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Seven Reasons You Should Not Ignore Flaky Tests by Trisha Gee --Java Champion

· java,java-champion,testing

A "flaky test" 🧪😵 💫 in programming refers to an automated test that produces inconsistent or unreliable results.

Why should we care about flaky tests?

By fixing flaky tests, you can discover 😮 valuable benefits for your business and uncover hidden problems in your production code.

1. Paves the way to improve individual developer productivity

Flaky tests disrupt 🔨 developers' workflow, reduce productivity, and impede development progress by introducing unpredictable behavior that requires unnecessary troubleshooting and investigation.

2. Results in more time to do what we do best

Flaky tests divert our attention from meaningful tasks, like building new features and improving code,

by entangling ⛓️ us in false problems and wasting time searching for bugs that should have been caught by reliable automated tests.

3. Restores confidence in the tests

Flaky tests undermine trust, while reliable tests provide confidence in making code changes.

4. Boosts team morale

Eliminating flaky tests reduces frustration, boosts 📈 team morale 🙂, and streamlines the development process,

freeing us from the never-ending cycle of debugging and leading to a more motivated and happier team.

5. Makes better use of resources

Eliminating flaky tests reduces the time 📉⌛ spent on re-runs and timeouts,

resulting in fewer tests and builds in local and CI environments.

6. Reveals hidden issues in production code

Flaky tests, although bothersome, can serve as indicators of underlying issues in the production code,

and fixing them can uncover hidden bugs 🪲 and optimization possibilities.

7. Improves software quality

Addressing flaky tests improves software quality ✅, resulting in increased user satisfaction and a stronger product reputation.

Prioritize Fixing Flaky Test

Fixing flaky tests is essential to preserve testing efforts, prevent wasted time, enhance software quality, and optimize resources in software development.

#java #flakyTests