What is Software Testing?
Software testing is the process of evaluating a software application or system to identify defects, errors, or bugs. The goal of software testing is to ensure that the software meets the requirements of the stakeholders, including functionality, performance, reliability, and usability.
Software testing can be performed manually, using human testers to execute test cases and report issues, or it can be automated, using tools to run tests automatically and generate reports.
The software testing process typically involves the following steps:
- Test Planning: Define the scope of testing, identify test objectives, and create test plans and test cases.
- Test Execution: Run the tests and record the results.
- Defect Management: Track defects, report them to developers, and retest fixes.
- Test Reporting: Generate reports on test results, including metrics on test coverage and defect density.
There are several types of software testing, including:
- Functional Testing: Verify that the software meets the functional requirements of the stakeholders.
- Performance Testing: Evaluate the performance of the software under various loads and conditions.
- Security Testing: Assess the security of the software and identify vulnerabilities.
- Usability Testing: Evaluate the usability of the software and identify areas for improvement.
- Compatibility Testing: Verify that the software works on different platforms, browsers, and devices.
Effective software testing is essential for ensuring that software is reliable, performs well, and meets the needs of the stakeholders.
How to Find the Best Software Testing Tools for Your Business
When looking for a software testing tool, there are several features that you should consider:
- Test Management: The tool should have the ability to create and manage test cases, test suites, and test plans.
- Test Automation: The tool should have the ability to automate tests and execute them repeatedly, saving time and effort.
- Integration: The tool should integrate with other software development tools, such as project management tools, bug tracking systems, and version control systems.
- Reporting: The tool should generate reports on test results, including metrics on test coverage, pass/fail rates, and defect density.
- Collaboration: The tool should have features that enable collaboration among team members, such as commenting, tagging, and notifications.
- Ease of Use: The tool should be user-friendly and easy to use, with a clean and intuitive interface.
- Compatibility: The tool should work with the programming language, framework, and technology stack of your software project.
- Performance Testing: If you need to perform load testing or stress testing, the tool should have features that support performance testing.
- Security Testing: If you need to perform security testing, the tool should have features that support security testing.
Overall, you should look for a software testing tool that meets the specific needs of your software development project, while also providing the flexibility and scalability to adapt to changing requirements over time.
We have guided ourselves with these features when we compiled this list of tools:
#1. SpiraTest
SpiraTest from Inflectra is a comprehensive software testing tool that offers a range of features and benefits to streamline the testing process and ensure quality software delivery. Here are some reasons why SpiraTest is a good choice for software testing:
- Comprehensive test management: SpiraTest provides a centralized platform for managing all aspects of the testing process, from planning and executing tests to tracking defects and generating reports.
- Integration with other tools: SpiraTest can be integrated with other tools such as JIRA, Selenium, and TestComplete, making it easier to manage testing processes in a seamless manner.
- Flexible test execution: SpiraTest supports both manual and automated testing, and allows for test cases to be run in a variety of environments, including web, mobile, and desktop applications.
- Test case reuse: SpiraTest allows for test cases to be reused across multiple projects, saving time and effort in the testing process.
- Real-time reporting: SpiraTest provides real-time reporting on testing progress and results, making it easier to track the status of testing and identify potential issues.
- Collaboration and communication: SpiraTest allows teams to collaborate and communicate effectively, with features such as team discussions, notifications, and alerts.
Overall, SpiraTest provides a robust and efficient platform for software testing that can help teams improve the quality of their software and streamline their testing processes.
#2. Selenium
Selenium is an open-source tool that is used for automating web browsers. It allows you to write tests in multiple programming languages, such as Python, Java, C#, and more. With Selenium, you can create scripts to automatically perform actions on a website, such as clicking on buttons, filling out forms, and navigating between pages. This can be useful for testing the functionality of a website or for web scraping. It can perform functional, regression, load testing on web applications across different browsers and platforms.
#3. Rapise
Rapise from Inflectra is a powerful software testing tool that offers several features and benefits to help testers perform efficient and effective testing. Here are some reasons why Rapise is a good choice for software testing:
- Multi-technology support: Rapise supports a wide range of technologies, including web, desktop, mobile, and hybrid applications, making it suitable for testing diverse software systems.
- Scriptless automation: Rapise offers a scriptless automation approach, allowing users to create automated test scripts without any coding knowledge.
- Cross-browser testing: Rapise supports cross-browser testing, enabling testers to ensure that their web applications function properly across different browsers and versions.
- AI-powered testing: Rapise features an AI-powered testing engine that can automatically recognize UI elements and perform actions based on context, saving time and effort in the testing process.
- Real-time reporting: Rapise provides real-time reporting on test execution progress, allowing testers to monitor test results and identify potential issues quickly.
- Integration with other tools: Rapise can be integrated with other tools such as SpiraTeam, JIRA, Jenkins, and Selenium, making it easier to manage testing processes in a seamless manner.
Overall, Rapise provides a comprehensive and efficient platform for software testing that can help teams improve the quality of their software and streamline their testing processes.
#4. LambdaTest
LambdaTest is a digital experience testing cloud to deliver an unparalleled digital experience for web and mobile and expedite your release velocity. Its continuous testing cloud allows users to test web and mobile applications manually or automatically on over 3000+ different browsers, operating systems, and real device combinations. Over 7000+ customers, 500 enterprises, and 1 Million + users across 130 countries rely on LambdaTest for their testing needs.
Key Features:
Live- Interactive Browser Testing
Perform live-interactive cross browser compatibility testing of websites and web applications on over 3000+ real mobile and desktop browsers. Get on-demand access to the latest and legacy browsers running across real Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS versions.
Automation Testing Cloud
Perform end-to-end automated testing for website and mobile applications on a scalable, secure cloud grid. Run automated tests with Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, Appium, Espresso, and XCUITest automation tests on a cloud-based infrastructure.
Real Device Cloud
Tests your web and mobile apps using LambdaTest’s real device cloud and virtual testing platform of Android Emulators and iOS Simulators. Get instant access to emulators, simulators, and real devices, and reduce operational costs by eliminating the need for an in-house device lab.
HyperExecute
HyperExecute is a blazing-fast test execution & orchestration cloud which is 70% faster than existing cloud-based grids. Run automated tests on Windows, macOS, and Linux containers with pre-installed support for popular programming languages and frameworks like Java, Node.js, Python, and more.
Test At Scale
Accelerate your entire pipeline from development to release with TAS (Test At Scale). Keep master green by reducing testing time, gaining faster feedback on code changes, and managing flaky tests. Depending on your needs, you can set up the system on your local machine or any cloud platform, such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.
Visual Regression Cloud
Identify visual deviations in 3000+ different desktop and mobile environments by automating visual regression testing. Detect any visual mismatches by uploading the baseline image, comparing screenshots, and using P2P (Pixel-To-Pixel) browsers.
Smart TV Testing Cloud
Deliver quality web experience through your Smart TV applications. Run App Automation on various real Smart TV devices, including Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku TV. Leverage parallel testing using Appium and cut down test execution times by multiple folds.
LT Browser 2.0
LT Browser 2.0 is a Chromium-based mobile-friendly checker that enables developers to build, test, and debug their mobile websites for responsiveness across a wide range of 50+ pre-installed device viewports such as mobile, tablet, desktop, and laptop. Create responsive web designs of all sizes by leveraging features like side-by-side mobile view comparisons, performance reports, testing with unlimited custom device viewports, and much more.
#5. Cypress
Cypress JS is a modern front-end testing tool written entirely in JavaScript. It’s designed to ease the burden of application testing for programmers and QA specialists. Cypress is an improved development instrument that works locally inside the browser and makes use of a novel DOM manipulation approach. Cypress furthermore offers a one-of-a-kind interactive test runner that runs all instructions.
Unlike Selenium, Cypress scripts cannot be run in a standalone application. All of Cypress’s test scripts are run directly in the browser. Cypress does not, for instance, use a specialized driver to communicate with the browser when a user clicks a certain button. To trigger the button’s click, it relies on DOM events instead.
#6. Eggplant
Eggplant is a software automation testing tool used to test the functionality of software applications. It simulates user interactions with software applications, enabling testers to evaluate the impact of changes to the software application on the user experience.
It allows you to test your software without interacting with the software being tested. Instead, it interacts with your software on your behalf. This allows you to test your software in a fraction of the time it would take you to do it manually.
#7. ZAP Test
ZAPTEST is a cross-platform and cross-browser software testing solution. Using OCR and Image Based recognition, it's able to automate the testing process without any API, Framework or environment dependencies and work only with a Graphic User Interface.
#8. Tosca
Tricentis Tosca optimizes and accelerates end-to-end testing of your entire digital landscape. Its codeless, AI-powered approach accelerates innovation across your enterprise by taking the bottlenecks out of testing and the risks out of software releases.
#9. Ranorex
Automate even the most challenging desktop, web, or mobile app with Ranorex Studio's powerful test automation framework, including tools for codeless automation, a full IDE, and powerful API.
#10. Micro Focus ALM
Micro Focus Application Lifecycle Management is a set of software tools developed and marketed by Micro Focus for application development and testing. It includes tools for requirements management, test planning and functional testing, performance testing, developer management, and defect management.
Honorable Mentions:
- Micro Focus Unified Functional Testing
- HCL OneTest
- SmartBear TestComplete
- Qt Squish
- Mabl
- Qyrus
- Applitools
- FitNesse
- Watir
- Sahi