Day 1

Automated tests are crucial for efficient software development, but flaky tests that inconsistently pass or fail without code changes can severely undermine their value. Such non-determinism sends confusing signals to the team, making it difficult to interpret test results. This erosion of trust in the test suite leads to disregarding signals, integrating features with real failures, and nullifying the purpose of testing. Instead of speeding up progress, flaky tests slow it down, obscure actual bugs, and increase costs. As a result, automation in testing becomes a double-edged sword if not properly maintained.

In this talk, we will examine the causes and consequences of flaky tests, particularly within Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. We explore how flaky tests erode trust in test results, delay releases, consume resources, and mask genuine bugs.

We delve into the common pitfalls of test automation that lead to increased maintenance overhead and decreased reliability. We also emphasize the importance of establishing testing guidelines, leveraging reporting tools, using artificial intelligence (AI), and documenting flaky tests to improve overall test suite health.

I will also share practical and effective mitigation strategies, emphasizing the importance of code quality, design patterns, advanced tools, comprehensive logging, team collaboration, and regular reviews.

Finally, we will discuss actionable steps for creating meaningful automated tests, focusing on principles derived from real-world situations from my experience. By adopting these strategies, engineers can build a more reliable and trustworthy test automation suite, leading to faster and more stable software releases.

Key Takeaways:
1. Evaluate how flaky tests can erode trust and slow down developments.
2. Analyse the context and purpose of tests to avoid common pitfalls.
3. Concrete strategies for identifying and mitigating flaky tests.
4. Exploring the role of AI and reporting in creating reliable tests.