Posts

Test Automation in Docker: The Good, the Bad, and the WTF

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"The Illusion of Consistency in Dockerized Tes Automation" Hello folks, me again... knee-deep in another rabbit hole, banging my head against the Docker wall this time — and as always, writing about it once I crawl out the other side. You know the drill: you dockerize your test automation suite, pat yourself on the back, and declare: “Now it’ll run the same everywhere. We're finally consistent!” But are we really? Well, spoiler alert: not always . Let’s talk about this magical thing we all chase called consistency — and why Docker, as amazing as it is, doesn’t always give it to us out of the box. The Promise: One Image to Rule Them All The dream is simple: You wrap your entire test setup inside a Docker image — OS, tools, runtimes, configs, dependencies. You push that image to Docker Hub/Artifactory/Any other Binary Management system you might use, run it in CI, pull it locally, drop it on a colleague’s machine, run it on a server farm — and everything behaves the same . ...

Is Your Test Automation Actually Automated?

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  Let me share a little story with you. I once visited a customer who was really excited about their automation efforts. “Oh, we have several 10X tests!” they said. Naturally, I was curious and asked, “How do you run them?” Without missing a beat, they pointed to a dusty old computer sitting in the corner of the office. I paused for a second, wondering if I’d heard them right. A computer in the corner? Yep, turns out that’s where they were “running” their tests. If that’s not a sign that your automation might not be as automated as you think, I don’t know what is. So, how do you know if your test automation is actually working for you, or if it’s still stuck in the past, like that poor computer in the corner? Here are some signs that your automation might need a serious upgrade: 1. Pressing ‘Play’ is Still Part of the Process We all love the idea of automation running on its own, but if your tests still require someone to manually click “Play” to start them, then that’s a red flag...

Secrets Management In Test Automation

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    Introduction As automation in testing continues to grow, ensuring the security of sensitive data is more important than ever. While we work to make our tests efficient and scalable, secrets management often takes a backseat. However, mishandling secrets in test automation can lead to significant security risks. In this post, we’ll discuss the importance of secrets management, the challenges faced, and best practices to protect sensitive data in your automation tests. Why Secrets Management Matters in Test Automation In any software development pipeline, secret management refers to securely handling sensitive data like API keys, database credentials, and certificates. Automation tests often require such secrets to simulate real-world scenarios, such as accessing databases or APIs. Unfortunately, secrets often end up in places they shouldn’t—like hardcoded in source code, configuration files, or logs—leading to potential vulnerabilities. If secrets are exposed during testing...

Linux Cheat Sheet - (A quick reference for common tasks)

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  Linux, along with its various distributions like Ubuntu, CentOS, and Debian, is the backbone of countless servers, cloud environments, and development workstations around the world. Whether you're an experienced Qa/Automation Engineer/developer, or just getting started with Linux, knowing or even having a cheat sheet of the most common commands can save you time and frustration. In this cheat sheet, I’ve compiled the most essential Linux commands that will help you navigate, manage files, control processes, and troubleshoot network issues efficiently. These commands are fundamental whether you're working with a server environment or a desktop interface. Whether you're new to Linux or need a refresher, this guide will serve as a handy reference for day-to-day tasks. File System Navigation ls – List directory contents ls          # Basic listing   ls -l       # Long format with details   ls -a       # Show ...