What is a Silk Test Automation Tool? How Silk Test works?

In this article the focus is up on the silk test automation tool and the way it works. 

What is a SilkTest Automation Tool

- Silk test is test automation tool developed originally by the “segue software’. 

- However, later on, this software firm was acquired by the “Borland” in the year of 2006. 

- Again, this Borland software firm was acquired by a third company by the name of “micro focus international” in the year of 2009. 

- This test automation tool was developed for the testing of the enterprise applications via the functional and regression testing methods. 

There are many different forms of silk test or we can say it provides the software world with many of its clients as described below:

1. Silk test classic: This client of the silk test makes use of the domain specific language known as “4test” for scripting of the test automation scripts. This language just like the C++ language is an object oriented language. Just like C++ it also makes use of the Object Oriented concepts such as following:

a)   Inheritance

b)   Classes and

c)   objects

2. Silk 4J: This client of the silk test enables one to follow test automation by using java as the scripting language in eclipse.
3. Silk 4 net: This client of the silk test also enables one to follow test automation by using VBScript or sometimes using C# as the scripting language in the visual studio.
4. Silk test work bench: This client of the silk test enables the testers to carry out the automation testing using VB.net as the scripting language as well as on a visual level.

The silk test automation comes with two major features which have been discussed below:

1. Silk test agent: This feature of the silk test helps in translation of the script commands in to equivalent graphical user interface or GUI commands or we can even say in to user actions.The translated commands then can be run or executed on either the same machine or on a remote machine as a host.
2. Silk test host: This feature takes hold of all the source script files.

- All the windows and controls of the AUT or application under test are identifiable with the silk test as objects. 

- Also, all the properties as well as attributes of each and every window can be defined by the silk test.

- Thus, we can say that the object oriented implementation is partially supported by the silk test. 

- The movements of the mouse as well as the key strokes can be identified by running the silk test automation tool. 

- This feature is particularly useful for the custom objects. 

The silk test can work for the following three programming methods that involve capturing of the dialogues:

1. Record
2. Play back and
3. Descriptive programming

Many of the extensions are supported by the silk test and few of them are:

1. .net
2. Java swing
3. Java swt
4. DOM
5. IE
6. SAP windows GUI
7. Firefox and so on.

- Bitview. Exe is the silk test bitmap tool that is used by the silk test for capturing as well as comparing the windows and areas.

- There are several file types that find their use in the silk test and have been mentioned below:

1. Test plan (.pln)
2. Test script (.t)
3. Frame file (.inc)
4. Result file (.res)

- According to a survey, the silk test provides the proper and right interface either IDE powered, script based or visual bases as it suits the role. 

- As a result, all the users are empowered to take participation in the testing process which ensures that there is a continuous validation of the critical applications.