Automated testing is the process of using software tools to run repeatable tests on a software application. The main goal of automated testing is to simplify the testing process, increase test coverage, and reduce the time required for manual testing. Automated tests can be run at any stage of the software development lifecycle, including unit tests, integration tests, and acceptance tests.
The tests are written using a scripting language or a testing framework and can be executed automatically as part of a continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline. Automated testing helps to catch bugs early in the development process, improve the overall quality of the software, and reduce the risk of human error in manual testing.
In CI/CD, developers integrate their code changes into a central repository multiple times a day. Automated tests are run on the code changes to ensure that they do not break existing functionality. If the tests pass, the changes are automatically deployed to production, reducing the risk of manual errors and providing faster feedback to developers. The goal of CI/CD is to improve software quality and speed up the release process while maintaining high levels of security and reliability.