List the 4 important skills of a software development engineer in test
The quality of software seems to have become the
final arbiter to ensure user satisfaction. It is the driving force that helps a
business to remain competitive. The realization of the importance of QA has
finally dawned upon businesses leading to an increase in their QA budgets. The
test scenarios too have undergone drastic changes with the advent of new tools,
frameworks and paradigms. The traditional waterfall model has given way to
Agile and DevOps where QA is not a distinct factor in the overall SDLC. On the
contrary, it is a process that runs concurrently with development.
The requirement of continuous integration and
testing with DevOps means that a code is tested alongside development across
devices, networks, operating systems, frameworks, browsers and platforms. The
growing complexity of technologies and the need to achieve an accelerated time
to market have brought to fore the importance of SDETs. The faster deployment of product in the market to
beat the competition requires the software developer to play the role of the
tester as well. Thus, software development and testing are no longer treated as
separate processes, but a singular continuum in the SDLC. The principle behind
engaging software development engineers
in test is to ensure a better coherence in QA. This is achieved by
involving experts that are adept at both development and testing.
What functions do SDETs
perform?
The softwaredevelopment engineers in test are specialized developers who are
also experts in testing. They develop test automation codes, frameworks,
environments and tools, and ensure that the codes developed by them pass the
muster during testing as well. They are able to create test variables and check
the codes against pre-defined outcomes. They should be capable of carrying out
test automation in real as well as virtualized environments while ensuring the
end to end integration.
In a nutshell, the functions of SDETs are:
- Writing test automation scripts to test the code written by developers.
- Creating test frameworks, tools or environments.
- Overseeing the quality management across functions, processes and geographies.
- Performing white box testing wherein the internal structures of an application are tested by designing suitable test cases.
- Performing black box testing to validate the functionalities of the software.
- Developing robust test automation solutions to carry out functional, regression and performance testing.
- Suitably modifying the software development and test architecture by keeping in view the end user requirements.
Given the requirements of testing the quality of
software in a dynamic technological environment, the software development engineers in testing should possess certain
skills. Let’s discuss the four of them in some detail.
#1 Knowledge of the test
environment: The requirements of QA needs
the setting up of a robust, consistent and scalable test environment. The
environment consists of the software to be tested, the test automation script
and the hardware platform. The entire test architecture should encompass the
server operating system, client operating system, database, browser, cloud set
up, and many other software and hardware components needed to test the code.
The development engineer in test should be adept at creating the test
environment and perform various types of testing in it. He or she should know
about the architecture of various test tools like Selenium, Robotium, etc.
#2 Knowledge of the latest
technologies: The software of today is multi-dimensional
and has interfaces with the latest technologies such as the cloud, IoT,
predictive analysis, and even AI. A development engineer in test should have
the knowhow of the latest technologies and platforms. The engineer should be
able to write robust, consistent and scalable test automation codes that can
seamlessly work on various platforms, operating systems, devices, and networks.
#3 Adept in white box and
black box testing: The validation of a software
in terms of quality should identify and eliminate the glitches at the designing
and development stages. The development engineer in test should have the skills
to perform both white and black box testing. During these types of testing, the
test engineer should be able to test the functionality and internal coding of
the software.
#4 Perform debugging: Even though test automation is the need of the hour, given the
adoption of DevOps, a development test engineer should be capable of doing
manual testing as well. This will enhance the scope of understanding the test
environment and other test requirements.
Conclusion
With cost and time considerations, engaging businesses
to remain competitive, hiring software
development engineers in testing is the way out. The experts can assume
the roles of both the developer and tester resulting in time and cost savings.
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