Testing on Thin Ice: Chipping Away at Test Unpredictability

Track: Practices and other tech
Abstract
Ever tried to catch melting snowflakes? That's the challenge of dealing with flaky tests - those annoying, unpredictable tests that fail randomly and pass when rerun. In this talk, we'll slide down the slippery slope of why flaky tests are more than just a nuisance. They're time-sinks, morale crushers, and silent code quality killers.

We'll skate across real-life scenarios to understand how flaky tests can freeze your development in its tracks, and why sweeping them under the rug is like ignoring a crack in the ice. From delayed releases to lurking bugs, the stakes are high, and the costs are real.

But don't pack your parkas just yet! We're here to share expert strategies and insights on how to identify, analyze, and ultimately melt away these flaky tests. Through our combined experience, we'll provide actionable techniques and tools to make sure snow is the only flakiness you experience, ensuring a smoother, more reliable journey in software development.
François Martin
François Martin is a senior full stack software engineer at Karakun AG, living in Switzerland. He is an active open source contributor and co-author of the two open source JavaFX frameworks WorkbenchFX and PreferencesFX, an active member of the Swiss Testing Board and he participates in the working group of Advanced and Expert level at ISTQB. He is one of the authors of the upcoming ISTQB Security Test Analyst syllabus.
Brian Demers
Brian Demers is a Developer Advocate at Gradle, a Java Champion, and an Apache Member who contributes to the Directory, Maven, and Shiro projects. He spends much of his day contributing to OSS projects by writing code, tutorials, blogs, and answering questions. In addition to typical software development, Brian also has a passion for fast builds and automation. Away from the keyboard, Brian is a beekeeper and can likely be found playing board games. You can find him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/briandemers.