What are the main features of TOSCA? What are its benefits and limitations?

About TOSCA

- TOSCA test suite was developed as a tool for automated execution for regression and functional testing by TRICENTIS technology and consulting GmbH.

- TOSCA is a wise combination of an application programming interface, a graphical user interface, integrated test management and a command line interface. 

- In the year of 2011, TOSCA became the second most widely used software test automation tool. 

- Since then, it has received a number of awards for its web and customer support.  

- The architecture of TOSCA comprises the following components:

Ø  TOSCA commander

Ø  TOSCA wizard

Ø  TOSCA executor

Ø  TOSCA exchange portal

Ø  TOSCA test repository

- This test automation tool follows a model driven approach so that the whole test can be made dynamic in nature. 
- The modules can be dragged and dropped for creating new tests.  
- This in turn makes it possible for having a business – based description of the test cases.
- With such a description it becomes for the non – technical users to design and automate the test cases.

Features of TOSCA

- Main features of TOSCA include:

Ø  Generation of dynamic test data

Ø  Generation of synthetic test data

Ø  Business dynamic steering of test case generation that is highly automated

Ø  Unified handling as well as execution of the automated and manual test cases.

Ø  Unified handling and execution of the non – GUI and GUI test cases.

- In addition to all these above mentioned features, another feature of TOSCA is that it weighs the test cases as per their importance in proper execution of the business processes. 
- This also enables the TOSCA to provide detailed reports about the impact that the existing technical weakness have on the fulfillment of the requirements.
- A software called Fecher uses TOSCA for the development of data base and application migration projects.

Limitations of TOSCA

TOSCA has two major limitations when compared with the other software test automation tools:

Ø  Using it one cannot perform any load testing and stress testing.

Ø  It hasn’t got any active X components.

Below mentioned extensions are provided with TOSCA:

Ø  Requirements: This extension lets the requirements to be imported, edited, exported and administrated the risk associated with the requirements can be weighted. These requirements are then linked to the tests after they have been designed.

Ø  Test case – design workbench: This extension defines the tests cases that are required for providing coverage to specific test objects on the basis of the requirements. The test cases are then generated by employing all the combinations in the following ways:

1.    Pairwise

2.    Orthogonal array

3.    Linear expansion

Ø  Reporting: This extension lets you collect, analyze and present the test results. Either crystal reports can be used for creating the test reports or they can be exported as an XML or PDF file.

Ø  TOSCA easy entrance: This extension lets you create the entities that can be reused via drag and drop feature.

Ø  User management: This extension lets you integrate the multiple user concept with check in and out mechanisms as well as versioning.

Ø  Web Access: This extension works for providing remote access.

Ø  SAP solution manager ready: This extension lets you integrate TOSCA with SAP.

Because of its various features TOSCA is so famous among the testers.  A total of 300 customers have been recorded worldwide. The software is being used in numerous tasks such as:

1. Banks
2. Insurance
3. Telecommunication
4. Industrial companies and so on.

It makes use of third generation model that uses plain English for the creation of tests.