Why Your Automation Will Fail- Real-World Lessons

Automation looks simple.
In real use, most projects fail.

Not because of code.
Because of how they’re built.

Here are a few patterns I’ve repeatedly seen while working on real automation systems.

Browser vs requests automation

There are two main approaches.

Requests-based
Fast. Cheap. Scales well.
Best for large data volume when request logic is clear and stable.

Browser-based
Slower. Heavier. More expensive.
But the browser handles cookies, sessions, dynamic values, and sequencing automatically.

On sites with complex flows, browsers often reach a working solution faster and stay stable longer.

Rule I usually follow:
Complex site, small scale → browser first
Clear logic, large scale → requests

Always explore first. Inspect requests. Watch cookies. Then decide.

Automation isn’t clearly “legal” or “illegal”

There is no universal answer.

It depends on:

• what data is accessed
• whether it’s public
• how access happens
• what the data is used for

Breaking terms of service alone does not automatically mean illegal.

Risk is contextual.

Bot detection is behavioral

Detection usually reacts to:

• abnormal behavior
• scale and speed
• financial or operational impact
• recent abuse patterns

Tools matter less than how your system behaves.

Simple systems last longer

Complex systems feel powerful early.
They are fragile in production.

Complex automation is harder to debug, harder to change, and easier to break.

Simple systems built on something that actually works survive updates and shifting requirements better.

The goal is not impressive architecture.
The goal is something that keeps running.

Don’t automate too early

This is where most projects go wrong.

Start with a minimum working process, even if it’s manual.

Run it many times.

That’s when real issues appear:

• popups
• captchas
• edge cases
• hidden dependencies

Better loop:

manual → automate a little → test → adjust → repeat

If you can’t run the process yourself reliably, automation won’t save it.

Getting blocked is normal

When things fail, the cause is rarely obvious.

It could be:

• IP behavior
• cookies
• timing
• interaction flow

Baseline rule:

If a human can do it, your system should be able to do it.

Start there. Then remove differences slowly.

Takeaway

Automation fails because assumptions fail.

Systems last when they match real processes.

And most progress starts after things stop working.