have to prompt an AI to click a button, I could’ve clicked it myself,” he noted, suggesting that efficiency shouldn’t be compromised for novelty.

Instead, Christian sees real promise in AI’s ability to validate system states by leveraging the browser’s knowledge of application context. He emphasizes that the community is moving toward integrating this intelligence into tools, allowing testers to validate broader aspects of a system with far less effort.

Beyond BiDi: The Road Ahead for Browser Standards

Christian also reflects on the progress of WebDriver BiDi (Bi-directional Protocol)-a web standard that’s been evolving since 2018. While some of its capabilities have already landed in browsers (e.g., for accessibility and authentication), he believes it’s just the beginning. The future, according to Christian, lies in extending BiDi protocols to support more interactions, effectively turning common browser functionalities into standardized APIs.

He envisions a world where nearly every action in a browser can be programmatically represented via such standards, enhancing interoperability and reliability across testing tools.

Model Context Protocol (MCP): The Next Frontier?

On the topic of AI integration, Christian highlights the potential of the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Particularly in the context of web components, MCP could allow individual elements-like a login form-to expose an MCP server. This would enable intelligent agents to understand both the presence and semantics of components on a page.

“ When agents can identify the components, know what they do, and how to interact with them, we’ll be closer to a truly semantic agentic workflow,” he further explains. The result? AI agents that understand the structure and behavior of web applications in a meaningful way.

A Message to the Community

Wrapping up the chat, Christian reflects on the value of community engagement. “ We’re here at Selenium Conf, not just with the people who build the tools, but also those who use them,” he says; conferences like this are a chance to collaborate, contribute, and inspire each other. His message to the community was clear: everyone is welcome, and everyone can be part of the journey.

Jonathan Lipps on the Realities of Mobile Testing, AI Hype, and Developer Experience

At Selenium Conf and Appium Conf, industry pioneer Jonathan Lipps shares candid insights on the evolution of mobile testing, the current state of AI in test automation, and the ongoing challenges developers face. Known for his deep involvement in the Appium project, Jonathan reflects not just on tools-but the philosophical and practical implications of the tech we use.

The Evolution of Mobile Testing

Mobile testing has undergone a dramatic shift over the years. What was once considered a niche practice has become a non-negotiable part of modern app development. As Jonathan states, “ If you’re building an app, automate it. “ But despite this growth, the mobile automation space hasn’t seen the same explosion of frameworks and experimentation that the web world has.

While web testing has long thrived on diversity-with tools like Selenium, Cypress, and Playwright pushing boundaries-mobile testing remained constrained for a significant time. According to Jonathan, this was largely due to closed ecosystems and the limited tooling provided by mobile OS vendors. “ We’re more subject to the tools given to us by the platforms,” he explains, highlighting an ongoing challenge even today.

Tooling Limitations and Vendor Lock-In

When asked about the biggest pain in mobile testing, Jonathan didn’t hesitate: restrictive tooling. “Much of the flakiness testers face isn’t about automation itself,” he said, “but the lack of accessible, reliable, full-featured tools-especially from Apple.” He emphasizes how difficult it remains to even set up testing on an iOS device, a pain compounded by security constraints and a lack of open collaboration from vendors.

While acknowledging the efforts of platform teams to keep up with OS versions, he underscores that the testing experience is often compromised by decisions made outside the testing community-a tension that continues to slow innovation.

AI in Mobile Testing: Promise vs. Reality

Despite the buzz, Jonathan remains skeptical of AI’s current impact on mobile automation. “ There’s been a lot of marketing, but not much that’s truly transformational,” he adds. He’s yet to hear a compelling case study where AI has revolutionized how an enterprise handles mobile testing. Most use cases today feel experimental, not operational.

Tools that suggest locators or assist with test authoring have been around for years, and while useful, they don’t reflect the promise of AI in its modern, ML/LLM-powered form. “ People are trying it based on hype, but I haven’t seen the results yet,” he adds.

The Value of Purpose-Built Protocols

While Large Language Models (LLMs) get much attention, Jonathan believes that structured protocols-like Model Context Protocol (MCP)-might offer more practical value. Instead of relying on generalized AI systems that “hallucinate,” MCP enables components to define known actions and properties, making automation more predictable and less error-prone.

“ I like that it adds structure and takes some of the magic out of AI, “ he explains. When paired with trusted systems like Appium servers or APIs, these protocols offer real reliability-something LLMs can’t guarantee.

AI in Life: Use it Where It Helps, Not Where It Hurts

Jonathan concludes with a thoughtful message on the philosophy of AI adoption. While it’s useful for automation, he warns against overextending it into personal or emotional spaces. “ Don’t turn to AI for things that make life full-like music, creativity, or relationships, “ he shares. As a musician, he values creating art for personal expression, not outsourcing it to machines.

His parting words: “Let AI into your automation. But not into everything else. Keep the human in the loop.”

Conclusion

The chats at Selenium Conf and Appium Conf remind us that while the testing world is changing fast, some things still need a human touch. Whether it is Angie Jones urging us to be mindful of how we use AI, Christian Bromann calling for smarter, standards-driven tools, or Jonathan Lipps highlighting the ongoing struggles of mobile automation-each voice brings clarity to the hype.

Yes, AI is exciting. But it’s not a silver bullet. The tools that truly make a difference are the ones that bring structure, reliability, and real-world value-like MCP. And behind every good tool, there’s a community of testers asking hard questions, experimenting, and pushing things forward.

So, as we explore what’s next, let’s stay curious, stay grounded, and above all-stay human.

LambdaTest Collaborates With Selenium to Drive Innovation in Test Automation

TestMu AI Team — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 11:57:03 +0000

We’re over the moon to share some big news: LambdaTest is now an official Development Partner of the Selenium Project.

In many ways, it’s a story of building what once built us — Selenium’s open-source framework fueled LambdaTest’s inception and success, and now LambdaTest is giving back by contributing to the Selenium project.

From Sponsor to Partner: A Milestone Achieved

Our relationship with Selenium has evolved naturally over the years. Selenium has been foundational to our growth from day one — with its robust support and integration, it has formed the core of LambdaTest’s widespread adoption by users.

As we scaled, we became active sponsors of the project, supporting Selenium conferences, community events, and nurturing the testing community with resources. Now, we’re taking the next step by dedicating engineering resources to contribute directly to Selenium’s core codebase.

“Selenium has been integral to LambdaTest’s journey from day one. It’s like we’re building what once built us — giving back to the foundation that supported our growth. We’re honored and incredibly excited to work even more closely with Selenium and make a lasting positive impact for testers worldwide. Together, we will make test automation more powerful and accessible for everyone.”

- Asad Khan, CEO and Co-Founder of LambdaTest

Open Source in Our DNA

Open source is the engine that drives us every day here at LambdaTest. From our earliest days, we’ve seen how community‑led projects spark innovation and solve real‑world challenges faster than anything built behind closed doors. That conviction inspired us to create our Open Source Program Office (OSPO)-a dedicated team whose sole mission is to nurture and uplift the testing tools that matter most.

Through the LambdaTest Open Source program, we provide LambdaTest’s testing infrastructure to community projects, so maintainers can run comprehensive test suites without worrying about servers or setup.

We assign seasoned engineers to mentor contributors, review code, and share best practices to support contributors at every step. And we back it all with sponsorship support, helping open‑source teams cover hosting costs, event expenses, or even their own development time.

The LambdaTest Grants for Open Source program takes this one step further. It’s our way of celebrating the unsung heroes, the maintainers who keep critical libraries alive and the contributors who squash bugs that affect thousands.

Every grant shines a spotlight on their work and provides financial backing to fuel their next breakthrough.

With this Selenium Development partnership, we’re doubling down on the commitment we’ve made to Open Source.

Expect to see us contributing to Selenium’s core codebase, working side-by-side with maintainers, enhancing documentation, and putting LambdaTest’s full support behind the community.

What Does This Partnership Mean to Us?

Being officially added as a Selenium Development Partner is a milestone for us and a shared commitment to building a stronger Selenium and a more resilient testing ecosystem for everyone.

Here’s what this partnership means for each part of our community:

For the community: More hands on deck! Our engineers will work directly with Selenium maintainers to fix issues, develop new features, architect new capabilities, and streamline releases. We are helping carry out the load of maintaining this vital project.
For LambdaTest users: Expect tighter integration and early access to improvements. Since Selenium is at the heart of our platform, our contribution allows us to incorporate updates and new capabilities into LambdaTest much faster than ever.

This partnership sets an example of how commercial platforms and open-source projects can join forces to uplift the entire tech community.

In short, as Selenium evolves, testers, developers, and vendors all benefit from it. By channeling our engineering resources back into the project, we’re co‑investing in the future of test automation together.

“I am thrilled about this official partnership. It marks a new chapter in test automation innovation. This isn’t just a one-time collaboration but a long-term commitment to open-source excellence. By joining forces, we’re set to build robust, scalable solutions that empower developers and enhance quality assurance across the board. I’ve seen firsthand how much we can achieve when the community and companies grow together. With LambdaTest and Selenium in tandem, our collective future looks brighter than ever.”

- Sri Harsha, Engineering Manager OSPO, LambdaTest & Selenium TLC Member

Coming Full Circle: Building the Future Together

In many ways, this partnership brings our story full circle.

LambdaTest has been built on the strengths of Selenium and other open-source technologies, and now, two decades into Selenium, we are their official development partner to help shape the future of test automation.

Ultimately, this is about building together -uniting industry knowledge, user insights, and a passion for open collaboration. We can’t wait to see what the future holds, and we’re grateful you’re with us on this exciting path. Now it’s time to build the future together. 🚀

Happy Testing!

Want to learn more about how this partnership will benefit your testing practice?

Or have feedback on Selenium features, want to report issues, or explore how you can get involved?

Whether you’re curious about the partnership, interested in shaping the future of open-source testing, or want to be part of our Open Source Program or Grants initiative, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to our Open Source Program Office anytime at opensource@lambdatest.com.

HyperExecute MCP Server: The Future of AI-Native Test Automation

TestMu AI Team — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 13:46:51 +0000

In today’s fast-paced development landscape, testing at scale can be a daunting challenge. The complexity of configuring test runners, managing executions, and troubleshooting errors often leads to significant delays. To tackle these obstacles, LambdaTest introduced the HyperExecute MCP Server, which integrates the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This server empowers AI models to seamlessly interact with testing tools, automating complex tasks such as code analysis, test command generation, and configuration file creation-all within minutes.

Building upon the success of HyperExecute, our AI-native test orchestration platform, the MCP Suite further enhances its capabilities. HyperExecute now accelerates testing by up to 70% faster than traditional grids. The integration of MCP improves scalability, allowing teams to handle larger test suites with ease. With real-time insights and automated documentation access, the entire testing process becomes more efficient. By incorporating MCP, HyperExecute now offers faster, more intelligent testing, enabling teams to deliver software with greater speed and precision.

Understanding MCP: Model Context Protocol

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that creates a universal language between AI models and applications. MCP essentially works like a “USB-C for AI integrations” allowing AI assistants to seamlessly connect with diverse software tools through a standardized interface. This eliminates the fragmentation problem of building custom implementations for each new integration, making it significantly easier to expand an AI assistant’s capabilities across the digital ecosystem.

Leveraging MCP, the HyperExecute MCP Server enables AI to analyze code, generate precise test commands, automatically create configuration files, and retrieve necessary documentation directly within the testing workflow. This integration significantly reduces manual configuration and debugging time, allowing teams to dedicate their efforts to higher-value activities.

HyperExecute MCP Server: AI-Native Testing Simplified

Historically, setting up HyperExecute could take anywhere from several hours to weeks, depending on project complexity. With the introduction of the MCP Server, this process has been dramatically streamlined, reducing setup time to mere minutes.

Key Capabilities of HyperExecute MCP Server:

With the MCP Server, users can manage HyperExecute directly from their Integrated Development Environment (IDE), enjoying capabilities such as:

Automated Codebase Analysis: MCP Server intelligently identifies project types, frameworks, and test structures without manual intervention.
Dynamic Test Command Generation: Automatically produces precise command-line instructions tailored to the analyzed tests.
Automatic Configuration File Creation: Eliminates manual setup by generating accurate YAML configuration files customized for each project.
Real-Time Test Monitoring: The integrated Job Info Tool delivers immediate updates regarding test executions, simplifying progress tracking.
Efficient Debugging: The Sessions Tool facilitates detailed inspection of test results, easily identifying failures through comprehensive recordings.
Instant Documentation Retrieval: Integrated AI agents utilizing Agentic RAG technology quickly deliver relevant insights from HyperExecute’s documentation, providing immediate assistance when needed.

Enhancing Developer and Tester Experiences

The core advantage of the MCP Server is its capability to manage complex testing tasks autonomously, utilizing natural interactions and commands. By significantly reducing setup times from hours to seconds, the MCP Server makes advanced test automation widely accessible and practical.

Hours of Setup, Reduced to Seconds: Reduces previously time-consuming configurations to near-instantaneous execution.
Fully Automated Operations: Eliminates the need for repetitive manual tasks, ensuring a truly continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline.
Seamless Scalability: Effectively handles projects of varying sizes, effortlessly adapting to the specific testing demands of each team.

Curious how the MCP Server and AI agents are reshaping infrastructure and automation workflows? Hear it directly from the experts — watch the video below to see their impact in action.

Revolutionizing Test Automation with AI

HyperExecute previously set a benchmark by executing tests considerably faster than traditional grids. The MCP Server enhances this further by delivering substantial improvements in developer experience and test efficiency.

Automated testing should be intelligent, streamlined, and outcome-driven, minimizing the complexity involved in test configurations and management. Experience the next level of AI-native test automation with HyperExecute MCP Server.

Happy Testing!

It’s Time For A TRIM(S): Richard Bradshaw [Testμ 2022]

TestMu AI Team — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 05:01:11 +0000

Automation, automation everywhere.

Why do you need to automate? Where do you need to set a boundary? When you dig deeper for the answers to these questions on automation, that’s where things get interesting. Richard Bradshaw, BossBoss at the Ministry of Testing, joined Manoj Kumar, VP — Developers Relation at LambdaTest, as a guest speaker at the Testμ Conference 2022 to unveil the nitty-gritty of automation testing through the TRIM(S) model.

He spoke elaborately on why the need arises to trim your automated tests. How do you get it done? He has detailed every step in his conversation with us.

Before he explained in detail about TRIM(S), he sent a red siren to the testing community:

Thou shall not delete!

This means that when you conduct automation testing, you need to see if the tests add any value to the core principle. When the test is green, and the team feels strongly that it wouldn’t add any value, he recommends that the team get into a discussion and share their feedback on why it has to be deleted.

These are the reasons he suggests for deleting or, in other words, trimming automated tests:

When there is no validity for the risk it was mitigating.
When you have moved the test to a different layer/seam.
When you come across unreliable/ flaky tests.
When you have features with lower usage.
When the test is too expensive.

To make this process efficient, he comes across the mnemonic- TRIM(S).

It stands for Targetted, Reliable, Informative, Maintainability, Speedy.

With Targetted, he means targeting a specific risk and automating on the lowest layer, which the testability allows.

When you target, he means you need to target a tiny risk in smaller units after identifying it instead of looking at the larger picture. With testability, he speaks about the ability to test, which is influenced by many factors. The lowest layer to test is the API testing, but he divulges the importance of your testing team performing tests at the API level. He suggests you sit with a piece of paper and think about what makes it hard to test.

In short, he suggests the tester think about risk, seams & layers, and testability.

The next thing he emphasizes is Reliability.

To maximize the value of your test, he suggests introducing checks to reduce flakiness.

“When we tend to have automated checks, and the reason why we tend to have automated tests is that we are looking for rapid feedback, we are looking for knowledge, we are looking for change detection,” he told the crowd.

He also adds that we are looking to be told, ‘When we built this, you asked to be told that it needs to look like this. It doesn’t look like this anymore.’ Your team can look at it and implement the suggestions.

By value, he means the information you get from the automated checks, which are useful and help your team make the right decisions.

He insists that you cannot get rid of flakiness. It’s always going to be there, according to him.

“The systems are complex. The codes and the tools we use are complex. Our code is complex. There will always be issues, so you can’t eliminate flakiness. But you can reduce it by taking a productive effort,” he quotes.

With deterministic, he means setting the right expectations when we build automated checks. According to him, it’s essential to look at the time your flaky tests take to get sorted out. With rapid feedback loops, he means that the faster the information you get, the better things will be.

Next comes Informative.

Passing and failing checks must provide as much information as possible to aid exploration.

When tests are passing, we need to briefly examine why it’s passing.

“A failing test is an invitation to explore” These are exactly his words when he speaks about exploration. It’s important to see why tests fail and learn our lessons, isn’t it?

With decision-making, he insisted on using a little army of robots, a.k.a automation, on learning from the failed and passed tests to decide further.

He then delves into Maintainability. As per his words, automated checks are subject to constant change, so we need to maintain a high level of maintainability. He says that when you depend on a lot of code and tools to test, you cannot ignore the importance of maintaining them. It’s important to write better automation code to ensure this process is smooth.

The final part is Speedy, where he insists that execution and maintenance must be as fast as the testability allows to achieve rapid feedback loops. He insists that improving and upgrading the system needs to be faster, allowing you to enjoy faster feedback, which translates to a successful automation testing experience.

He explained how buying an automation testing tool alone isn’t enough and that the execution phase is just the beginning. It’s equally important to depend upon a reporting tool to get the necessary information on failures and get information quickly when the test passes. The next stage would be maintenance, where you can implement different practices for tests with many layers.

“Quicker you get the needed information, the quicker you can build automated checks,” he told the listeners.

He concludes that the main reason we automate tests is to achieve feedback loops.

He further answered the questions put forth by the audience, where Manoj Kumar, VP of Developer Relations at LambdaTest, took the initiative to ask them on the audience’s behalf.

It was indeed an informative session with Richard! The session ended with a few questions asked by the attendees to Richard. Here is the Q&A:

What will be the future of manual testers in upcoming years?

**Richard: **If the person is someone writing test cases and manually executing test cases, the future is dark. The reason is they are missing out on a lot of knowledge. As a team, you need to look out on how you are going to perform testing. If that’s done perfectly with a pure focus on quality work, then the future is bright. If you are depending upon traditional testing methods, then you need to think it over.

What is the future of Selenium? Will Playwright replace it?

Richard: I don’t think so since they serve different purposes. The objective of Selenium is to be as close to the user as possible. Playwright isn’t the same. If you are trying to test for the user, you must test as the user. Hence I would be happy to depend upon any tool if I have to test as a user.

What’s the best process for where to house removed tests to reference them without having to dig through source control?

Richard: When you have tested A, B, and C but not tested E and F, you might be missing out on a lot. I am not a fan of ignoring tests. It’s equally important to check every test and learn better.

How important is test orchestration when you do automation testing? What are some great tools you are using for test orchestration?

Richard: The first question we need to ask is “Is the system alive?” Potentially, many people would prefer quicker execution over slower execution. Hence test orchestration can come in handy. We depend on Bash scripts as far as tools are concerned.

How can we conclude that we have to trim the tests since trimming out in the development stage can result in loss of test coverage and impact the results?

Richard: You need to look at how your test fails and how to get it done better. When you have flakiness, low confidence in your results, feeling like the test will fail, and when there are issues in production when the test is going live, you can consider trimming the test.

How do we quantify the value of the test?

Richard: It will help you make a decision. The result should make you decide what’s best to do next.

How often should automated tests be audited?

Richard: I would advise you to do it regularly and keep it part of your daily work.

What would you consider to be an acceptable build time?

Richard: In general and on industry accepted terms, it’s 15–20 minutes. It’s better to sit down with your team and decide on it.

Do you want to know his answers to the most vital questions put forth by the testing community? You can click the video link shared above to watch the full session.

LambdaTest has been named one of America’s Best Startup Employers for 2024 by Forbes

TestMu AI Team — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 14:12:40 +0000

LambdaTest is proud to share that Forbes has designated it as one of “America’s Best Startup Employers” for 2024.

The selection process for this coveted award involved an exhaustive screening of companies employing KPIs (key performance indicators) to connect potential applicants with smart and stable employers. Companies had to meet a number of requirements to be considered, notably having a presence in the United States, being founded between 2014 and 2021, employing at least 50 people, and adopting a startup structure.

Criteria for evaluation

With over 7 million data points collected and evaluated, the rigorous screening reduced the pool of contenders from 20,000 to a select group of 3000, who undertook in-depth analysis.

Employer Reputation: LambdaTest’s work environment variables, such as employee engagement, corporate culture, and business strategy, were thoroughly examined.

Employee Satisfaction: The evaluation covered concepts such as retention rates, wages and benefits, workplace flexibility, diversity, and inclusion.

Growth: LambdaTest’s growth trajectory, which includes metrics such as website traffic, headcount growth, total headcount, and job posts, was analyzed to evaluate its potential and capacity as a startup employer.

Achieving this milestone is a testament to the team and culture we have fostered. This acknowledgment is more than a reason for celebration; it’s also a chance for introspection as we ponder over our accomplishments, experiences, and what the future holds. Our company’s mission remains to equip every developer and tester with the necessary test execution and orchestration tools to ensure that products can be released faster and with greater confidence. To achieve this lofty goal, we assembled a global team of innovators. While we come from various experiences and cultures, we all have a vision for streamlining and ensuring easy test execution for everyone.

Life @ LambdaTest

We believe in taking responsibility, holding ourselves accountable, and trusting one another to create meaningful results. We prioritize quality and strive to create high-quality products that add tangible value. We are driven by innovation, and we encourage experimentation to transform the continuous testing landscape. Agility is engrained in our approach; we respond quickly to customer requests and complete projects. Above all, we put our employees first, cultivating an inclusive, diverse, and open culture in which all team members are respected and empowered.

This recognition is highly significant to LambdaTest in the startup environment. It reflects the company’s dedication to employee development and workplace excellence. Moving forward, LambdaTest intends to redefine startup employer benchmarks while upholding a culture of growth, inclusivity, and innovation.

We’re immensely proud to be recognized as one of America’s Best Startup Employers by Forbes. To learn about career opportunities at LambdaTest, visit- https://www.lambdatest.com/career

Celebrating LambdaTest Partner Awards- 2023

TestMu AI Team — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 14:05:26 +0000

Our Partners have always been crucial in LambdaTest’s success. They not only drive business success and customer value but also showcase exceptional collaboration. This year, we acknowledge and celebrate the significant contributions of our Partners across various categories through LambdaTest Partner Awards, recognizing their impact on our journey in 2023. Join us in congratulating the winners across 8 categories, who have created the most impact in 2023. Our sincere congratulations to all the outstanding partners.

“Partners are critical to our growth, without whom we would not achieve our goal of helping customers with their Quality and Digital engineering challenges.
The awards we announced today recognize our key partners who have shown strong commitment to LambdaTest and Customer success. They complement LambdaTest’s offering and have helped us scale tremendously in 2023. Thanks to all our partners, and congratulations to our 2023 LambdaTest Partner Award winners”
– Maneesh Sharma, Chief Operating Officer at LambdaTest

Global Partner of the Year

Accenture

This award recognizes Accenture for breakthrough collaboration with LambdaTest in 2023. Co-innovating solutions, our joint approach sparked impactful conversations with customers in the UK, US, and Europe. The Accenture India Test-a-Thon drew 2,000+ QA professionals, resulting in 1,600 certified LambdaTest practitioners. Mahesh’s keynote at the LambdaTest TestMu conference reached 20,000+ global quality professionals, solidifying this innovation-led partnership in quality engineering.

Innovation Partner of the Year

Microsoft

Microsoft was honored as the Innovation Partner of the Year for enhancing LambdaTest’s global Continuous Testing vision. Leveraging GitHub tools and HyperExecute, we create seamless test orchestration experiences. Private cloud deployment accelerates global customer engagements, solidifying this innovative partnership.

Emerging Global Partner of the Year

Wipro

Wipro earns Emerging Global Partner of the Year for innovating in quality engineering. Our collaboration on GenAI testing, using LambdaTest’s HyperExecute and Wipro’s Quality offerings, accelerates global customer engagements in Insurance, Banking, and Retail across APAC, EMEA, and the Americas.

Partner of the Year- AMERICAS

Qualitest

The partnership with Qualitest has provided seamless testing solutions to major enterprises in North America, setting a new standard for testing excellence with LambdaTest’s HyperExecute and Qualitest’s Qualiframe.

Partner of the Year- EMEA

QBS

QBS Software has been crucial to LambdaTest’s success in the UK and EMEA regions, serving diverse enterprise customers and partners in Retail, BFSI, Airlines, and Healthcare. The QBS marketplace strengthens LambdaTest’s presence by making our offerings easily accessible to clients in the region.

Partner of the Year- APAC

QualityKiosk

QualityKiosk has enabled businesses to deploy flawless software at scale in the APAC region, with a focus on Banking, Insurance, Automotive, and other financial services industry (FSI) enterprises.

Technology Partner of the Year

Katalon

Katalon secures the Technology Partner of the Year Award for streamlining integrations with LambdaTest. This collaboration reduces friction, enabling customers to expand test coverage, analyze insightful reports, and automate cross-browser testing. Katalon’s active participation in community-building initiatives, like the TestMu conference and joint Velocity Tour events, strengthens our partnership.

Emerging Technology Partner of the Year

Provar

The award is presented to Provar for their end-to-end test automation expertise in Salesforce. The HyperExecute integration with Provar Manager enhances flexible and rapid test orchestration in the cloud. Engaging through community forums like LambdaTest XP Series and TestMu Conference, we drive innovation and thought leadership globally.

Concluding the LambdaTest Partner Awards 2023, we appreciate the strong commitment and collaborations of our partners. Together, they’ve raised LambdaTest’s success bar, showcasing excellence and innovation. Cheers to ongoing success and stronger partnerships ahead!

To learn more about LambdaTest Partner’s Program- visit: LambdaTest Partners

LambdaTest Now Available on Google Cloud Marketplace

TestMu AI Team — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 13:55:41 +0000

LambdaTest is now officially available on the Google Cloud Marketplace, streamlining the buying process for Google Cloud customers. This integration ensures a seamless experience by offering a unified billing arrangement and the flexibility to utilize Google Cloud’s committed spend. Using LambdaTest’s comprehensive test execution and orchestration platform is simpler than ever within the Google Cloud Marketplace ecosystem. For further details on LambdaTest’s presence and offerings within the Marketplace, please visit our Marketplace listing page.

Direct Access, Maximum Efficiency: Explore LambdaTest on Google Cloud Marketplace

Businesses can now discover, customize, manage, and deploy solutions built by partners or open-source projects which are evaluated and hosted on Google Cloud Marketplace. Companies can review and purchase software from any middlemen directly from Google Cloud Marketplace.

This means businesses can directly purchase LambdaTest without a new billing contract from Google Cloud Marketplace.

Access to LambdaTest from Google Cloud Marketplace gives developers and testers a headstart to utilize an AI-powered Enterprise Execution platform to orchestrate and execute various types of tests — including unit, integration, functional, and regression tests, at unparalleled speeds. LambdaTest is a secure, reliable, and high-performance test orchestration and test execution cloud built for scale.

HyperExecute is a cloud-based test execution infrastructure optimized for speed and test orchestration. Our platform enables you to run your tests at lightning-fast speeds so that you can detect and fix issues in your code much faster than before. HyperExecute creates a seamless communication environment between the Hub and Node components, just as if they were on a local network. This eliminates any potential lag or delays caused by network communication, resulting in significantly faster test execution times. HyperExecute can be up to 70% faster than traditional grid setups. This performance boost translates to a significant improvement in your team’s productivity and your ability to deliver high-quality software faster than ever before

The availability of our platform to enterprises via the Google Cloud Marketplace will provide a cohesive test execution and orchestration solution that can be seamlessly integrated within their Google Cloud ecosystem and helps enterprises accelerate their releases. This transforms the way enterprises approach test execution and orchestration, providing flexible modules tailored to address a wide range of testing requirements. By incorporating Real Devices, Manual & Automation Testing, Visual Regression Testing, and HyperExecute into the Google Cloud Marketplace, LambdaTest ensures effortless accessibility to its solutions for Google Cloud clients.”
– Mohit Juneja, VP Strategic Sales and Partnerships at LambdaTest

About LambdaTest

LambdaTest is an intelligent and omnichannel enterprise execution environment that helps businesses drastically reduce time to market through Just in Time Test Orchestration (JITTO), ensuring quality releases and accelerated digital transformation. Over 10,000+ enterprise customers and 2+ million users across 130+ countries rely on LambdaTest for their testing needs.

Benefits of Using LambdaTest

Increased Release Velocity
Faster Feedback to Developers
Zero Flakiness due to Infrastructure
Reduced Test Execution Time
Deep Test Insights and Observability
Zero Maintenance
120+ integrations to Ensure Ease of Use

Clash of the Testing Titans: LambdaTest Spartans Summit 2024 Welcomes You!

TestMu AI Team — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 13:47:28 +0000

Hey there 👋, Welcome to our first-ever edition of Spartan Summit 2024, featuring insightful sessions from renowned industry Spartans.

This online summit is hosted by our dedicated ambassadors, who are building a community that spans all levels of testing expertise. Spartans are the driving force behind changes in the testing and QA landscape. The Spartan Summit, an annual gathering of these changemakers, celebrates and brings together everything around testing.

Hurry up and grab your FREE passes — 👉 Register for Spartans Summit 2024.

Manoj Kumar, VP of Developer Relations and OSPO at LambdaTest, kicks off the session by highlighting how this summit provides a platform for Spartans to share, divulge, and engage in discussions that shape the future of testing. It is a small step to ensure that this community thrives and empowers budding engineers with the right ideas.

During the summit, you can connect with other Spartans and share your ideas and experiences. Also, there will be multiple opportunities during breaks and between sessions where you can network. Doing this will help you form valuable relationships with other Spartans in your field. This can lead to knowledge sharing, collaborative brainstorming, and even discovering intriguing career possibilities.

And there is a LOT MORE!!

Become a Spartan: This summit is a good opportunity for you to join the esteemed ranks of Spartans and actively participate in a collaborative community.
Participate and win exciting prizes: You win exciting prizes by participating in various competitions and raffles during the event.

He also mentions the LambdaTest Spartans Program, a community advocacy program for creative minds, builders, and change-makers, such as community evangelists, who are making a difference in the testing and quality assurance world.

So, what can you do as a Spartan at LambdaTest?

Participate in software testing and QA-specific events.
Host events or LambdaTest webinars and Voices of Community.
Create technical or thought leadership content in the form of articles, whitepapers, YouTube videos, and others.
Engage in community events to build a robust community presence.

After all, community is at the heart of everything we do at LambdaTest, and as a LambdaTest Spartan, you should give back to the community through knowledge, experience, and expertise.

Here is the schedule for LambdaTest Spartans Summit 2024 👇

AI-Empowered Software Testing [Spartans Summit 2024]

TestMu AI Team — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 13:35:29 +0000

Since 2023, AI has dominated discussions, promising to revolutionize our lives. The software testing industry, too, has not been left behind, with many tools integrating AI features.

But the big question is, are these AI features truly game-changers for software testing? Can they empower testers to be more efficient and work faster?

To answer all of these questions, in this session of Spartans Summit 2024, Daniel Knott — Head of Software Testing, MaibornWolff GmbH, provides a comprehensive overview of the current AI features available for software testers. He distinguishes between features worth exploring and those merely serving for marketing purposes.

If you couldn’t catch all the sessions live, don’t worry! You can access the recordings conveniently by visiting the LambdaTest YouTube Channel.

Role of Generative AI

Daniel starts the session by discussing the significance of generative AI, pointing out that it has become a central point in the tech world. He references Business of Apps, highlighting that features such as voice assistants, chatbots, and facial recognition generated over $2.5 billion in 2022. Daniel notes the rapid growth of AI, especially in 2023, and its transformative potential in various industries.
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He uses an example to show the impact of generative AI, particularly citing ChatGPT. He compares the time it took for Netflix to reach 1 million users (23.5 years) and ChatGPT (5 days) when it was launched in 2023. This contrast emphasizes the quick adoption and disruption caused by AI.

After that, Daniel discusses how, since 2023, AI has been a dominant topic, with new products and services developed regularly. He notes the increasing presence of AI in daily life, promising to make tasks easier, faster, and more productive. This sets the stage for the relevance of AI in the software testing industry and the subsequent challenges that testers may face.

Daniel mentions the challenges software testers encounter in the face of AI integration. One key challenge is the fear among testers that AI might replace their roles.

Drawing parallels with previous concerns about automation, Daniel reassures that AI should be viewed as an assistant rather than a replacement. He emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and human judgment in ensuring the success of software testing processes, even with AI integration.

AI can be empowering in the realm of software testing, but it still poses a few challenges for software testers. In his insightful talk, Daniel shares some helpful tips for overcoming AI challenges,” pic.twitter.com/Ff7ibMljIr
— LambdaTest (@lambdatesting) February 6, 2024

Unveiling the AI Toolbox for Testers

Daniel talks about the hype surrounding AI, with new tools and services promising to optimize testing. He emphasizes the need to differentiate between the genuine value of tools and mere marketing buzz.

He then delves into the current state of AI features available to testers:

**Self-Healing Tests: **This involves monitoring your codebase automatically and fixing flaky tests caused by changing labels or IDs. This translates to less time spent chasing down these issues and more focus on higher-level testing.
**AI-Powered Test Analytics: **AI can help by generating summaries of test case health and execution results and predicting future trends. This empowers testers to make data-driven decisions and identify potential quality bottlenecks.
Test Code Generation: If you are stuck writing repetitive test code, tools like ChatGPT can generate test scripts based on your prompts. However, Daniel is against blindly trusting the output. Treat it as a starting point, using your critical thinking to adapt and refine the code for your needs.
Test Data Generation: Generating realistic test data can be a time-consuming process. AI can help by suggesting diverse data points. Remember that public AI models might not understand your specific context or data requirements. Consider using a private, organization-specific model for better results.
Code Explanation: AI tools can automatically generate documentation for your code! This can be a huge time saver, but accuracy is paramount. Double-check the explanations to ensure they align with your code’s true functionality.
Visual Checks: AI can be employed to generate graphics, which can be compared to the expected outcomes.

The Human Factor in AI Testing

Daniel feels the role of the human factor in AI testing is crucial. He discusses software testers’ challenges and says that AI should not be viewed as a replacement for human expertise but rather as an assistant.

Despite the advancements in AI, he highlights the irreplaceable aspects of human judgment, critical thinking, and the ability to discern nuanced testing scenarios. In addressing the fear among testers about being replaced by AI, Daniel reassures the audience that the future for software testers is bright, and AI should be seen as a tool to enhance efficiency rather than a threat to job security.
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He believes that the human element, with its critical thinking skills, is vital in judging the outcomes of AI in testing and providing valuable feedback to developers and stakeholders. By acknowledging the limitations of AI, such as the tendency of large language models to provide incorrect answers, Daniel advises testers not to trust AI output blindly and stresses the importance of human awareness and intervention.

Can AI Harm Software Testers?

According to Daniel — AI can be a powerful tool for software testers, it is essential to approach it but not blindly trust it. He acknowledges the potential for AI to bring positive advancements in testing but warns against falling into the same trap as with test automation.

He draws a parallel to the past, where test automation became a hype topic, and some organizations made the mistake of attempting to replace all testing with automation. Daniel suggests that similar misguided approaches might occur with AI. He advises against completely replacing testing with AI and encourages testers to be cautious.

To sum up, Daniel’s key message is that AI can assist and improve testing processes, but testers must stay informed, exercise critical thinking, and not entirely rely on AI. He emphasizes that testers are in a good position, and the human factor in testing remains vital. Checking the outputs and inputs of large language models becomes increasingly important, presenting a positive outlook for the future of software testing.

Key Takeaways

Here are some key takeaways from the Daniel’s session:

Get Ready for Change: The industry is undergoing significant changes due to AI. Prepare for this transformation by investing time in learning about AI fundamentals.
Invest in Learning Fundamentals: Rather than jumping directly into tools, spend time learning the basics of AI. Understand machine learning algorithms, how models are trained, and the foundations of large language models.
Experiment with AI Tools: Try out various AI tools available in the market. Many vendors offer trial periods, allowing testers to explore and understand how these tools can be beneficial.
Be Curious: Stay curious and open-minded about AI. Sign up for different tools, experiment with them, and see how they can address specific challenges or opportunities in your context.
Continuous Learning: Recognize that AI brings new challenges and opportunities. Stay at the forefront of new technology and be proactive in learning how AI can impact your role as a software tester.
Never Blindly Trust AI: While AI can assist in various tasks, Daniel emphasizes the importance of not blindly trusting AI. Critical thinking and validation are crucial to ensure accurate results.
The Human Factor in Testing: Highlighting the significance of human testers, Daniel encourages testers to be aware of management or stakeholders proposing to replace testing with AI. Learn from past experiences with test automation and understand that AI should complement, not replace, testing.
Recommended Reading: Daniel suggests exploring the recommended books on generative AI, AI automation, and other related topics to understand the field better.
Visual Checks and AI: Daniel discusses the importance of UI design and how visual checks, aided by AI tools, can save time. AI can generate graphics and compare them to identify issues, boosting visual checks.
Caution with Automation and AI: Drawing parallels with past experiences in test automation, Daniel advises against blindly replacing testing with AI. Testers are urged to be cautious and advocate for the effective integration of AI in testing processes.
Bright Future for Testers: Despite the advancements in AI, Daniel expresses optimism about the future of testers. Checking the outputs of large language models becomes a crucial task, positioning testers well in the evolving landscape.

Q&A Session

Q. How well do AI-powered testing tools handle big projects or big companies?

Daniel: The importance of defining goals and tasks specific to your project. While AI can be used in projects of any size, it’s crucial to consider your testing process’s specific needs and challenges.

Q. Could you please give us the roadmap to transition into AI-based software testing, including recommended tools?

Daniel: Focus on learning the fundamentals of AI, understanding large language models (LMS), and evaluating tasks that could be optimized using AI tools. Experimenting with different tools and starting small experiments were also recommended.

Q. In the current market, a lot of AI tools are available to the community. How is testing for AI tools different compared to other tools and applications?

Daniel: Testing AI tools requires a different approach, often involving understanding the algorithms, neural networks, and data sets. Critical thinking is essential, and thorough code reviews, especially for changes made by developers, are recommended.

Q. Being in a continuous learning QA industry, how can we utilize AI and integrate it into our daily activities to make our tests more optimized and efficient?

Daniel: Continuous learners in the QA industry can leverage AI to optimize and streamline various testing activities. Identify repetitive or time-consuming tasks such as test case generation, test data management, or automation script creation, and explore how AI tools can enhance efficiency in these areas.

Q. Can a self-healing AI indicate changes made by a developer, such as altering an ID format, and notify that a correction is needed in the test script?

Daniel: While self-healing AI can automatically correct certain changes, it may not always detect developer-induced errors in ID formats. Blindly trusting self-healing AI without code reviews can lead to potential issues. Collaborative efforts between testers and developers and code reviews remain crucial for ensuring the accuracy of test scripts.

Q. What should we learn instead of test automation? Should we stop learning Selenium and concentrate on something else?

Daniel: Absolutely, staying updated with test automation tools like Selenium is crucial. However, it’s equally important to broaden your skill set. Consider delving into emerging technologies such as AI in testing. Don’t limit yourself; explore API testing, security testing, and performance testing.

Adaptability is key in our industry, so keep an open mind, implement change, and continuously upskill. AI is making waves, and incorporating it into your toolkit can bring new efficiencies to your testing practices. Remember, it’s not about abandoning what you know but expanding your capabilities for a more holistic approach to testing in the ever-evolving tech landscape.

If you have more questions, please feel free to drop them on the LambdaTest Community.

Workshop: Unveiling the Power of Web Performance Metrics for Testers [Spartans Summit 2024]

TestMu AI Team — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:35:46 +0000

In this world of web applications, creating a uniform user experience is key. As testers, understanding and using crucial client-side performance metrics can make a big difference in improving the overall quality of your web application.

In this workshop of Spartans Summit 2024, Srinivasan Sekar — Lead Consultant at Thoughtworks, gives a hands-on demonstration of metrics like Largest Content Paint (LCP), Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), Time to First Flat (TTFB), and more.

He uses real-life examples and leads interactive discussions to show how these metrics affect when users use your web app. Srinivasan also discusses ways to find performance issues, use effective testing methods, and how to work in synchronization with development teams to improve performance.

Couldn’t catch all the sessions live? Don’t worry! You can access all the recordings easily by visiting the LambdaTest YouTube Channel. If you are preparing for an interview you can learn more through Performance Testing interview questions.

Why Performance Matters?

Srinivasan begins the workshop session and explains the critical importance of client-side performance in web applications, emphasizing that it is not merely a technical concern but a fundamental aspect that significantly impacts user engagement. In his discussion, he highlights several key reasons why performance matters.

First and foremost, Srinivasan points out that a quick and responsive user experience is paramount. Users expect quick responses when interacting with web applications in a dynamic online environment. The ability to deliver a seamless experience directly influences user satisfaction and engagement. Any delays or lags in response times can lead to frustration, negatively impacting the overall user perception of the application.

Moreover, Srinivasan stresses the pivotal role of speed in user engagement. He asserts that speed is key to ensuring a smooth application flow, preventing interruptions or disruptions that could deter users from engaging with the platform. This aligns with the broader industry understanding that faster-loading websites tend to have higher user retention rates and increased customer satisfaction.

Beyond the immediate user experience, Srinivasan also touches upon the significance of performance in shaping the first impression of an application. He notes that a fast and responsive application contributes to a positive initial encounter, reinforcing the importance of a smooth onboarding process. In a competitive digital landscape, where users have abundant choices, a favorable first impression can significantly influence whether users continue using a particular application or explore alternatives.

Lastly, Srinivasan links performance directly to broader aspects such as brand reputation and product quality. He suggests that users often associate an organization’s reputation with the performance of its web applications. Therefore, consistent performance optimization is about technical efficiency, maintaining a positive brand image, and ensuring that users perceive the product as high-quality and reliable.

Significance of Google Core Web Vitals in Performance

Srinivasan delves into the significance of Google Core Web Vitals, which measures user experience and website performance.
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Here’s an overview of the three web vitals explained by him:

**Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): **It measures the time it takes for the largest content element on a web page to be fully rendered and visible to the user. This content element could be an image, a video, or a significant text block.
**First Input Delay (FID): **It gauges the time it takes for a user’s first interaction (such as clicking a button or a link) to receive a response from the browser. It measures the delay between the user initiating an action and the browser being able to respond.
**Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): **This quantifies the amount of unexpected layout shift that occurs during the loading of a web page. Layout shifts happen when page elements move around unexpectedly, causing a potentially frustrating experience for users.

How Does Google Performance Observer API Help?

Srinivasan talks about Performance Observer API for developers to analyze the performance of web applications. While specifically mentioning its role in monitoring metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and First Input Delay (FID), he highlights that the API extends its functionality to cover a broader spectrum of core web vitals. This suggests that developers can use the Performance Observer API to gain insights into various performance metrics, offering a comprehensive understanding of their web application’s responsiveness.
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He also stresses the importance of understanding user experiences beyond lab environments. Srinivasan suggests that the API enables developers to access data reflecting actual user behaviors and network conditions, ensuring that optimizations align with the diverse scenarios in which the web application is accessed.

Also, he mentions that the Performance Observer API is not limited to standalone use but can be integrated with various web performance tools and frameworks. The comparison of insights from tools like Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights, alongside the Performance Observer API, suggests that developers can leverage multiple resources to gain a nuanced understanding of web performance from lab and field data.

Demo: Optimizing Web Performance

Through his portfolio website, Srinivasan shows a live demonstration of the Core Web Vitals principles.

Firstly, he delves into the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) using his hero image as the primary focus. According to him, it isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about efficiently loading essential visual content for an impactful user experience. In this context, the hero image isn’t just a visual; it’s a strategic move to ensure a prompt and pleasing first impression.

Moving on, Srinivasan talks about fonts, highlighting the chaos too many fonts can cause. He sheds light on font optimization, steering developers toward a smoother and more consistent typographic performance.

Then comes the core of user experience — interaction. Here, he introduces Interaction to Next Paint, extending the focus beyond the initial interaction with the browser to encompass the entire user action.

Srinivasan shows how handling image loading, coupled with the proper adjustments, transforms a potentially sluggish experience into seamless interactions.

Cache Headers and ETag

Srinivasan mentions the importance of cache headers and ETag in optimizing web performance. Cache headers are directives to guide the browser in managing the caching of various assets within a web application. By strategically configuring cache headers, developers gain control over the duration resources are cached, leading to improved loading speeds.

ETags, or entity tags, are highlighted as particularly useful, especially in the context of handling larger files. ETags empower browsers to efficiently validate whether cached resources require updating, minimizing redundant data transfers and contributing to a streamlined web experience.
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Content Delivery Network (CDN)

He suggests that leveraging a CDN can significantly enhance the loading speed of assets on a website. CDNs distribute content across multiple servers geographically closer to the user, reducing latency and accelerating content delivery.

In the context of his portfolio website, Srinivasan discusses how a CDN helps efficiently deliver users’ images, stylesheets, scripts, and other assets. This ensures the content is fetched from a nearby server regardless of a user’s location, minimizing the time it takes to load and improving overall site performance.

Image Optimization

On his portfolio website, Srinivasan discusses the importance of image optimization in enhancing web performance. He delves into strategies such as progressive loading, emphasizing the gradual display of images to prioritize essential visual content for an improved user experience. He also recommends using lazy load images, which dynamically load images as users approach them, reducing initial page load times.

Additionally, he talks about choosing optimal image formats like WebP, specifying dimensions and resolutions, and ensuring contentful delivery.

Font Optimization

Srinivasan sheds light on the significance of font optimization as a crucial aspect of web performance on his portfolio website. He discusses the potential pitfalls of using too many fonts, which can lead to suboptimal loading experiences and default font displays before the intended fonts are rendered. He emphasizes the need for font optimization, advocating for strategies such as prioritizing font loading and ensuring a smooth, consistent typographic performance.
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Interaction to Next Paint (INP)

Srinivasan then explains Interaction to Next Paint (INP) on his portfolio website, emphasizing its significance in enhancing user experience. According to him, INP is not merely about the initial interaction with the browser but the interactions, from initiation to the final rendering of content. He provides examples of how long each interaction takes through the metrics he showcases on his website.
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Render Blocking Resources

Render-blocking resources, such as stylesheets and JavaScript, can significantly affect the loading time of a web page. He emphasizes identifying and addressing these resources to optimize the overall user experience. Using tools like the Performance Observer API and Chrome DevTools, developers can profile their applications, pinpointing which resources are causing delays. Srinivasan suggests strategies like deferring specific resources, removing unused scripts, and compressing CSS to mitigate the impact of render-blocking resources and streamline the loading process.
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Layout Shifts

Srinivasan then goes on to discuss the significance of Cumulative Layout Shifts (CLS) in his demo. CLS refers to the unexpected movement of elements on a webpage, which can frustrate users. Srinivasan emphasizes the impact of CLS on user experience, using examples like unintentional clicks due to layout shifts.

He delves into the factors contributing to CLS, such as images without proper dimensions, ads pushing content, and transforming animations. Srinivasan suggests solutions like providing image dimensions, reserving ad space, and preferring transform animations to minimize layout shifts. By addressing these aspects, developers can enhance the stability of their web layouts, leading to a smoother and more user-friendly browsing experience.

Q&A Session!

Q: Which is the best open-source tool for web performance testing?

Srinivasan: Consider using web performance snippets and options like Lighthouse, PageSpeed Insights, or CrUX. Real user monitoring tools are essential for understanding how users interact with your application.

Q: If a high-quality image is needed as per the client’s requirement, how can we build a site with good performance?

**Srinivasan: **Use progressive images, modern extensions like WebP, and Content Management Systems (CMS) such as Contentful to load progressive images of the appropriate size.

Q: Are there regulatory considerations for performance metrics in industries like finance or healthcare?

Srinivasan: Check for compliance with regulations, such as GDPR, in Europe. Hosting static assets within the designated geography is important for compliance.

Q: What common mistakes have you encountered in interpreting web performance metrics?

Srinivasan: Relying solely on tools like Lighthouse may lead to optimization that doesn’t align with actual user experiences. Understanding real user data is crucial, as lab testing may differ from the field.

**Q: **How do images and lazy loading techniques influence the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)?

Srinivasan: Use fetch priorities, lazy loading, and techniques like lazy and eager loading based on the specific needs of your environment to impact LCP positively.

Q: How can snippets be created to track metrics in a presentation?

Srinivasan: Pre-built snippets are available; you can follow a specific website for helpful scripts. These scripts cover various aspects, including core web vitals and identifying render-blocking resources.

Q: Can low-code/no-code tools be used to check for the performance of a given page?

Srinivasan: Yes, if you have control over the generated code, you can experiment and improve performance metrics, including Largest Contentful Paint (LCP).

Q: How do you analyze the performance of a streaming web application?

Srinivasan: Prioritize fetch for streaming assets, load based on user network conditions, and consider progressive streaming techniques. Analyzing metrics like interaction to next paint (INP) can be challenging but may improve over time.

If you have more questions, please drop them on the LambdaTest Community.

The Importance of Soft Skills in Test Automation [Spartans Summit 2024]

TestMu AI Team — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 12:39:39 +0000

In test automation, having soft skills is just as crucial as technical expertise. These interpersonal abilities empower testers to collaborate seamlessly, adapt to evolving situations, critically analyze them, and contribute meaningful perspectives.

As test automation advances, soft skills become important in ensuring the smooth and impactful execution of testing initiatives.

In this insightful session of Spartans Summit 2024, Larry Goddard, Test Automation Architect at Oxford University Press, talks about the importance of soft skills in test automation.

Couldn’t catch all the sessions live? Don’t worry! You can access all the recordings easily by visiting the LambdaTest YouTube Channel.

Communication Skills

Larry emphasizes the importance of communication skills in the context of test automation. According to him, effective communication is a cornerstone, enabling testers to engage seamlessly with developers, product managers, and other team members. Whether through spoken words or written documentation, communication plays a key role in defining test cases, reporting bugs, and discussing testing results.

In Larry’s view, team collaboration is a pivotal aspect where relationships are built, ideas are shared, and a positive working atmosphere is fostered. As he highlights, this collaborative environment facilitates discussions on test cases, bugs, and results.
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Furthermore, Larry underscores the role of documentation as a form of communication. Clear and concise documentation is cited as a critical skill, ensuring everyone involved in the testing process is on the same page.

He encourages testers to develop strong communication skills through verbal interaction or written expression, as they play a central role in the testing workflow.

Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

Larry places significant emphasis on problem-solving and critical thinking as essential skills in test automation. He draws parallels between these skills and the ability to solve everyday problems, ranging from resolving conflicts among developers and testers to debugging issues in test automation.

According to Larry, critical thinking helps identify potential issues and design test scenarios that cover a broad range, including edge cases. This skill is crucial for testers to foresee and address challenges that may not be immediately apparent in standard scenarios.
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When it comes to problem-solving, Larry suggests that, as testers, it is about finding issues and proactively coming up with viable solutions. In his opinion, this proactive approach to problem-solving enhances the tester’s role and contribution to the overall testing process.

Larry highlights how problem-solving and critical thinking are integral to effective test automation. These skills empower testers to navigate complexities, foresee potential challenges, and contribute to the continuous improvement of the testing process.

Attention to Detail

Larry emphasizes the importance of attention to detail as a crucial soft skill in the context of test automation. He draws parallels between everyday practices of paying attention to our surroundings, such as crossing the road or observing people on a bus, and this very same approach is required in test automation as well.

Attention to detail is the systematic creation of test cases in test automation. He stresses the significance of ensuring these test cases are comprehensive and cover all necessary scenarios. Even a minor oversight can lead to incomplete tests and potential inefficiencies in the testing process.

By highlighting attention to detail, Larry underscores its role in preventing oversights, ensuring thorough testing coverage, and contributing to the overall effectiveness of test automation. According to Larry, this soft skill plays a critical role in creating robust and reliable testing procedures.

Empathy

Larry touches upon the significance of empathy as a soft skill in test automation. He describes empathy as the ability to understand and consider different perspectives, explicitly emphasizing its relevance in the testing process.

In Larry’s view, empathy allows testers to work with various viewpoints, including those of the end users. By empathizing with user needs and experiences, testers gain valuable insights that contribute to writing effective test cases. This alignment with user perspectives ensures the testing process is technically robust and user-centric.

The role of empathy extends to understanding how users interact with the product. This understanding informs the creation of test cases that align with the user experience, resulting in more relevant and impactful testing.

Larry sees empathy as an essential soft skill that enhances the tester’s ability to create test cases that resonate with the end users, ultimately improving the product’s overall quality.

Conflict Resolution

Larry mentions the significance of conflict resolution in test automation, citing instances ranging from childhood conflicts over toys to more professional disagreements between testers and developers.

He stresses the need for a peacemaker, especially in scenarios where a tester asserts the existence of a bug and the developer denies it. The resolution process involves bringing the conflicting parties together, fostering a collaborative working environment, and ultimately contributing to the project’s success. Effective conflict resolution is pivotal in shaping team dynamics, enabling a more comfortable interaction between testers and developers and leading to product improvement.
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Furthermore, Larry links conflict resolution to effective communication and says that a transparent exchange of ideas is essential for resolving disputes within the team. The ability to find common ground emerges as a critical element in this process, requiring testers and developers to collaborate on issue resolution and work together to enhance the overall product quality.

Presentation Skills

Larry discusses the importance of presentation skills in test automation. He acknowledges that while many individuals possess this skill, there is often a sense of intimidation when it comes to putting it into practice, particularly in the QA automation world. He draws attention to the specific relevance of presentation skills in reporting, especially when dealing with stakeholders who often prefer graphical representations and clear communication of test findings.

He explains that effective presentation skills allow test automation professionals to convey the significance of their findings and recommendations to stakeholders in a clear and compelling manner.

Whether delivering reports during a scrum meeting or presenting to the product manager, these skills are crucial in ensuring that the information is communicated effectively and that all stakeholders understand its importance.

Adaptability

Larry highlights the significance of adaptability between personal adaptability in everyday life and its importance in test automation. He uses an example of adapting to a physical injury, illustrating the need to learn how to navigate daily tasks with crutches, relating it to the adaptability required in an Agile development environment where requirements frequently change.

He explains that adaptability is crucial when dealing with changing requirements. He discusses the challenge of modifying test scripts quickly in response to evolving project needs. Further, he mentions how adapting to such changes, even mid-way through writing a test case, is a valuable skill. He encourages the ability to make necessary adjustments to test scripts without discarding the entire work, showcasing how adaptability contributes to efficient and effective test automation best practices.

Time Management

Larry then talks about time management, drawing a comparison to personal experiences, such as the challenge of waiting for someone to finish applying makeup before leaving for an event. He connects this to the broader concept of how individuals manage their time in various aspects of life.

He highlights the importance of time management skills and prioritization, mainly when dealing with multiple test cases. He emphasizes the need to determine what to automate first, what to put on hold temporarily, and how to manage time efficiently when working within time constraints. Larry suggests that effective time management in test automation involves careful prioritization of test cases based on their impact and importance, contributing to a more streamlined and productive testing process.

Leadership and Mentoring

Larry explores leadership and mentoring skills within test automation. He views mentoring as a crucial aspect of leadership, highlighting the responsibility of leaders to ensure that the expertise of their team members is continually elevated. He then stresses the importance of two-way communication in mentoring, where the mentor and mentee benefit from exchanging knowledge and perspectives.
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From a leadership standpoint, Larry emphasizes that a good leader is not only someone who leads but also someone who can follow. He believes that effective leadership involves understanding and valuing the ideas and insights of team members. The ability to lead and follow creates a dynamic learning culture within the team, fostering continuous skills development. Larry views leadership and mentoring as essential components that contribute to finding new and improved ways of approaching challenges and driving success within the team.

Q&A Time!

Q: What soft skills do you believe are most crucial for test automation professionals?

Larry: Well, communication tops the list for me. Despite having strong leadership and other skills, effective communication is the linchpin. If you can’t convey your ideas to your team and other project stakeholders, all those skills won’t carry much weight. So, communication is where I’d start and then weave in the rest.

**Q: **Do you recommend any exercises to help improve critical thinking skills?

Larry: Great question! Personally, I don’t have specific exercises, but what works for me is creating scenarios. Craft an environment that demands critical thinking, forcing you to put on your thinking hat. Start simple, then make it more intricate. The key is having the team think outside the box finding innovative solutions to complex problems.

Q: There is a line between employing soft skills and escalating concerns. What are your thoughts on this?

Larry: I don’t see a clear line, but it’s about how you handle it. Soft skills come into play by reporting a bug and offering a solution. It extends to collaborating with developers. Break the stereotype of testers and developers being on opposite sides. Direct communication with developers removes unnecessary barriers for a smoother workflow.

Got more questions? Drop them on the LambdaTest Community.

Workshop: Effective Evaluation of Automation Tools [Spartans Summit 2024]

TestMu AI Team — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 19:02:26 +0000

In today’s rapidly evolving software industry, organizations face increasing pressure to deliver high-quality products quickly and efficiently. However, manual testing processes often prove inadequate to keep pace with the demands of modern development cycles, leading to delays, errors and decreased overall productivity. As a result, there is a growing need for effective automation testing tools to streamline testing efforts, improve test coverage, and accelerate time-to-market.

With the challenge in mind, Dimpy Adhikary gave invaluable insights into effective automation tools in a session at Spartans Summit 2024. She is an experienced Test Architect with over 18 years of industry expertise, specializing in web, API, mobile, and data warehouse (DWH) testing. Excelling in developing strategies for complex architectural challenges and implementing automated testing solutions, Dimpy shares her knowledge and expertise with the attendees at the summit.

She has guided numerous clients in creating and adopting large-scale, cross-functional automation frameworks throughout her career, ensuring coverage of comprehensive UI and back-end systems.

Her dedication to knowledge sharing and active involvement in testing community events underscore her commitment to continuous learning and staying abreast of the latest trends and practices in software testing.

In this workshop, she covers essential criteria for evaluating tools, offering a structured comparison framework, and facilitating collaborative exercises.

If you couldn’t catch all the sessions live, don’t worry! You can access the recordings conveniently by visiting the LambdaTest YouTube Channel.

Agenda

Common Challenges While Selecting Automation Tools
Automation Tools Ecosystem
Automation Tools Selection Criteria
Practice Session: Group Activity

She kickstarts her session by conducting a poll, posing, “Why It Is Difficult To Select A Tool?“ to engage participants and gather insights on common challenges faced in tool selection.

With 56% of the votes, attendees chose “Technical Challenges” as the primary obstacle. Building on this engaging poll result, Dimpy thoroughly explores the common challenges encountered when selecting automation tools, providing valuable insights for the audience to navigate these obstacles effectively.

Common Challenges While Selecting Automation Tools

She highlights the common challenges when selecting automation tools, offering invaluable insights to navigate these obstacles effectively.
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Business Challenges

She emphasizes that business challenges encompass obstacles organizations face in achieving their goals, including budget constraints, timeline limitations, ROI uncertainty, scalability concerns, and organizational buy-in, all crucial in automation tool selection. Let us look into each of the constraints below.

Budget constraints: It’s crucial to prioritize finding affordable automation tools that offer good value for money, ensuring they align with the allocated budget for the project or organization.
Timeline limitations: It’s crucial to have tools to expedite testing processes within tight schedules, ensuring projects are delivered on time.
Unclear ROI: It’s essential to conduct thorough analyses when selecting automation tools to ensure they provide measurable benefits and justify their investment.
Scalability concerns: Choosing tools that can grow with organizational needs is essential, ensuring they remain effective as projects expand or evolve.

Technical Challenges

She further explains the technical challenges, which encompass obstacles related to the implementation and upkeep of automation tools. These challenges include feature alignment, learning curve, maintenance, updates, and data security. Let’s delve into each aspect under the technical challenge below.

Feature alignment: It’s crucial to ensure that the features offered by automation tools align with the specific requirements and objectives of the organization.
Learning curve: Overcoming the initial difficulty or adjustment period required for users to become proficient with new automation tools.
Maintenance and updates: Managing ongoing maintenance tasks and staying updated with software updates and patches to ensure optimal performance.
Data security and privacy: Addressing concerns about protecting sensitive data and maintaining privacy standards using automation tools.

Organizational Challenges

She states that organizational challenges encompass obstacles that delay the smooth functioning of an organization, such as leadership issues, communication breakdown, resource constraints, and resistance to change. Addressing these hurdles requires proactive strategies, effective communication, and collaborative efforts to foster a more agile and resilient organizational culture.

Lack of buy-in: Overcoming stakeholder resistance can slow automation tool adoption, requiring strategic alignment and effective communication.
Process management: Inefficient workflows and protocols can impede automation tool integration, necessitating streamlined processes and standardized procedures.
Team skill sets: Skill gaps among teams may delay automation tool proficiency, highlighting the need for continuous training and skill development initiatives.
Long-term sustainability: Ensuring the longevity of automation initiatives requires selecting adaptable tools and implementing forward-thinking strategies for scalability and flexibility.

As the session progresses, she delves into a detailed discussion about automation testing tools, categorizing them based on whether they are open-source, commercial, or integrated development environments (IDEs), providing comprehensive insights into each category in the section below.

Automation Tools Ecosystem

She states that the automation tools ecosystem encompasses diverse software solutions to streamline and enhance testing processes across various domains. This dynamic array includes open-source and commercial tools and integrated development environments (IDEs), offering multiple options to meet testing teams’ unique needs and preferences.

Open Sourced

She further explains that open-sourced automation tools are those whose source code is freely available to the public, allowing users to modify, customize, and distribute the software according to their needs. She highlights some of the tools, including:

Selenium:
Selenium is an open-source automation testing framework primarily used for web application testing. It supports multiple programming languages and browsers, making it versatile and widely adopted in the industry.
Appium:
Appium is an open-source automation tool for testing mobile applications across different platforms, including iOS, Android, and Windows. It allows testers to write tests using standard programming languages and provides seamless integration with various development frameworks.
REST Assured:
REST Assured is a Java-based library for testing RESTful APIs. It simplifies API testing by providing a domain-specific language (DSL) for writing tests, making it easier to validate responses, perform assertions, and automate API testing processes.

After providing insights on open-source automation tools, she continues to explain commercial tools.

Commercial

She highlights that commercial automation tools are proprietary software solutions developed and sold by companies. Compared to open-source alternatives, these tools often come with additional features, support services, and enterprise-level capabilities. While they typically require a license fee or subscription, they may offer advanced functionalities tailored to specific testing needs and requirements.

ACCELQ:
ACCELQ is a commercial test automation platform designed for end-to-end testing of web and mobile applications. It offers a codeless automation approach, AI-driven test automation, and continuous testing and collaboration features, making it suitable for Agile development environments.
TestComplete:
TestComplete is a commercial automation tool for functional UI testing, API testing, and desktop, web, and mobile application performance testing. It provides comprehensive features, including record-and-playback functionality, script customization, and integrations with the best testing frameworks and CI/CD tools.
Sahi Pro:
Sahi Pro is a commercial automation testing tool for web applications. It offers features for automated testing of web applications across different browsers and platforms, including record-and-playback functionality, scriptless automation, and support for testing complex web scenarios such as AJAX and dynamic content.

IDE — Extensions

She further explains what IDEs are, stating that IDE (Integrated Development Environment) extensions are software add-ons or plugins that enhance the functionality of an IDE. These extensions provide additional features, tools, and capabilities tailored to specific programming languages, frameworks, or development tasks.

She explains that these IDEs include code editors, debuggers, version control integration, code formatting tools, and language-specific extensions that improve productivity and streamline the development process within the IDE. Examples of IDE extensions include Visual Studio Code extensions, IntelliJ IDEA plugins, and Eclipse Marketplace add-ons. Some of the tools Dimpy highlighted are:

Thunder Client (VS Code):
Thunder Client is a lightweight REST client extension for Visual Studio Code. It allows developers to make HTTP requests easily, test APIs, and debug responses within the VS Code editor. It simplifies API testing and development workflows with features like environment variables, authentication support, and code snippets.
Test Automation (JetBrains):
Test Automation is a suite of testing tools and features integrated into JetBrains IDEs such as IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, and PhpStorm. It provides comprehensive support for various testing frameworks and languages, allowing developers to write, run, and debug tests efficiently within their IDE. With features like smart code navigation, intelligent test runner, and code coverage analysis, Test Automation enhances the testing experience and improves overall productivity for developers.

After explaining open-source and commercial tools, she delves into other tools, such as RPA (Robotic Process Automation) and cloud-based platforms.

RPA Tools

She shares her knowledge of RPA, emphasizing that RPA tools are software solutions designed to automate repetitive and rule-based tasks traditionally performed by humans. These tools utilize bots or software robots to replicate human interactions with digital systems and applications, including data entry, extraction, and transaction processing.

RPA tools offer significant efficiency, accuracy, and scalability benefits, leading to streamlined operations and cost reduction across industries.

UiPath:
UiPath is a leading RPA (Robotic Process Automation) platform that enables organizations to automate repetitive tasks and processes with advanced AI capabilities and a user-friendly interface.
Power Automate:
Power Automate, formerly Microsoft Flow, is a cloud-based automation platform for creating workflows across Microsoft and third-party services, offering pre-built connectors and templates for easy task automation.

With all these brief discussions on automation tools, she highlights how some cloud-based platforms can help make the testing process effective and efficient.

Execution LABS

Before delving into explaining Execution LABS, she introduces it as a platform or service specifically designed to facilitate the execution of tests, experiments, or tasks within a controlled environment. This platform may offer resources, tools, and infrastructure for conducting various tests or simulations, enabling users to observe, analyze, and draw conclusions from the results.

LambdaTest: LambdaTest is an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform that lets you run manual and automated tests at scale with over 3000+ real devices, browsers, and OS combinations. This platform allows you to perform web application testing and provides a real device cloud for mobile application testing.

She thoroughly explains each automation tool across different categories, offering attendees valuable insights. Now, let’s delve deeper into the session as Dimpy elaborates on the selection criteria for automation tools.

Automation Tools Selection Criteria

She further elaborates on the essential criteria for selecting automation tools. By covering aspects such as business objectives, security, and more, she gave attendees valuable insights to make informed decisions aligned with their project requirements and goals.
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Business Criteria:
She emphasizes the importance of considering business objectives when selecting automation tools. It includes assessing how well the tools align with the overall goals and strategies of the organization, such as increasing efficiency, reducing costs, or improving product quality.
Purpose:
She highlights the significance of defining the purpose of implementing automation tools. It involves identifying tasks, processes, or areas of the software development lifecycle where automation can provide the most value, such as regression testing, continuous integration, or performance testing.
Security:
She highlights the need to thoroughly assess the security features and capabilities of the tools to ensure alignment with industry standards and regulations. It protects sensitive data and minimizes potential risks or vulnerabilities.
Developer Experience:
She underscores the importance of considering the developer experience when selecting automation tools. It includes assessing factors such as ease of use, documentation, community support, and integration with existing development workflows to ensure a seamless and productive experience for the development team.
Proof Of Concept (POC):
She emphasizes the value of conducting a proof of concept (POC) before committing to a particular automation tool. It involves implementing a small-scale pilot project or test case to evaluate the tool’s performance, functionality, and compatibility with the organization’s requirements and infrastructure before making a final decision.

With all the theoretical knowledge shared, Dimpy transitioned into the practical session, leading a group activity focused on evaluating the worksheet.

Practice Session — Group Activity: Worksheet

With the help of a Tools Evaluation Worksheet, Dimpy illustrates how to assign weightage to each section of the automation tool criteria. She emphasizes that this approach simplifies decision-making regarding the automation tool’s use.

She emphasizes that this activity should involve stakeholders, project managers, developers, and QA teams to ensure comprehensive input and alignment across all relevant parties.

Dimpy’s worksheet includes use cases and a list of categories, sub-categories, and corresponding weights.
For explanatory purposes, Dimpy begins by assigning weights to the first use case based on categories and sub-categories, using a weightage scale (1–5).

Dimpy demonstrates how to assign weights to each category and sub-category for the first use case. For instance, she assigns a weight of 3 to the “Budget” sub-category under the “Business” category. Later, she adds a weight of 1 to the cell corresponding to “Appium + LambdaTest.” It indicates that using a cloud-based platform can be advantageous to resolve the use case within budget constraints. Once the sheet is filled with values, testers and stakeholders understand whether or not to use such automation tools.

This session on evaluating automation tools and practicing with the worksheet is excellent, providing both novice and experienced testers with a clearer understanding of how to make decisions when selecting automation tools that best fit the project’s needs.

The session was concluded by addressing questions from the engaged attendees, offering additional clarity and insights to enrich their understanding.

Question and Answer Session

Q. How do you ensure your chosen automation tool aligns with your project’s specific needs?

Dimpy: Make sure the automation tool you pick matches your project’s needs by thoroughly examining its features, compatibility, scalability, and support for your tech stack.

Q: To automate legacy desktop-based applications, which open-source tools can we choose with good community support?

Dimpy: To automate legacy desktop-based applications, consider tools like AutoIt, WinAppDriver, and SikuliX with strong community support. They’re ideal for desktop interfaces.

Q: What are your top three factors when evaluating automation tools?

Dimpy: When evaluating tools, focus on functionality, compatibility, ease of use, and support availability to ensure they meet your project needs.

Q: RPA or open source tools, what would you choose for a small expanding team? Since I’ve seen so many problems with RPA (such as inactive elements after recording), I assumed it could have been more dependable. How do you feel?

Dimpy: For small expanding teams, open-source tools offer flexibility and cost-effectiveness, but RPA tools can be advantageous in specific scenarios. Consider complexity and long-term maintenance.

Q: What role does community support play in evaluating automation tools?

Dimpy: Community support is vital for troubleshooting and sharing best practices when evaluating tools.

Q: How do you handle situations where multiple tools seem equally suitable for a project?

Dimpy: When multiple tools are suitable, prioritize features, integration ease, learning curve, and long-term support for informed decisions.

Feel free to add questions or clear your doubts on the LambdaTest Community.