Test different configurations

Azure Test Plans | Azure DevOps Server 2020 | Azure DevOps Server 2019 | TFS 2018-2015

Your users will probably install or run your app on a wide variety of configurations, such as different operating systems, web browsers, and other variations. You will want to run at least some of your tests in stages that have those different configurations.

Use your test plans to decide which tests you want to run on which configurations. You have to make sure that when you run your tests that you have set up your stages for the configurations that you need.

You might draw a schematic matrix of the combinations that you want to test:

Test matrix of browser and operating system configurations

Then you can:

Prerequisites

  • You must connect to a project. If you don't have a project yet, create one.

  • You must be added to a project. To get added, Add users to a project or team.

  • To view test-related work items, you must have Basic access or higher and permissions to view work items under the corresponding Area Path.

  • To add test plans and test suites, manual test cases, delete test artifacts, and define test configurations you must have Basic + Test Plans access level or have one of the following Visual Studio subscriptions:

  • To add or edit test-related artifacts, you must have the following permissions:

    • To add or modify test plans, test suites, test cases, or other test-based work item types, you must have Edit work items in this node permission set to Allow under the corresponding Area Path.
    • To modify test plan properties such as build and test settings, you must have Manage test plans permission set to Allow under the corresponding Area Path.
    • To create and delete test suites, add, and remove test cases from test suites, change test configurations associated with test suites, and modify a test suite hierarchy (move a test suite), you must have Manage test suites permission set to Allow under the corresponding Area Path.

To learn more, see Manual test access and permissions.

Create configurations and variables

A test configuration is a combination of configuration variable values. Your configuration variables could be, for example, operating system, browser, CPU type, database. A configuration might be "Windows 8 + 32-bit CPU" or "Windows 10 + 64-bit CPU."

Create the configuration variables first. Then combine multiple variable values to create a configuration.

  1. Open the Configurations page in the Test Plans web portal, select the + icon, and select New configuration variable.

    Screenshot shows the New configuration variable option in New menu.

  2. Type a name for the variable, such as Browser, and a description. Select Add new value, and then add a value. Add as many values as you wish to the configuration variable, and then save it.

    Screenshot shows adding values to a new configuration variable.

  3. Repeat the steps to create any other configuration variables you need. For example, create a configuration variable named Operating system with the names of each operating system on which you want to test.

    Screenshot shows setting the values for an Operating Systems configuration variable.

  4. Select the + icon and select New test configuration.

    Screenshot shows the New test configuration option in the New menu.

  5. Type a name for the test configuration and add the configuration variables you created. Choose a value for each variable for this configuration.

    Screenshot shows adding variables to the new test configuration.

    Be sure that Assign to new test plans is checked to make this configuration the default for all the new test plans you create.

  6. Save your new test configuration.

A test configuration is a combination of configuration variable values. Your configuration variables could be, for example, operating system, browser, CPU type, database. A configuration might be "Windows 8 + 32-bit CPU" or "Windows 10 + 64-bit CPU."

You must create the configuration variables first. Then combine multiple variable values to create a configuration.

  1. Open the Configurations page in the Test Plans web portal, choose the new icon, and select New configuration variable.

    Adding a new configuration variable

  2. Type a name for the variable, such as Browser, and type a value. Add as many values as you wish to the configuration variable, and then save it.

    Setting the values for a new configuration variable

  3. Repeat the steps to create any other configuration variables you need. For example, create a configuration variable named Operating system with the names of each operating system on which you want to test.

    Setting the values for an Operating Systems configuration variable

  4. Choose the new icon and select New test configuration.

    Adding a new test configuration

  5. Type a name for the test configuration and add the configuration variables you created. Choose a value for each variable for this configuration.

    Adding variables to the new test configuration

    Ensure Assign to new test plans is checked to make this the default configuration for all the new test plans you create.

  6. Save your new test configuration.

Assign configurations to test plans and suites

You can assign configurations to a test suite or an individual test case. Configurations assigned to a test suite apply to all tests or suites within it.

  1. To assign a configuration to a test suite, in the Test plans page, select a plan. In the Test Suites area, select a test suite and select More options or right-click to open the context menu and then select Assign configuration.

    Screenshot shows Assign configuration menu option.

    If you add multiple configurations to a test suite, the tests cases are repeated with each of the configurations you have assigned.

    Screenshot shows multiple configuration assignment to a test suite.

  2. If necessary, override the default configuration assigned to a test case and assign the configuration you need. Select one or more test cases, open the context menu, and select Assign configuration.

    Screenshot shows assigning a configuration assigned to a test case.

  3. Search for and select the configurations to assign to the test cases.

    Screenshot shows setting configurations for a test case.

You can assign configurations to a test plan, a test suite, or an individual test case. Configurations assigned to a test plan or test suite apply to all tests or suites within it.

  1. To assign a configuration to a test plan, in the Test plans page, open the shortcut menu for the plan and choose Assign configuration to test plan.

    Assigning a configuration to a test plan

  2. To assign a configuration to a test suite, open the shortcut menu for the suite and choose Assign configuration to test suite.

    Assigning a configuration to a test suite

    If you add multiple configurations to a test plan or suite, the tests cases are repeated in the plan or suite with each of the configurations you have assigned.

    Multiple configuration assignment to a test suite

  3. If necessary, override the default configuration assigned to a test case and assign the configuration you need. Select one or more test cases, open the shortcut menu, and choose Assign configurations.

    Overriding the default configuration assigned to a test case

  4. Search for and select the configurations to assign to these test case(s).

    Setting the required configurations for a test case

Run tests with each configuration

Set up a testing platform for a particular configuration, such as testing the app using Google Chrome on Windows 10.

  1. Select and run a test that has this configuration assigned.

    Screenshot shows a test with a specific configuration and the Run for web application option selected.

    As you run the test, a reminder of the configuration appears in the status bar.

    Screenshot shows the configuration for this test in the status bar.

  1. Set up a testing platform for a particular configuration, such as testing the app using Google Chrome on Windows 10.

  2. Select and run a test that has this configuration assigned.

    Running the test with the configuration assigned

    As you run the test, a reminder of the required configuration in shown in the status bar of the Test Runner window.

    The required configuration appears in the Test Runner window

Track test results for each configuration

  1. Open the Charts page for your test suite, select New, and select New test result chart.

    Screenshot shows the New test result chart menu option.

  2. Choose a type of chart, like a pie chart or bar chart, and then select Group by > Configuration and choose OK.

    Screenshot shows choosing a configuration option for group by in the configure chart dialog box.

    A chart is created that can help you track your tests based on configurations. You can pin this chart to your dashboard.

    Screenshot shows a bar chart with values for Not run, Passed, and Failed.

If you have a test case that appears in several test suites, you can set the different configurations for each suite. The same test case can have different configuration settings in different test suites and test plans.

  1. Open the Charts page for your test plan or test suite, choose New, and select New test result chart.

    Creating a new test result chart

  2. Choose the type of chart you require, select Configuration in the Group by list, and choose OK.

    Choosing the type of chart you require

    A chart is created that can help you track your tests based on configurations. You can pin this chart to your dashboard.

    The configuration test result chart

If you have a test case that appears in several test plans and test suites, you can set the different configurations for each of these. The same test case can have different configuration settings in different test suites and test plans.