What are different Web Functional/Regression Test Tools?

As functional and regression testing is important for many software systems, the same way it is important for the web applications to undergo the functional and regression testing. At present we have a number of tools available for web functional/ regression testing.  

In this article we shall discuss many such tools available:

1. ManageEngine QEngine: This tool is for functional testing and load testing of the web applications. This tool enables you to carry out GUI testing in minutes and below are some of its features:

Ø Portability: With this feature you can record scripts in windows and play them in linux without any need of recreation.

Ø  Scripting capabilities: These are simplified script creation, keyword driven testing, data – driven testing, object repository, Unicode support.

Ø  Playback options: It includes playback synchronization, chain scripts, multiple playback options etc.

Ø  Validation and verification: The tool comes with a rich library of built – in functions for constructing function calls for requirements such as dynamic property handling, database handling, and screen handling and so on.

Ø   AJAX testing

Ø  Reporting capabilities: The tool provides you with clear and powerful reports indicating the status of the execution of the test.

2. SeleniumHQ: This tool has a number of smaller projects that combined to create a testing environment to suit your needs:

Ø  Selenium IDE: This one’s an add – on for firefox and can be used for replaying the tests in the same.

Ø  Selenium remote control: Web browsers can be controlled with this client/ server system located on either a local host or a remote one.

Ø  Selenium grid: This is the same as the previous one but can handle multiple servers at a time.

Ø  Selenium core: Testing system based on JavaScript.

Ø Further specific selenium projects have been developed for ruby, eclipse and rails.

3. Rapise: It was developed by Inflectra inc. This tool has an extensible architecture and cross browser testing capabilities. It supports various versions of Mozilla Firefox, chrome, MS internet explorer and so on. The tool comes with built – in support for AJAX, YUI, GWT, AIR, Silverlight, flash/ flex etc. one can use this tool for carrying out keyword as well as data driven testing through excel spreadsheets. The tool identifies the objects based up on CSS and Xpath. For bitmaps, the tool comes with a built – in OCR (optical character recognition). It uses JavaScript for scripting purposes and therefore also has a JavaScript editor.
4. funcUnit: This is an open source web application testing framework. The API is based up on JQuery. Almost all the modern browsers are supported on Linux and MAC. Selenium can also be used for executing the tests. It can simulate various user input events clicking, typing, and dragging the mouse and so one. 

5. qUnit: Any JavaScript code that is generic can be tested by this tool. It is somewhat similar to the JUnit but operates up on JavaScript features. 

6. EnvJS: This is a simulated browser environment and an open source tool whose code has been written in javascript. 

7. QF – test: It has been developed by quality first software  as tool for cross  - platform testing and cross browser automation of the web applications. It can be used to test web applications based up on html, ajax, GWT, exTJS, richfaces, Qooxdoo, java and so on. The tool has got some small scale capabilities for test management, intuitive user interface, extensive documentation, capture/ playback mechanism, component recognition and so on. It can be used for handling both custom and complex GUI objects. It has got customizable reporting and integrated test debugger system. 

8. Cloud testing service: This enables the cloud capabilities to be utilized while web testing. It has been developed by the cloud testing limited. Here, web functionality can be recorded via selenium IDE and a web browser. The scripts can be uploaded to the cloud testing website.

What are the features of Telerik Test Studio?

About Telerik Test Studio

- Telerik test studio is a software testing tool that has been developed for carrying out different  kinds of testing such as the functional testing for web and desktop applications, performance testing, mobile application testing and load testing etc. 

- Telerik developed it to suit all kinds of web and desktop applications eliminating the need for writing the code.

- This testing tool lets you build easy collaboration between the QA professionals and the software developers. 

- The tool has been built in such a way so as to support several web technologies such as the HTML, Silverlight, javascript, asp.net and ajax. 

Features of Telerik Test Studio

1. The test recording in test studio does not depend on the scripts.
2. It supports cross – browser testing for a number of browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Chrome, Internet explorer and safari.
3. Application testing is supported for applications developed in HTML, Silverlight, asp.net MVC and ajax.
4. It supports the web element abstraction and focuses on reusing them.
5. The test studio can be integrated with the 2008 and 2010 editions of the visual studio.
6. The tool can be integrated with the Nunit, Xunit and MbUnit.
7. The test studio validates the user interface based up on the sentences.
8. It has got a visual storyboard that lets the team members know about the progress done so far.
9. It supports the customization of the test in vb.net and C#.
10. It can also be used to carry out exploratory testing.
11. Telerik test studio can be integrated with the HP quality center.
12. It can also be integrated with the Telerik Team pulse.

- In other words, Telerik test studio provides one simple solution for most of the testing needs. 

- A special version of the test studio called the test studio for iOS has been developed using which the developers can create tests for apple products. 

- Using this tool, the developers can carry out the testing directly on the device. 

- Here, the element detection is not based up on image.

- Instead, object based recording is used.

- It supports development platforms such as the monotouch, Xcode and phonegap.

- One can test both the native and hybrid apps.

- For creating load tests you can either capture them or use the fiddler logs.

- You can run the functional tests as the performance tests and gather data regarding the client rendering time, network latency and server processing time.

- It is quite easy to get started with and quite easy to use too. 

- To create even the most complex functional, performance and load tests what that it all takes is navigation, pointing and clicking. 

- The test studio further helps in streamlining the teamwork by providing a common platform on which the developers and testers can work together. 

- Another thing about telerik test studio, it fits any budget since in one software testing tool you get the both performance and functional testing tools. 

- The license of this tool is quite affordable and can be easily obtained. 

- Some other features of test studio are:

1. Lightswitch – powered apps automation
2. Multi – browser support
3. Manual testing
4. Telerik controls automation
5. Provides native support for the kendo UI widgets
6. Data – driven testing
7. Support for browser dialog and html popups
8. Support for frames and frame sets
9. Historical view of the tests
10. Test customization
11. Single virtual user license type
12. Reporting dashboard
13. GUI test recorder
14. Visual studio professional and team system integration
15. Simple interface
16. Built – in data grid
17. Code-less conditional logic support

Explain Telerik Test Studio? What kinds of testing are supported by Telerik Test Studio?

About Telerik Test Studio

- Telerik test studio is another in the line of software testing tools. 

- This testing tool has been developed by Telerik test studio for performing functional testing for web and desktop, load testing, performance testing, mobile application testing and so on. 

- This software testing tool can be used to test all kinds of desktop and web applications. 

- This software testing tool can be used to test all kinds of desktop and web applications without having to write the test code. 

- The Telerik tool eases the collaboration between the quality assurance people and the software developers.

- A number of web technologies such as AJAX, HTML, ASP.NET, javascript, MVC and Silverlight are supported by the Telerik test studio. 

What kind of testing are done by Telerik Test Studio?

This tool can be used to carry out the following kinds of testing:

1. Functional Testing: 

- Almost any application (including AJAX, MVC, WPF, Silverlight and HTML) can be automated using Telerik. 

- In addition to the applications, it also supports the visual studio 2010.  

- Telerik comes with a plug – in for visual studio plus a standalone application that can be used by QA professionals for creating tests for cross browser testing. 

- These tests can be customized via visual studio or they can be converted in to unit tests.

- Most QAs use the Telerik test studio for testing the AJAX and asp.NET applications along with the client – side functionality. 

- They are also used for binding the test steps on to a data source. 

- The java script functions can be directly invoked and validated from the .net code.

- Telerik is even a Silverlight UI testing automation tool that does not depends up on the code.

- The tool comes with a rich UI object model because of which the users are able to automate the tests for the entire range of the UI elements. 

- The tool after plugging in to the Silverlight application directly can automate and access all the elements present in the Silverlight application.

- Telerik test studio has made it possible to test the reliability of the java apps. 

- It has got built – in translators for the following:

             a)    HTML5 controls

             b)    Cross – browser support

             c)    Javascript event handling

            d)    Codeless test automation of the various multimedia elements.

- Telerik makes the collaboration between the QAs and software developers effortless even if there location is not same.

- Both the visual studio plug – in and application make use of the same file formats and repositories.

- This allows the QAs to keep a check of the tests in the main application while the software developers can extend it with the code. 

- It becomes easy for the team members to know what has already been recorded by the other members via the built – in visual storyboard tool.

2. Performance Testing

- Telerik allows the analyzation of the metrics on the client and the server side, exploration of the traffic requests and counter data.

- It allows you to compare the results to the already defined benchmarks for goal setting or regression detection. 

- The existing UI tests can be supplemented with the performance metrics so that the data such as the network latency, server processing time, client rendering time etc. can be included.

3. Load testing

- Telerik test studio can be used to build tests up on the existing ones and run them so as to get a better understanding of the performance of their website under extreme conditions. 

- The load agents of the telerik test studio make use of the hyper threaded and multi-core CPUs for generating a very high user load.

4. Test studio for iOS

- This is a special version developed for automated testing of the iPad, iPhones and so on. 

What are features of QF – Test?

Qf – test is abundant with features. The QF–test was made available in the market in the year of 2001 and since then it has gained over 600 customers worldwide in around 50 countries.  

Features of QF–test

- It is has been counted as the most professional tool for carrying out regression and functional testing on the web applications. 

- The foundation of the tool is also well established and it has got a high efficiency rating by the users. 

- The tool has been a breakthrough in the field of automated testing of the java based web applications that have a GUI or graphical user interface.

- The reusable tests and the modular tests are combined with the user– friendly handling as well as a price that is competitive enough which in turn yields a high ROI or return of investment. 

- Also, there have been no doubts regarding its power in automated testing  and cross platform testing. 

- In addition to these, it is quite robust in nature which makes it suitable for the cross – browser testing. 

- Without much hard work one can easily create automated load tests and regression tests. 

- The documentation of the tests and their reports can be configured very easily. 

- QF – test has made the recognition of the complex dynamic objects very reliable and quick.

- It supports all the unix systems as well as the windows platforms. 

- Swing, Internet explorer, Mozilla firefox and SWT are also supported. 

- The interface of the QF – test is quite user friendly and the documentation is quite comprehensive. 

- The tool is perfectly supported by the authors directly and quickly.

- The tool comes with an user interface that is quite intuitive in nature and the capture and playback feature is excellent. 

- The documentation of QF–test is quite extensive and has got both manual and tutorial. 

- The evaluation for the reports is done free of cost.

Currently 3 GUI technologies are supported by the qf – test namely:

1. Swing
2. SWT and
3. Web

- These three technologies can be combined in various combinations. 

- Certain features why most of the people prefer QF–test are:

1. Clear concept used.
2. Logical
3. Comprehensiveness
4. Ease of use
5. Good price
6. Good customer care
7. A product of Germany

- QF–test has proved to be a great tool for the creation and maintenance of the swing tests. 

- The QF–test has provided timely support to the IT industry.

- The testing time is greatly reduced such as to 3 hours from 21 hours. 

- It supports a number of technologies for testing:

1. Swing: webstart, applets, captain casa, ULC
2. SWT
3. Eclipse’s standard widget tool kit inclusive of the rich client platforms or RCP and plug – ins.
4. Web GUIs: AJAX (ExtGWT, RAP, Richfaces, Qooxdoo, GWT and so on.), web 2.0 and so on.

- The java version required for the qf – test is version 1.5 or higher than that. Platforms supported are:

1. Windows: windows 7, XP, vista, 2000, server 2008 and 2003.
2. Linux platforms
3. Solaris
4. AIX
5. HP – UX
6. Mac OS – X

- Browsers supported are:

1. 32 and 64 bits JDKs: IBM, excelsior JET etc.
2. SWT version 3.3 and plus

Explain QF-Test?

The QFtestJUI has been succeeded by the QF – test and was made available in the year of 2001. 

About QF-Test

- QF test was developed by the QFS or quality first software.

- It is actually a software tool for cross platform testing and automation of the GUI tests. 

- QF – test is limited to the following:

1. Java
2. Swing
3. SWT
4. Eclipse plug – in
5. RCP applications
6. Java applets
7. Java web start
8. ULC
9. Cross browser test automation

- All of the above are applications for dynamic as well as static web based applications such as HTML, GWT, Qooxdoo, Vaadin, rich faces and so on. 

- QF – test also provides assistance with the load testing and regression testing of the web applications and supports all the UNIX systems and windows platforms.

- The first commercial use was in the field of quality assurance and is extensively used by the software testers. 

- QF–test is one of the most popular among the capture and playback tools and scripting tools. 

- It has been developed so that the testers and QA people find it very easy to use. 

- The product is quite reliable and robust and also has the ability to support system testing. 

- The QF–test is estimated to have around 600 customers all over the world. 

- It is the professional java and web applications testing tool and has a great efficiency in coping with the automated testing. 

- Modular as well as reusable tests are supported well by the QF–test in various combinations. 

- The product offers a high ROI i.e., return of investment because of its user – friendly GUI and affordable price. 

- Cross browser testing is supported by QF–test for Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer and both on the Unix and Windows platforms. 

- The dynamic UI components that have very high complexity can also be reliably recognized by the QF–test. 

- The tests developed with QF–test have the ability to tolerate any GUI changes and so they do not require any high maintenance. 

- QF–test has various in–built modularization and sequential control mechanisms that allow the testers to create sophisticated tests. 

- The test documentation and the reports produced by the QF–test are highly configurable. 

- The tool has been comprehensively documented and provides the perfect support. 

- Because of its intuitive user interface, both the testers and the software developers find it very easy to use it.

- The documentation of the tool is so extensive and consists of various things such as:

1. Manual
2. Tutorial
3. Mailing list
4. Archive and so on.

- One can obtain training regarding the QF–test on the OFS web site as webinar. 

- The modularization mechanism of the QF–test enables the testers to create large test suites in an arrangement that is concise. 

- There are some users who require a more advanced control over the application.

- The tool provides access to internal structures of the program for them via scripting languages such as java and jython and not to forget groovy. 

- Another feature called the batch mode allows a tester to run a group of tests unattended and generating reports in a number of formats such as HTML, XML and JUnit. 

- This lets the tool to be integrated in to various frame works such as maven, Jenkins and so on. 

Is load testing possible using WinRunner? Does WinRunner help you in web testing?

Winrunner, apart from just serving as a test automation tool has also proved itself to be quite an effective tool for load testing. However, the winrunner can function as a load testing tool only at the level of the graphical user interface layer.  

Why it is so?

- This is so because at this level only the record and play back options are possible as if they are being carried out by a real world human user. 

How is load testing possible using WinRunner?

- The loadrunner counterpart of the winrunner is the proper load testing tool but sometimes winrunner is also used as one in addition to it. 

- Firstly, a user session such as a web browsing session is simulated. 

- The user actions taking place are recorded by the winrunner and are used for load testing. 

- No action is taken at the protocol layer by the wirnunner except recording and playing back of the events and all this seems as if some invisible real world human user is performing all these actions. 

- For the winrunner to perform load testing, it is required to give the control of the pc to it so that it can execute the previously recorded test scripts. 

- But at the same time a load test cannot be run in winrunner as a means of load generation. 

- The number of PCs required is directly proportional to the load that has to be given to the software system or application. 

- In spite of this disadvantage the winrunner will always be valued as a good load testing technology which provides the only means for the determination of the actual user response time. 

- The actual user response it calculates is inclusive of the processing that takes place on the side of the client hardware.

How WinRunner helps you in web testing?

- The context sensitive operations on the web (HTML) objects present in the web site can be recorded and run by the winrunner when it is loaded among with the web test add- in support. 

- This works if the web site in the browsers such as the internet explorer and Netscape. 

- With the help of the web test add- in, the properties of the web objects can be viewed and the information regarding the web objects present in the web site can be retrieved. 

- The check points can be created on the web objects present in the web site for the testing of the functionality of the web site. 

- Apart from internet explorer and netscape, the web browser AOL can be used for running tests and recording the objects in the web site but cannot be run or recorded on the following web browser elements:

1. Back button
2. Forward buttons
3. Navigate buttons and so on.

- When the tests are created using the web test add- in the below mentioned objects are recognized by the winrunner:

1. Text links
2. Frames
3. Images
4. Web form objects
5. Tables and so on.

- Different properties are possessed by every object. 

- These properties form a key aspect in the following tasks:

1. identification of the objects
2. Retrieval and checking of the property values.
3. Performing web functions.

- All the above three tasks ensure that your web site is working perfectly or not. 

- You should take care that you start the winrunner with the web test add- in loaded in before you open your web browser to start the web testing. 

- The recorded tab of the GUI spy can be used for viewing the properties and values of the properties that were recorded by the winrunner for the selected GUI objects.

- This is how the winrunner makes it possible to do the web testing. 

Where you find that you can't use WinRunner for automation?

Winrunner through the time and tide has proved to be quite a useful functional testing tool. This tool developed by HP has proved to be outstanding when it comes to testing of the automated functional graphical user interfaces. 

With the aid of this wonderful testing tool the user interactions that took place on the graphical user interfaces of the software systems or applications can be successfully recorded and playedback. 

Winrunner is a complete functional test suite and can even be extended to work with the QTP (quick test pro). Through the years this functional test suite has been continuously providing its support to the enterprises for quality assurance. 

Out of all its functions three are considered to be the most important ones and have been mentioned below:

1. Captures the user interactions taking place on the GUI of the application software.

2.  Verifies the captured user interactions.

3.  Automatically replays all the recorded user interactions.

   All the above three functions ensure that the defects are identified and it is ensured that all the business processes are being carried out well. The Winrunner introduced the use of TSL in parameterization and customization of the input supplied by the user. 

    

    Even though there are many benefits of the winrunner, it does suffer from some limitations. One of those limitations is that the winrunner cannot be used everywhere for automation. This is the topic of discussion of this article that where and all the winrunner can’t be used for automation. 

   1.Testers have figured out a number of uses for the winrunner, however, its primary role will always be to act as a testing tool for functional testing of the software systems and applications.

    2. In many conditions the winrunner is often used for load testing by some of the developers. 

   3. What makes the winrunner so powerful is its realization of the real world user. 

   4. Using winrunner in cooperation with the loadrunner achieves even better result. All these reasons have made the winrunner quite important software in the market.

  Winrunner can’t be used for automation in three situations as mentioned below:

     1.The size of the project is quite small i.e., it is a small scale project.

    2.The project calls for the need of manual intervention and cannot do without  it.

     3.The project is quite complex and exhibits a different behavior every time.

    There are certain instances when it has been observed that the winrunner does not even take the protocol layer in to consideration.

    But however, in such instances it has recorded the user interactions and played them. The winrunner program has been coded in such a way that it appears as if the various commands are being carried out by a real human user. 

   

   For the winrunner to function properly, it is needed that it gains full control over the computer system. Once it gains control over the system, it is ready to record and play back the user events. This is the reason why a load test cannot be initiated whenever the generation of load is required. 

  

    For the winrunner to simulate n number of users you need to have n number of computers and install winrunner software on all of them. 

   For the winrunner to record the response time of the user it is necessary that it is implemented within a load test since it has to deal with the processing that will take place in the hardware components of the computer system.

When do you go for Context Sensitive and Analog recordings? What's the difference between them?

Winrunner was developed as an automated load testing tool by the firm of HP (Hewett Packard) and it operated at the level of graphical user interface layer. You must be wondering why it was operated only at the GUI level? This is so because it was possible only at this level to record as well as play back the user actions from a large number of software systems and applications just as a real world user would do.

The winrunner provides us with two types of recordings namely context sensitive recording and analog recording. 

Context Sensitive Recording

- With the help of this mode all your actions on the software system or application in terms of the user interactions can  be recorded  while physically ignoring the location of the objects (windows, lists, buttons and so on) on the graphical user interface.

- Whenever some action is performed on the software system or application which is under question, the generation of a statement in TSL takes place. 

- As the recording goes on, a unique description for each and every selected object is written to a map called GUI map by the winrunner tool. 

- This GUI map keeps within itself all the files from the test scripts created by you and maintains all of them separately. 

- Suppose you fall in a condition where you got to change the graphical user interface of your software system or application.

- In such a case you only need to update all the test scripts present in the GUI map and you do not need to perform any 1000 number of tests. 

- With such a facility you not only save time but you are also able to reuse all of your context sensitive test scripts for the future versions of your software system or application that you plan to develop further. 

- In context sensitive recording, playing or running a test is quite easy and you just need to play back the associated test script. 

- A real world user is emulated by the winrunner software by carrying out user like options such as pointing the mouse to some object, selecting or deselecting the objects, entering words from keyboard and so on. 

- The object descriptions that we earlier had fed to the GUI map are read by the winrunner and then those objects are searched in the software application under test to match.  

- The objects can be tracked even if their placements have been changed. 

Analog Recording

- In this type of winrunner recording, mostly the events like those mentioned below are recorded by the winrunner:

a)    Mouse clicks

b)    Input entered via the key board

c)   The exact x and y coordinates travelled by the mouse pointer and so on.

- While the test is executed or the test scripts are played the mouse tracks are re- traced by the winruner.

- However, one thing should always be kept in mind that winrunner is used only when the exact mouse coordinates are of utmost important to your test case and also when you have to test some drawing software application. 

- It is almost impossible to capture the GUI elements like objects and windows with the analog recording. 

- To say it simply, the analog recording holds good for the software systems and applications containing bitmap areas.

If you starting afresh with the winrunner it is recommended that you go for context sensitive recording since here you don’t have to go for exact mouse tracks. 

What is WinRunner? What are the applications that WinRunner use?

About WinRunner

- WinRunner is a software developed by HP as a testing tool that will test the automated functional graphical user interfaces. 

- Using this testing tool, the user would be able to record as well as play back the interactions that took place on the user interface as test scripts. 

- WinRunner actually works like a functional test suite and is known to work with HP quick test professional.  

- Winrunner has been known for the support it provides to the enterprise quality assurance. 

- The most important of its functions include capturing, verifying and replaying the user interactions automatically.

- In this way, the defects can be identified and whether or not the business processes are working as desired can be determined. 

- A proprietary test script language or TSL was introduced by this software which highly aided the parameterization as well as the customization of the input provided by the user. 

- Originally, the winrunner was seen as the creation of the Mercury interactive which was later taken up by the Hewlett Packard (HP) in the year of 1996. 

- WinRunner is quite an advance functional testing with the help of which it becomes easy for one to create and run automated tests on the software system or application under question. 

- The automated tests developed with the winrunner have many useful qualities like they consist of reusable test scripts and are quite adaptable and have the ability to very well challenge the functionality of your software system or application. 

- Prior to the software release every software developer thinks only if he/ she could get a chance to test his/ her product once more time.

- With Winrunner, you can run all these tests in one night and ensure that your software product is of the superior quality. 

- Easy test creation is facilitated by the winrunner by recording your way of working on the software system or application. 

- Whenever an user interaction like a mouse click or key word typing takes place, a test script in test script language (TSL) is generated by the winrunner. - These scripts can be further enhanced by manually programming them. 

Winrunner consists of a function generator and provides two modes for recording the tests namely:

1.     Context sensitive mode and

2.     Analog mode

- Winrunner also serves as a load testing tool and operates at the user interface layer.

- A whole lot of user interactions can be recorded and played back from a large number of user applications.

Types of Applications WinRunner can Use?

- WinRunner can be used for a variety of software applications for the regression testing of the acceptance user tests.

- With the help of the GUI map file the winrunner recognizes the objects on the software system or application. 

- The winrunner software is compatible with almost all the applications. 

- After the winrunner finishes any test, it displays the results in a report like format.

- This report consists of the general logs regarding the information about the test run like the following:

1.     Check points

2.     Error messages

3.     System messages

4.     User messages and so on.

- Any undesired thing happening can be detected easily by matching the actual result with the expected result. 

- Any defect found in the software system or application can be reported directly from the window of the test results and an e- mail can be sent to the quality assurance manager who holds the responsibility of tracking the defect and then fixing it.