Explain some disadvantages of Manual Software Testing

Manual testing is the process of testing Software and apps to identify issues like bugs, faults, errors, and other defects. Developers and testers interact with the product or service from the user's viewpoint, looking for what is working and what is not.

• Manual Testing utilizes a considerable amount of human resources.
• In the short term, it is expensive. Yet ideally, the company invests a lot of money upfront to prevent bigger, more costly problems when introducing the product.
• It is a lengthy process.
• Based on their knowledge and prior experiences, the tester creates test scenarios. No proof exists that they have addressed every function.
• Testers cannot reuse a specified test case. For every new application, testers must create a unique set of test cases.
• Not all aspects of testing are covered in Manual Testing.

Automation testing offers significant efficiencies in software development but is not without its drawbacks. The disadvantages of automation testing include:

• High initial cost: Automated testing needs a big investment in tools, training, and infrastructure at the beginning.
• Writing and maintaining test scripts: This complexity brings difficulties in writing the test scripts and maintaining the same without having technical skills required to do so.
• Limited Flexibility: Automated tests may have less flexibility than manual testing, and they can't be redesigned for new or, more unpredictably, different circumstances that may arise during testing.
• Maintenance overhead: Due to constant change in the application, tests need to be updated very often, which is cumbersome and requires a lot of effort in terms of scripts and environments.
• False Positives/Negatives: Sometimes, in an automated test, it could lead to a false positive or negative misleading the test, requiring another check on the same through manual intervention.
• Not suitable for all kinds of testing: Some types of testing, e.g., usability or explorative testing, don't fit automation well and therefore some kind of manual work is still needed.
• Tools: Any effectiveness of the automation efforts is tool-dependent; testing automation totally relies on the available tools for the purpose and hence limits testing.
• Infrastructure and Environment Issues: Testing environments or infrastructures need to be even developed and maintained for some kinds of automated tests, which might be bulky and costly.

Also, read about the distinctions between Manual Testing v/s Automation Testing in this Comprehensive Guide.