Mobile App Test Automation—The Options
Are you under pressure to run regression tests on your mobile app when you make changes?
The mobile app automation market is heating up as all players are attempting to help you solve this problem. But there are many criteria you need to consider.
The first thirty minutes of the webinar at the bottom of this article by Impetus Technologies highlights best practices for "Testing Automation of Mobile Apps."
Now that you have an understanding of the complexities of mobile automation, you are probably eager to get your hands on some fancy tool to do just that. First, evaluate the tools out there specific to your needs. Most of the tools are very good at some aspect of automation but probably not every aspect of automation. The most important task is for you to get the framework right and have the resources to implement it.
You might want to evaluate eggPlant by TestPlant, not just for Windows. This tool is cross device and operating system compatible. Their site provides an overview of the tool, which also includes a video to show its capabilities. TestPlant says they have a unique patented image recognition technology. This is obviously contrary to MonkeyTalk, so evaluations are important before laying out the cash.
Soasta CloudTest has a cool demo that shows its capture and playback approach using the objects in the sandbox. The TouchTest technology is very advanced, and the cloud-based approach is very useful as well. The introduction to the CloudTest platform is worth watching to understand their technology. The Lite selection is free, which can’t be bad.
As you can see, a lot of these tools are aiming to get the non-programmer tester as well as the developer to test. There are many other tools and approaches to mobile testing out there. For example, you could look at Calabash, Robotium, and, of course, Selenium.
Don’t rush into anything. Do as many tool evaluations as possible. It requires time and effort to get it right, but the payback will be a higher quality product as you develop your mobile offering.
Which tool are you using?
