Automation maintenance challenges in Testing Fundamentals - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is a common reason automated tests require frequent maintenance?

Automated tests often need updates because the application under test changes, such as UI updates or new features, which can break existing test scripts.

beginner

How can poorly written locators affect automation maintenance?

Using fragile locators like absolute XPaths can cause tests to break easily when the UI changes, increasing maintenance effort.

intermediate

Why is test data management important for automation maintenance?

If test data is not managed well, tests may fail unpredictably or require frequent updates, making maintenance harder.

intermediate

What role does code modularity play in automation maintenance?

Modular test code allows easier updates and reuse, reducing the effort needed to maintain automated tests.

intermediate

How can flaky tests impact automation maintenance?

Flaky tests cause inconsistent results, leading to wasted time investigating false failures and increasing maintenance workload.

What is a main cause of automation test failures after application updates?

A Using too many assertions

B Changes in the application UI or behavior

C Running tests too fast

D Not enough test cases

When the application UI or behavior changes, existing automated tests may no longer find elements or expect old behavior, causing failures.

Which locator strategy is best to reduce maintenance in UI automation?

A ID or stable CSS selectors

B Index-based XPath

C Absolute XPath

D Text matching only

Using stable locators like IDs or well-maintained CSS selectors reduces breakage when UI changes.

What is a flaky test?

A A test that sometimes passes and sometimes fails without code changes

B A test that always passes

C A test that never runs

D A test that runs slowly

Flaky tests produce inconsistent results, making it hard to trust test outcomes.

How does modular test code help with maintenance?

A It hides test failures

B It makes tests run slower

C It increases the number of test cases

D It allows reusing code and easier updates

Modular code means parts can be updated or reused without changing everything, simplifying maintenance.

Why is managing test data important in automation?

A To increase test complexity

B To make tests run faster

C To avoid test failures due to missing or incorrect data

D To reduce the number of tests

Proper test data management ensures tests have the right data to run reliably, reducing maintenance.

Explain the main challenges faced when maintaining automated tests.

Think about what happens when the app changes and how test code is written.

Describe strategies to reduce maintenance effort in automation testing.

Focus on writing good code and managing data well.