When testing software, have you ever asked yourself, "And now, do I use manual or automated testing?" Maybe you don't know, but this doubt is more frequent than you can imagine.

Before helping you answer this question, it is necessary to clarify that, regardless of which one is chosen, carrying out tests before launching software is essential to guarantee its success. 

Tests must be part of the software development plan and run from the earliest stages to the end.

Now, to know the right time to use each of them, it is first necessary to understand the functions and characteristics of each one. And that's what we'll do in the topics below, so read on to find out!

Manual Test

Manual testing, as its name implies, must be performed with the assistance of a human. This professional must have the technical knowledge to develop the role of a tester and know how to judge what should be done.

This test must be performed with all the objectives previously defined, in addition to planning and appropriate techniques for this type of Test. And, of course, it should only be done by specialized professionals.

Some people believe that manual testing is less complex than automated testing. The truth is that both have a dose of complexity. 

A difference worth mentioning compared to automated tests is that, as a human does, the possibility of finding bugs that were not programmed to be seen is greater.

It happens because of only humans' critical and trained eye for judgment. It also helps to follow paths to test areas that were not required. In automated testing, this may not happen. 

In manual testing, it is also possible to test the layout, accessibility, and usability as an end user would. Thus, improvements can be more accurate. 

Automated Test

Unlike manual testing, automated testing is done through test scripts created on computers in order to perform tasks that humans would do.

Despite being automated and doing most of the testing tasks by itself, this automation still needs a bit of human interference. As already mentioned, for it to work, it needs a script. A human creates this script.

If the script needs an update or change, or if the test must be done in some environment other than the software being tested, the professional tester must change the script accordingly.

The great advantage of automated testing is security and agility. Because a machine performs it, the Test can be performed repeatedly without resting, which optimizes the time of action. 

However, it is worth remembering that the Test will not be done correctly if the script is outdated or even incorrect. It can interfere with the expected quality and the final result.

For automated tests to be practical, the environment being tested needs to be stable. 

But after all, when to use which one?

To know which and when to use each test, it is essential first to consider a few things. As was apparent in the topics above, both tests have their strengths and not strong points. Therefore, before choosing between one of them, consider some things like:

• Study your product and the tools available to test it. There are several test automation tools; however, depending on the purpose of your software, not all of them can give the expected result. Understand your expectations and choose the tool that will best meet them.

• Have a solid testing framework. Before even starting to develop software, it is necessary to have a good testing structure in place. After all, that's the only way to guarantee the success of your tool.

• Modifications made to fix something that wasn't working can lead to more errors, including parts that were working correctly. That's why it is recommended to perform regression tests. Here we have the perfect example that both manual and automated testing can be used successfully. The point to focus on is the amount of testing that should be done. If the amount is high, it is recommended to use the automated Test.

• Even though we indicated automated testing in the above topic, it is essential to remember that the best choice is not always to automate everything. Some things will only be accurate with human eyesight. Therefore, make a balance and understand when manual testing will be most beneficial for your business.

• When choosing to use automated testing, it is recommended that the team know how to codify the scripts. After all, it is through the script that the commands for the Test are given. Only with script knowledge will the responsible tester know precisely what was done.
  

Conclusion

To conclude this content, let's make a small comparison between the two types of tests.

• Manual Test: subject to human errors, enables faithful usability tests, makes it possible to find extra bugs due to the analytical performance of the human being.
• Automated Test: more assertiveness because machines perform it, it cannot simulate an actual user situation, greater agility, and repetition of procedures without exhaustion.

Thus, we can understand that both tests are great options. The choice of when to use manual or automated testing should come from the person responsible for testing the software, according to what he expects from the result.

Everything must be considered, the time set aside for this action, what the Test hopes to find and solve, and how much the company is willing to invest in this process. 

Keep in mind not to stop performing software tests. And remember, the ideal is to test from the first stage of development.

It is also worth remembering that carrying out manual and automated tests is an excellent way to guarantee even more security and quality for the software! 

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