In the Automation Testing Life Cycle, when test scripts are updated due to changes in the application, it is known as script refactoring. This process involves modifying and improving the existing scripts to maintain their effectiveness and relevance as the application evolves. It ensures that the automation suite remains reliable and aligns with the changes in the software under test.

SoapUI is a versatile tool that can be utilized for both functional and performance testing of web services. It allows testers to create and execute test cases to verify the functionality of the web service and also assess its performance under different conditions. By leveraging SoapUI, testers can comprehensively evaluate the web service, ensuring that it meets both functional and performance requirements.

Cucumber is primarily used for Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) in automation testing. It allows the creation of test scenarios in a human-readable format, promoting collaboration between developers, testers, and business stakeholders. Cucumber uses Gherkin language to write test scenarios, making it easier to understand and execute tests based on the expected behavior of the application.

BDD frameworks, such as Cucumber or SpecFlow, facilitate easier test maintenance by separating test scenarios from implementation details. This allows changes in requirements to be reflected in the scenarios without impacting the test implementation, making it easier to maintain and update the tests as the project evolves.

Postman facilitates automated testing of APIs by automating the execution of test cases. It provides a user-friendly interface for creating, managing, and executing API tests. Testers can define test scenarios, set assertions, and automate the execution of API requests to validate the functionality of APIs. Postman also allows the creation of collections for organizing and running multiple API requests as part of a test suite.

Advanced cross-browser testing techniques often involve image comparison to ensure visual consistency across different browsers. This technique helps identify any rendering differences, layout issues, or other visual disparities that may occur when a web application is viewed on various browsers and devices.

In a scenario where test execution time is limited, it is essential to prioritize test cases with high business impact and those that are frequently executed. Automating such critical scenarios ensures that essential functionalities are validated efficiently, providing quick feedback on the application's core features. This approach optimizes test automation efforts and accelerates the release cycle.

Cloud-based automation testing facilitates performance testing at scale by providing on-demand scalability and enabling distributed testing. The ability to leverage resources in the cloud allows testing teams to simulate performance scenarios with a large number of virtual users, ensuring realistic testing conditions. This scalability is essential for identifying performance bottlenecks and assessing the application's behavior under varying levels of load and stress.

When faced with a script that frequently crashes, reviewing logs and error messages is a crucial debugging approach. Logs often provide valuable information about the sequence of events leading to a crash and error messages can pinpoint the specific issue. This approach helps in identifying the root cause of the problem, allowing for effective troubleshooting and resolution of script failures.

The scripting language JavaScript is known for its robustness in automation testing of web applications. JavaScript is widely used for front-end automation, and tools like Selenium support scripting in JavaScript for web automation. Its ability to interact with web elements and manipulate the Document Object Model (DOM) makes JavaScript a popular choice for automating tests that involve user interactions with web pages.