Explain SlimDog - Web Functional/Regression Test Tool

About SlimDog

- SlimDog is a web application testing tool that is based on simple script i.e., the httpunit. 

- The tool comes with a range of commands that help you to work with forms, navigating between the web pages and checking the table contents. 

- The hard task of writing lengthy xml files and JUnit test cases, the slimdog allows the users to create simple text scripts. 

- Each command is a test node that is contained in every line of the script.

- As such all commands contained in a file are treated as a test case and processed as the same. 

- Every command has a syntax that is quite simple as well as easy to learn. 

- If you want, you can form a test suite by combining several test scripts. 

- The results of the tests executed are written as an html page or file to the console. 

How to use SlimDog?

- To use slimdog, firstly you need to download its latest version from its web site. 

- The application will be in zipped form. 

- You need to extract the files to a directory of your choice. 

- Next step is to create a test directory. 

- After this you can start creating tests and save them in the test directory you just created. 

- After you have created the test, your next step is to get the html content. 

- You can run the tests from the command line. 

- After obtaining the results save them to a file. 

- Be careful that the file in which you are saving the result should be defined using the –o argument. 

- You can even navigate from one page to another. 

- All files in the test directory can be run as a test suite. 

- Every test case file must end with .test extension so that it becomes recognizable.

- You can even use a proxy. 

- The slimdog commands can even be used with the JUnit test cases.

- However, running a test case is the easiest way. 

- Firstly, the web tester needs to be instantiated and all commands need to be added through the parse line method.

- You do not have to worry about the syntax since it is the same as that of the script files. 

- After this runtest() method can be called and web test results can be obtained. 

General SlimDog Commands

Below we shall mention some general slimdog commands:

1. Get_html: This command is for establishing a connection with the given URL and thus reading its content. The read content then can be used later. The parameter to this command is the URL itself and it supports variables.
2. Check_title: Parameter for this command is the required title and it is of the type test. The title of the page that you specify is checked against the given title. There is one thing about this test which is that if it fails, the entire test will fail.
3. Set_proxy: The parameters for this command are the proxy port and host. It is of the type command.
4. Check_link (missing): The parameter for this command is the text within the tag and this one is also of the type test.
5. Check_text: The text to be found is passed as a parameter to this command and it is of the type test.
6. Click_link: The argument for this is the text within the tag. It is of the type command.
7. Seturlprefix: The parameter here is the URL prefix. This URL prefix is used as the base URL for other tests. It is of the type command.
8. Enable java_script: Parameter is either true or false. This command disables and enables the JavaScript based on the argument passed.

What are key technologies supported by Maveryx? - Part 2

In this part of the article we shall discuss about the remaining 3 key technologies of the Maveryx automated testing tool:

5. Extensibility: 

- The plug–in system of the Maveryx is quite extensible.

- It can be made richer by customizing. 

- Maveryx allows the users to customize the default functionality and other specific desired capabilities using individual plug – ins.

- A number of plug–ins for a number of reasons are supported by the Maveryx tool. 

- Few of those reasons have been listed below:

a) For adding support dedicated to the complex as well as custom GUI controls.

b)  For adding test actions such as APIs that are proprietary.

c)  For adding new algorithms for matching.

d) For integrating the maveryx with a number of other tools like bug tracking tools, SCM tools and so on.

- Maveryx has got it all: the reliable and easy to use testing environment and intuitive testing functionality to help you create the best test project. 

- Maveryx holds a collection of powerful but easy to use java APIs that help in creating better regression and functional test cases. 

- Since Maveryx is an open source tool so you have the power of modifying it or extending it any way to fit your requirements. 

- Plug–ins are the things that help you in this regard. 

- They can be installed and removed at any times. 

- Maveryx has been designed so as to allow the mechanisms and hooks that help in enhancing the frame work without calling for any major changes in the infrastructure of the system. 

- Extensions can be made in either of the two ways:

Ø  By adding a new functionality or

Ø  By modifying an existing one

- Programming interface is another thing that helps with the extension of the maveryx tool. 

- By installing core plug–ins, you enhance the capabilities of the Maveryx making it to adapt your specific requirements or your organization’s specific requirements. 

- Customizing Maveryx increases its functionality and increases the speed of the testing process.

6. Eclipse plug–in

- Maveryx comes with a separate plug – in for the eclipse tool. 

- It consists of the software tools that can be deployed to make use of the java eclipse IDE, thus granting the developers and software testers with an ability of designing, building and executing the automated test scripts using the Maveryx testing tool.

- This plug–in provides assistance to the software testers who are using Maveryx in the creation of the new test classes for test projects and generation of the java code via Maveryx’s frame work.

7. Test Reporting: 

- When you execute a test case, you do not have to worry about generating the metrics. 

- Maveryx does it all for you through its test reporting key technology. 

- It automatically generates the metrics. 

- Plus, it also puts all the detailed reports at your fingertips.

- The results of the tests execution are also displayed automatically. 

- Actually, all this is done in coordination with the eclipse plug–in.

- The plug–in in turn makes use of a number of Maveryx’s reporting features for the creation of the reports and live charts during the execution process of the tests.

- The plug–in only creates the finalized test reports that give an explanation regarding the results of the tests through visual aids such as charts, tables, statistics and so on.

The maveryx software testing tool has got a number of other features such as:

- Test logging capabilities

- Automated verification points

- Multi – application testing

- Distributed application testing

- Error handling feature that is customizable

- Multilingual testing

- Keywords

What are key technologies supported by Maveryx? - Part 1

Maveryx’s unique key technologies are what that makes it so useful. There are 7 of them and we shall discuss about only 4 here.

1. No GUI Maps: 

- Maveryx is an automated testing tool that it does not makes use of GUI maps for locating the GUI objects.

- It carries out the analyzation and the identification of the GUI objects to know their properties at the time of the scripts execution without taking help from a GUI map. 

- When a test is run, a scan is carried out by the Maveryx software and it takes some of the snap shots of the interface of the application under testing or AUT. 

- Maveryx then processes each of the snap shots using an advanced GUI objects finder. 

- This object finder then recognizes the object and locates it so that you can straightaway start writing the test cases and you don’t have to wait. 

- Automated scripts can be developed early by the testers during the software development life cycle. 

- This is done in parallel with the development of the application. 

- However, the test scripts are developed only when the application is ready to be tested. 

2. GUI objects finder: 

- This advanced finder identifies as well as locates the objects very well that have been embedded in the scripts during the run time itself using many of its pattern – matching capabilities. 

- A number of searching algorithms are used by Maveryx for the recognition and the location of the objects during the execution session of the tests. 

- These algorithms remain applicable even for the objects to which changes have been made since the creation of the tests and partial descriptions have been encoded in to the test scripts. 

- It also carries out a search for the run – time objects that seem to match the test object fully or partially.

Below mentioned are the matching algorithms that are supported:

- Exact: This algorithm lets you search for a test object that is exactly same as the one mentioned in the test scripts.

-  Case insensitive: This algorithm is somewhat same as that of the first one but ignores the case.

- Partial: This algorithm lets you find a match based up on the partial data.

- Wild card: Using this algorithm you can match objects using the common regular expressions.

- Levenshtein distance: This algorithm lets you perform approximate matching through some fuzzy logic and edit distance.

- Thesaurus searching: This algorithm lets you find related terms be it in broader terms or in narrow terms or conceptual in a vocabulary called ‘wordnet’.

- Google translation: This algorithm is best suited for internationalization testing or multilingual testing and it lets you find translations.

   With so many algorithms the objects finder has proved to be quite effective in cutting down the time and effort made by the testers in maintaining the scripts. It also provides all the facilities to the testers to write the automated tests from the partial, lacking and unstable specifications. Further the testers are also enabled to automate the test cases that have developed resilience against frequent changes that are made to the interface of the application thus avoiding the need for the continuous rework on the scripts. 

    

     3. Data driven testing: 

    This maveryx implements through Microsoft office excel spreadsheets as well as XML files.  A number of data bases are also supported by the maveryx tool.

   4. Keyword driven testing: Using excel spreadsheets Mavryx creates data tables which it uses for developing test cases. Test actions or the keywords are stored in the spreadsheets and XML files. 

Explain Maveryx? For what purposes it is designed?

About Maveryx Testing Tool

- Maveryx has been developed as a GUI, Regression testing and automated functional testing tool for applications written in java. 

- But Maveryx is different from the other automated GUI testing tools in the way that it does not make use of GUI maps for the creation and execution of the automated tests. 

- The recognition of the GUI objects to be tested takes place at the time of the execution. 

- This is done using an advanced GUI objects finder. 

- Fuzzy and exact matching algorithms are supported by this search engine. 

- Such algorithms are also used in the identification of the test objects present in the application user interface. 

- With GUI maps, the automation process cannot be started early and so this search engine avoids GUI maps thus enabling the automation process start before the application is actually made available for testing. 

- On the other hand, possibility for deriving the tests from requirements that are either partial or lacking is achieved through approximate matching. 

- Approximate testing also allows for the scripts that have resilience against the frequently changing nature of the application. 

- Many of the software quality assurance teams deploy Maveryx primarily for carrying out automated testing in agile and traditional environments as well. 

- Data driven testing is also supported by the Maveryx for java applications. - It also supports a number of platforms such as:

1. Windows
2. Linux
3. Mac

- Maveryx does not use GUI maps for objects recognition rather it locates the objects at the run time directly when the scripts execution is in progress. 

- While the Maveryx runs a test, simultaneously it also carry out a scanning of the interface of the application under test or AUT and also searches for controls as well as the objects that require manipulation. 

- The GUI objects finder carries out an unique identification process for every test object. 

But what powers this advanced search engine?

- It is powered by a set of algorithms inclusive of the approximate as well as exact matching. 

- This technology makes it possible to get a closest match between the objects in AUT and GUI object encoded in the test scripts. 

- GUI object finder can perform this operation even if the full operation regarding the GUI object is not available. 

- The scripting language used by the Maveryx is of course the java. 

- It is because of this that Maveryx can be integrated with any of the java IDE such as netbeans, eclipse and so on. 

- Further, it can also be integrated with testing framework such as the IBM rational functional tester, JUnit and so on.

- In addition to the above mentioned testing methodologies, it also allows for using the keywords and verification points so that the test coverage can be increased, script reuse can be promoted and number of automated tests can be increased. 

- Various key technologies employed by the Maveryx are:

1. No GUI maps
2. GUI objects finder
3. Data driven testing
4. Keyword driven testing
5. Extensibility
6. Eclipse plug in
7. Test reporting

- Few characteristics features of maveryx are:

1. Test logging capabilities
2. Automated verification points
3. Multi – application testing
4. Distributed application testing
5. Error handling feature that is customizable
6. Multilingual testing
7. Keywords

- Metrics regarding the test cases are generated automatically by the Maveryx software.

- It also produces detailed reports with results.

- A number of reporting features are available with the eclipse plug – in of the Maveryx using which live reports and performance charts can be created during the run time of the test. 

- It also helps in the production of the final reports accompanied by statistics and table charts. 

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.

Explain Watir - Web Application Testing in Ruby?

Watir stands for web application testing in Ruby and was developed as an open source that would provide Ruby libraries by Paul Rogers and Bret Pettichord. The software is licensed under BSD and contains all ruby libraries that would be required for the automation of the web browsers. The software is known to drive a number of web browsers namely:

1. Internet explorer
2. Mozilla firefox
3. Chrome
4. Opera
5. Safari

The software has been made available especially for ruby as the ruby gems. Watir is comprised of several smaller projects which define its functionality:

1.Watir – Classic: Ruby has got built – in OLE capabilities that can be used by watir classic for driving the IE pro grammatically. The way of operation of watir classic is different than that of the other HTTP based testing tools.

2.Watirspec: This one is watir’s executable specification.

3.Watir–web driver: The reference implementation of the web-driver specification is the selenium 2.0. the roots of the watir web driver can be traced to the HTML specification.

This automated test tool uses Ruby as the scripting language for driving the above mentioned web browsers. You can call it a tool kit for developing effective automated tests and run them against the browsers. Watir can be used for driving the web applications which can be looked up as HTML pages while browsing. 

However, Watir is not known to work with the following:

1. Active X plug – in components
2. Java applets
3. Macromedia flash and other plug – in applications.

Before you use Watir for your application you need to determine whether it will work for it or not. To do so just right click on the object and check for the view source menu. If the HTML source for the object is available it can be well automated using watir otherwise not. There are certain prerequisites for using Watir which are that you need to have knowledge about the following:

1. HTML
2. Programming basics including simple control structures.
3. Ruby: this is required if you put watir to a really good use.

Watir works well for all the windows platforms including Windows 2000, server 2003, XP and vista and it can be run on versions 6 and 7 of internet explorer. Using ruby 1.8.5 – 24 or 1.8.6 – 26 is recommended. For installing ruby and watir you need to log on as the administrator. 

There are two ways for installing Watir:

1. From behind a proxy and
2. From behind a firewall

The tests written using Watir are quite easy to read as well as maintain and exhibit simplicity and flexibility. The way Watir drives the web browsers is the same as done by people. It performs clicking operations such as clicking on links and buttons, forms filling operations and so on. Results are also checked by Watir. 

Ruby, like other programming languages provides your application with the ability to do the following:

1. To connect to data bases
2. To read from spreadsheets and data files
3. To export the XML files
4. To restructure your code so that it can be converted in to a reusable library.

Watir is free open source tool and therefore no money expenditure in using it. Ruby is a full featured modern programming language which lets Watir support all the web applications no matter by what technology it has been developed. Watir provides support to a number of browsers on different platforms. Though the tool is quite powerful it is extremely simple and easy to use. For using Watir it is recommended that you install the IE developer tool bar. 

What are the features of Eggplant testing tool? How is Eggplant run?

Eggplant is the GUI test automation tool that uses the black box approach in its testing process. The product stands out in the category of the GUI test automation tool and has even received US patent for its extra ordinary features. 

Features of Eggplant

The features of eggplant are:

1. Guided record mode: This record mode is quite sophisticated in comparison to the regular mode. It generates code by means of capturing the images thus avoiding the extra and unnecessary recording of the keyboard and mouse events.
2. Debugging
3. Code completion
4. Eggplant can be integrated very well with the other quality management software. It can be further used for augmenting the systems like the HP quality center.
5. Eggplant features an execution only mode i.e., the software testers and developers have the freedom of running the tests unattended via the command line interface of the eggplant.

 It can be used for a number of testing methodologies such as:

1. Mobile testing
2. Cross browser testing
3. Cross platform testing
4. Rich internet application testing
5. Performance testing

A free trial of eggplant software can be downloaded from the website of the company. Some additions that were made to the version 11 of the eggplant are:

1. Integration of the OCR engine
2. Sense talk scripting
3. Mac OS X lion support

The mobile version of the eggplant lets the software testers to carry out automated testing on mobile devices. Eggplant mobile provided a universal solution for testing the mobile applications across a number of mobile operating systems such as the following:

1. Android
2. iOS
3. blackberry
4. Symbian
5. Windows

- The OCR engine that was integrated in version 11 of the eggplant is a global one and also supports the latest version of the windows – windows 8. 

- The scripts developed by the eggplant are reusable. 

- The eggplant software can be made ready within an hour and you can start writing test scripts and executing them without wasting much time.

- To set up the eggplant software follow the below mentioned steps:

Ø First install the eggplant application.

Ø Now set up the system under test and install a VNC server on it.

Ø Set up a VNC connection.

ØFor a better understanding of how to use the application it is recommended that you take a tour of it.

Testing Process with Eggplant

Now we present a brief overview of the testing process with eggplant:

1. Set up your SUT and a VNC connection as mentioned previously in the article.
2. The SUT is controlled through eggplant so that you can capture images indicating the SUT interface elements. These are the elements with which you want the eggplant to have an interaction with.
3. Third stage involves generation of the scripts that guide the eggplant regarding what is to be done at the image locations that you have selected.
4. You can execute the scripts as many times as you require carrying out a particular task such as validating a process.
5. The result is generated in the suite editor and consists of detail run info and statistics that you can use for analyzing your results.

Best thing about eggplant is that even if it can be installed only on one computer (since it comes only with one computer per license), it can test any number of other computers. The scripts are created on the controller machine from where they can be executed on any other computer. This it does through the VNC (virtual network computing) server which sends the commands to the SUT. 

Explain Oracle Application Testing Suite?

Oracle application testing suite is an effort to provide you with a comprehensive web application testing solution that is quite integrated and has got all the tools that you may require for ensuring the reliability as well as scalability of your applications that are based up on critical business processes. 

Oracle application testing suite has got three main parts namely:

1. Oracle Functional Testing: This is for performing regression testing and functional testing on web applications.
2. Job scheduler: This component of the testing suite is responsible for scheduling the testing of the application.
3. Oracle load testing: This is for carrying out scalability testing, load testing and stress testing on the web applications. This component also consists of some tools that can be very well used for monitoring and reporting on the server side.

- A common set of the visual scripts is what that powers the web applications and therefore they don’t require any programming.

- Also, you don’t need to learn any proprietary language, take training classes or to set up any special proxies. 

- As any changes are made to the application, they are reflected in the visual scripts of the application and the updates are automatically performed. 

- This means that the load tests and the regression tests that you created will be automatically synchronized with the application. 

- This will help you to make the automated regression testing an important part of the development process. 

- The functional testing feature of the oracle application testing suite serves as a tool for functional as well as regression testing and as a script recorder for the whole testing suite. 

- Objects on each and every page are recorded by the functional testing suite and the tests are automatically inserted for the validation of the objects.

- In the visual script you can find the graphical representation of each and every object. 

- The components can be augmented or masked as you require with the help of simple click actions.

- The objects on a page are displayed in the tree hierarchy in the visual script. - Flags are used for indicating the differences between the current version and the baseline.

- With the oracle functional testing the creation, maintenance, and execution of the tests becomes very easy. 

- It comes with the following:

1. An intuitive yet powerful automated test case generator.
2. A special text matching component.
3. Ability of executing the data driven tests via the data bank wizard.

Features of Testing Suite

The features of the testing suite have been highlighted below:

1. Automatic test generation/ visual script technology: This features lets you record and test the whole application with object orient scripts that are reusable. The following are the elements that are automatically captured:

Ø  Elements

Ø  Forms

Ø  Frames

Ø  HTML

Ø  Images

Ø  Image maps

Ø  Links

Ø  Active X controls

Ø  Java applets

Ø  VBscript

Ø  Java script

2. Simple script updating: Scripts are updated as per the changes with a simple click.
3. Graphical test results: Red flags indicate the HTML differences or any failures so that they can be diagnosed.
4. E- spider: Whole of your site is automatically mapped and visual scripts are created for either whole or partial of your application.
5. Data bank wizard: It enables you to create data bank wizards without actual programming. Since the visual scripts reusable they can be used again and again with different inputs every time.
6. Visual test case insertion: This feature lets you add extra test cases to the scripts fore the verification of the server response times, text of the page and form elements and so on.
7. Programming interface

What is a TestComplete automated testing tool?

The smart bear software has come up with a complete testing solution which aims at providing a platform to the testers on which they can create software tests of high quality. This complete testing solution is popularly known by the name of test complete automated testing tool. This tool allows you to carry out following tasks with the tests:

1. Record the tests
2. Manually script the tests using the keyword operations
3. Automated play back
4. Error logging

Test complete automated testing tool can be used with a number of applications few of which have been mentioned below:

1. Web
2. Windows
3. WPF
4. HTML5
5. Flash
6. Flex
7. Silverlight
8. .NET
9. Java and so on.

- It is used to automate testing such as the functional testing, front-end user interface testing, data base or back end testing and so on. 

- The test complete tool is effectively used for the creation as well as automation of a number of different software test types. 

- The tests can be recorded and playback can be done whenever required. 

- A test being performed manually is recorded and played over and over again in the form of an automated test. 

- The users have the option to modify the recorded tests whenever they want to so as to create new tests and make enhancements to the existing ones by adding use cases to them. 

- The following are the operating systems supported by test complete:

1. Windows 200, XP
2. Server 2003
3. Server 2008
4. Vista
5. Windows 7

- The following are the testing types that can be carried out using the test complete testing tool:

1. GUI or functional testing
2. Regression testing
3. Unit testing
4. Web testing
5. Keyword testing
6. Load testing and functional testing of the web services
7. Distributed testing
8. Manual testing
9. Data driven testing
10. Coverage testing

- It comes with support for the following languages:

1. Jscript
2. VBscript
3. C++ script
4. Delphi script
5. C# script

- The test complete is compatible with both 32 – bit and 64 – bit version of windows applications. 

- The extended support and access is provided for the internal object, their properties and methods for the following applications:

1. .NET: this further includes the following: VB.NET, VCL.NET, Jscript.NET, C#, C# builder, .NET, perl, python etc.
2. Java: this is inclusive of SWT, AWT, WFC and swing etc.
3. WPF
4. Sybase power builder
5. Microsoft fox pro
6. Microsoft access
7. Microsoft InfoPath
8. Web browsers such as Netscape navigator, Mozilla Firefox, internet explorer etc.
9. Visual C++
10. Visual basic
11. C++ builder
12. Delphi
13. Adobe flex
14. Adobe flash
15. Microsoft Silverlight
16. Adobe AIR

- The test complete tool for its uninterrupted efficient performance has received several awards few of which we list below:

1. Software development jolt awards by software development magazine
2. Asp.net pro readers’ choice award
3. Delphi information readers’ choice awards
4. ATI automation honors
5. Windows IT pro editors’ best and community choice award

- The test complete automated software testing tool aims at the identification of all the defects existing in a software system or application. 

- It works on a process that exercises and evaluates a software product’s components through a manual automatic means so that it can be verified whether or not the product satisfies the end users’ requirements. 

- The test complete has been judged based up on factors such as: recording efficiency,

capability of script generation,

data driven testing,

test results reports,

execution speed,

re-usability,

playback of the scripts, 

ease to learn and cost.