In the modern world, there are numerous automation tools you can use to expedite the attainment of various goals. Software testing is one of the domains where automation is crucial. Automated tools substitute manual testing, resulting in decreased company expenses and enhanced product speed-to-market.
There are so many automated testing tools available on the market that it can be difficult for beginners to make the right choice. We have compiled a list of the most in-demanded tools that will help you make up your mind faster.
Selenium
Selenium is a popular open-source testing tool that is primarily used for web application testing. It supports multiple programming languages such as Java, Python, Ruby, C#, and JavaScript, so QA specialists can write test scripts in their preferred language. The tool also provides web app testing on all popular browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
In Selenium IDE, testers can record and playback test cases without the need for coding. This helps them speed up the testing process and is especially useful for non-technical users. One more advantage of this tool is parallel testing: using Selenium Grid, you can run tests on multiple machines simultaneously, thus reducing the overall execution time.
Appium
Appium is a popular choice for mobile app testing. This open-source tool allows testers to write test scripts once and run them on Android, iOS, and Windows. In addition, Appium supports the testing of both native and hybrid mobile applications on real devices or emulators. It provides different locators and methods to interact with the UI elements of the application. Due to its user-friendly interface, the creation and execution of test scripts are convenient and easy.
JMeter
JMeter is written in Java and is platform-independent. It can be run on different operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and macOS. This open-source tool is used for load, functional, and performance testing of web applications. It supports a variety of protocols such as HTTP, FTP, and JDBC.
Customization is available with JMeter: testers can tailor the test plan as per their requirements. This includes setting up the test scenario, creating HTTP requests, and adding listeners to collect the results.
Cucumber
Based on a behavior-driven development (BDD) framework, Cucumber allows for writing test scenarios in plain English language, which makes it easier for non-technical stakeholders to understand the test cases. The tool is open-source and cross-platform. For writing test scenarios, it uses Gherkin syntax, which is easy to read and understand and can be used by testers, developers, and business analysts.
HP UFT
HP UFT is a powerful automated testing tool that provides a wide range of features to test desktop, web, and mobile applications. However, it is a commercial tool and can be expensive compared to other open-source tools available in the market.
It supports various platforms, provides different ways to identify objects (ID, name, class, and XPath), and allows testers to create scripts using keywords, thus reducing the need for programming knowledge. One more interesting feature of HP UFT is image-based testing, i.e., the ability to compare images to verify the application’s UI elements.
Of course, there are many other options available. Your choice should always be based on your team’s experience, resources you can use, and project requirements.
