Fundamentals of Test Automation测试自动化的基础

It is a mistake to assume that test automation is simply the capture and replay of a manual test process. In fact, automation is fundamentally different from manual testing:there are completely different issues and opportunities. And, even the best automation will never completely replace manual testing, because automation is about predictability and users are inherently unpredictable. So, use automation to verify what you expect,and use manual testing for what you don’t.

这是一个错误的假设，测试自动化是一个简单的手工测试过程的捕捉和回放。事实上，自动化是从手动测试根本的不同：有完全不同的问题和机遇。而且，即使是最好的自动化将永远不会完全取代手工测试，因为自动化是关于可预测性和用户本质上是不可预测的。因此，利用自动化来验证你所期望的，并使用手动测试什么你不知道。

So, your chances of success with automation will improve if you understand the fundamentals of test automation.

所以，你的自动化成功的机会，如果你了解测试自动化的基本面将得到改善。

Test process must be well-defined

测试过程中必须明确定义

A key consideration is that you cannot automate a process that is not already well-defined. A fully manual process may not have the formality or documentation necessary to support a well-designed automation library. However, defining a complete test process is outside the scope of this handbook; entire books have been written about software testing. For our purposes, we will assume that you know what needs to be tested.

一个关键的考虑是，你不能自动执行尚未明确定义的过程。全手动的过程可能没有手续或文件要支持一个精心设计的自动化库。然而，定义一个完整的测试过程是这本手册的范围之内;整本书已经写了关于软件测试。对于我们而言，我们将假定你知道需要进行测试。

Testware is software测试工具是软件

But even when the test process is reasonably well-defined,automation is still a challenge. The purpose of this handbook is to bridge the gap between what should be tested and how it should be automated. This begins by laying out certain fundamental principles that apply which must be understood before success is possible. All of these principles can be summarized in one basic premise:testware is software!

但即使合理明确定义的测试过程中，自动化仍然是一个挑战。这本手册的目的是缩小之间应该怎样进行测试和它如何被自动的间隙。这开始铺设了适用必须明白成功是可能之前一些基本原则。所有这些原则可以归纳在一个基本前提：测试件的软件！

Test automation is two different自动化测试是两个不同的

As odd as it sounds, test automation is really two different things.There is testing, which is one discipline, and automation, which is another. Automating software testing is no different than automating.

听起来有点奇怪，自动化测试是两回事。有测试，这是一门学科，与自动化，这是另一个。软件测试自动化与自动化没有什么不同

disciplines学科

accounting or any other business function: in each case, a computer is being instructed to perform a task previously performed manually.Whether these instructions are stored in something called a script or a program, they both have all of the characteristics of source code.

会计或其他业务功能：在每一种情况下，计算机是被指示执行任务以前手工完成。是否这些指令被存放在一个叫脚本或程序，他们都有所有的源代码的特点。

The fact that testware is software is the single most important concept to grasp! Once this premise is understood, others follow.

事实上，软件工具是软是要把握一个最重要的概念！一旦这个前提是理解的，其他的就跟上了。