In this article “RPA Testing vs Test Automation“, we are going to explore and understand the concepts of comparative analysis such as:
- What is RPA Testing?
- What distinguishes it from Test Automation?
- In terms of scope and scale, is RPA better compared to test automation?
Let us find out, before proceeding further you need to get this online Blue prism training course which prepares you for mastering the concept of RPA. The training makes you explore the in-depth concepts of a blue prism, creating scalable advanced bots, requirements of RPA automation, successful bots deployment, etc.
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What is RPA Testing?
RPA Testing is a business automation technology for testers and business users that stands for Robotic Process Automation (RPA). Even though there are various web and API testing tools, RPA tools are more convenient, and you can use codeless automation macros on your desktop. RPA tools could be utilized for both testing data and regression testing.
Obviously, Test Automation varies from manual testing. Automated testing is done with the help of a tool, and it takes a lot less time than exploratory testing. Large projects that require recurrent testing in the same region or tests that have already been manually tested benefit from test automation.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) uses Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence skills to connect with current IT infrastructure to automate high-volume, data-intensive, repetitive operations with minimal human participation. It’s utilized in a variety of sectors to automate workflow and processes by allowing bots to connect with apps on the end user’s device. In a nutshell, it’s a set of commands carried out by bots in accordance with pre-defined business rules.
Increased productivity, fewer errors, and improved compliance are all reasons for RPA’s widespread adoption. The fastest-growing business software is starting to have a significant impact on SDLC, as well as being relied upon to assist IT professionals in getting high-end performance from their existing computing platforms. RPA has grown in popularity as a way to automate end-to-end testing by building collaborations, custom APIs, and business logic for dissolving and resolving data silos.
Once an RPA software bot has been trained to detect tasks and understand the actions of certain processes in current software applications, it may be trained to extract raw data and transport it to the target code from the front-end to the back-end without creating any infrastructure changes. The process needs to be trained to manipulate the gathered data, trigger responses, initiate new operations, and connect with other systems autonomously. This approach increases agility and minimizes the scarcity of a complex testing cycle that is typically choked with specialized APIs and integrations. This frees up time for developers and testers to focus on their main duties rather than managing and merging APIs.
In a nutshell, test automation is the practice of automating testing procedures with the help of a code or software tool, whereas RPA is the technique of automating business processes with the use of software robots. In today’s ever-changing business environment, RPA is playing a critical role in improving quality assurance and allowing businesses to add more value to their core scalability and stability models with less investment.
RPA Testing vs Test Automation
In theory, both Test Automation and RPA can be compared in terms of their automation capabilities. Both minimize the need for manual intervention and boost the quality of the product. However, the level to which these processes are used varies significantly.
In an e-commerce business, for instance, test automation could be used on the products or website. However, RPA may be used to automate a variety of different business tasks, including data entry for product descriptions and the onboarding process to make HR operations more efficient.
Let’s have a look at how Test Automation and RPA Testing vary.
The following are the key differences between test automation and RPA:
Test Automation:
- It should be used on a product.
- It must be implemented in a variety of environments (QA, Prod, UAT).
- Constraint to a specific set of users.
Robotic Process Automation:
- It’s applicable to both business and product processes.
- Only a single production environment is required.
- Everyone on the team could utilize it.
Despite the fact that there are numerous test automation solutions for functional and regression testing, RPA is recommended due to its simple life cycle and ease of adoption. The main disadvantage of test automation tools is that they are designed for a particular product or application (like Web-based, Desktop, or Mobile). RPA, on the other hand, may be applied to processes and customized to meet specific needs, therefore it is not limited. With the help of RPA, User Acceptance Tests have become more effective and accurate. That is perhaps one of the reasons why RPA is being hailed as a new testing tool.
RPA uses Machine Learning and AI to automate complex, data-intensive, and repetitive activities without the need for human intervention. RPA employs machine learning and artificial intelligence to automate complicated, data-intensive, and repetitive tasks without requiring human intervention. Essentially, any work that is repetitious and follows a set of rules.
Some benefits of RPA are:
- It increases accuracy while reducing errors.
- As there is less human involvement, productivity rises.
- Assists in cost-cutting.
- Your team has more time to focus on business rather than task execution.
Test Automation Advantages
Test automation saves time and increases test coverage for developers and testers while testing software and apps by automating repetitive processes. If your team uses test automation, they will be able to cut their manual testing efforts.
- Apps and software are continuously deployed.
- Coverage of tests is increased.
- Reduces the marketing time.
- Better accuracy than manual testing.
- Testers might save time and effort by running the test in different environments.
Robotic Process Automation and Test Automation have a similar sound to them. Businesses, in fact, use them for the same reason: to cut costs and boost staff productivity. When it comes to UI test automation, where both Test automation and RPA are utilized to automate UI interactions, there are certain parallels in the tools of the two methodologies. However, there are a few distinctions between the two.
- RPA is solely used for business process automation, not for testing. RPA is far more advanced in terms of scope than test automation, which is restricted to testing products.
- Test automation necessitates the use of a programming language by testers. RPA, on the other hand, does not necessitate the use of code in order to automate tasks.
- To run scripts built for test automation, you’ll require a System Under Test (SUT).
- The software on which a process is executed is not crucial to RPA automation tools
What framework to select? RPA Testing vs Test Automation
Although Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is more advanced and efficient than test automation, the decision to use one or the other is entirely dependent on your company’s needs. Book a free appointment with our experts today to learn more about both.
Conclusion
In this article, we have successfully analyzed and learned varied comparisons of RPA Testing vs Test Automation. We also have discussed the benefits of test automation and RPA testing in terms of business productivity and performance.
This is a guest post on our blog by Sachin. If you wish to submit a guest post or are interested in writing for us, please check – Write For Us