Test automation is one of the top 10 fastest-growing jobs according to LinkedIn’s 2023 Emerging Jobs Report. The field of software development continues to grow, and accordingly, there is a growing demand for specialists with automation skills who can quickly and efficiently find errors in the finished product and speed up the process of its successful completion.
Everything is clear with the current position of the profession on the market, but will it remain as promising in the future, or will it be replaced by other specialties? Let’s look at this issue in more detail.
Key Trends in QA Automation
Before making forecasts, let’s highlight the main trends in the direction:
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Already today, artificial intelligence and machine learning help create and optimize test cases. Test results are analyzed faster and more efficiently.
- Growing Cyber Threats: Cyber threats are increasing, and the demand for security testing is growing accordingly. Tools such as OWASP ZAP and Burp Suite are increasingly being used.
- Microservice Architecture: The demand for microservice architecture is growing, and along with it, API testing is becoming more popular. To check the quality of interaction between microservices, SoapUI, Postman, and REST Assured are used.
- Cloud Solutions: To conduct testing on a large scale, cloud solutions are used, ranging from the famous Google Cloud to Azure and AWS.
- Mobile Device Preference: Users increasingly prefer mobile devices, and developers are taking this trend into account. Appium and Espresso are indispensable tools for testing mobile platforms.
Development Prospects for QA Automation
Based on the facts listed above, we can predict:
- More Intelligent and Autonomous Testing Systems: Creating more intelligent and autonomous testing systems will be a priority.
- Emergence of New Tools: We’ll see the emergence of new tools for working in this direction.
- Increased Software Security Requirements: Software security requirements will continue to grow.
- Expansion of Cloud Technologies: Expanding the use of cloud technologies will be critical.
The scope of test automation will only expand over time, and specialists will learn new skills and competencies. The demand for specialists with QA Automation skills will increase for several reasons:
- Human Intervention Remains Necessary: No matter how fast technology develops, human intervention is necessary. A competent specialist will always stand above automated tests.
- Complexity of Software: Software will become increasingly complex, making testing a more highly specialized niche with higher wages.
- Unaccounted Aspects by Machines: There will always be aspects that machines cannot take into account, such as how well the collateral meets the business requirement.
The role and responsibilities of a tester may change in the near future, but for the better, notes NIX Solutions. Technologies will take over monotonous processes, and specialists will focus on more interesting tasks such as interacting with the team, introducing new technologies, or in-depth study of the product. We’ll keep you updated as these trends continue to evolve.