Using software testing tools can dramatically simplify testing, increase defect detection rate, and ultimately achieve higher release quality. Beyond this, it can lead to improvements in the reliability of delivered solutions, making them more productive and effective from the customers’ perspective. There is a wide variety of software testing tools that address many aspects of the testing process; they can be applied to different types of software, different programming languages, and address different types of tests. The scope and quality of such tools vary widely and provide varying degrees of assistance.
Many of the tools are free to try these days and can be downloaded for free. You can choose to purchase a licensed version and upgrade to the full product quickly and easily if the evaluation of the tools works well. However, you must remember that the value of testing tools depends on the extent to which the tool can address and support the software testing process. Essentially, testing tools must adapt to and improve existing business processes. They certainly shouldn’t force the process change on the test machine if the software testers are not likely to accept or implement the change.
Types of Software Testing Tools Software testing tools can be categorized by the testing activity or process in which they are used, for example, test planning, test execution, data comparison, defect capture, etc. . Categorizing tools by the process in which they are used leads to categories as follows:
· Source code (AdaTEST, AQtime, BoundsChecker, CMT++, CodeCheck, CodeWizard, GlowCode, OSPC, Panorama, TBGEN)
· functional (.TEST, AberroTest, Automate!Test Manager, CitraTest, Eggplant, GUITAR, QACenter, Silktest, TestComplete, WinRunner®)
· Performance (BugTimer, LoadRunner®, Monitor Master, SilkPerformer, TestLoad, WinFeedback, XtremeLoad)
· Java (Abbot, AgileTest, Shaker, Cactus, GJ-Coverage, JCover, JMeter, JUnit, Marathon, QEngine, TCAT/Java)
· embedded software (Message Magic, Reactis Tester, TBrun, Tessy, TestQuest Pro, USBTester, VectorCAST)
· Database (AETG, Data Generator, Datatect, ER/Datagen, Jumpstart, SQL Database Validator, TestIt!, TurboData)
· Bug tracking tools (Bugzilla, DevTrack, Dragonfly, Footprints, Mantis, Perfect Tracker, QEngine, Squish, TrackStudio)
· Test management tools (ApTest Manager, QaTraq, Extended Test Plan, QADirector, SilkPlan Pro, TestLog)
Benefits of using software testing tools The benefits of using such software testing tools are extensive. Such tools can provide the following:
- can dramatically speed up the testing process. Just imagine how long it can take you to manually test a few hundred test cases. Automated software tools can run 100 or even 1,000 times faster;
- they can increase test coverage by creating large data sets and combinations. This allows testers to reduce their reliance on developer support to develop test data.
- they can eliminate human factors such as carelessness or boredom. Think of the times when he ran a few hundred test cases and his attention diminished by increasing the errors he made with his tests. A test tool will perform the same test and verify the results perfectly every time it is run;
- they can support testing the code in a real environment. Test tools are often used to replace hardware or software you plan to use your product on. This application can help answer software issues that might be difficult to accomplish in a controlled test environment.
What makes software testing tools so useful is that their usability and features have improved tremendously in recent years. As these tools become easier to use, the ability to implement these tools, even for inexperienced testers, becomes more feasible. With the productivity gains gained through the use of such tools, the more members of your team employing these tools, the more improvements you will see with productivity gains.
In conclusion, we can say that improvements with software testing tools that use the latest techniques in software testing will not only increase team motivation, but also increase the quality of software products in several ways: 1) reduce the cost of software development and testing; 2) reduce the time spent developing new software products; 3) improve software performance, conformance to specifications, and interoperability with other software/hardware. Additionally, the benefits of using software testing tools within the test team lead to increased team motivation, increases in test coverage, and decreased testing time.