Test automation — running tests automatically (in CI/CD) rather than manually — is essential for fast, reliable, frequent testing at scale. Building it effectively involves choosing what to automate, structuring maintainable automation, and integrating it into the development process.
What to automate (and what not)
AUTOMATE:
✓ REGRESSION tests (run constantly to catch breakage) — the biggest win
✓ Repetitive, stable, frequently-run tests; unit/integration tests; critical flows
DON'T necessarily automate:
✗ Exploratory testing, usability, one-off checks, highly unstable/changing features
→ manual testing still has a place (exploratory, UX, edge judgment)
→ Automate what's repetitive and valuable to run often; not everything.
