CTFL 2.1.4: Summarize how DevOps might have an impact on testing
K2Syllabus section 2.1.4
3 original PrepBench practice questions for learning objective 2.1.4 of the CTFL 4.0 syllabus. Try the examples below and check each answer against its syllabus reference.
Practice questions
Question 1
A team introduces continuous integration (CI): every commit is built, and the component tests and static analysis run before a merge is allowed. What is the impact on testing?
- Manual testing from the user's perspective becomes unnecessary once CI is stable
- Shift left occurs, because developers now submit code with component tests and static analysis
- Regression risk rises, because the automated checks replace the regression tests
- Test effort falls, because the CI setup needs little definition or maintenance
Show answer
- Manual testing from the user's perspective becomes unnecessary once CI is stableEven with a high level of automated testing, manual testing from the user's perspective is still needed.
- Correct answer: Shift left occurs, because developers now submit code with component tests and static analysisCI promotes shift left by having developers submit code accompanied by component tests and static analysis.
- Regression risk rises, because the automated checks replace the regression testsDevOps minimizes regression risk through the scale and range of automated regression tests, rather than displacing them.
- Test effort falls, because the CI setup needs little definition or maintenanceThe delivery pipeline must be defined and established, and the CI/CD tools introduced and maintained.
CI promotes shift left in testing by encouraging developers to submit high quality code accompanied by component tests and static analysis, which is exactly what this pipeline enforces. DevOps also gives fast feedback on code quality and minimizes regression risk through the scale and range of automated regression tests, but the pipeline itself must be defined and established and its tools maintained, and manual testing — especially from the user's perspective — is still needed.
Syllabus section 2.1.4
Question 2
Six months into a DevOps adoption a team reports that the pipeline works, but that keeping the automated tests running consumes more effort than expected and is slowing delivery. Which risk of DevOps does this illustrate?
- Fast feedback on code quality is lost once the pipeline grows beyond a certain size
- Increased visibility of non-functional quality characteristics distracts the team
- Automation through the delivery pipeline removes the need for repetitive manual testing
- Test automation requires additional resources and may be difficult to establish and maintain
Show answer
- Fast feedback on code quality is lost once the pipeline grows beyond a certain sizeFast feedback is a named benefit, and no such degradation is described.
- Increased visibility of non-functional quality characteristics distracts the teamIncreased visibility of non-functional characteristics is a named benefit.
- Automation through the delivery pipeline removes the need for repetitive manual testingReduced repetitive manual testing is a named benefit, not the reported problem.
- Correct answer: Test automation requires additional resources and may be difficult to establish and maintainThe resources and difficulty of maintaining automation are a named risk.
The syllabus names three DevOps risks and challenges: the delivery pipeline must be defined and established, CI/CD tools must be introduced and maintained, and test automation requires additional resources and may be difficult to establish and maintain. The reported symptom — sustained effort to keep the automation working — is the third of these. The other options restate DevOps benefits.
Syllabus section 2.1.4
Question 3
A team's DevOps pipeline runs an extensive automated suite on every commit, and the team proposes dropping manual testing altogether. How should that proposal be judged?
- It is sound, because a CI/CD pipeline covers every test level automatically
- Manual testing, especially from the user's perspective, will still be needed
- It is sound, provided an independent test team takes ownership of the automated suite
- It is premature only until the pipeline reaches 100% code coverage
Show answer
- It is sound, because a CI/CD pipeline covers every test level automaticallyA pipeline automates delivery and testing; it does not cover every level by itself.
- Correct answer: Manual testing, especially from the user's perspective, will still be neededManual testing from the user's perspective remains necessary.
- It is sound, provided an independent test team takes ownership of the automated suiteOwnership of the suite does not change whether manual testing is needed.
- It is premature only until the pipeline reaches 100% code coverageThe syllabus sets no coverage threshold that would remove the need.
Although DevOps comes with a high level of automated testing, manual testing — especially from the user's perspective — will still be needed. The benefits DevOps brings, including fast feedback and minimized regression risk through the scale of automated regression tests, do not remove that need, and no coverage threshold is given at which it would.
Syllabus section 2.1.4
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