Shift left or shift right testing? Both are critical for software quality

Both shift left and shift right testing are indispensable pillars for ensuring software quality. Particularly in the contemporary landscape, where applications are no longer built and operated as monoliths. Instead, they rely on loosely coupled functions or building blocks called at runtime. This complicates testing in simulated environments due to the individual responsiveness of these components.

Testing “left” or “right” in the development lifecycle primarily refers to the timing and approach for specific test types or levels. Rather than whether you are allowed to execute certain tests at particular points in time.

Shift left testing

A proactive approach, like shift left testing, involves early collaboration between testing, business, and development teams. A good example for this is the observation of interactions in simulated environments. This enables early detection of potential performance or security vulnerabilities before code deployment.

Shift right testing

In contrast, shift right testing occurs at or near the point of deployment. This allows teams to witness real-world dynamics and quantify their impact. Shift right tests translate feedback into actionable technical specifications for developers, typically automated within a production-like environment.

By combining shift left and shift right testing, teams can effectively pinpoint and address issues in parallel. These practices have become important practices of Agile software development, forming part of the continuous feedback loop within a DevOps methodology.

Better together?

Organizations are modernizing their application stacks with cloud-native constructs such as microservices and containers. Applying both shift-left and shift-right strategies is becoming a best practice.

Shift left testing accelerates time to market and minimizes software defects. While shift right testing ensures reliability in production by validating software performance under real-world conditions, ultimately serving the end-user effectively.

The synergy between these two approaches moves organizations closer to the ultimate goal of continuous integration and continuous delivery. It leverages test automation and interdisciplinary communication for agile and rapid software deployment.

However, executing the right actions at the most opportune moments is vital. By aligning testing efforts with the appropriate stages of the development life cycle, opportunities for optimization and improvement at strategic stages arise. These can yield significant competitive advantages and drive innovation.

Conclusion

Whether your organization has embraced left-shifted testing during development, right-shifted testing in production, or seeks to monitor performance in real-world scenarios. Our services like BrightScan, training, and QA staffing or coaching can take your software development and QA endeavors to the next level of maturity.