One of the biggest mistakes teams make is trying to automate everything. The smarter question is what to automate in software testing so that automation delivers real value instead of becoming a maintenance burden.

Here’s where automation typically makes the most impact:

Regression suites that run on every build

Business-critical user flows like login, payments, or core APIs

High-volume data scenarios that require repeated validation

Cross-browser or cross-device checks

Stable features that don’t change frequently

And here’s what usually shouldn’t be automated first:

Rapidly changing UI elements

One-time validation scenarios

Exploratory or usability testing

Features still in early prototyping stages

Understanding what to automate in software testing helps teams balance speed with sustainability. The goal isn’t maximum automation coverage - it’s automating the right tests that reduce risk, save time, and improve release confidence over the long term.

Learn more about automation testing here:
https://keploy.io/blog/community/what-is-test-automation