Automation has reached almost every industry today–even in application and software testing. Indeed, the best automation testing tools provide seamless checking of new applications and software before they are launched on the market.
However, many businesses are not leveraging automation testing because of various reasons. One reason could be the technical issues that arise from time to time or the cost associated with it.
According to Global App Testing, the software testing market is slowing growing, with a projected Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5% from 2023 to 2027.
This is because the tools generally scan and detect major errors and verify functional or non-functional software equipment via automated test scripts. This helps improve project quality, strengthen outcomes, benefit the business, and lift workload.
Let us now learn everything about automated testing tools and their significance in the market.
What is Automation Testing?
With the best automation testing tools, you can conduct automation testing. It is a software examining technique that uses applications, tools, and scripts to automate software testing trials.
Of course, this approach is faster, more efficient, and less error-prone. As an alternative to manual testing, it provides a better analysis and detection of possible errors. Manual testing methods can be time-consuming and prone to errors, giving rise to automation testing techniques.
A recent study revealed that the software testing industry has surpassed the $45 billion milestone in market size, emphasizing its key role in development and evolution.
In this kind of testing, professionals write scripts and use automation tools to test software. The goal is to enhance the software’s functionality and ensure it meets requirements before it’s released to production.
Given that, Automation testing can help in:-
- Reducing testing efforts
- Delivering capability faster and more affordably
- Building better quality software with less effort
- Improving testing efficiency, accuracy, and speed
Benefits Of Automation Testing
Automation testing has many benefits. In fact, some of the best automation testing tools, such as Selenium automation testing, have become popular in recent years due to their high efficiency, seamlessness, and improved accuracy.
Given that, here are some benefits of automation testing:-
Faster feedback
Automation testing can help testers search for errors easily and find bugs quickly. During the development process, it is important to manage time and fulfill the task with punctuality. By all means, this prevents blockage and keeps testing timelines on track.
Improved accuracy
The best automation testing tools perform the same steps precisely every time. They are designed with algorithms that do not forget to record result details, steps, processes, and more.
Reduced costs
One of the major reasons why businesses are opting for the best automation testing tools is the reduction in cost. During the development process, everyone wants to save a penny or two and lower the overall business expenses.
With automation testing, it is possible to save time and money and fasten the development process as well.
Reusability
Testers can use the test scripts multiple times. This helps them reduce the cost and also eliminate the chances of any possible error. Manual testing, on the other hand, may consist of unidentified bugs, which may not also carry the exact precision each time.
24/7 testing
The best automation testing tools can be used continuously without human intervention. This makes them the perfect option for overnight testing, where the testing process does not need to be examined regularly.
Better test coverage
Automated testing can run lengthy tests without any need for human attention. It can scan the software deeply for bugs and errors, even on multiple computers with different configurations.
This raises the question, which is better? Manual testing or Automation testing?
What Is Manual Testing And Automation Testing?
Manual Testing and Automation Testing both have flaws and benefits. An organization uses testing depending on the extent of its work, its requirements, the kind of project, and more.
However, to give a brief idea, here are some differences between them:-
| Manual testing | Automation testing |
| Involves human testing and interaction with software applications or products to identify issues. | Uses computer programs, applications, or scripts to write pre-defined tests and run them programmatically. |
| Manual testing is slow, repetitive, costly, and time-consuming. | Automation testing is cost-effective and helps find possible bugs quickly |
| Manual testing requires human resources. | Automation testing requires testing tools and automation engineers. |
| Manual testing has lower accuracy due to the higher possibility of human errors. | Automation testing provides more accuracy because it is script-based testing. |
| Many bugs and errors can go undetected with automation testing. It consumes more time and may not carry much test coverage. | Automation testing finds more bugs, reduces time for regression tests, and increases test coverage. |
| Manual testing can help detect visual impairment, is false proof, and can be done by freshers as well. | Automation testing makes it difficult to inspect visual elements, is not false proof, and requires trained employees. |
| Manual testing is best for exploratory testing, usability testing, ad-hoc testing, functionalities, and user interface (UI). | Automation testing is suitable for coding, eros, bugs, time-consuming tests, Exploratory testing, Functional testing, and Regression testing. |
Best Automation Testing Tools List in 2024
Here is a list of the best Automation testing tools in 2024:-
Selenium
Selenium is an open-source tool suite that automates web browsers. It can be used to automate web-based administration tasks. The testing app offers a toolkit for different testing processes. It includes the following features that help testers find errors and bugs more precisely:-
Selenium IDE
It is a Chrome, Firefox, and Edge feature used to create bug reproduction scripts and exploratory testing scripts.
Selenium Grid
It is a smart software testing framework for running parallel tests on multiple machines. It commands remote web browsers while hosting one server as a hub.
Selenium Framework
It is a suite of automation testing tools based on the JavaScript framework.
Selenium RC
Selenium RC is specifically designed for Java, C#, PHP, Python, Perl, and Ruby.
WebDriver
WebDriver implements an innovative and modern approach to automating the browser’s actions.
Appium
Appium is a free, cross-platform, automated testing tool that helps users test mobile applications. It can test native, web, and hybrid applications and supports multiple programming languages.
It can be used on different mobile operating systems, such as Android and iOS. Furthermore, testers can also scan web browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
Given that, here are some features of Appium:-
- Cross-platform support
- Open source.
- Supports multiple programming languages
- Integration with CI tools
- Supports native, hybrid, and mobile web applications:
- Built-in inspector
- Parallel execution
- Plug and play
- Quick connection
- Quick provisioning
- Visual interface
- Robust test execution
Katalon Studio
Katalon Studio is one of the best automation testing tools. It helps testers speed up the development process, quality assurance, and SLDC. It is an all-in-one testing toolkit for testing apps, including web, mobile, API, desktop, and packaged apps.
Katalon Studio has the following features:-
- Low-code options that allow it to create tests faster.
- Manual and scripting modes can be used by both beginners and professional testers for manual and scripting modes.
- Built-in reporting and analytics features through which testers can easily track and analyze test results.
- Testers can integrate it with popular tools like JIRA, Git, and Jenkins
- Support for both web and mobile testing, including iOS and Android devices
- Its libraries include Selenium, Appium, JUnit, TestNG, and Cucumber.
Cucumber
With Cucumber, developers and testers write test scripts for software functionality easily. It is one of the best automation testing tools based on Behavior-Driven Development (BDD). It uses a simple, natural language that anyone can understand.
Tests prepared by Cucumber tests are written in a specific language called Gherkin. The language is designed to be understandable by all stakeholders.
The automation toolkit offers both open-source and commercial tools. Some of the options offered by Cucumber include:-
- Cucumber Open: Validates executable specifications against code on any development stack
- Cucumber Studio: A collaboration platform for BDD that allows users to define ideas and test code
- OpenAPI Specification: Allows users to collaborate on executable specifications
HPE Unified Functional Testing (UFT)
UFT or Unified Functional Testing is a testing program that can be used by development, testing, and quality assurance teams. Testers can create and execute automated scans on mobile apps, web apps, and desktop apps.
It is an integrated development environment (IDE) that integrates manual testing, automated software testing, and framework-based testing–all together.
UFT can test every aspect of an application, including:-
- User actions on web or client-based applications
- Different users
- Data sets
- Windows operating systems
- Browsers
WorkSoft
It is one of the best codeless automation testing tools used for functional testing of web-based applications. Testers can use it to improve the overall quality and efficiency of their automated testing as well as regression testing.
It can help users:-
- Accelerate test automation efforts
- Understand and de-risk complex business processes
- Create, share, and repurpose automation assets
- Mitigate regression bugs
- Provide detail reporting using frameworks
- Accelerate product development life cycle
- Automate intimation of reports to stakeholders
- Enable continuous integration and continuous deployment
IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT)
RFTis one of the best automation testing tools that can perform functional, regression, GUI, and data-driven testing and more.
It supports various applications and protocols, including HTML, Java, .NET, Visual Basic, SAP, Silverlight, Eclipse, Siebel, Flex, Ajax, Dojo, GEF, and PowerBuilder.
Its features include the following:-
- Functional testing
- Regression testing
- GUI testing
- Data-driven testing
- Java Scripting
Telerik Test Studio
Telerik Test Studio is an automation testing tool for web, desktop, and responsive web applications. Testers can use its functional UI, load/performance, and API testing.
The tool is based on the Telerik Testing Framework, a proprietary .NET framework. It supports writing C# or VB-based automated tests.
Some of its features include:-
- Test Studio Dev Edition
- Telerik Testing Framework
- Scriptless test recording and playback
- Cross-browser test execution
- Support for HTML, AJAX, Silverlight, WPF, and ASP.NET MVC
- Element abstraction and reuse
- Hybrid element location with DOM-based attributes and images
SoapUI
SoapUI is a free API testing tool for web services. It is specially designed for developers and testers with an easy-to-use graphical interface. Users can test SOAP, REST, and GraphQL-based web services with it.
SoapUI’s features include:-
- Scriptless functional testing
- Security testing
- Functional testing
- Performance testing
- Interoperability testing
- Regression testing
TestComplete
TestComplete is one of the best GUI automation testing tools for scanning desktop, web, and mobile applications. It supports various applications and technologies, including Windows, .NET, WPF, Visual C++, Visual Basic, Delphi, C++Builder, Java, Web applications and services.
Furthermore, testers can integrate your automated tests into Continuous Integration tools such as Jenkins and Azure DevOps, Git, Zephyr, and bug-tracking tools such as Jira.
TestComplete has the following features:-
- Keyword Testing
- Scripted Testing
- AI-powered object recognition engine
- Recording capabilities
At last
Testing automation has become a very popular development process in recent years. More and more businesses and organizations are using automation testing tools to scan and test software quickly.
However, choosing the right testing tool that provides the best features may require extensive research. Therefore, popular tools such as Selenium, Appium, Katalon Studio
Cucumber, HPE Unified Functional Testing (UFT), WorkSoft, IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT), Telerik Test Studio, SoapUI, and TestComplete are good options.
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