Automation testing involves utilizing specialized testing tools used to execute a code and compare the results of the test to the expected results. It is a great substitute for manual testing wherein software developers are expected to test whether the software is functioning properly, maintain a proper record of their findings, and are required to check databases, log files, and even external services for errors.
When software tests are performed by automation tools, it is much faster than manual testing and makes it easier for developers to maintain records. Automation testing improves test coverage, makes the test less error-prone, and tests multilingual applications efficiently.
It is important to choose the appropriate automation testing tool for evaluating your software applications so that you can define the application testing tasks clearly and let the test run with minimal human effort.
Here is a list of the top 20 automation testing tools available in 2023:
#1. Ranorex:
Over 10,000 companies are using Ranorex for web and mobile application testing. This tool has a beginner-friendly interface and is great for accelerating cross-platform testing. You can take advantage of the 30-day free Ranorex trial for your projects.
Ranorex allows for end-to-end testing and offers easy-to-use tools to execute codeless test automation. It can also be integrated with various technologies including Java, Winforms, Silverlight, .NET, Android, iOS, and HTML5. This tool provides detailed reports which enable you to detect errors quickly.
#2. Selenium:
This is probably the most flexible of all the automation tools mentioned in this list. Software developers who are experienced in programming and scripting will find Selenium easy to use as it allows them to write test scripts in a wide variety of scripts such as Python, Java, Ruby, Groovy, and C++.
Selenium is also compatible with other testing frameworks like Katalon Studio. It is the top choice for many software development companies as it supports, Linux, Windows as well as Mac.
#3. IBM Rational Functional Tester:
As the name implies, this software testing tool is mainly utilized for functional and regression automation testing. Unlike Selenium, this data-driven automation testing tool only supports two scripts -. Net and Java.
Storyboard testing is one of the best and unique features of IBM Rational Functional Tester. This feature simplifies the software test visualization by keeping a record of all the developer’s actions through a series of screenshots organized in a storyboard form.
#4. Katalon Studio:
Taking advantage of Selenium and Appium engines, Katalon Studio offers a comprehensive and optimized platform for testers who find it challenging to incorporate and deploy various frameworks and libraries for using Selenium and Appium. This powerful software automation testing tool is great for developers as well as non-developers.
It is a great tool for running API, Mobile, and web application tests. The best part about Katalon Studio is that it enables developers to carry out both automated and exploratory tests.
#5. Test Complete:
There is no better test automation tool than Test Complete to run and build functional User Interface (UI) tests. Test Complete allows you to utilize popular scripting languages, such as VBScript, Python, and Javascript, to write tests. It also provides GUI UI object recognition features that automatically detect and update the UI elements in your application.
Test Complete offers complete test coverage as it makes it easier for you to scale your tests across over 1500 real test environments.
#6. Soap UI:
If you are specifically looking for API testing, Soap UI should be your go-to automation testing tool. Testers can either go for Soap UI’s pro or the open-source version. The pro version offers many advanced features such as a form builder, coverage feature, test cloning feature, and assertion wizard.
Soap UI recently added API explorer, a pro feature, into its open-source version. This APU explorer helps testers debug API responses instantly. The major advantage of using Soap UI is that you can reuse scripts and carry out Asynchronous testing.
#7.Test Craft:
Test Craft is an end-to-end automation testing tool that is perfect for continuous and regression testing. Just like most no-code testing tools, Test Craft also provides a test script with pre-coded inputs that need to be modified later.
Based on this name, this tool allows developers to craft test scenarios even if they do not have the application ready. Test Craft does not require any additional plugins and it supports parallel execution and multiple data sets. It also eliminates test maintenance as it is powered by AI, which in turn allows it to create and execute software tests faster.
#8. Qualibrate:
Qualibrate is built around the concept of ensuring that test automation is easy to understand and accessible even for inexperienced users while providing professional software testers with robustness and advanced features. In comparison to the other tools mentioned in this list, the Qualibrate onboarding process is intuitive and seamless.
Qualibrate has proved to be instrumental in recording business processes because of its easy UI. The input data and all the actions of the users are stored on their online cloud and can be used for end-user training, accelerated manual testing, and complete test automation.
#9. Worksoft:
Worksoft is undoubtedly the industry’s gold standard Agile-plus-DevOps continuous automation platform. It supports web and cloud applications with ready-made and out-of-the-box optimizations.
It is a codeless platform perfect for testing complex enterprise applications and spanning multiple applications as part of continuous testing, delivery cycles, or integration. Thereby, giving developers and testers complete control over how they make use of the end-to-end automation for their projects.
#10. Cucumber:
This Behavioural Driven Development (BDD) framework helps developers test the system in its entirety rather than emphasizing a particular piece of code. Cucumber is mainly used for writing acceptance tests for web applications.It supports various scripting languages including PHP, .Net, and Python.
It helps Business Analysts, Developers, Testers, etc. to automate functional validation in an easily readable and comprehensible format (such as plain English). Cucumbers can be used in conjunction with Selenium, Capybara, Watir, and so on.
#11. Appium:
This open-source automation framework is great for testing mobile applications. Appium can help software testers test both native and hybrid mobile applications suitable for iOS and Android platforms. This tool is the easiest to install and use.
Appium also allows developers to carry out cross-platform testing i.e., the same API functions with the test scripts of both Android and iOS platforms. Appium is able to generate a detailed log of details and has a comprehensive reporting system, with a built-in UI Automator, that improves the interpretation of the test results and significantly improves debugging.
#12. Apache JMeter:
Apache Jmeter is an open-source tool that is recognized for its ability to carry out both performance and load tests for various servers such as SOAP, HTTP, JMS, and LDAP.
Most developers prefer Jmeter as it is a lightweight tool, has an intuitive GUI, and is also really simple to use. With Jmeter you can create a test plan using a text editor as it stores all the test plans in the XML format. This automation tool can also effectively perform functional testing and is highly extensible.
#13. Tricentis Tosca:
Tricentis Tosca of one of very few continuous testing platforms that offer a comprehensive toolset that supports most testing activities from test design and automation to creating test reports.
It provides a user-friendly interface and a robust set of functions to plan, enforce, perform, manage, and optimize API tests. Tosca does not require scripting. It is easier to adopt and maintain compared to selenium.
#14. UFT one:
Previously known as UFT, UFT is a renowned commercial tool that facilitates web, mobile, and even RPA application testing. Its features have been extended and also include API testing. This tool tests both the front-end features and the back-end service sections of an application to boost UI and API test coverage.
UFT one simplifies and improves the development, execution, and maintenance of tests through intelligent automation backed by Artificial Intelligence.
#15. Perfecto:
Perfecto is a comprehensive cloud-based test automation tool specifically designed for web and mobile application testing. For optimizing the CI/CD pipeline, Perfecto offers extensive AI analytics with error classifications.
Perfecto has excellent test management and debugging capabilities, improves test reusability, and provides smart reports. This tool is also known for speeding up the overall testing process.
#16. CloudQA:
CloudQA is an integrated codeless and cloud-based test automation tool. This platform allows developers to construct, maintain, and execute software tests in multiple browsers simultaneously.
The best feature of CloudQA is its integrated reporting tool which allows testers to create and schedule regression testing suits quickly. This tool supports data-driven testing and allows third-party integrations such as Slack, JIRA, and Asana to handle bugs.
#17. Usetrace:
This automation testing tool does not require developers to constantly write codes or update the software. Usetrace enables developers to run test cases across various browsers such as Chrome and Firefox.
This tool helps developers with less coding experience to generate automated test cases also known as traces. Other important features offered by use trace are test reporting, responsive testing, project management, and collaboration.
#18. Leapwork:
This tool enables developers and testers to perform automated tests across web applications, SAP applications, and Windows Applications. Leapwork allows developers to run tests flexibly in both local and remote environments by customizing run schedules.
This tool will automatically send an SMS warning in case any output errors occur. Developers can study the live dashboards for making better adjustments to their applications as well as for information updates.
#19. Sikuli:
Sikuli is a powerful Python based automation testing tool. It can automate everything that shows up on the computer screen.
Sikuli can be used in cases where applications are very sophisticated but the screens or visualization are very basic. This tool defines the objects by using GUI (Graphical User Interface) components for image recognition and control. Sikuli is a good choice when the internal or source code of a GUI is not easily accessible.
#20. Mabl:
Due to the wide coverage of web browser automation, Mabl is considered one of the simplest SaaS solutions that incorporate automated end-to-end testing into the entire software development life cycle.
It is a singular DevTestOps framework for Developers as well as for Testers to produce and perform automated functional UI tests on a greater scale. By running rigorous tests in minutes across all major browsers, in parallel, and in the cloud, Mabl can optimize the value of your data; from the user interface, and graphic design to performance testing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, automation testing is not a replacement for manual testing. Both of these methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. When the software does not need to be tested repeatedly, manual testing is a better option. However, if your software requires testing over a period of time, you should plan your automation testing strategy.
These automation tools can solve major issues in manual testing where a developer needs to single-handedly master coding and fix any errors in the software. To create an automation testing strategy it is important to select the right tool, define the scope of automation, execute the software test, and also maintain the effectiveness of the code.
You might also like
