9c. Create an efficient testing approach
Software testing is the process of evaluating an application to check if it meets the requirements and functions as intended.
Design an approach to testing that is as efficient as possible.
Likely Lead Roles
QA & Testing, developer
Sub-actions
9c. (i) Adopt a shift-left testing approach
9c. (ii) Make use of asynchronous testing
9c. (iii) Optimise test scripts
9c. (iv) Avoid duplication of test data and reuse where possible
9c. (v) Use test selection
9c. (vi) Test for page weight
(i) Adopt a shift-left testing approach
Shift-Left (to begin testing earlier) is accepted good practice to avoid energy intensive rework. Shift-Right (testing in live environments) also enables identification of runtime inefficiencies.
Environmental benefit:
Reduces resource consumption through fewer test runs, less rework, and unnecessary builds.
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(ii) Make use of asynchronous testing
Testing software using asynchronous processing allows tests to run independently of each other.
Environmental benefit:
Using asynchronous testing can reduce network congestion and data transfer costs.
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(iii) Optimise test scripts
A test script is a set of detailed instructions that outlines the steps to be taken to test a specific functionality of a software application.
Optimising test scripts for performance can mean avoiding redundant steps and minimising repetition.
Environmental benefit:
Optimising test scripts use fewer resources.
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(iv) Avoid duplication of test data and reuse where possible
To avoid data duplication, consider:
• using test data across tests
• deduplicating test records
• generating test data on demand to avoid storing it
• automatically removing redundant test data
Environmental benefit:
Reduces resources associated with data storage and retrieval.
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(v) Use test selection
Run only the relevant tests based on code changes.
Some tests should be run in every commit, but complex tests can be kept for scheduled CICD jobs rather than every commit.
Environmental benefit:
Avoiding running unnecessary tests saves on resource consumption.
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(vi) Test for page weight
It is important to test for page weight to avoid bloat. Although GDS prioritises lightweight HTML, CSS and JavaScript, testing can identify unnecessary components.
Environmental benefit:
Reducing page weights saves on data transfer and associated energy consumption.