Automated testing and Continuous Integration in WordPress development


If you work in WordPress development, now’s the time to embrace automated testing and continuous integration (CI). It can significantly boost efficiency, ensure code quality, and streamline deployment processes!

Here, we’ll explore how these modern development practices can transform your WordPress projects, making them more reliable and easier to maintain. Whether you’re a developer looking to refine your workflow or a team aiming for higher standards in your web projects, understanding the role of automated testing and CI in WordPress development is a must for keeping up with the competition.

With this in mind, let’s dive into how these practices can lead to more robust, error-free websites, setting a new standard for excellence in WordPress and beyond.

Why the shift from manual to automated testing in WordPress development?

Gone are the days when manual testing was the norm in software development, including in the WordPress space. The shift from manual to automated testing is a defined response to the way software developer’s needs have changed over time.

But why is this the case?

Manual testing, while foundational in understanding an application’s functionality, has its drawbacks.

It’s time-consuming and often requires many resources, especially in repetitive scenarios.

Imagine a QA team spending hours executing test cases for each release cycle on an ecommerce website. This process is not only labor-intensive but also prone to human error. These limitations become more pronounced with the increased complexity and size of applications.

So what does automated testing bring to the table?

Maximized efficiency

Automated testing introduces a level of efficiency that manual testing simply can’t match. It allows for the rapid execution of test cases, significantly reducing the time and effort involved.

Lots of options for tools available

Several platforms are available, too, that make it easy to create and execute test scripts. For instance, think of a membership site built on WordPress that, through automation, can expand its test coverage to include various scenarios from sign-up to configuring a profile that would be time-consuming and error-prone if done manually.

Easy to add to dev pipeline

Automated tests can be integrated directly into the development pipeline, which means bugs are caught and resolved almost immediately. This is super helpful in Agile and DevOps environments where frequent updates are expected.

Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) are a must for agile teams, and automated testing fits right into this, ensuring that each release is stable and reliable. But more on that in a moment.

As WordPress applications become more feature-rich and integrated, manual testing becomes less practical. Automated testing effortlessly handles intricate scenarios and ensures all components of an application work together.