Test Automation: When and What to Automate

Not everything should be automated. This post gives criteria for when automation pays off and what to automate first—so you invest effort where it matters most.

When automation pays off

• Repetitive: Same test run often (e.g. regression on every release).
• Stable: Flow and UI do not change every week; otherwise maintenance cost is high.
• Critical: Core flows (login, checkout, key APIs) that must not break.
• Time-consuming: Manual run takes too long; automation gives fast feedback.
• Clear pass/fail: Result is deterministic; no subjective judgment needed.

What to automate first

• API tests: Fast, stable, easy to maintain; start here.
• Smoke and core regression: Few critical paths that run on every build.
• Stable UI flows: Login, main navigation, key user journeys that rarely change.
• Data-driven scenarios: Same flow with different data; one script, many cases.

What to leave manual (for now)

• Exploratory testing: Learning and ad-hoc discovery; human-driven.
• One-off or rare scenarios: Upgrade path, complex setup; not worth automating.
• Highly volatile UI: Layout or flow changes every sprint; automation may be fragile.
• Usability and visual checks: Subjective; manual or dedicated visual testing tools.

Summary

• Automate when tests are repetitive, stable, critical, and have clear pass/fail.
• Start with API tests and smoke/core regression; add stable UI flows next.
• Keep exploratory, one-off, and highly volatile or subjective checks manual (or use specialized tools).