Selective Testing
Selective testing is a software testing approach where only a subset of tests is executed based on specific criteria, such as recent code changes, risk analysis, or test prioritization. It aims to optimize testing efforts by focusing on the most relevant or high-impact areas, reducing execution time and resource usage while maintaining adequate test coverage. This methodology is commonly used in continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines and large codebases to enable faster feedback loops.
Developers should use selective testing in scenarios where full test suites are time-consuming or resource-intensive, such as in large-scale projects, microservices architectures, or frequent deployment cycles. It is particularly valuable for accelerating CI/CD pipelines by running only tests affected by code modifications, ensuring quick validation without compromising quality. This approach also supports risk-based testing by prioritizing tests for critical functionalities or recently changed modules.