The use of low code and no code gained traction in recent years as demand continues to rise for faster and more efficient application development. To keep pace with the influx of newly built applications, many IT leaders are investing in testing automation — a market that’s projected to show a compound annual growth rate of 16.4% through 2027.

Software development engineers in test (SDETs) have historically relied on coded test automation as the go-to approach for quality assurance. However, coded test automation calls for extensive coding that’s resource-intensive and challenging to maintain. Although it’s based on free, open-source frameworks, coded test automation requires skilled labor that’s scarce and costly — constraints that hamstring overburdened tech teams. 

Fortunately, not all testing requires coded automation. New advancements in test automation are emerging, and codeless platforms present a key opportunity to streamline software testing.

Coded automation not the only option 

Coded test automation still plays an important role in scenarios like unit testing and component-level testing. But the development arena has changed in the last 20 years, underscoring the fact that coded test automation isn’t an optimal approach to quality assurance for certain use cases — like functional testing.

Coded test automation requires skilled SDETs or software developers to not only write hundreds of lines of code, but also maintain them. That’s increasingly difficult to accomplish with engineers stretched thin and employers facing ongoing talent shortages. As a result, many development teams lack the resources to maintain copious amounts of code once an application is deployed. Supporting code for coded test automation is also expensive, especially if the test framework requires regular updates or modifications.

It’s clear that new testing approaches are needed to maintain software quality and keep pace with technological advancements. And codeless test automation is gaining momentum — fast. 

Revolutionize testing with codeless automation

Codeless automated testing platforms are now available in the commercial marketplace, eliminating the need to write code for automated tests. With these tools, quality assurance (QA) professionals who lack coding skills can develop automated tests alongside SDETs and developers.

Some developers may hesitate to lean on codeless automation. After all, many developers have spent the lion’s share of their careers writing lines of code. But coded test automation isn’t going away — it’s just becoming one of several approaches developers can turn to. In fact, coded automation remains critical in many testing scenarios. 

However, for functional testing, end-to-end testing, data validation, and regression testing, codeless platforms offer a streamlined approach for both user interface (UI) and application programming interface (API) testing that can cut costs and reduce time-to-market.

Consider the benefits that codeless automation can provide:

  • Reduced reliance on technical expertise: Codeless testing platforms enable developers to shift testing responsibilities to QA teams, who can focus solely on testing rather than coding and debugging. Codeless platforms also help free up developers’ time and empower them to focus on new technologies and complex software development.
  • Accelerated development cycles: Codeless platforms enable QA teams to use pre-built and visual components to develop automated tests, which is a much faster process than writing net-new code. This enables testers to create more test cases in a fraction of the time, which increases test coverage and results in higher quality software. An added bonus? Shorter development cycles also reduce costs.
  • Easier maintenance: Codeless testing eliminates the need for programming skills that are typically required to maintain and update coded test suites. This makes maintenance faster and easier when an application changes. Some codeless automation platforms even have self-healing capabilities that enable the testing tool to automatically fix test scripts or test cases when a test fails or the software changes.

There’s always a learning curve when adopting a new approach. But the barrier to entry is low and the rewards are high when it comes to deploying codeless test automation tools. In the current no- and low-code era, the swift pace of innovation demands agile and efficient workflows.

Consider all the factors when determining whether codeless automated testing is right for a specific use case, from resource availability to the category of testing required. But when you discover codeless is the right fit for a use case, your entire team can test faster with greater efficiency and coverage — ultimately reducing time-to-market for new products while maintaining product quality.