Topics

• Managing the Test Data Nightmare
  By: Andrew Knight
  Experience Level: Intermediate
  Length: 30 Minutes
  Description:

  Test data for automated tests can be a nightmare to manage. Data must be prepped in advance, loaded before testing, and cleaned up afterwards. Sometimes, teams don't have much control over the data in their systems under test—it's just dropped in, and it can change arbitrarily. Hard-coding values into tests that reference system tests can make the tests brittle, especially when running tests in different environments. In this talk, I'll teach strategies for managing each type of test data: test case variations, test control inputs, config metadata, and product state. We will cover how to "discover" test data instead of hard-coding it, how to pass inputs into automation (including secrets like passwords), and how to manage data in the system. After this talk, you will wake up from the nightmare and handle test data cleanly and efficiently like a pro!

• Bootstrapping your Local Python Environment
  By: Calvin Hendryx-Parker
  Experience Level: Novice
  Length: 30 Minutes
  Description:
  You cracked open your brand new Mac or Linux dream machine and low and behold, it has Python out-of-the-box and ready to roll… Or so you think? Maybe you want to get started doing Python development on Windows and see that you can grab Python easily from the Microsoft Store. Should you? Let’s talk about getting started with the end in mind and making sure your development computer doesn’t become the next superfund site https://xkcd.com/1987/. We’ll quickly go through a tour of the various options such as pyenv, venv, virtualenv, conda and Docker as great ways to make sure you can develop in a sane environment.