Adopting Shift-left Testing for Early Defect Detection in SDLC

 


If you’re planning to work in software testing and bring serious value to an Agile or DevOps team, there’s one approach you need to know: Shift-left testing.

 

In simplest terms, shift-left testing means starting testing activities earlier in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Instead of waiting until the end of development to find bugs, you start testing during the planning, design, and coding phases. That way, defects get caught when they’re still cheaper and easier to fix. It also means that testers are involved from day one, helping shape test strategy alongside product design.

 

 

The types of shift-left testing you should know.

 

·         Unit testing tests individual code units in isolation. This is often done by developers using Test-Driven Development (TDD).

 

·         Integration testing ensures that components work together as expected. Common in systems with multiple services.

 

·         API and contract testing validate endpoints and service interactions, which is critical for microservices and SOA-based systems.

 

·         UI testing simulates user actions to make sure the interface behaves as expected. Tools like Selenium help automate this process.

 

·         Automated testing speeds up verification and validation using tools like Cucumber or frameworks based on BDD.

 

These are the skills and tools hiring managers expect QA candidates to know, and you can build them by enrolling in a software testing course online.

 

An effective software testing course online will teach you how to write and run unit tests that catch bugs before the code is merged into the main branch. You'll learn how to review test coverage effectively and use version control systems to track changes and manage test cases.

 

As part of your training, you'll build the coding confidence you need to do well in QA roles. While you won’t need to be a full-time developer, you’ll learn how to read code, understand test scripts, debug issues, and make basic adjustments to existing automation frameworks. These skills will help you become a more valuable and versatile team member.

 

A good software testing course online will also prepare you to participate in sprint planning and design discussions, spot risks before development begins, and design more focused, effective test cases from the very beginning. You won’t just learn about shift-left testing — you’ll also learn to think with testability in mind, ready to apply your knowledge in real QA and Agile projects.

 

Start with the right training.

 

If you're looking to build a QA career, Hitek Computer School offers online software testing courses that give you hands-on experience with shift-left strategies and test automation tools. Explore our courses here or call 1-800-604-0254.

 

 

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