Test Cases Prioritization For Regression Testing [Methods & Best Practices].pdf

Test Cases Prioritization For Regression
Testing [Methods & Best Practices]
One of the most critical software development and maintenance
aspects is regression testing. To avoid unwanted changes, a set of
test cases is run whenever software is modified, and the new outputs
are compared to the older ones.
If the new and old outputs match, it means that the changes made in
one part of the software do not affect the remaining software.
If changes occur, it is impractical to re-run every test case for a
program. However, selecting regression test cases can be solved by
prioritizing the test cases.
For example, regression test prioritization techniques reorder the
execution of a test suite to detect flaws earlier in the testing process.

Efficient regression testing is required to keep an application running
perfectly after every small or significant change. And effective
regression testing necessitates the careful selection of regression test
cases for execution each time.
Therefore, prioritizing test cases is crucial so that we execute test
cases with the highest priority and are completed first.
The test cases for regression testing are prioritized based on the
business requirements, previous test cycle experience on the
functionality of existing features, and delivery timelines.
In this article, we will learn about Test Case Prioritization In
Regression Testing, so read the article carefully and meet you at the
conclusion.
Test Cases Prioritization For Regression Testing:
Need, Best Practices & Factors to Consider
Why Do We Need To Prioritize Test Cases For
Regression Testing?
● Prioritizing test cases assists the DevOps team in lowering the
cost of the software test execution phase and the time required
for test execution to deliver an exceptional quality product.
● It enables testers to consider and analyze which tests to run to
manage the risks associated with software delivery.
● Prioritization enables the team to address the most critical
defects early in test development.
● By prioritizing test cases for regression testing, the DevTestOps
team can detect and correct errors as early as possible, saving
time.

● For larger projects, regression testing consumes a significant
amount of time.
● The test execution may take more than one sprint to complete in
some cases.
● This lengthens test execution time, increases individual effort,
and raises project costs.
● Furthermore, repeatedly running the same set of test cases
leads to a loss of concentration.
● The testers may fail to test the most critical application
functionality, resulting in bugs being released into production.
● This eventually raises the project’s cost.
How Should One Choose Test Cases For Regression
According To Priority?
Regression testing is the last yet essential phase before software or
updates are released in the market. Delays can result in negative
marketing, missed deadlines, and regenerate customers. Test case
prioritization in regression testing based on time and importance, on
the other hand, will ensure that a test cycle is completed on time.
#01 Complex Test Cases
Many system functions rely on complex pathways involving GUI
sequences. As a result, sequencing issues can arise as the system
becomes more complex. As a result, complex test cases must also be
covered in regression tests.
Most experts recommend using a risk-based testing approach, in
which test cases are ranked based on certain factors and then
prioritized. These prioritized tests save time, effort, and money.
Test Cases Are Divided Into Two Categories For Ease Of Use:

● High priority: This category includes mission-critical functions,
error-prone modules, and recently changed modules; these test
cases add a lot of value to the project.
● Medium Priority: Negative test case scenarios and complex test
cases are examples of medium-priority test cases. These test
cases can also have a significant impact on business value.
● Low Priority: There are UI and other stable test cases that are
low priority. These are the last items on the priority list and
should only be included if necessary.
High and medium-priority test cases should be run during each
regression testing sprint, while low-priority test cases should be run
only once before the final release.
#02 Test Cases That Frequently Produce Bugs
During the production cycle, test cases that fail frequently can be
identified. These test cases cover areas of the software that are
frequently fragile and frequently fail after a change. These cases must
be prioritized and incorporated into the regression test suite.
#03 Cover Field Validation Test Cases
A selection of negative test cases covering field validations. If we fail
to enter the details of a mandatory field in a form, the application
displays an error message preventing the user from proceeding to the
next section.
#04 Test Cases That Cover Mission-Critical Functions

The core aspects of the software can be identified based on the
business requirements document. For example, make sure that the
regression test includes all of the test cases that cover these core
functions. A traceability matrix can also be used to gather all
high-priority cases.
#05 Test Cases That Cover Frequently Changed Code Sections
Many parts of the software are updated regularly. However, these
components are more prone to flaws. As a result, you should
incorporate them into your regression suite. Include test cases for
recently changed functionalities as well.
#06 Cases of Integration Testing
In practice, integration tests are housed in their own module. However,
it is critical to include them in the regression suite as well to ensure
that no last-minute changes disrupt the flow between modules.
#07 Cover End-To-End Test Flows
Here we can cover all of the end-to-end integration test cases in which
the happy flows of a module are tested from start to finish.
How Test Cases Can Be Prioritized Based On A
Certain Technique
Test Case Prioritization In Regression Testing Based On Ant Colony
Optimization
Test case prioritization in regression testing is an effective method for
increasing the efficiency of regression testing activities. It orders a

regression test suite to execute higher priority test cases before lower
priority ones. The problem is determining how to optimize the test
case ordering based on some criterion.
An algorithm that prioritizes test cases using ant colony optimization
(ACO), taking three factors into account:
● Several flaws were discovered.
● Time for execution
● The severity of the fault
These three variables are used in the ant colony optimization
algorithm to help identify more severe flaws earlier in the regression
testing process.
An Ontology-Based Test Case Prioritization Approach In
Regression Testing
Ontology-based approaches can bring together a variety of software
artifacts. They can also describe software design and testing while
adhering to the complete set of semantic rules.
For example, researchers proposed ‘ ontology-based knowledge map
methodology’ to reduce the failure rate of ‘business process
re-engineering. Ontologies are formal representations of various
entities, their behavior, interfaces, and associations.
They are widely used to meet the needs of automation and
decision-making. Prior research has focused on TCP aspects such as
codes, requirements, risks, etc. However, there has been little
research into identifying software system defects using test case
prioritization based on ontologies.

The proposed method uses web services analysis and ontology to
assess objective risk management. Furthermore, ontology-based
literature has successfully classified items in various research
domains.
Ontology is a rigorous and formal approach to knowledge
representation that provides terms with precise and unambiguous
semantics.
Ontologies in software testing provide a shared knowledge
understanding of concerned entities and their relationships, allowing
the easy organization, maintenance, and updates.
Factors to be Considered for Test Case Prioritization
for Regression Testing
Many factors can influence test case selection and prioritization. In our
proposed algorithm, three factors are considered for prioritizing the
test cases, and these factors are discussed below :
#01 A Test Case Discovered Several Flaws
A test case covers one or more flaws in its execution. For example, a
test case’s fault coverage capacity indicates the number of faults it
can detect.
For example, in the test case order, the test case covering the most
faults should be scheduled first.
#02 The Execution Time Of A Test Case

The time cost of a test case is essential in efficient regression testing.
Time constraints on regression testing typically prevent the execution
of the entire test suite. As a result, test case execution time is
considered when prioritizing test cases.
#03 The Severity Of The Fault
Different faults have different effects on the same software, and the
severity of the fault determines its acceptance. Therefore, the test
case revealing more severe faults should be executed earlier to find
more severe faults during the early testing phase.
Another factor is the fault detection rate, which measures how quickly
a test case detects faults. It is calculated using the number of faults
detected and the time it takes to find them for each test case.
Conclusion
Test case prioritization enables testers to categorize test cases
according to their highest and lowest priority to execute tests
efficiently.
This leads to the consistent delivery of high-quality software. Users
also love regular updates and proper time software delivery, which
leads to a better impression in the market.
In this article, we dive deep into understanding every aspect of
prioritizing regression testing; we understand Why, What, and How to
prioritize regression testing. I know after this article, you will get tons
of positive results, save more time, and conduct quality regression
testing.

Source: This article was originally published testgrid.io.

Test Cases Prioritization For Regression Testing [Methods & Best Practices].pdf

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Test Cases Prioritization For Regression Testing [Methods & Best Practices].pdf