Code Reviews in Test Automation: A Guide to Better Scripts and Smarter Teams

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Code reviews are often considered a cornerstone of quality in software development.

When it comes to test automation, they play an equally critical role in ensuring maintainability, readability, and effectiveness of the automation scripts.

Let’s dive into why code reviews are essential, what to focus on, and how to make them a collaborative, enriching process for your team.

Why Code Reviews Matter in Test Automation

1. Catch Bugs Early

Even test automation scripts can have logic errors, incorrect assertions, or inefficient loops. Code reviews allow you to fix these issues before they cause flaky tests or missed defects.

• Example: A test script might assert a hardcoded value:

assertEquals(actualResult, "Success");

• A reviewer could suggest parameterizing the value to make it adaptable for different scenarios:

assertEquals(actualResult, expectedResult);

2. Improve Script Readability

Automation code is often shared across the team. If your script isn’t readable, maintaining it becomes a nightmare. Code reviews…