It’s very common to have a handful of issues when deploying a software change to production because you are replacing a working version of your software or application with the one having the desired changes. Your testing team might have thoroughly tested the new version of the software, but still, the doubt of whether it will work as intended or not is always there.



So, let’s peek into some of the worthy methods that you can incorporate to reduce the risk of missing bugs before deploying to production.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Automating_as_much_as_you_can">1 Automating as much as you can</a></li><li><a href="#Deploying_the_same_way_all_the_time">2 Deploying the same way all the time</a></li><li><a href="#Deploying_in_small_batches">3 Deploying in small batches</a></li><li><a href="#Setting_a_clear_protocol_for_deploying_to_production">4 Setting a clear protocol for deploying to production</a></li><li><a href="#Controlling_the_impact_of_testing_on_users">5 Controlling the impact of testing on users</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-automating-as-much-as-you-can">Automating as much as you can</h2>



It is always better to keep the mundane repeatable tasks for computers as they are better at dealing with them as compared to humans. With automation, you need not worry about missing any steps while deploying a change, such as creating a folder or giving permissions to some of the files.&nbsp;



All you have to do is, invest some hours in creating a script and just run the script again when you want to deploy a change. With a range of automation tools at your disposal, such as <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma</a>, <a href="https://www.jenkins.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Jenkins (opens in a new tab)">Jenkins</a>, <a href="https://www.terraform.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Terraform (opens in a new tab)">Terraform</a>, etc., you can have all your scripts in version control, which keeps everyone updated regarding the change, when it was applied, and the reason why it changed in both deployment and infrastructure pipelines.



With automation, deployments become a seamless, smooth affair where you can easily move forward and backwards without any hassles. Deploying and reverting a deployment becomes as easy as clicking a button and can be done even by non-technical people.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-deploying-the-same-way-all-the-time">Deploying the same way all the time</h2>



If you want to avoid any unfavourable surprises in the real environment, you need to deploy the same way all the time. In order to achieve this, you need testing environments similar to production. 



This does not mean that you need the same data everywhere as it can be expensive and associated with several security-related risks.&nbsp; It simply means that your configuration in <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testing environments </a>should replicate the production environment in every possible way.



Also, this method proves to be cost-effective because, during deployment, surprises are kept to a minimum and thus reduces the risk of leaving out bugs in production too.



<h2 id="h-deploying-in-small-batches">Deploying in small batches</h2>



Deploying in small batches reduces the time to get feedback on the changes and makes it easy to mitigate the key issues on time. But the thing which is of top concern is how small should your deployment batches be, and what should be the frequency of deploying them. 



The solution is &#8211; You should treat deployment like coding. Do not wait for it to be complete. &nbsp;As soon as you have something which is ready to be deployed, do it.



By increasing the number of times you deploy, you can accelerate the feedback process. When you keep deploying the changes frequently, you don’t have to wait until you have a lot of changes to deploy. As a result, it will be easier to find or locate what’s wrong and will help reduce the risk of <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/a-testers-guide-to-deal-with-missed-bugs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">missing bugs</a> in production.



<h2 id="h-setting-a-clear-protocol-for-deploying-to-production">Setting a clear protocol for deploying to production</h2>



Before you begin deployment, you must know answers to some of the key questions such as are all the features complete and functional as expected, are you rolling out the features all at once or in pieces, do users need to manually update the software or make any change from their side.



It is crucial to set a clear protocol for deploying to production in order to reduce the risk. The deployment protocol should include –&nbsp;



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>&nbsp;Ensuring that features’ definition of done is met</li><li>The feature works according to the documentation</li><li>All feature functionalities should have been thoroughly tested. If some part needs manual testing then that should be done before deployment.</li></ul>



In addition to these, it should include every other check that your code should pass through before it is considered safe to be deployed to production. The protocol helps ensure that only the working code and complete features are getting deployed to production and bugs are being kept to a minimum.



<h2 id="h-controlling-the-impact-of-testing-on-users">Controlling the impact of testing on users</h2>



Users are the lifeblood of organizations, especially SaaS-based products. So, their experience should be the topmost concern for organizations. The testing that you do in production should not break the production environment.



Here are a few ways to control the impact of testing on users –



<ul><li>Using <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/canary-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canary testing</a>, which includes introducing a small amount of code change and see if it is working as expected</li><li>Controlled test flights to visualize how users interact with the changes made in the UI</li><li>Synthetic users for capturing metrics that give an idea of what the real users would experience while executing specific actions in your product without any need for the real users to go through those user paths</li><li>Scheduled maintenance window – Before conducting load tests on the production system, you can notify the users that the system would be down for some time. This way, users will be able to plan their tasks and can avoid a bad experience.</li></ul>



Without users, there is no usage, no business, and no revenue. Hence it is crucial to properly control the impact of testing on users. By now, you might be aware of the risks involved in the deployment process. It is crucial to deploy new code to fix the issues and introduce new features to keep your customers happy and hooked to your product. By following the guidelines mentioned above, you can significantly avoid the most common risks involved in the deployment.



Testsigma, a comprehensive, cloud-based, <a href="https://testsigma.com/ai-driven-test-automation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI-driven test automation tool</a>, allows organizations to implement continuous deployment in DevOps.&nbsp; Every code commit can pass through the automated testing phase and then automatically gets released into the production environment. It saves a significant amount of time and effort. Get into the groove of easy and smooth deployment with Testsigma without compromising on the quality and security of your software.



Read the article here to know more details on <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/why-choose-testsigma-as-your-automation-testing-tool/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">why to choose Testsigma as your test automation tool</a> <div class="bg-primary cta">Continuously test your continuous deployments with Testsigma <div class="d-flex mb-1" style="justify-content:space-evenly"> <button class="btn cta-btn bg-white"><a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sign up Now </a></button></div> </div>

How to reduce the risk of missing bugs before deploying on production?

How to Reduce the Risk of Missing Bugs in Production?

The software will never be bug-free. But, it&#8217;s important to minimize the number of bugs such that the impact on functionality and user experience of an application is minimized. Bugs could come up due to different reasons, in this article, we will discuss them from the perspective of software errors. These are the errors that also need attention during the testing phase.



We can divide the errors during software development into two sections for easy understanding:



<ol><li>Software errors</li><li>Testing errors</li></ol>



Let’s understand each of them in detail below.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Software_errors">1 Software errors</a></li><li><a href="#Testing_errors">2 Testing errors</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">3 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="software-errors">Software errors</h2>



User interface errors



The user interface of an application comprises functionality, intuitive use, messages, page redirects, ease of use, ease of remembering the UI, etc. A few of the errors which can be faced due to a poorly designed UI are: 



i. Functional errors



They are functionality related issues or errors. These software errors are usually uncovered during functionality testing, mostly can be present as: 



Difficult/ confusing functionality: If the user is unable to understand or perform a function on the application, then it should change. The UI is meant to be intuitive and easy for the user.&nbsp; 



Non-performance of the intended function: The software is unable to perform the function as intended, then this is an error.&nbsp;



Example: An e-commerce website is unable to process the payment part. Then such a website is of no use to the customer, and this is a functional error. 



Incorrect manuals and user guides: They should not boast about the application and should clearly and concisely mention what the application does. This will eradicate the chances of a misled user, who is unable to perform a task successfully on the application. These errors are caught during software documentation testing.&nbsp; 



ii. Information/ content related errors: These errors can cause wrong information to be conveyed to the users. These errors come up during the UI testing of a software application.



On-screen information for users: The information which is required by the user should be available on the application screen itself. A user will not want to consult the user guide for every other function. 



Showing activity during long tasks: The application should display the activity/progress bar when a long task is being executed. Otherwise, the user will assume that the screen got frozen.&nbsp;



For example, a user has submitted a form, and the progress bar is showing no progress or activity then the user will get confused if the form has been submitted successfully or not. He may think that the software got stuck and a system restart is needed.



Spelling mistakes: You may think that wrong spellings are not a big deal, but they are. They look unprofessional and leave a bad impression of the application. 



Precise messages: The error/ dialog boxes should have short and crisp messages, no one wants to read long verbose messages while performing a task.



Dialog box layout: There should be consistency in the layout, capitalization, style, spacing, buttons, etc. of the dialog boxes.&nbsp;



iii. Wrong redirection



The redirection of the links on the website should be thoroughly checked. It will leave a really bad impression if the user clicks are redirected to an unintended page. Example: The user clicks on the ‘home’ icon and she stays on the same page, additionally there are no other links to move back to the home page. This is a really bad UI error.



Error handling



Failure to handle errors appropriately may result in absurd results, which we certainly want to avoid. We can anticipate and correct an error by using the below conditions:



Overflow condition



It occurs when the arithmetic calculation results in a value that is way too large for the software program to handle.



Example: divide by zero, multiplication of 2 large numbers, etc. 



Error condition



The impossible values should be identified and removed from the program, otherwise, they will result in error conditions.&nbsp;



Example: A program performs a task when the value of the boolean variable is ‘True’ and another task when the value of the boolean variable is ‘False’. 



But when ‘NULL’ is passed the behaviour of the program is unknown, hence we should make sure that the boolean variable has value either ‘True’ or ‘False’, nothing else. Also, if there is a condition when NULL is the outcome, it should be handled gracefully.



Error flags



Programmers usually pass an ‘Error Flag’ in the function to keep track of the success or failure of the function. It is advisable to always check this value of the flag before using the returned value from the function. Otherwise, it may result in the processing of garbage data and erroneous results.



Hardware error



We focus on software so much that we forget about the hardware failures. If the hardware gets disconnected or stops working then we cannot expect correct output from the software.&nbsp;



Example: Printers and other hardware devices return bits of information that something is not right. 



Calculation errors



Software programs after performing a calculation may fetch wrong results, for any of the below reasons:



Incorrect logic: This can happen when a wrong formula is used for calculation. Another example is when there is a typo error by a programmer and the whole logic changes due to a change in formula/operation.



Incorrect arithmetic operator order: Precedence of the operators should be kept in mind while dealing with arithmetic operators. 



Example: 2+5*4, the result of this will vary according to the operator precedence. Programmers may assume that the operation will execute from left to right and the answer will be 28. However, multiplication has higher precedence and it will be executed first, so the result is 22. 



Truncation and round-off errors: When dealing with floating numbers, the value may get truncated or rounded-off and will lead to precision errors.



Control flow errors



Control flow decides where the program’s control will move next, this is described using the control statements. Control flow-related errors may arise when the flow of the program is changed abruptly.



Example: Stack overflow error, exception handling issues, blocking/unblocking the interrupts in the program.



<h2 id="testing-errors">Testing errors</h2>



This section explains the possible errors a tester can make during the software testing process. We can never catch all the possible bugs in the program, there will always be a few which will be left undetected. 



However, we always look forward to achieving as much test coverage as possible so that the maximum number of bugs are detected and fixed.&nbsp;



Still, we may face the below-mentioned errors while performing software testing.



i. Data handling errors



The test data file contains bad data, and you weren’t aware of it during the testing process. The test results received will be awkward and concerning, and it becomes difficult to find the root cause of the error in this case. 



ii.&nbsp;Verification of fixes



&nbsp;Usually, the developers fix only the issues which are mentioned in the defect report. It is the responsibility of the tester to test related functionalities as well, to make sure nothing else is broken.



Example: A field value consisting of the customer&#8217;s name was accepting blank values, although the field is mandatory. The developer has fixed it, during testing the field is not accepting blank values, but it is accepting numeric values now. 



Such instances happen and the tester should use her vigilance while testing. Therefore, regression testing is so important after defect fixes.



iii.&nbsp;Hardware issues



These are the testing issues posed due to wrong/unavailable hardware.



Example: While reading a file, the file is corrupted and we receive a&nbsp; ‘Resource not available’ error. Now, this hardware issue is affecting the testing process indirectly. 



Another example can be when we are sending data through Connect: Direct channel and the network is not working properly, in this case, the data transfer will not happen and we will not be able to test end-to-end.



iv.&nbsp;SSL certificate issues



During testing – if the website does not have a valid SSL certificate we may receive an SSL certificate error. In this case, we can accept the risk and continue for testing purposes. But, on production – a valid SSL certificate is a must. So, you can buy a valid&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cheapsslshop.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SSL certificate from CheapSSLShop</a>.



v.&nbsp;Defect slippage



This is the most daunting error a tester may commit, but it happens! It may happen due to any of the below reasons:



<ol><li>Correct expected results not known</li><li>Inattentiveness</li><li>Difficult test steps</li></ol>



vi. Bug reporting



The bugs need to be found out, reported, fixed, and verified, every step holds its value. We should report the bug with proper evidence, reports, and steps to reproduce. The report should be correct and if it has huge data then highlight the wrong results for readability.



vii. Automation related errors



Incorrect element locator: If the Xpath, id, name, etc. used in the automation script are incorrect, then it would result in wrong test script steps. The script will not find the required element and eventually will fail.



Automation tools like <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Testsigma</a>, provide a Chrome extension to automatically detect the <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/element-locators-automated-testing/#:~:text=An%20element%20locator%20is%20what,it%20needs%20to%20interact%20with." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">locator of an element</a> with just a click. Thus, these errors can be easily avoided. 



Iframe: When the selected element is in a different frame, we will receive an error- ‘element not found’ even by using the correct locator. So, to resolve this we need to shift the control to the iframe, where the element is located. Testsigma makes it easy to switch the iframe and windows, to read the documentation visit <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://support.testsigma.com/support/solutions/articles/32000028123-how-to-identify-and-handle-iframes" target="_blank">here</a>. 



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Wait time: It is important to use the correct wait time for every element in test scripts. Since, if the element is not visible after the wait time elapsed, the test script will fail.



viii. API testing



NULL entries



When the API is tested for expected inputs they work fine, but sometimes there are NULL values sent in the fields. Then during integration testing, such NULL values cause trouble. Hence, the API should be tested for NULL values as well, with appropriate error messages being sent to the application. 



Invalid API responses



The field size of the partner application and the API should be the same otherwise the API response will be counted as invalid.



Caching errors



Data like images are usually cached on the partner application. However, if real-time data is cached then this results in erroneous results.



Coding practices



Standard coding practices should be followed by the programmers, else the non-standard coding practices will result in errors. Example: returning NULL values as output.



<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



During testing, if we ensure proper test coverage then we can eliminate critical and major defects effectively. A quality application/software is imperative for business growth and user acquisition. Therefore, the testing should work on understanding the business requirements thoroughly and writing test cases accordingly.&nbsp;



More test cases do not mean better testing, we require good requirement coverage for effective testing. Additionally, there should be good risk coverage so that the business’s important features are tested in-depth. Proper bug reporting, defect retest, regression tests, verification of fixes, etc. all are important steps towards high-quality software. 



PC: <a href="https://unsplash.com/@emilep?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Emile Perron</a>

Software Testing Errors to look out for (with examples)

There are a plethora of browsers available in the market for both web browsing and mobile browsing such as Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Opera, etc. Now, the challenge here is that no one browser is similar to others or works in a similar fashion. A website may look and function differently on different browsers which can result in a loss in revenue. Thus, testing websites in different browsers is needed in order to ensure that your visitors see your application in the same way you want them to, irrespective of the browsers they are using to access it.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Importance_of_Testing_Websites_in_Different_Browsers">1 Importance of Testing Websites in Different Browsers</a></li><li><a href="#How_Do_You_Determine_Which_Browser_to_Test_the_Website_on">2 How Do You Determine Which Browser to Test the Website on?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_Use_Testsigma_for_Automated_Cross-Browser_Testing">3 Why Use Testsigma for Automated Cross-Browser Testing?</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_Test_Website_on_Different_Browsers_Using_Testsigma">4 How to Test Website on Different Browsers Using Testsigma</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">5 Conclusion</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">6 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#How_do_I_run_a_test_script_in_multiple_browsers">6.1 How do I run a test script in multiple browsers?</a></li><li><a href="#Is_it_important_to_check_your_website_on_all_browsers">6.2 Is it important to check your website on all browsers?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="importance-of-testing-websites-in-different-browsers">Importance of Testing Websites in Different Browsers</h2>



Most people have a default browser. Among the multiple options that are available, users frequent only certain browsers while searching the internet. The majority of people use Chrome, which boasts of having the largest market share. However, there are others who prefer Firefox, Edge, or Safari.



If you have a website, then testing beyond your default browser is right for your business. All these browsers work differently and display the pages as per their functioning. There is a slight chance that your website layout might look different or even malfunction at a few places. But the rectification is quite simple: test the website in all browsers. This is called <a href="https://testsigma.com/cross-browser-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cross-browser testing</a>.



Checking websites on different browsers also helps to unearth the problems early on before the users get to it.



But again, if there are multiple browsers, how do you decide which browsers to take up for testing? You can’t just take any random list of browsers and begin the validation process. It will be time-taking.



Here’s a way you can reduce the work while ensuring that your website runs smoothly on popular and most-used browsers.



<h2 id="how-do-you-determine-which-browser-to-test-the-website-on">How Do You Determine Which Browser to Test the Website on?</h2>



As a rule of thumb, start by picking out browsers that are popular in the market. Google Chrome. Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and Opera are some of the options to look at.



Another way to decide on different browsers to test the website is to research your customers/users and see which browsers they regularly use. Take this a bit further by learning about the browser version and device they use to better formulate your testing strategy and test coverage. Prioritize the browsers that are most used and move downward to the ones that are least used.



Don’t forget to test every new update and regression on all these browsers before making the final release. And there are many <a href="https://testsigma.com/cross-browser-testing-tools">cross browser testing tools</a> you can avail for this activity.



Testsigma is a cloud-based cross-browser testing tool that lets you easily automate the end-to-end test cases for the web. These test cases can then easily be executed on different browsers available on the cloud. 



Testsigma also gives you the flexibility to choose from multiple cloud labs that host these browsers and devices for cross browser testing.&nbsp; 



<h2 id="why-use-testsigma-for-automated-cross-browser-testing">Why Use <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-cross-browser-testing-tool" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma for Automated Cross-Browser Testing</a>?</h2>



Here are some features that make Testsigma the best choice for automated cross browser testing:



i. Coding in Simple English: Testsigma does not require you to be a coding expert as it allows users to write automation scripts in simple English. It makes it really easy for anyone get started with the creation and execution of automated tests on the Testsigma platform.



ii. Instant Access to Thousands of Real Devices &amp; Environments: Testsigma provides you with instant access to thousands of different testing environments available on the cloud.



iii. Parallel Testing: The platform allows the users to add multiple environments to testing and run parallel testing seamlessly to save a significant amount of time and effort.



iv. Supports Continuous Integration: Testsigma offers easy integrations with all the popular CI/CD tools such as Jenkins in order to facilitate continuous integration.



v. Robust Reporting Features: The platform comes with powerful test analytics and reporting that is customizable according to the user’s requirements. The reporting includes screenshots, video recordings, logs, and detailed reports to cover on all grounds.



vi. Scalability: With Testsigma, you need not worry about scaling up or down your testing infrastructure as per your specific testing needs. Additionally, as soon as a new version of a browser or operating systems (OS) is released in the market, it gets added by Testsigma to the available test environments.



As discussed above, Testsigma lets you automate your test cases and execute them in parallel on unlimited devices with different resolutions, browsers, and operating systems to cover every possible combination.



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<h2 id="how-to-test-website-on-different-browsers-using-testsigma">How to Test Website on Different Browsers Using Testsigma</h2>



Let’s see how Testsigma tests a website on different browsers. We will start from the very basic.&nbsp; 



1. Prerequisites



These are some conditions that you will need to be fulfilled before you are able to create a test case on Testsigma. Don’t worry, these steps would only take a few minutes:



i. Create an account on Testsigma app if you don’t have one already.



You can sign up for a free 21 days trial <a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">here</a>. 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/CGMQP4KsV4YAiKknlrYjoPfb9EfL10l4cNPI4_wRxmI9TvVkpHFXw9L-AGYtD1j78mFR8XWEq8mUvN95pI7_4gJDqxM3rgzb557-koCQVRiO9ke-v7sm6J9YejUInh7pWkEwknNt" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform"/></figure>



2. Create a Project 



Once you have registered and done with the initial setup, you can move forward and create your first project. With Testsigma, you can create and manage multiple projects. 



With every new Testsigma account, you get four sample projects having different sample test cases for web, mobile web, iOS, and Android application types. You can easily create a new project from your Testsigma dashboard present on the top left corner to get started with the project.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/eBjblQg9uTdwYN_kDkwxvIogFE6L46Zfs_1FkpONG08QE24z_V63Oa-0yqa8n5dfd3p6tjYT343BPVLTiQxmaFMR0sN0OJwgZRwqoZ7o0RPsDDIrG8YNcy48KEB2SGFfI6Go4gu2" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform"/></figure>



While creating the project make sure to select ‘project type’ as ‘web application’ because we are going to create a project for cross browser testing:



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/3W0wY3k5Tbx5Rw8EdFaHaPqPsXFyvqdoAVv0e8D_40h1e9hlaawE8I8stVeCNmS8yHcYtgfKqkUK60X0FbbXAXswbmtqByw0jQvj88f75IZ84kST_IsAQKOmdqBGp9L2lL8CjkkA" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform"/></figure>



3. Create UI Identifiers



In order to automate your tests, you need to interact with the elements or objects present on a given web page. To specify these elements in the tests, you need some specific details about them which are known as UI identifiers. 



These UI identifiers can be easily created using the Testsigma Chrome extension that lets you capture the details of elements easily when you interact with your web app in the browser. You can either create them by including <a href="https://www.w3schools.com/xml/xpath_intro.asp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">XPath</a> or attributes of the CSS elements or just by recording them in Chrome.



To read more about creating UI identifiers check <a href="https://testsigma.com/docs/elements/web-apps/record-multiple-elements/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



4. Create and Run Test Cases



Creating test case in Testsigma is as easy as using simple natural language along with the UI identifiers. Testsigma allows you to run a test case on one of the following Test Labs –



i. Testsigma Lab 



ii. Local machines



iii. Private Grid



iv. Third-party IaaS providers such as BrowserStack/Sauce Labs 



A typical test case on Testsigma looks like this:



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/s3GanWLL2ViDzRo8qkvQG_dvrD7G1wGp7PYDUB2O0fdt5KhVQRhd6vVVCQdBfzIdTxt8KnOfg66HlZdYBLTpvI8A5RO5GSaXYTC2wZzaQSQT7UssnWxQSyvuX0ObwA0suMGetOVj" alt="A typical test case on Testsigma"/></figure>



5. Create Test Plan



Once you are done with the test creation, you can move forward with creating your test plan for cross-browser testing. You need to enter some basic details such as name, description, test plan type, test suit, test environment etc. You have to make sure that you select ‘test plan type’ as cross browser testing:



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ESUUn_G_4VFE0MiZ4KL9ByhWuSUC3u8LELpGo4WevyXcoDpAKel3QL47s7fx2lgxMcd3mROGcX8Bt569_c9vU9yyTvmIeRHewLpMX13VVQO6ju7XgjJqHmyaOiwjwS4TfTbfFqo3" alt="Create Testplans"/></figure>



Once you have created the test plan, you can execute it by clicking on the run button.



It is crucial to test your website on multiple combinations of different browsers, operating systems, and devices to ensure good test coverage.



Below is how you can select multiple browsers for test execution:



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rebUwLvFC9Co31nWcUhW8zcppc_Ifb2jgu-uS1Mt8Z2VsetXgYSWwkFX2gfIPB9s9nV7jazZXsUNFQs3qR8vzR94afKHtWq158Tw_sLvFukrDWTJ3GI5vKE7LtlDbsR8vCkQ9POR" alt="select test machine with browser"/></figure>



6. Test Report Analysis



With Testsigma, you can get customizable reports as per your test requirements with reports accessible for individual test environments to help you locate the root failure causes much faster. It also lets you compare the test results on multiple browser-OS combinations in parallel.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/o7zXI4psOIPLkPL9PpUbOebV9rkDIBs210-rRt3lOmd9Z8FO6kAncVv4vkrqUifRxM4dzsfa3xgdhZguccTI7FtnfyNHYHG5sW_JA7_AxAGCZBaF1VfCowgmq9VHdbb-qdL3D-_M" alt="Test case result"/></figure>



Testsigma is one of the most comprehensive continuous<a href="https://testsigma.com/cross-browser-testing-tools" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> cross-browser testing tools</a> available in the market today that gives you a quality app user experience on the cloud and also ensures your application’s compatibility across several devices and browsers. 



With Testsigma, writing automated tests is as simple as writing manual tests without any requirement for coding or knowledge of tools. 



<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



To summarize, Testsigma is designed to simplify cross-browser testing for websites. Its cloud-based infrastructure allows for the creation of reusable test cases, making it easier to ensure consistent functionality across different browsers. The intuitive interface and robust features help streamline testing efforts, ultimately contributing to a better user experience.



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<h2 id="frequently-asked-questions">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



<h3 id="how-do-i-run-a-test-script-in-multiple-browsers">How do I run a test script in multiple browsers?</h3>



There is more than one way to run test scripts in multiple browsers. You can use Selenium WebDriver&#8217;s cross-browser testing capabilities. Simply initialize WebDriver instances for each browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari) and execute the same <a href="https://testsigma.com/guides/test-script/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test script</a> with each WebDriver instance, ensuring compatibility and consistency across browsers.



Another tool is Testsigma that leverages its cross-browser testing capability and easily configures test executions for various browsers, ensuring comprehensive <a href="https://testsigma.com/guides/compatibility-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">compatibility testing</a> without the need for complex scripting or setup.



<h3 id="is-it-important-to-check-your-website-on-all-browsers">Is it important to check your website on all browsers?</h3>



Yes, it is a critical practice to test your website on multiple browsers. Differences in rendering engines and standards compliance can lead to variations in website appearance and functionality. Testing on popular browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge helps ensure a consistent user experience across diverse browsing platforms. Differences in rendering engines and standards compliance can lead to variations in website appearance and functionality. Testing on popular browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge helps ensure a consistent user experience across diverse browsing platforms.



<customlinks>
<ts-link-item>
<ts-linktext-value>Safari Emulator</ts-linktext-value>
<ts-linkurl-value>https://testsigma.com/blog/emulate-safari</ts-linkurl-value>
</ts-link-item>
</customlinks>

How to Test a Website on Different Browsers using Testsigma

Test Website on Different Browsers using Testsigma

Top 5 Angular Testing Tools List to Look For

Cloud-based testing has become quite integral these days. Most businesses have already done the shift towards cloud-based testing. The main reason is &#8211; it is faster, inexpensive, flexible, and requires no maintenance. 



The best part is that we do not own it, can easily lease it from a service provider, can easily scale up and scale down according to requirements and only have to pay for the amount of time we use the cloud resources. 



&nbsp;The traditional testing that was done on the software installed on local servers is now slowly fading away. With cloud-based testing, everything resides on the cloud and therefore the testing approach also changes where all testing related activities are done on the cloud and IT is delivered as a service. However, the primary goal of traditional testing and cloud-based testing remains the same i.e., to deliver high-quality and efficient software.&nbsp; 



Cloud-based testing comprises cloud-based test automation as well. To facilitate cloud-based test automation, there are different types of tools. Here is an article that will help you ascertain if you need to implement cloud-based test automation in your organization: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/signs-you-need-to-invest-in-a-cloud-based-test-automation-tool/" target="_blank">6 signs you need to invest in a cloud-based test automation tool</a>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#How_is_cloud-based_testing_different_from_traditional_testing">1 How is cloud-based testing different from traditional testing</a></li><li><a href="#When_to_move_to_cloud_testing">2 When to move to cloud testing</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_start_with_cloud-based_testing">3 How to start with cloud-based testing</a></li><li><a href="#What_Roles_and_responsibilities_are_required_for_the_success_of_cloud-based_testing">4 What Roles and responsibilities are required for the success of cloud-based testing?</a></li><li><a href="#Testsigma_as_a_cloud-based_test_automation_tool">5 Testsigma as a cloud-based test automation tool</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">6 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-how-is-cloud-based-testing-different-from-traditional-testing">How is cloud-based testing different from traditional testing</h2>



Let’s see the differences between cloud-based testing and traditional testing in detail:&nbsp; 



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Traditional testing</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Cloud-based testing</td></tr><tr><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Configuration may take many days.</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">No configuration required, just choose the environment and start testing.</td></tr><tr><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Set-up is manual and susceptible to human errors.</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Set-up is automatic and free from manual errors.</td></tr><tr><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Expensive as real devices are purchased.</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Inexpensive as real devices are not purchased.</td></tr><tr><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse;">Executed on the local servers of the organisation.</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;
 border-collapse: collapse;">Executed on third-party servers of the service providers.</td></tr><tr><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse;">Data is present on the local server and hence cannot be accessed from everywhere.</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse;">Data is present on the cloud hence can be accessed from any location.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Let us explore the advantages and disadvantages of cloud-based and traditional testing. 



Cloud-based testing advantages



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>The environment is dynamic and scalable.</li><li>Provides better testing speed, since it can run 24*7.</li><li>Services provided by a cloud-based vendor are inexpensive.</li><li>It provides better and simple disaster recovery because the process is automated.</li><li>Accessible from any location hence supports mobility.</li></ul>



Cloud-based testing disadvantages



<ul class="list_stye_disc"><li>Bandwidth can be an issue because the cloud servers are shared resources.</li><li>May pose security issues, since the data is handed over to a third party during testing.</li><li>Requires very good internet connectivity.</li><li>Limited control and dependency on the service provider.</li></ul>



Traditional testing advantages



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Secure since it is executed on local servers.</li><li>No internet connectivity is required for testing since it is executed locally.</li><li>Provides full control and there is no dependency on third-party service providers.</li></ul>



Traditional testing disadvantages



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Expensive because real devices are purchased.</li><li>Scalability is an issue since it needs to be addressed manually.</li><li>Can not be executed from global locations.</li><li>Configuration of the real devices and environment is time-consuming.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-when-to-move-to-cloud-testing">When to move to cloud testing</h2>



Every project/ software/organization is different and have different requirements. We need to answer the below questions when we think about adopting cloud testing in a project. 



1. Is there a possibility that moving testing to the cloud may lead to a change in the test strategy or foundation of testing? The Foundation of testing is always going to remain the same &#8211; the testing skills, curiosity, enthusiasm are a few of them.2. Do we need to learn new skills? Definitely, cloud testing will involve some new technology and the testers will need to learn them.3. How is it going to affect the current testing tasks? Will it be beneficial or pose problems?4. What are the different testing types that will be needed to execute?5. What are the tools that will be required to perform cloud testing?6. What risks should be considered?







<h2 id="h-how-to-start-with-cloud-based-testing">How to start with cloud-based testing</h2>



When we decide to start cloud-based testing in a project then we need to decide how we are going to manage the whole process of cloud-based testing. What are the areas which will be affected and need proper planning and management during this process? Few major points to think about will be: 



1. Process: Chalking out the strategy to make a move to cloud-based testing.



2. Activities: Evaluation of the testing activities that will need to move to the cloud. Examples are Agile testing, TDD, automation testing, regression testing, etc. Together with the evaluation of the testing activities, we need to estimate the cost involved as well.



3. Technology: We need to decide what technologies we will be using for cloud testing. Examples are DevOps, AWS, Big Data, Testing as Service, testing environments.



4. People: What people in the team will need to quickly adapt to cloud testing by learning new technologies. Testers need to perform testing on many levels &#8211; unit, integration, UI, services, security, governance. It becomes necessary to provide them with proper training and knowledge to be a perfect fit for starting cloud testing.



<h2 id="h-what-roles-and-responsibilities-are-required-for-the-success-of-cloud-based-testing">What Roles and responsibilities are required for the success of cloud-based testing?</h2>



With the advent of cloud testing, we will require below roles and responsibilities in the team. However, they may differ from organization to organization but these are the standard ones: 



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Developers: To perform unit and integration testing, apart from development.</li><li>Test Analyst: To implement the cloud testing strategy in the project</li><li>Technical test analyst: To perform the actual manual/automated testing of the applications</li><li>Customer: To perform acceptance testing</li><li>IT department: To monitor, analyze the cloud and they will act as a point-of-contact to the cloud provider</li><li>Cloud provider: To provide the service level agreements, services testing</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-testsigma-as-a-cloud-based-test-automation-tool">Testsigma as a cloud-based test automation tool</h2>



To ease the process of using and setting up cloud-based testing, we should use tools that mitigate the complexities involved. The inconvenience of setting up a test lab all by ourselves is real and should be avoided if possible. 



By using cloud-based testing tools like Testsigma, which provide an easy use cloud-based test automation tool that also integrates with different device labs on the cloud, we can save ourselves from exorbitant prices and set-up time. 



Testsigma is an AI-driven, cloud-based testing tool that is built for DevOps and Agile teams. It is a unified platform for running the below types of testing parallelly on browsers and mobile devices, without any installation or set-up.



<ul><li>Continuous testing</li><li>Web application testing</li><li>Mobile app testing</li><li>Regression testing</li><li>Cross-browser testing</li><li>Data-driven testing</li><li>Functional testing</li><li>Regression Testing</li></ul>



Testsigma provides the below benefits during cloud-based testing:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Pay according to the environment and time period of usage.</li><li>All environments/ resources are available 24*7.</li><li>Can be accessed from anywhere in the World, the team can be present in different geographical locations.</li><li>Provides scalability since the environments are on the cloud and there is no limit to them.</li><li>Parallel testing can be done 24*7, which results in faster delivery.</li></ul>



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<h2 id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



Cloud-based testing solves the problem of remote testing very conveniently since we are relying on cloud computing here. This type of testing accelerates the testing process immensely, which is the need of the hour. 



One example of a cloud-based testing tool is Testsigma which is a SaaS(Software as Service) based unified platform. Where the users can directly write the test cases using plain English.

Cloud-Based Testing - A tester's perspective

Cloud-Based Testing – A tester’s perspective

How to automate your web testing on real mobile and desktop browsers

Getting Started with Automated Web Testing on Mobile and Desktop

We, engineers, love automation! We love it so much that we devise new ways all the time to incorporate automation in each and every field of software development. Today, automation is like the fuel that keeps the project going and helps us finish within deadlines and allotted budget. 



But automation is most needed to manage the responsibility of something that is <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/245501/multiple-mobile-device-ownership-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">14.9 billion in number</a> and has become the part and parcel of our lives; the mobile phone. Mobile applications are taking the world by storm. 2021 alone is seeing <a href="https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1262892/mobile-app-revenue-worldwide-by-segment">693 billion USD</a> in revenue from mobile apps. 



Web developers are moving their focus from desktop-first to mobile-first web design which further solidifies our understanding of how important this pocket device has become.



 When something steals the show by this nature and everyone begins to notice, it results in fierce competition and a race to be the most popular, on top, and the best! The frequent mobile app updates are living evidence of this claim. What could be the best choice to cut down the costs and gain speed to move the pipeline faster than test automation? 



Mobile devices are the most fragmented thing you will ever work with while developing software. From operating systems to versions to hardware specs, mobile devices stand unique even after being billions in number. 



Such a fragmented world is impossible to <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-convert-manual-test-cases-into-automated-test-cases-and-why/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">test through manual work and hence the call for test automation</a> in mobile becomes a necessity while developing an application. But this is not as easy as it may sound. 



Automation does bring out some fruitful benefits that reap throughout the season but implementing mobile test automation also puts up some roadblocks that are best to be considered before initiating the process. 



In this post, we shall go through the same challenges that <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank">mobile test automation</a> brings with itself and analyze the methods by which we can tackle them.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Variety_of_Device_Settings">1 Variety of Device Settings</a></li><li><a href="#Moulding_Automation_Approach_with_Application">2 Moulding Automation Approach with Application</a></li><li><a href="#Training_and_Selecting_Right_Tool_Stack">3 Training and Selecting Right Tool Stack</a></li><li><a href="#Collaboration_with_Multiple_Teams">4 Collaboration with Multiple Teams</a></li><li><a href="#Too_Frequent_Versions">5 Too Frequent Versions</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="variety-of-device-settings">Variety of Device Settings</h2>



Test automation in conventional software is straightforward. With fixed targets and no external factor to depend on, writing automation test scripts becomes easy. A mobile device is a different story though. 



The functionality and usability of applications on mobile devices can be influenced by multiple other factors. For example, checking the impact on functionalities because of the change in network bandwidth is an important scenario to judge the mobile application’s performance, and including it in the automation script could be a tough job. 



But testing this is essential too because data communication over the network cannot be eliminated by putting all the files into the device storage. That way the application becomes a heavy download (and update) for the user and also occupies a big space on one of the most precious things on a mobile device: the storage space. Some such similar challenges are: 



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Network Related Settings</li><li>Orientation Settings.</li><li>Side-By-Side View for multi-tasking.</li><li>Accessibility settings for challenged users.</li></ul>



Also, along with it, some mobile devices offer specific settings such as adjustable windows, etc.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/zlElgfgNSIp63V48hLIcAe5e0JYi2i9HUkDHVrfncT00QNPyZLAjF0oKsT_1r9meVZKjQCWaxSr_wHj8uYaNm4VSY0AfNe6DnGD0QoZXf9JM9Bp2Ygu0WL_mkrmtraNsiLo0NSsE" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform"/></figure>



Source: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.norebbo.com/google-android-illustrations/" target="_blank">https://www.norebbo.com/google-android-illustrations/</a>



Can we tackle this challenge in mobile test automation? Actually, only partially. Mobile devices are very diverse and so is their settings list. Practically, these settings are one of the top reasons that have kept manual testing alive in this area. 



But, on the other hand, things are progressing too. Online mobile test automation tools have started to develop setting-based software through which we can write scripts of network bandwidth being “4G” and for orientation of the mobile device. One such tool that can help you achieve the above tasks is <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank">Testsigma</a>. 



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To read more about mobile testing, check out the <a href="https://testsigma.com/mobile-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">mobile testing guide here</a>. 



<h2 id="moulding-automation-approach-with-application">Moulding Automation Approach with Application</h2>



An important part of working in an organization based on a mobile application is that feedbacks are prompt and the team cannot ignore them. With such high competition in every field, the one who works on feedbacks leads the race in the market. 



To gather more and more feedback from the user, developers often use multiple ways for the same. For example, prompting the user regularly with a pop-up, emailing them regularly for feedbacks or picking the feedbacks from app hosting platforms such as the play store.&nbsp; 



An important part of working in a team that works on developing a mobile application is that the mobile application goes through multiple changes quickly. These changes are driven by user needs and feedback and are essential to keep up with the competition.



So, how does test automation relate here? When we work regularly on adding updates/feedbacks for a long time, the application might take a new form. There will be a lot of arrangements, new additions, deletions etc.



 With such a reformed application, the older automation scripts will not work properly. As a result, we can relate the test automation to a machine that needs servicing regularly with regular checks and regular updates into the system. 



If the feedbacks are too much, the <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/factors-that-slow-down-automation-testing-test-automation-challenges/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">automation changes regularly and thus become a challenge for the organisation slowing</a> down every other process in the pipeline.&nbsp; 



This challenge is the easiest to tackle among all the others. The basic thing to remember is to write minimum cases and scripts that can easily be changed later to change to accommodate new changes. 



Practically, we can’t write cases that will never be changed even if the application has reformed with time. But keeping them to a minimum is the best way to go. 



Also, list down all those cases that have the potential to be changed later and the cases that have dependencies on them. Too many dependencies can lead to the same disastrous consequences that we are trying to avoid from the beginning.



<h2 id="training-and-selecting-right-tool-stack">Training and Selecting Right Tool Stack</h2>



Automation in mobile testing is a bit tough, as already portrayed in this post. It takes a bit of cost in the beginning too and the device settings make it more troublesome. Therefore, it is extremely important to <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-open-source-test-automation-tool/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">choose the tool stack that can fulfil all your mobile application test automation</a> needs. 



But there is a dilemma here. We cannot go ahead and choose the first tool we see as best. What if no one in our team is trained to operate on the tool? That’s an extra cost of training and delayed project deadlines right there!&nbsp; 



So the dilemma comes down to should we go ahead and choose the best tool and put a cost on training? Or should we choose the most known tool and put a cost on manual testing? 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Rj9xKfh7Rv60-HvV3SR10nRnB6GFowmWyuxqb8Fz8wZOqhkV0EJlMhW_8FpwFvOHeYyu1xI45yDd9SBzpSfs1MOPqHqn-xZvarSe5yK5-k81krFJZunalhTG7PecSzeYnfGCgnfW" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform"/></figure>



Source: <a href="https://www.greymatterrecruitment.co.uk/blog/only-half-of-marketers-have-training-in-key-skills/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">https://www.greymatterrecruitment.co.uk/blog/only-half-of-marketers-have-training-in-key-skills/</a>



Being in a good position in your testing team, such a question will definitely cross your path. The best method to tackle this challenge is to choose the best tool (because that’s the best bet in the long run) and the tool should have strong documentation that can help teammates learn on their own. 



Documentations are extremely important to pull you up whenever you get stuck in between or want to know what wonders the tool can perform. One such tool that can help you in mobile test automation and has solid documentation with step-wise processes is Testsigma. 



With Testsigma support, you can contact its support executives for any problems within seconds through the chat feature. Testsigma also gives you detailed documentation and examples to perform certain tasks such as creating a local tunnel etc.&nbsp;



<h2 id="collaboration-with-multiple-teams">Collaboration with Multiple Teams</h2>



As time passes, the mobile applications become complex and modules become diverse. As a result, the company hires more people and expands its wings in the market. These teams do not always know each other in person but a simple ticket is their only source of connection. 



In mobile test automation, while teams work on different modules, collaboration becomes a little difficult. There are a lot of people involved in writing the test cases, a different set of people setting them up in your CI/CD pipeline and then other people reading the error reports and working on them. All of them have to be in sync and hence it becomes a challenge for everyone.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/sRiCY21RJ25VJ-2TcDzdBb-tmJmx08DpD5XjAB0h94bkoP9T0fxsV8_dSTtmmS7X2tOHfsbtqV8wmB5T-zD-b20uzbI-dU_VdDRCSaoEGo1s1ttDdNE6irn4SdU0H1PtafNS3i45" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform"/></figure>



Source: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="http://www.twitter.com" target="_blank">www.twitter.com</a>



The best method to tackle this challenge is the tool you choose for mobile test automation. Tools have evolved over the years to not only support the capabilities of a mobile device but also the teams working behind it to make it better. Collaborative tools are one such solution. 



Collaborative tools perform mobile automation with multiple people together on a single problem such as improving or writing automation test cases. Collaborative tools also help in sharing the final test reports with other team members or having a single central repo where all of them can look into (if they have rights).&nbsp; 



A mobile test automation tool with collaborative properties is the best way to go, this tool should allow you to share the reports and help write tests together as well. TestSigma helps you in such regards by allowing you to give different rights to different people in a project.



 With Testsigma, mobile <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/5-types-of-tests-that-can-be-automated-for-your-ios/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">test automation for iOS</a> as well as Android can be done from the same place. People<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/3-steps-automate-mobile-applications-using-testsigma/" target="_blank"> can easily automate</a> and collaborate to work together as a team on different assigned projects, generate reports and share them automatically. Also, this is completely cloud-based and the test automation can be started within minutes of signing up. 



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<h2 id="too-frequent-versions">Too Frequent Versions</h2>



Automation is costly in nature. From implementing to licensing, automation can take up a huge cost in the beginning but it eventually evens out with time. The only thing that mobile test automation takes up more than automation is maintenance. 



Different mobile devices keep coming into the market. With each new device, a new screen size, new hardware, and other new specifications arrive that need testing.&nbsp; 



Even if we leave aside the multiple devices, each year Android gets its new update, then iOS and other open-source operating systems too. With each new version, loads of new features arrive for which newer tests need to be written. 



Also, as these operating systems arrive in the market, we need to delete the older operating systems and their tests too. All this becomes a heavy challenge in automation as maintenance becomes very high. 



Unfortunately, this is one such challenge we will face in automation that is not easy to tackle. There will always be an influx of operating systems and versions and they will always ask for optimizations. There will always be code that will be old enough to delete and there will always be newer features that will ask for new code. 



All we can do is to visit this issue regularly in the organization and do not let the work pile up. Hence, there is no shortcut to bypass this challenge and hence if we are dealing with mobile applications, we will have to deal with this too.



This brings us to the end of this post that took us through some of the challenges in mobile <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/top-automated-testing-practices-to-follow/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">test automation and how they can be tackled using practical</a> examples. I hope with this post, you will be prepared better for your automation journey. 



Automation is a bit tricky but the results cut down our time and costs(which every organization loves). If you have any suggestions and comments, don’t forget to put them down below in the comment section. We will be happy to address them. Till then, happy mobile automation testing!!

Challenges of mobile test automation and how to tackle them?

Can Selenium Be Used for Mobile Testing? The answer would be &#8220;No&#8221;; we cannot directly use Selenium for automated mobile application testing. However, we have frameworks supported by Selenium to automate mobile application testing.



Selenium-supported frameworks for mobile test automation are:



1. Selendroid



2. Appium



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Should_You_Automate_Mobile_Application_Testing_Using_Selenium">1 Should You Automate Mobile Application Testing Using Selenium?</a><ul><li><a href="#Test_Script_Development">1.1 Test Script Development</a></li><li><a href="#Test_Management">1.2 Test Management</a></li><li><a href="#Backward_Compatibility">1.3 Backward Compatibility</a></li><li><a href="#Gestures_Testing">1.4 Gestures Testing</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Selendroid">2 Selendroid</a><ul><li><a href="#Features_of_Selendroid">2.1 Features of Selendroid:</a></li><li><a href="#Components_of_Selendroid">2.2 Components of Selendroid:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Appium">3 Appium</a><ul><li><a href="#Features_of_Appium">3.1 Features of Appium:</a></li><li><a href="#Components_of_Appium">3.2 Components of Appium:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#How_to_Automate_Mobile_Application_using_Selenium">4 How to Automate Mobile Application using Selenium</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">5 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#Can_We_Automate_Mobile_Device_Testing">5.1 Can We Automate Mobile Device Testing?</a></li><li><a href="#Which_is_the_Best_Automation_Tool_for_Mobile_Testing">5.2 Which is the Best Automation Tool for Mobile Testing?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_the_Difference_Between_Appium_and_Selenium">5.3 What is the Difference Between Appium and Selenium?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_Mobile_Testing_in_QA">5.4 What is Mobile Testing in QA?</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Suggested_Reading">6 Suggested Reading</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="should-you-automate-mobile-application-testing-using-selenium">Should You Automate Mobile Application Testing Using Selenium?</h2>



Now we understand that directly we cannot use Selenium to write automated test scripts for mobile application testing. Hence, we need to use Selenium-supported frameworks like Appium and Selendroid.



The testing process for using Appium and Selendroid has the below steps:



<h3 id="test-script-development">Test Script Development</h3>



This step means writing the automated test scripts in programming languages. If you know Selenium, writing the test scripts will not require learning new skills. However, we know well that writing automated test scripts ourselves is time-consuming, and to receive ROI(Return On Investment), we need to wait longer.



<h3 id="test-management">Test Management</h3>



We understand that Selendroid and Appium are open-source automation tools. For this reason, the test management they provided is not so impressive.&nbsp;



Selendroid records the element clicked and then saves the locator and command. Appium also has a recorder that works only for iOS mobile applications.&nbsp;



Hence, we only receive the test locators and commands; in any case, test scripts are not recorded. Therefore, if we are using any of these two frameworks, then we need to add a third-party test management tool ourselves.&nbsp; 



<h3 id="backward-compatibility">Backward Compatibility</h3>



Appium works on <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/android-device-testing-a-no-hassle-guide-for-testers/">Android devices</a> with Android 4.0 and above. To solve this problem nowadays Appium comes integrated with Selendroid to provide backward compatibility. 



However, this is not as effective as the original Selendroid framework. So to provide backward compatibility for Android devices with lower API versions(API 10-17), we should use Selendroid.



<h3 id="gestures-testing">Gestures Testing</h3>



Mobile device applications work on hand gestures, and therefore Appium and Selendroid must recognize these gestures efficiently. The happy news is that they both do it effectively via dedicated APIs. Selendroid is a winner in this case because it provides ‘Advanced User Interactions API’ which is useful for complex gestures as well.



Efficient and seamless testing lies in embracing tools and methodologies that can alleviate the pressures of manual testing while enhancing the effectiveness of the process. <a href="https://testsigma.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a> is a platform that simplifies testing with a low-code approach, making test automation accessible, fast, and efficient. With Testsigma, testers can automate most testing and free up time to focus on critical test cases that require expertise. The platform is backed by strong AI algorithms that enhance tester skills and efforts while providing direct access to thousands of environments without any setup hassles, thus saving the cost of setting up a cross-browser test lab.



Moreover, Testsigma cloud &#8211; supports the inspection and execution of mobile test cases without any setups. It <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing">automates mobile application</a> testing without coding and allows us to write test cases in plain English. The platform covers parallel and compatibility testing, making it ideal for various testing requirements. With Testsigma, you can redefine what&#8217;s possible in QA and achieve improved efficiency, coverage, and team collaboration while ensuring a high ROI.



 <button class="btn bg-primary cta-btn" style="margin: auto"><a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:#fff"> Automate Mobile App Tests 10x faster using simple english- on the cloud </a></button> 



Therefore, when deciding whether to automate mobile application testing, it is crucial to consider the specific requirements of your testing project and your team&#8217;s expertise. By doing so, you can make an informed decision that will improve the quality and speed of your testing process. If you are interested in learning more about Testsigma and how it can benefit your mobile application testing, feel free to reach out to our team for a demo



Let’s now learn about Selendroid and Appium tools in detail.



<h2 id="selendroid">Selendroid</h2>



Also known as ‘Selenium for Android’, this is used to test mobile applications for Android. It uses JSON Wire protocol and provides backward compatibility with the older Android versions. However, by using an iOS driver it can be used to test iOS mobile applications as well. 



<h3 id="features-of-selendroid">Features of Selendroid:</h3>



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Works on Android applications (Native, Hybrid)&nbsp; and Mobile web applications.</li><li>Used for parallel testing of a mobile application on multiple devices simultaneously with the help of Selenium Grid.</li><li>It is open-source, hence free to use.</li><li>‘Hotplugging’ is a feature where Selendroid can detect and recognize new devices plugged into it. Hence, we can remove and add new devices on the go, i.e., while tests are running.</li><li>It can inspect the elements on the <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-perform-mobile-automation-testing-of-the-ui/">UI</a> with the help of a built-in inspector.</li><li>It supports <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/strings-in-javascript/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Selenium WebDriver</a> compatible programming languages- Java, C#, Python, etc.</li><li>Provides a built-in Android Driver Webview App to test mobile web applications.</li><li>Supports testing of gestures on the mobile device via the Advanced User Interactions API. Example- single tap, double-tap, down, up, etc.</li><li>Selendroid can be used on emulators and real mobile devices for automated testing.</li><li>Supports ‘Dynamic Extendability’, which means that the test script can be added, edited, or modified while the tests are running.</li></ul>



<h3 id="components-of-selendroid">Components of Selendroid:</h3>



<ul><li>Web Driver Client&#8211; a Java client library that is installed on the computer where test scripts will be written.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Selendroid Server&#8211; Runs on the mobile device(real or emulator) where the application under test(AUT) is running.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Android Driver Webview App is a built-in driver to test the mobile web.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Selendroid-Standalone- It is used to install AUT and Selendroid Server.</li></ul>



Read detailed architecture <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="http://selendroid.io/architecture.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. 



<h2 id="appium">Appium</h2>



It is a more popular choice for mobile automation testing because it supports iOS, Windows desktop, and Android mobile applications. Appium has a built-in Selendroid mode for testing older versions of Android applications. It also uses the JSON Wire Protocol like Selendroid. 



<h3 id="features-of-appium">Features of Appium:</h3>



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Appium works on a client-server architecture.</li><li>It has an HTTP server written in Node.js and helps communicate between clients and mobile devices. The clients are Ruby, PHP, C#, Python libraries, which provide commands to the mobile device.</li><li>Provides automated testing for iOS and Android (Hybrid, Native, and Web applications). Also, it can be used for testing Windows desktop applications.</li><li>Since it works on iOS, Windows, and Android, it is used for cross-platform testing.</li><li>The same test scripts using the same API can be used for iOS, Windows, and Android. Hence, it allows code reusability.</li><li>Appium is more popular; hence it has a large and active user community.</li><li>If there is a small code change in the application, then we are not required to re-install the application for testing with Appium. The reason is that it does not access the application&#8217;s source code. Other automation tools such as Selendroid and Robotium require reinstallation/rebuild when any small changes are made to the application under test(AUT).</li><li>Appium also supports parallel testing of test scripts on multiple devices.</li></ul>



<h3 id="components-of-appium">Components of Appium:</h3>



<ul><li>Appium client&#8211; The automation test scripts written in Java, C#, Ruby, Python, etc. are clients for Appium.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Appium server&#8211; It is written using Node.js. It receives connection and command requests from the client written in JSON. After receiving the requests, it executes them on the mobile devices. Appium server creates sessions to communicate with the devices on which the mobile application is installed.</li></ul>



<ul><li>End device&#8211; These are the mobile devices (real or emulator), the automated test scripts are executed on the end device.</li></ul>





Now we know that Appium and Selendroid have their share of benefits and usage. They are used according to the specific project testing needs. Appium is a good choice for automating functional, regression, compatibility, and integration testing of Android and iOS applications. 



If we are testing Android version 10-17, we should use Selendroid since it provides backward compatibility. Also, if we need better community support, better would be Appium. 



If you are looking for an end-to-end automation tool for mobile testing with a stable mobile inspector, you may try Testsigma. You need not write the test scripts in programming language and will have many environments to choose from!



 <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">3000+ real devices to test in real-time &#8211; on the cloud</a>



<h2 id="how-to-automate-mobile-application-using-selenium">How to Automate Mobile Application using Selenium</h2>



To automate mobile applications using Selenium, the following points should be kept in mind:



1. Install the Appium server: Appium is an open-source test automation framework that allows developers to automate mobile applications. To use Appium, you need to install the Appium server on your machine.



2. Install the Selenium client library: The Selenium client library is a set of libraries that allows developers to write scripts in their preferred programming language. These scripts can then be executed on the Appium server.



3. Set up the environment: Set up the desired capabilities for the mobile application that you want to test. Desired capabilities are a set of key-value pairs that define the properties of the mobile application that you want to test.



4. Write test scripts: Write test scripts using the Selenium client library. These scripts can be written in your preferred programming language and can be executed on the Appium server. The test scripts can interact with the mobile application and perform actions such as clicking buttons, entering text, and navigating through different screens.



By following these steps, developers can automate mobile applications using Selenium and ensure that their applications are thoroughly tested before their release



While Selenium is a powerful testing framework, it can be challenging for beginners to set up and use. Additionally, maintaining the test scripts can be time-consuming and require significant effort. Testsigma is a cloud-based testing platform that provides an intuitive interface for test creation and execution. 



It uses natural language processing to convert test steps into automated test scripts, making it easier for beginners to get started with test automation. Testsigma also offers advanced features such as cross-browser testing, parallel testing, and integrations with popular tools such as JIRA and Jenkins. 



With its ease of use, advanced features, and cloud-based architecture, Testsigma is a reliable testing solution that can help developers ensure that their <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mobile applications</a> are of high quality..





<h2 id="frequently-asked-questions">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



<h3 id="can-we-automate-mobile-device-testing">Can We Automate Mobile Device Testing?</h3>



We can automate mobile devices using frameworks such as Appium. Using the WebDriver protocol, developers can automate the testing of native or hybrid iOS and Android apps. Or the easiest and most efficient way would be to use a unified automation testing platform like Testsigma, where you can <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automate your mobile devices</a> in simple English with 3000+ devices to test on.



<h3 id="which-is-the-best-automation-tool-for-mobile-testing">Which is the Best Automation Tool for Mobile Testing?</h3>



The best automation tool for mobile testing is Testisgma, which supports API and Mobile testing with ease of setup, seamless integration with the CI/CD tools, and a scriptless option for test creation.



<h3 id="what-is-the-difference-between-appium-and-selenium">What is the Difference Between Appium and Selenium?</h3>



Appium is a mobile, web, and hybrid application testing automation tool. It is free and open-source software written in the C# programming language. Selenium is an open-source browser automation tool licensed under Apache License 2.0 that includes numerous libraries for web application testing. It can automate practically all web browsers.



<h3 id="what-is-mobile-testing-in-qa">What is Mobile Testing in QA?</h3>



QA engineers test the mobile app&#8217;s behavior against particular performance requirements and scenarios. QA specialists ensure that an app works under varying but expected load conditions.



<h2 id="suggested-reading">Suggested Reading<gwmw style="display:none;"></h2>



<customlinks>
<ts-link-item>
<ts-linktext-value>Challenges of mobile test automation</ts-linktext-value>
<ts-linkurl-value>https://testsigma.com/blog/8-challenges-of-mobile-app-testing-and-how-to-solve-them/</ts-linkurl-value>
</ts-link-item>
<ts-link-item>
<ts-linktext-value>mobile testing implementation</ts-linktext-value>
<ts-linkurl-value>https://testsigma.com/blog/signs-you-need-to-implement-mobile-test-automation/</ts-linkurl-value>
</ts-link-item>
<ts-link-item>
<ts-linktext-value>Appium Alternatives</ts-linktext-value>
<ts-linkurl-value>https://testsigma.com/blog/appium-alternatives/</ts-linkurl-value>
</ts-link-item>
<ts-link-item>
<ts-linktext-value>Automation Tools For Mobile Testing</ts-linktext-value>
<ts-linkurl-value>https://testsigma.com/mobile-testing-tools</ts-linkurl-value>
</ts-link-item>
<ts-link-item>
<ts-linktext-value>Perfecto Mobile Alternatives</ts-linktext-value>
<ts-linkurl-value>https://testsigma.com/blog/perfecto-mobile-alternatives/</ts-linkurl-value>
</ts-link-item>
</customlinks>



<gwmw style="display:none;">

Selenium and Mobile Test Automation - Can Selenium Be Used for Mobile Testing?

Selenium And Mobile Test Automation – Will Selenium Make The Cut?

<p id="h-tired-of-spending-hours-and-days-manually-testing-every-module-of-your-android-app-s-user-interface-just-to-ensure-it-behaves-as-expected-bid-goodbye-to-traditional-testing-methods-and-say-hello-to-android-ui-testing-frameworks-they-are-the-real-superheroes-in-building-stable-and-quality-android-applications">Tired of spending hours and days manually testing every module of your android app&#8217;s user interface just to ensure it behaves as expected? Bid goodbye to traditional testing methods and say hello to Android UI testing frameworks. They are the real superheroes in building stable and quality Android applications. These frameworks save you time and help catch bugs in the early stages before they cause a wreck. This blog will list the top 4 Android UI frameworks you can use for automated mobile testing. Read here about <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/android-ui-testing-14-best-practices/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Android UI Testing</a>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Android_UI_Testing_Frameworks">1 What is Android UI Testing Frameworks?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_the_Need_for_Android_UI_Testing_Frameworks">2 Why the Need for Android UI Testing Frameworks?</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_Select_the_Best_Android_UI_Testing_Frameworks_for_Automation">3 How to Select the Best Android UI Testing Frameworks for Automation</a></li><li><a href="#3_Top_Android_UI_Testing_Frameworks">4 3 Top Android UI Testing Frameworks</a><ul><li><a href="#1_Testsigma">4.1 1 .Testsigma:</a></li><li><a href="#2_Appiumnbsp">4.2 2 .Appium:&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="#2_Espresso">4.3 2 .Espresso: </a></li><li><a href="#3_UI_Automator">4.4 3 .UI Automator: </a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Which_Android_UI_Testing_Framework_Should_You_Choose">5 Which Android UI Testing Framework Should You Choose?</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">6 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="what-is-android-ui-testing-frameworks">What is Android UI Testing Frameworks?</h2>



Android UI testing frameworks allow developers and testers to create and run automated tests for UI of Android applications. These frameworks allow testers to simulate user interactions, like tapping buttons, entering text, and swiping gestures, to validate the behavior and functionality of their application&#8217;s user interface (UI).



<h2 id="why-the-need-for-android-ui-testing-frameworks">Why the Need for Android UI Testing Frameworks?</h2>



Android UI testing frameworks play a crucial role in ensuring the stability and reliability of an Android application&#8217;s user interface. Imagine what happens when your application&#8217;s UI breaks. I&#8217;m pretty sure the users will be frustrated and abandon using your app. And nobody wants that. That&#8217;s when Android testing frameworks become your superhero.



These frameworks help validate your application&#8217;s UI and functionality across different devices, screen sizes, resolutions, platforms, browsers, and versions &#8211; within a short span of time.



<h2 id="how-to-select-the-best-android-ui-testing-frameworks-for-automation">How to Select the Best Android UI Testing Frameworks for Automation</h2>



Some of the key factors to consider while selecting an Android testing framework are as follows,



1. Team skillset&nbsp;



Is your QA team skilled in programming languages to create test code? What languages are they expert in? However, if your QA team lacks experience in coding. The best solution is to opt for a scriptless testing tool like Testsigma that does not require any coding to automate <a href="https://testsigma.com/guides/ui-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UI testing</a>.



2. Real device support



Check if the tool allows you to test your Android apps on real devices and platforms.&nbsp;



Testsigma allows you to execute your automated tests across 3000+ smartphones/tablets and 1000+ browser/OS combos.



3. Set up



Is the tool easy to install and set up? Traditional <a href="https://testsigma.com/user-interface-testing-tools" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UI testing tools</a> like Appium require you to install, set up, and configure the framework to run the tests. However, with tools like Testsigma, you can run your mobile tests on the cloud.



4. Ease of use



Is the tool easy to use? Is it accessible to everyone? The major drawback of code-based testing tools is that everyone involved in testing must be well-versed in the programming language required for creating test scripts. However, low-code testing tools like Testsigma eliminate the need for coding, thereby making <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automated testing</a> easy and accessible for everyone in the project.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfEcGn1lMcDaWMHh-ffDRokdVxF8FNaHzV-WHMbQapHS8_I3lfG4JP8Vwx4yTbeyvJkSCZ70eY6xoQUic7nhGIJ3hlionDmRBFe0kRZB6DQ_Qt-vvT49j4S3_UB3MZ9t6UkemYOG7JUP7uM-x1a_34-Zjeu?key=x9jjUFvtOltdXh6E6Bdi0A" alt="Android UI Testing Frameworks"/></figure></div>



The best Android UI framework for your application depends on your testing needs, budget, skillset, and business requirements. So, choose a tool that aligns with your application type and testing needs.&nbsp;



Choosing a unified test automation tool like Testsigma allows you to test both Android and iOS apps in one place.



<h2 id="h-3-top-android-ui-testing-frameworks">3 Top Android UI Testing Frameworks</h2>



Here are four popular UI testing frameworks for Android automation testing,



<h3 id="1-testsigma">1 .Testsigma:</h3>



Testsigma&#8217;s <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automation mobile app testing tool </a>is a tool you should check out for your Android UI automation needs. We&#8217;ve got thousands of real devices with various Android versions available for you to perform tests on.This is highly beneficial if you&#8217;ve got to test your app on older devices. Since older devices come with different screen resolutions, you can check out how the app’s UI looks and interacts in real-time with our repo of devices. This tool also takes screenshots and video recordings to report any bugs and unusual behaviour wherever necessary.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Nnb37nBs2Bg7JQhTnv4QN9HRUb8gPvOd0yUAXPbpnaKTkkQoQGdkdrPY6fel8PxHvn9FDQNjV0JJYR6a823KeclS_qpKq2VhWWzaimSTmqRjEW3sGXkOOr3UkcOLNgMuyulFTqOt" alt="Testsigma"/></figure>



The test cases can be written in simple English, and you don&#8217;t have to install anything on your device or desktop because our tool runs tests on a highly secure and scalable cloud. In this post, we&#8217;ve discussed automating mobile apps using <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-mobile-app-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a> &#8211; Automating Mobile Applications.



Testsigma Pros



<ul><li>It&#8217;s a code-less testing tool that lets us write our test cases in simple English; beginners and intermediate testers with no prior experience in coding can quickly start automating test cases on this tool</li><li>The testing happens on a cloud, and based on the project requirement, it can be scaled up or down without any hassles to the user.</li><li>It offers more than 1,000 Android and iOS devices with several browser-OS-version combinations.</li><li>It can be seamlessly integrated with <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/ci-cd-tools/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CI/CD tools</a>.</li><li>Supports parallel test execution.</li><li>Offers automatic bug reporting so you can collaborate with the team and fix the errors</li><li>Supports unlimited users</li><li>Even complex workflows can be automated</li></ul>



Testsigma Cons



<ul><li>It&#8217;s offers a 21-day free trial to experience the tool. Besides, unlike other tools, there are no hidden costs with Testsigma. For example, you can look at this comprehensive comparison between Testsigma and other tools &#8211; <a href="https://testsigma.com/compare-test-automation-tools" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma vs Selenium, Tricentis Tosca, Micro Focus UFT</a></li></ul>



<h3 id="2-appium">2 .Appium:&nbsp;</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="799" height="134" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/appium.jpg" alt="appium" class="wp-image-31357"/></figure>



An open-source framework with a rich <a href="https://testsigma.com/open-source-contribution" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">open source community</a>, Appium is perhaps the most commonly used framework for automation testing mobile UI – Android andopen-source iOS. It can be used to test native and hybrid apps, and as it’s a cross-platform tool, the same test can be performed on various platforms. Appium allows us to write scripts in any language we choose, like Java, Ruby, C#, Javascript, PHP, and Python.



The Appium UI Inspector helps testers identify UI elements and how they align with each other. Testers can also leverage the UI Automator framework or Instrumentation to test the Android app; its framework interacts with Selenium WebDriver and Node.js applications.



Appium Pros



<ul><li>Easy set-up process, but it&#8217;s important to note that setting up Appium is easy for programmers only because it requires solid programming skills for configuring the server.</li><li>Cross-platform and cross-language support</li><li>Appium UI Inspector for scanning and analyzing various UI components within the app</li><li>No additional device installations</li></ul>



Appium Cons



<ul><li>Speed matters, and its architecture makes the Appium framework relatively slow. Besides consuming time to start the server, it also takes time to trigger actions.</li><li>Appium doesn&#8217;t support testing Android devices older than Android 4.2, a predicament because it cannot cover many devices.</li><li>Testers must manually enter <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/element-locators-automated-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">element locations</a> as Appium doesn’t fully locate elements or identify images automatically.</li></ul>



<h3 id="2-espresso">2 .Espresso: </h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="798" height="134" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/blog-assets-production.testsigma.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/18115156/espresso-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-47979" srcset="https://s3.amazonaws.com/blog-assets-production.testsigma.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/18115156/espresso-1.png 798w, https://s3.amazonaws.com/blog-assets-production.testsigma.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/18115156/espresso-1-768x129.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px" /></figure>



Most Android developers across the world argue that Espresso is the best UI framework that there is! This open-source framework is developed by Google for Android, which makes it super convenient for writing solid and reliable Android UI tests. 



Test logic can be written close enough to the Android app&#8217;s logic, and the framework can be customised as per the developer&#8217;s need. Plus, it has a simple API. On the API level, it supports Android 8.0 onwards. 



With a dependency on the Hamcrest library, it supports Matchers from it, which most developers are familiar with. Using this library, developers can add custom actions for simplifying the testing process.



Espresso Pros



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Light, easy to learn, and compact API that is open for customizations. Managing Android UI tests is effortless.</li><li>It can be easily integrated with Android Studio — native Android development studio.</li><li>Simple set-up process and offers synchronization capabilities which means we don’t have to write any extra code for waiting until activity/fragment are loaded or completed.</li><li><a href="https://testsigma.com/guides/what-is-test-case/">Test cases</a> are executed fast.</li></ul>



Espresso Cons



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Espresso supports test cases that are written in Java and Kotlin. This limited tech stack is a disadvantage for many, especially for people with React-Native or <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/automating-flutter-apps-with-appium-flutter-driver/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flutter app</a> framework.</li></ul>



<h3 id="3-ui-automator">3 .UI Automator: </h3>



Google&#8217;s testing framework — UI Automator allows us to practically test any app that&#8217;s installed on the device. But what makes this framework effective is it allows writing test cases without fully knowing the implementation details of the apps.



It can interact with various Android apps and its APIs help us perform tasks like rotating the screen on a test device or open Settings (or other menu items). The following piece of code is an example of how it can manipulate or trigger actions on devices.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/o-W8gyoBcX1xwn4c1CxsQGMNYMRETIMWBwARAIVsDmMV_tB6tMdJ6mFWn_CaOu3qwLcMglCDyJPoWTiJ4EkIIavkJ22LzI6FooSpQrSp85syrpqx7D-yRzf04lBQTznsH5fEp2lx" alt="UI Automator"/></figure>



The test cases can be written in Java or Kotlin, and the framework comes with two sets of APIs — UIAutomator APIs and&nbsp; Device State APIs. The UI Automator API lets us manage the app’s UI components while the Device State APIs gives us access to operate the device. Plus, this framework has a UI Automator Viewer option that lets us study and analyze <a href="https://ionicframework.com/docs/components" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UI components</a> in mobile devices.



UI Automator Pros



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Supports testing on devices starting from Android version 4.1.&nbsp;</li><li>Simple API framework</li></ul>



UI Automator Cons



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Supports only Java and Kotlin</li><li>Doesn’t support web view</li><li>The API is complex while working with lists</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-which-android-ui-testing-framework-should-you-choose">Which Android UI Testing Framework Should You Choose?</h2>



Several considerations must be addressed while selecting a UI testing framework for automation testing. First, evaluate the platform or technology on which your application is developed, as certain frameworks are designed to work only with specific platforms or languages. It&#8217;s also vital to examine the complexity of your application and the framework&#8217;s level of support and documentation.



Another important consideration is the extent of automation required. Some frameworks include more advanced automation features, such as continuous integration and visual testing, while others are more basic and may necessitate more manual intervention.



Finally, evaluate the framework&#8217;s pricing and licencing requirements, as certain frameworks may be more expensive or require specific licencing agreements.



When selecting a UI testing framework for automated testing, it&#8217;s critical to analyse your demands and select a framework that fulfils those objectives while providing essential capabilities and support.



<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



Android UI testing frameworks are indispensable for modern mobile app development. They help developers and testers deliver high-quality Android applications by ensuring the reliability, consistency, and compatibility of their user interfaces across a wide variety of devices and screens.&nbsp;



Using Testsigma, you can automate both Android and iOS tests 10X faster across 3000+ devices/tablets and 1000+ browser/OS combos on the cloud without any coding.



Ready to automate your <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/android-device-testing-a-no-hassle-guide-for-testers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Android devices tests</a>? You can sign up for a <a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">free trial</a> or chat with us for more details.




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Top 4 UI Frameworks For Android Automation Testing

Top 4 Android UI Testing Frameworks List to Look For

Android application testing An indepth comparison of the two approaches Manual and Automated

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