Testing has become one of the most common procedures in the technology and computer sectors today.
It is now counted amongst the major aspects of the product development cycle and all the checks and tests required to create any product and bring it up to a satisfactory level per the creator’s needs, expectations, and requirements.
With the advancements and improvements in technology that only increase and enhance with time, testing procedures and practices are getting more complex and sophisticated, mainly because the products and services available to the public are also advancing rapidly. Automation testing is one of how testing has been modernized, enhanced, and improved.
Automation testing is a computerized process used for testing software and other technological products to ensure that all of them are working properly and efficiently and therefore meeting all the expectations and requirements they are supposed to have.
In simpler terms, an automation testing tool checks whether or not software or product is working just how it is supposed to without any unwanted problems or errors.
It checks the software, product, or equipment for any defects, problems, bugs, dysfunction, errors, or other similar problems that can occur at any stage of the development of the product.
While a lot of testing can be done manually as well, automation testing often offers more advantages and benefits. It can be used and accessed at any time of the day. This procedure uses scripted sequences to check and examine all software and products.
Many automation testing tools are available for any individual or organization to use. These have their features and characteristics, each diverse and unique in their way.
Here are a handful of the best automation testing tools available on the internet for the use of general people.
Best Automation Testing Tools – Our Pick👌
1. Selenium – web automation testing tools
Selenium is one of the most popular automation testing tools available on the internet to be used by the general public.
It is an open-source platform with several tools and techniques that can be used and accessed to support web browser automation. It is extremely popular for its excellent functioning, efficiency, and effectiveness.
This platform was originally developed in 2004 by Jason Huggins to be used as an internal tool at ThoughtWorks. Selenium is completely free of any cost for any users. It can validate and check any web application on any web browser or platform.
This automation testing platform was specifically created and designed to be used by experts and professionals. Thus, anyone who wishes to use this platform should have advanced coding and programming skills to use it effectively.
Selenium comprises several components that work together to give the best possible service to all its users.
Some of the more important components of this platform are Selenium IDE, Selenium Client API, Selenium Remote Control, Selenium WebDriver, Selenium Grid, etc. This platform allows the user to create advanced automation scripts.
Selenium is counted as one of the most popular automation testing platforms. It is highly reviewed, highly ranked, and has one of the highest numbers of users for this particular work on this platform. It is worth being checked out by any potential users.
2. Appium – Automation testing tools for Apps
Appium is another open-source platform offering excellent and impressive automation testing facilities to all its users.
It is mainly used for running, managing, and handling scripts for different software and products and for testing various applications like native applications, hybrid applications, and mobile-web applications by any users.
Appium was founded in 2011. The developer and founder of this platform are Dan Cuellar. This automation testing platform was originally known as iOSAuto, written in C# language. This platform is supported by multiple operating platforms like Android, iOS, Windows, etc.
It also supports the user of many different programming and coding languages like C, C#, C++, Java, JavaScript, Ruby, and many more.
This platform was based on Selenium itself, using HTTP protocols. This platform is based on server architecture. It also supposedly uses vendor-provided automation frameworks.
This automation testing platform is also incredibly easy to use and impressively user-friendly, with a wonderful interface and effective layout design.
Appium has gained massive popularity in the last few years. This is mainly due to the stability, efficiency, effectiveness, and proficiency that this platform is shown to ask of its users.
It has proven to be quite an impressive platform for individuals and businesses that require automation testing for their work.
3. Katalon Studio
Katalon Studio is a highly efficient, effective, and impressive automation testing software.
It is known for having a highly specialized IDE interface for testing and managing any API, web, mobile, and desktop applications with maximum accuracy and proficiency. It has often been popularly described as an all-in-one automation testing tool.
This software was created, developed, and launched by Katalon, Inc. Katalon Studio was originally launched in January 2015 for internal use only. Although afterward, it became available for public use as well.
The version of this software created for public use was launched in September 2016. This platform is compatible with several operating systems, including Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, etc.
This platform has various features and tools for effective and efficient automation testing of one’s software and products. It offers a dual interchangeable interface for managing and creating test cases.
It comes in the form of a manual view for this platform’s less technical users and a script view along with syntax highlighting and intelligent code completion that is now suited to experienced testers.
This automation testing platform follows the pattern of the Page Object Model. The creation and development of this platform were also designed after Selenium and Appium.
This platform can be integrated with several tools like qTest, Git, Kobiton, JIRA, Slack, and many more.
Katalon Studio is well-known and accredited for its effectiveness, efficiency, stability, and popularity. It is a highly appreciated and highly used automation testing platform that has even been recognized by the Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice automation testing software market.
4. TestComplete
TestComplete is another of the most wonderful and efficient testing tools available on the internet.
This platform can access and perform automated testing for various software, products, and equipment supported by different operating systems like Android, macOS, Microsoft Windows, etc.
SmartBear Software developed this automation testing platform. It was originally launched in 1999 by a company called AutomatedQA.
The stable release of this platform was on March 31, 2020. This platform offers to test for several varied and diverse application types, including iOS, Android, Windows, Web, HTML5, Silverlight, WPF, Flex, Flash, VCL, Java, and . NET. This platform performs automated testing options like functional testing and back-end testing.
TestComplete can create and automate several different and diverse test types created according to different software or products.
This platform’s main features include Keyword Testing, Scripted Testing, Test Record and Playback, Distributed Testing, Bug Tracking Integration, Access to Methods and Properties of Internal Objects, Test Visualizer, Data-driven testing, Extensions and SDK, and many more.
This platform supports various coding and programming languages, including Python, JavaScript, VBScript, etc., and other testing techniques and methods like data-driven testing, keyword-driven testing, distributed testing, and regression testing.
This automation testing platform is incredibly easy to use and has an impressively user-friendly interface.
5. LambdaTest
LambdaTest is a highly recommended, highly appreciated as well as high and incredibly reviewed, and ranked automation testing platform.
This software allows all of its users to create and perform automated browser tests easily and effectively. It is a safe, secure, scalable, reliable, and adaptable automation testing platform.
It was founded and launched in 2017 by Asad Khan and Jay Singh. This company has a competent, innovative, and responsible staff of over 200 employees.
It currently proclaims to have more than 500 thousand users and customers across the globe, and this count increases day by day.
LambdaTest was created to provide the public with an integrated testing platform that professional testers can use to create, manage and handle any type of test.
This platform allows its users to access responsive, feasible, and effective testing facilities to all of its users. LambdaTest offers end-to-end encryption while providing all its automation testing tools and features.
This platform offers most of its features to its users without any costs or charges, but some special and advanced tools and features must be paid for.
LambdaTest offers several different and useful features for automated software, applications, and product testing.
These include automated cross-browser testing on over 2,000 web browsers and operating system platforms, integrated working with special tools like Jenkins, Circle CI, Travis CI, etc., automated screenshot testing, and many more.
6. Cucumber
Cucumber is an immensely popular automation testing platform that can create, manage, handle and perform automated testing on several different software, applications, products, equipment, etc.
This platform uses the Gherkin language to create and define test cases for its working and functioning.
This automation testing platform was founded and launched on July 13, 2018. It has been developed by a highly competent team of developers that include Aslak Hellesøy, Joseph Wilk, Matt Wynne, Gregory Hnatiuk, and Mike Sassak.
The cucumber testing platform was originally written in the Ruby programming language. Therefore, initially, after it was launched, this testing platform was exclusively used for Ruby testing and as a complementary platform for the RSpec BDD framework.
Cucumber supports behavior-driven development (BDD). Gherkin language in this platform allows the expected software behaviors to be displayed and specified in logical language so all its customers can understand them. It is also proficient in executing feature documentation written in business-facing text.
Cucumber can now support and work with various coding and programming languages like Java, JavaScript, etc. Its features allow smooth, effective, efficient, and impressive functioning.
The codes of this platform can be executed on other testing platforms like Selenium. This automation testing platform is devoted to delivering an enhanced and improved user-end experience.
7. Micro Focus Unified Functional Testing (UFT)
Micro Focus Unified Functional Testing (UFT) is another of the best cross-platform automation testing tools. It was previously known as QuickTest Professional (QTP).
This platform can be mainly used for providing tools and facilities for refraining testing and functional testing that is completely automated for software, applications, and products.
Micro Focus Unified Functional Testing (UFT) was released on July 1, 2019. The developer of this automation testing platform is a company called Micro Focus. This platform supports keyword interfaces as well as scripting interfaces.
It also allows its users to have a graphical user interface. This platform uses the VBScript or the Visual Basic Scripting Edition scripting language for creating, managing, and specifying any testing procedures and their subsequent manipulation and application.
This platform was originally designed specifically for testing different and multiple types of software applications and web-based environments.
It is majorly used as a UI-based test case automation. Still, it can also be accessed to perform non-UI-based test cases like web services testing, API testing, database testing, and file system operations, to name a few.
All of its supported technologies depend on the version of this automation testing platform that any person is using.
These are available in different programming languages like Java, Web, WPF, .Net, Siebel, Oracle, Delphi, Stingray 1, Powerbuilder, SAP, Flex, Terminal Emulator, VisualAge Smalltalk, and many more. This software is only compatible with the Microsoft Windows operating system.
8. WorkSoft
WorkSoft is one of the more diverse and unique automation testing platforms. This software can be used to make, create, modify, control, and edit all of the tests that any of its users can use to check and look for any possible errors, problems, and troubles that may be found in any applications, software, or products that can be checked.
WorkSoft was founded in 1998 primarily as a software company that has a special emphasis on automated functional testing frameworks. It is presently headquartered in Addison, Texas. The current CEO of this company is Tony Sumpster.
This company has two main products for performing most of its required and necessary functions. These two products are the WorkSoft Certify and WorkSoft Analyze.
This company has automation platforms for business process discovery, test automation, and documentation that support enterprise applications, including different types of applications like web applications and packaged applications.
This automation testing tool mainly works for SAP specifically. But it also tests and automates Concur, Ariba Network, SuccessFactors, Syclo, etc.
WorkSoft is the only platform that offers continuous automated testing to all its users while being completely code-free.
This automation testing platform was created to cater to the needs of large corporations and enterprises that mainly deal with or manage important business processes. This software provides its users with an integrated tool for test data management.
9. IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT)
IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT) is one of the most popular automation testing tools available to the public on the internet.
It is highly acclaimed, has received wonderful reviews, and is well-known for its quick and smooth functioning, effective working, and efficient testing tools and techniques. This platform works as an automated testing tool for both functional testing and regression testing.
This software supports several applications, including web-based, .Net, Java, Siebel, SAP, terminal emulator-based applications, and PowerBuilder. It works to provide automated testing abilities and features for functional, regression, GUI, and data-driven testing.
This automation testing platform offers its users various advantages and benefits. It has a storyboard testing feature that best simplifies the visualization of the test being created or performed. It also allows editing test codes using natural language and rendered screenshots.
It is one of the simplest and easiest platforms for creating, handling, and managing automated tests.
The test scripting feature of this platform can combine and record all the actions taken by the user. It also comes with many different customization options and intelligent script maintenance capabilities. This platform can also be integrated with other software and platforms.
10. Telerik Test Studio
Telerik Test Studio is another of the best and most proficient automation testing tools available on the internet.
This software can be used to perform automated testing for both web as well as desktop platforms. Telerik Test Studio supports automated testing for functional testing, software performance testing, mobile application testing, and load testing.
This software was released on September 10, 2020. The developer of this automation testing platform is Telerik.
This platform supports many programming and coding languages, including HTML, AJAX, Silverlight, ASP.NET MVC, JavaScript, WPF, and many more. It also supports many test execution platforms, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari Chrome, and many others.
This platform is only compatible with the Microsoft Windows operating system. It is well equipped with many effective, useful, and interesting features that delight to work with. Some include scriptless test recording and playback, element abstraction and reuse, visual debugger, etc.
It easily counts among the best automation tools that act as a comprehensive test automation solution. This platform has been repeatedly reported to be reliable, effective, functioning smoothly, and able to support a wide variety of data, coding, and working platforms.
11. SoapUI
Another incredibly impressive open-source web-based testing platform, SoapUI is used to test Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and Representational State Transfers (REST).
This platform can be used for performing several varied tasks, including but not limited to invoking, development, simulation, inspection, mocking, functional testing, load and compliance testing, and for many other tasks.
SoapUI was initially released to SourceForge in 2005, followed by a stable release on July 14, 2020. SmartBear Software developed this platform. It was originally written in Java and Groovy. SoapUI is a cross-platform software. This platform also supports IDEA, Eclipse, NetBeans, etc.
As mentioned above, the core features of SoapUI are inspection, invoking, development, simulation, mocking, functional, compliance, and security testing.
But it has a premium version as well. This premium version is called SoapUI Pro, a commercial enterprise platform version. The premium version offers many useful and interesting features to all subscribers.
Some of the extra features that are provided with the paid version of the platform include WSDL coverage, WSDL refactoring, composite projects, form-based request editor, table inspector, requirements management, XML inspector, Doc inspector, DataGen TestStep, DataSink TestStep, XPath Wizards, XPath Assertion Wizards, Schema inspector, and numerous others.
📗FAQ
Which tool is used for Automation Testing?
Tools for automation testing are programs created to use automated test scripts to validate functional and non-functional criteria.
Some famous tools used for Automation Testing are Katalon Studio, Selenium, Cucumber, Worksoft, IBM Rational Functional tester, Telerik Test studio, etc.
Which automation tool is in demand?
Selenium is currently the most used and most demanded tool in the market. It is an open-source automation tool.
Moreover, it is one of the best QA automation tools that supports Firefox, Chrome, IE, and Headless Browsers in addition to operating systems including Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Which automation tool is considered easy to use?
Out of all the automation tools available, Python and Java are considered easy to use because of their user-friendly interface. In addition, some automation developers also write in C, JavaScript and Ruby.
What is the salary of an Automation Tester?
As technology is the future, automation testers are in demand, but their starting salary is not that fancy. The average starting salary in India is around three lakhs per annum and in the USA is around $50,000 per annum.
What skills are required for Automation Testing?
To be an Automation Tester, one should be proficient in programming languages, have a mastery of leading automation testing tools, be aware of manual testing, be proficient in codeless testing tools, and have a good hang of analytical skills.
Why is Selenium the most in-demand?
Selenium is easy to use and is an open-source automation tool. It is widely used because selenium supports various programming languages, enables record and playback for testing web applications, and can run various scripts across various browsers.
Some Final Thoughts
An automation testing tool can be an extremely useful and complementary software that not only helps in correcting the errors, problems, and mistakes of any software, products, or equipment of the user but also makes it easier and simpler to deal with, handle and manage one’s products and creations.
Therefore, it is necessary for every person who wishes to use an automation testing tool to find and choose the most appropriate testing platform that is compatible with their systems is effective and efficient and is best suitable to deal with their particular products. The software being used should be as accommodating as possible to the demands of the users.
Each automation testing platform differs from the others. Each one has its features, tools, specializations, functioning methods, advantages, disadvantages, and platforms that they are compatible with.
It is essential that every user carefully considers and checks each of their options before finalizing any one of the options of the automation testing platform in front of them.
