Chapter 7

•Test Tools and Automation

 Test Tools and Automation
• Automation testing is a type of testing in which we take the help of tools
(automation) to perform the testing. It is faster than manual testing because it is
done with some automation tools.
Automated Testing is a technique where the Tester writes scripts on their own and
uses suitable Software or Automation Tool to test the software.
It is an Automation Process of a Manual Process. It allows for executing repetitive
tasks without the intervention of a Manual Tester.
• It is used to automate the testing tasks that are difficult to perform manually.
• Automation tests can be run at any time of the day as they use scripted sequences
to examine the software.
• Automation tests can also enter test data compare the expected result with the
actual result and generate detailed test reports.
• The goal of automation tests is to reduce the number of test cases to be executed
manually but not to eliminate manual testing.
• It is possible to record the test suit and replay it when required.
• Automation testing refers to the automatic testing of the software in which developer or
tester write the test script once with the help of testing tools and framework and run it on
the software.
• The test script automatically test the software without human intervention and shows the
result (either error, bugs are present or software is free from them)."

Automation Testing Types

• Below are the different types of automation testing:
• Unit testing: Unit testing is a phase in software testing to test the smallest piece of code
known as a unit that can be logically isolated from the code. It is carried out during the
development of the application.
• Integration testing: component: Integration testing is a phase in software testing in
which individual software components are combined and tested as a group. It is carried out
to check the compatibility of the component with the specified functional requirements.
• Smoke testing: Smoke testing is a type of software testing that determines whether the
built software is stable or not. It is the preliminary check of the software before its release in
the market.
• Performance testing: Performance testing is a type of software testing that is
carried out to determine how the system performs in terms of stability and
responsiveness under a particular load.
• Regression testing: Regression testing is a type of software testing that confirms
that previously developed software still works fine after the change and that the
change has not adversely affected existing features.
• Security testing: Security testing is a type of software testing that uncovers the
risks, and vulnerabilities in the security mechanism of the software application. It
helps an organization to identify the loopholes in the security mechanism and take
corrective measures to rectify the security gaps.
• Acceptance testing: Acceptance testing is the last phase of software testing that
is performed after the system testing. It helps to determine to what degree the
application meets end users’ approval.
 Advantages of Automation Testing
• Simplifies Test Case Execution: Automation testing can be left virtually unattended
and thus it allows monitoring of the results at the end of the process. Thus, simplifying
the overall test execution and increasing the efficiency of the application.
• Improves Reliability of Tests: Automation testing ensures that there is equal focus
on all the areas of the testing, thus ensuring the best quality end product.
• Increases amount of test coverage: Using automation testing, more test cases can
be created and executed for the application under test. Thus, resulting in higher test
coverage and the detection of more bugs. This allows for the testing of more complex
applications and more features can be tested.
• Minimizing Human Interaction: In automation testing, everything is automated
from test case creation to execution thus there are no changes for human error due to
neglect. This reduces the necessity for fixing glitches in the post-release phase.
• Saves Time and Money: The initial investment for automation testing is on the
higher side but it is cost-efficient and time-efficient in the long run. This is due to the
reduction in the amount of time required for test case creation and execution which
contributes to the high quality of work.
 Automation Testing Process
1.Test Tool Selection: There will be some criteria for the Selection of the tool. The
majority of the criteria include: Do we have skilled resources to allocate for
automation tasks, Budget constraints, and Do the tool satisfies our needs?
2.Define Scope of Automation: This includes a few basic points such as the
Framework should support Automation Scripts, Less Maintenance must be there,
High Return on Investment, Not many complex Test Cases
3.Planning, Design, and Development: For this, we need to Install particular
frameworks or libraries, and start designing and developing the test cases such as
NUnit, JUnit, QUnit, or required Software Automation Tools
4.Test Execution: Final Execution of test cases will take place in this phase and it
depends on Language to Language for .NET, we’ll be using NUnit, for Java, we’ll be
using JUnit, for JavaScript, we’ll be using QUnit or Jasmine, etc.
5.Maintenance: Creation of Reports generated after Tests and that should be
documented to refer to that in the future for the next iterations.
Automation test tool
1.Test Complete: Test Complete developed by Smart Bear Software is a functional
automated testing tool that ensures the quality of the application without sacrificing quality or
agility.
• Features:
• Test Complete has built-in keyword-driven test editor that consists of keyword operations
that correspond to automated testing actions.
• It records the key actions that are necessary to replay test and discard all unneeded actions.
• It can run several automated tests across separate virtual machines.
• It has built-in code editor that helps testers write scripts manually.
• It automatically captures screenshots during test recording and playback.
2. Lambda Test: Lambda Test is a cross-browser testing tool that helps to evaluate how web
application responds when accessed through a variety of different browsers.
3. TestRail: TestRail is a test management tool that helps to streamline software testing
processes, get visibility into QA. This tool is used by testers, developers, and team leads to
manage, track, and organize software testing efforts.
• Software Testing tools are the tools that are used for the testing of software.
Software testing tools are often used to assure firmness, thoroughness, and
performance in testing software products.
• Unit testing and subsequent integration testing can be performed by software
testing tools. These tools are used to fulfill all the requirements of planned testing
activities.
• These tools also work as commercial software testing tools. The quality of the
software is evaluated by software testers with the help of various testing tools.
Types of Testing Tools
• Software testing is of two types, static testing, and dynamic testing. Also, the tools
used during these testing are named accordingly on these testing's. Testing tools
can be categorized into two types which are as follows:

1. Static Test Tools: Static test tools are used to work on the static testing
processes. In the testing through these tools, the typical approach is taken. These
tools do not test the real execution of the software. Certain input and output are
not required in these tools. Static test tools consist of the following:
• Flow analyzers: Flow analyzers provides flexibility in the data flow from input to
output.
• Path Tests: It finds the not used code and code with inconsistency in the software.
• Coverage Analyzers: All rationale paths in the software are assured by the
coverage analyzers.
• Interface Analyzers: They check out the consequences of passing variables and
data in the modules.
2. Dynamic Test Tools: Dynamic testing process is performed by the dynamic test
tools. These tools test the software with existing or current data. Dynamic test tools
comprise the following:
Test driver: The test driver provides the input data to a module-under-test (MUT).
• Test Beds: It displays source code along with the program under execution at the
same time.
• Emulators: Emulators provide the response facilities which are used to imitate
parts of the system not yet developed.
• Mutation Analyzers: They are used for testing the fault tolerance of the system
by knowingly providing the errors in the code of the software.
Classification of Testing Tools
• Software testing tools (or test automation platform) are almost inseparable from
the application of software testing technology and the implementation process of
software projects.
• There is no doubt about the role and importance of software testing tools for actual
testing work. With the continuous development of software automation testing
technology, testing tools, and software testing are closely integrated.
• More than 90% of the enterprises in the software industry use testing tools in the
process of research and development, testing, and quality management. therefore.
Learning, understanding, mastering, and using all kinds of testing tools has become
a necessary professional skill for software testers.
• According to the different stages and purposes in the testing field, software testing
tools can be classified according to their uses, such as functional testing tools,
• performance testing tools,
• unit testing tools,
• test management tools, test case design tools, and so on.
 If it is divided according to the principle of test technology classification, it
can be divided into three categories:
• black box testing tools,
• white box testing tools, and
• test management tools. In general,
• black-box testing tools refer to tools for testing functionality and performance,
which are mainly used for systematic testing and acceptance testing;
• white-box testing tools refer to tools for testing the structure of software source
code, which can realize static analysis, dynamic analysis, review and other
functions of the code.
• Test management tool refers to the tool to manages the whole test process, which
mainly includes the management of the test plans, test requirements management,
test defect tracking, test case management, test process management, test report
management, and so on. It generally runs through the whole software testing life
cycle.