Running Tests

Overview

Running tests effectively ensures reliable validation of your application while making efficient use of testing resources. This guide covers best practices for test execution in Synthesized QA.

When to Run Tests

Understanding when and how often to run tests helps maintain quality without slowing down development:

During Development

• Smoke Tests - Run a small set of critical tests frequently to catch major issues early
• Feature Tests - Run tests related to features you're actively working on
• Incremental Validation - Test new functionality as soon as it's deployed

Before Releases

• Full Regression Suite - Run all tests to ensure nothing is broken
• Cross-Environment Testing - Validate across staging and pre-production environments
• Edge Case Validation - Focus on boundary conditions and error scenarios

After Deployments

• Health Checks - Run critical path tests immediately after deployment
• Environment Verification - Confirm the new environment is configured correctly
• Integration Tests - Verify all components work together in the deployed state

Running Individual Tests

Run individual tests when you need to validate specific functionality:

1. Navigate to the Tests page
2. Find the test in the list
3. Click the play button (▶) in the Actions column
4. Select your target environment
5. Click "Run Test"

Best for: Quick validation, debugging specific issues, verifying bug fixes

Running Test Groups

Execute related tests together for focused validation:

1. Select multiple tests using checkboxes
2. Click "Run Selected" at the top
3. Choose the environment
4. Confirm execution

Best for: Testing related features, validating specific workflows, focused regression testing

Running All Tests

Execute your complete test suite for comprehensive validation:

1. Click the "Run All" button in the top-right corner
2. Select the target environment
3. Confirm to start execution

Best for: Full regression testing, pre-release validation, periodic quality checks

Choosing the Right Environment

Select environments strategically based on your testing goals:

• Development Environment - For rapid testing during active development
• Staging Environment - For pre-release validation with production-like data
• Production Environment - For monitoring and smoke testing (use cautiously)

Tip: Ensure the selected environment has all required components configured (Main UI URL, Login Credentials, API endpoints) before running tests.

Monitoring Test Execution

While tests are running, monitor progress to catch issues early:

• Status Updates - Watch test status change from Pending → Running → Passed/Failed
• Real-time Logs - Review execution logs as tests proceed
• Progress Tracking - Monitor how many tests have completed
• Early Failures - Stop execution if critical tests fail

Managing Long-Running Test Suites

For large test suites that take significant time:

• Prioritize Critical Tests - Run high-priority tests first
• Use Test Groups - Split tests into logical groups (authentication, checkout, admin, etc.)
• Run in Parallel - If your environment supports it, distribute tests across instances
• Monitor Resources - Ensure your target environment can handle the test load

Handling Test Failures

When tests fail, follow these best practices:

1. Review Failure Details - Check error messages, screenshots, and logs
2. Reproduce Locally - Try to reproduce the failure manually
3. Check Environment State - Verify the environment is in the expected state
4. Isolate the Issue - Run the failing test individually to rule out dependencies
5. Update or Fix - Either fix the application bug or update the test if it's outdated

Test Run Best Practices

• Run tests frequently - Catch issues early rather than accumulating technical debt
• Keep tests independent - Tests should not depend on each other's success or state
• Review results promptly - Don't let failed tests accumulate without investigation
• Maintain test data - Ensure your test environment has appropriate data
• Clean up after tests - Remove test data to keep environments clean
• Track trends - Monitor pass/fail rates over time to identify patterns

Performance Considerations

• UI tests are slower - They require browser rendering and interactions
• API tests are faster - Use them for functionality that doesn't require UI validation
• Avoid unnecessary waits - Tests should be efficient but not brittle
• Balance coverage and speed - Not every scenario needs UI validation

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Running all tests too frequently - Save full suite runs for important milestones
• Ignoring flaky tests - Fix or disable tests that intermittently fail
• Testing in production carelessly - Ensure tests don't modify production data
• Not reviewing failed tests - Every failure provides valuable information
• Running outdated tests - Update tests when application functionality changes

Next Steps

After running tests, review the results to understand your application's quality status. Learn more about interpreting test results in the Reviewing Results guide.