This article will explore the role of QA in DevOps, highlighting the place DevOps testers hold in the ecosystem.
Let’s begin with defining some of the relevant terms:
DevOps: DevOps applies Agile practices to QA and Ops teams, thus streamlining the build, validation, deployment, and development of software. It seeks to standardise development environments and improve predictability, efficiency, and security in the software development lifecycle.
Refer to this detailed article on DevOps.
CI/CD: CI or Continuous Integration is an engineering practice in which team members integrate their code at a very high frequency. CD or Continuous Delivery is the practice of ensuring that code is always in a deployable state.
Refer to this detailed article on CI/CD for more information.
Continuous Testing: Continuous Testing refers to a set of automated tests that are executed every time a new code build is pushed to the repository.
The Role of QA in DevOps
- The QA as a Consultant
DevOps is all about shifting individual and collective mindsets in more collaborative directions.
However, to execute this shift, devs will require some training. With devs taking on more testing, QAs will transition to a more consultative role, helping devs create better tests and become better at screening for quality.
QAs would also be responsible for helping devs gain a better understanding of testing philosophies and processes. This fundamental shift in the technical approach cannot be performed without serious engagement and input from QA departments.
- The QA as a Strategist
As a strategist, the QA engineer makes high-level decisions about what standards the software should meet in its final form. Since QAs must have intimate knowledge of how end-users think and interact with software, they are best placed to advise dev teams on what features to include, what common bugs to look out for in unit tests, and what kind of users the software would be targeted towards.
As strategists, QAs are also responsible for selecting the most suitable tools and frameworks for manual testing and automation testing. Remember, successful DevOps implementation relies heavily on automation. It is of utmost importance to use the right frameworks, established in the right toolchains that will automate large sections of the development and deployment pipeline.
Run manual and automated tests on real browsers and devices. Start running tests on a real device cloud. Run parallel tests on a Cloud Selenium Grid to get faster results without compromising on accuracy. Leverage integrations with the most popular and effective CI/CD tools to execute DevOps-style development. Detect bugs before users do by testing software in real user conditions.
