As technology becomes more advanced, so do all processes behind it. Have you ever wondered what it takes to create and launch a complex software tool today? We could spend days answering this question, but we’ll stick to software testing for now.
Although only a part of a much bigger process, software testing is a pretty complex activity by itself. That’s why we’ve decided to explain what software testing is and explore its key features.
Since software testing is something that all software solutions must go through, learning more about this step in development is never a bad idea. So, let’s jump straight into it.
Frameworks explained
Before any software solution gets to the users, it needs to go through development and testing. However, we’re not talking about running quick tests but about the extensive process of examining every inch of a software program.
Software testing is an essential part of every development cycle as it ensures the final product is reliable and of high quality. That is where frameworks come into play, as the crucial elements making testing processes possible.
Namely, testing teams use frameworks to test software. The purpose of those frameworks is to detect any errors in the making process.
However, not all frameworks are the same. Both manual and automated testing frameworks are available, with the latter offering much better features to its users. They combine various tools and processes and integrate libraries, reusable modules, test data, and other functions to automate software testing and execute in-depth reporting.
Advantages of automation frameworks
Manual frameworks were outstanding solutions when they first hit the market, but automation frameworks have exceeded them since then. Although an extraordinary process in its time, manual testing is complex and time-consuming when compared to automated software testing today.
Automation frameworks come with plenty of advantages, which is why more and more testing teams opt for these solutions. Although they’re relatively new, testing with this contemporary technology is simpler, faster, and cheaper. Not only do these tools simplify test development, but they also equip development teams with more time for quality checks.
Some of the key advantages of automation frameworks are:
- Creating reusable codes
- Easy code maintenance
- Enhanced testing speed
- Accurate URL and application testing
- Maintenance of well-defined strategies
- Continuous testing features
Top 5 automation frameworks
With automation testing frameworks becoming widely popular, the number of available frameworks has rapidly started growing. As a result, people can choose from numerous remarkable automation testing frameworks today. Below, you’ll find the four most popular automation frameworks right now, alongside their key features.
1. Selenium
If you ever searched for a Puppeteer tutorial, you’ve most likely stumbled upon Selenium. Selenium is one of the best automation frameworks, and plenty of people use it.
This tool contains everything a modern-day automation framework should have and much more. It is portable, has a record and replay feature, supports numerous programming languages, and offers WebDriver API support.
2. Cucumber
The Cucumber test automation framework uses the BDD language to create its automation tests, and it’s one of the best solutions in its category. Supporting Java, Ruby, and other similar languages, Cucumber works wonders with numerous programming languages while enabling codeless execution.
Besides this, Cucumber is famous for creating reusable and multi-purpose testing frameworks that can involve people from different sectors.
3. Robot Framework
As an open-source test automation framework primarily designed for robotic process automation (RPA), Robot Framework has one of the best and fastest-growing communities and customer bases.
Because its framework is written in Python, you can use Robot Framework with other tools to create the most robust automation test solutions. Some of its key advantages include detailed reporting and easy test writing.
4. Cypress
Cypress is yet another winning automation testing tool that is easy to use, fast, and reliable. It’s also an open-source platform, meaning its users have access to a wide variety of testing features.
Numerous benefits make the Cypress use efficient, including local testing, recording features, automatic screenshots, automatic waiting, and the capability to run parallel tests.
5. EarlGrey
Last but certainly not least, EarlGrey is another highly successful automation framework tool. It primarily serves as a testing framework for iOS applications, but its features allow much more.
Some notable features EarlGrey offers to its users are automatic tracking, impressive stability, visibility checks, and the use of app-level touch elements.
Conclusion
With automation frameworks becoming increasingly popular, manual testing frameworks are slowly becoming obsolete. So, if you’ve ever searched for a Puppeteer tutorial, the chances are you’ve already stumbled across some of these modern testing solutions.
Offering you everything manual testing frameworks do and much more, automation frameworks are your go-to solution for software testing. If you still haven’t embraced them, now is the perfect time to make the switch and upgrade your software testing features.
