Company
Date Published
Author
Greg Foster
Word count
1267
Language
English
Hacker News points
None

Summary

Automated testing is crucial in software engineering, yet often challenging to implement, particularly for complex features like third-party API endpoints or intricate UI components. While automated tests help prevent regressions and encourage better code structure, there are instances where the urgency of product delivery or resource constraints lead teams to prioritize feature development over exhaustive testing. Alternative strategies, such as canary rollouts, beta cohorts, and dogfooding, offer ways to test without full automation. At Graphite, a unique approach involves daily deletion of an engineer’s account to test the onboarding process, revealing bugs and fostering user empathy. Although this method is not flawless, as it doesn't mimic the new user experience entirely, it highlights the importance of creatively addressing testing blind spots. Despite its limitations, this practice has proven effective in identifying issues and is complemented by ongoing efforts to develop comprehensive automated tests, demonstrating that a combination of strategies can provide a more thorough testing framework.