<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Introduction">1 Introduction</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_an_in-house_device_lab_and_why_is_it_needed">2 What is an ‘in-house device lab’ and why is it needed?</a><ul><li><a href="#When_is_it_useful">2.1 When is it useful?</a></li><li><a href="#When_is_it_not_useful">2.2 When is it not useful?</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#What_is_the_impact_of_the_pandemic_on_the_in-house_device_labs">3 What is the impact of the pandemic on the in-house device labs?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_the_possible_alternatives_to_in-house_device_labs">4 What are the possible alternatives to in-house device labs?</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_enable_automation_along_with_device_providers_on_cloud">5 How to enable automation along with device providers on cloud?</a></li><li><a href="#Cloud_device_providers_for_Automation">6 Cloud device providers for Automation</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="introduction">Introduction</h2>



A major part of the web is now mobile-driven. This is also obvious from the fact that Google is now indexing all websites mobile-first. If you are someone who has a website &#8211; more often than not, chances are that it will be majorly consumed on a mobile phone.&nbsp;



Mobile phone usage has seen rapid growth in the past and is expected to grow at a good rate in the future too. To support the claim, below are some stats that we took from <a href="https://datareportal.com/global-digital-overview#:~:text=There%20are%205.15%20billion%20unique,of%202.4%20percent%20per%20year." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">datareportal.com</a> related to mobile phone usage:



“Most internet users (92.8 percent) use mobile devices to go online at least some of the time, but computers also account for an important share of internet activity.” 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/jxfye1u73rbYeP32h1H9Igorf_Et-WqTVpCm_FKdhOD9E8_GLB73eP07wrn8sQys4Ifzg6lxlevcxUNwHjGr8xCKuAUVaGfpImQSAsuHvCmGyHVxOnPKCZAuYyVY4Q" alt=""/></figure>



Thus, it has become imperative that companies release their products taking care of how it appears and works on the variety of mobile phones available today. These companies can implement this testing in multiple ways, namely:



1. Testing their products/website on a selected number of mobile phones.2. Testing their products/website on few selected real devices and few emulators.3. They can also create an in-house device lab that houses a good number of these devices and test them.4. Last, but in no way the least &#8211; using some cloud device provider for testing their products/website on the large number of devices that can be accessed via cloud. Companies can also integrate their test automation with these cloud device providers in various ways.



Companies have been following one of the above 4 methods for testing their products according to their suitability.&nbsp; Points 1 and 2 are self-explanatory. In this article, we will discuss points 3 and 4. 



<h2 id="what-is-an-in-house-device-lab-and-why-is-it-needed">What is an ‘in-house device lab’ and why is it needed?</h2>



When a team is working on a product that works on a mobile device, the most important thing to test is that it works on all supported versions of all supported mobile devices. To achieve this, organizations often opt to create an in-house device lab for themselves.&nbsp;



There are times when this can be useful and times when it might not be. 



<h3 id="when-is-it-useful">When is it useful?</h3>



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>When the organization is big and has ensured that the cost of setting up and using an in-house device lab will be lower than when the same devices are used on cloud.</li><li>When some specific settings are needed on a mobile device that would be tough to replicate on cloud.</li></ul>



<h3 id="when-is-it-not-useful">When is it not useful?</h3>



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>When you have a small team who might not be using the devices in the device lab regularly</li><li>When the cost of maintaining the device lab is too much to justify the cost of procuring and setting it up.</li></ul>



<h2 id="what-is-the-impact-of-the-pandemic-on-the-in-house-device-labs">What is the impact of the pandemic on the in-house device labs?</h2>



The covid-19 pandemic changed the way the world looked at work. And at some places, the changes have the potential to be permanent. Almost all the world, at the same time, decided to work from home and not go to the company offices. This was the only way to stay safe in a difficult situation.&nbsp; 



Because the offices closed down, the labs in the offices became difficult to access. Thus, the in-house device lab might not be something you might want to have in the current situation.



<h2 id="what-are-the-possible-alternatives-to-in-house-device-labs">What are the possible alternatives to in-house device labs?</h2>



The best alternative solution to an ‘in-house device lab’ is a device lab on the cloud.&nbsp; 



The benefits of working with device providers on cloud at present are:



1. The device lab on cloud can be accessed from anywhere at any time, thus working from home or from anywhere else is not a hurdle in using it, you just need a working internet connection and you are set.2. The device lab on cloud can provide you with thousands of devices with much less price.3. You have the flexibility to use the device lab only for the time that you need it.4. The device lab also will get updated to the latest devices as and when they get available in the market.5. You can forget the hassles of maintaining an in-house device lab, no extra personnel needed for maintenance, no tensions of procuring and updating to new versions and devices. Just focus on your testing.



Above, we talked about device labs, there are different ways that the device lab can be used. These are:



1. You can get access to the device lab and execute your test cases manually. Which can be time-consuming if you are executing the test cases on multiple devices.2. You can automate the test cases and integrate them to the device cloud and choose the devices that the test cases will be executed on. The only extra hassle here would be to configure the connection between the lab and your tests.3. You can go for a cloud-based automated tool that lets you execute your automated test cases on the in-house device lab. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-cross-browser-testing-tool" target="_blank">Testsigma, a cloud-based automated cross browser testing tool,</a> is one such unique offering. Why Unique? Because it lets you automate your test cases on mobile devices as well as browsers very easily from one place. The test cases are created in simple English, thus the test case creation process is very easy too.And, the best part is you can integrate with any of the multiple device clouds at the click of a button from anywhere, anytime and execute the test cases easily. That&#8217;s not all, you get a one-month free trial too.



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<h2 id="how-to-enable-automation-along-with-device-providers-on-cloud">How to enable automation along with device providers on cloud?</h2>



Let’s talk about enabling automation along with device providers on cloud, in detail. Below are few points you should take care of:



1. If you are not going for a cloud-based test automation tool and only want to use a cloud device provider then ensure that your automated workflow can be easily integrated with the cloud device provider. 2. After integration, make sure that the test execution on the cloud devices is easy to launch. 3. The report of all test executions should be easily available and you should have the option to send them to your email too.4. Parallel execution of test cases on the devices should be supported.5. The cloud device provider should provide you support if there is an issue with execution.6. You should only be billed for the time you use the cloud services.7. The devices in the cloud should be updated soon after an update.9. You should also have access to devices that are not the latest but are still in use.10. The cloud service provider should have some security protocols to ensure that your data on the cloud is always safe and secure.



If you are wondering if you need to invest in cloud-based automation testing tool then this is an article you should read:<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/signs-you-need-to-invest-in-a-cloud-based-test-automation-tool/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)"> 6 signs you need to invest in a cloud-based test automation tool</a>







<h2 id="cloud-device-providers-for-automation">Cloud device providers for Automation</h2>



And lastly,&nbsp; here is the list of the various cloud device providers in the market today: 



1. Testsigma: This is a scriptless automated testing tool where test cases can be created easily in English and then executed on one of the 5 easily integrate cloud device labs. This is the tool for you if you are looking for a complete automated testing solution for <a href="https://testsigma.com/cross-browser-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">cross browser testing</a>. 



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2. LambdaTest: A cloud-based cross browser testing platform that helps in both manual and automated (via Selenium) browser compatibility testing. Users can perform live interactive testing of their website or web app on a combination of 2000+ different browsers and operating systems right from their own browser.3. BrowserStack: Gives access to 2000+ real devices and browsers on cloud for testing live (manually) as well as automated (Cypress[beta] and Selenium).&nbsp;4. Sauce Labs: This is also a tool that facilitates cloud-based cross browser testing live as well as execution of scripts written in Selenium and appium.5. CrossBrowserTesting: A cloud-based tool for cross browser testing &#8211; Live as well automated execution of Selenium and appium scripts.



Learn More &#8211; <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/how-to-automate-your-web-testing-on-real-mobile-and-desktop-browsers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How to Automate Test on Real Devices</a>

How automation can work along with device providers on cloud as most in-house device labs are closed

How to Make Automation Work With Device Providers on Cloud

A long time ago, we started building software, basic calculator stuff. Small, uncluttered, and light software. Then we increased the size, complexity, and dependencies. 



As the complexities of the software applications increased, the need for software testing became more and more apparent. That was when Manual testing of software applications came into being. 



Soon, when the software was big and hefty, manual testing became a hectic and time-consuming job too. And just like any other field, ways for automating it started being researched. 



Automation was then soon implemented where manual work was done by the computer, the need was to write scripts that would mimic the user behaviour and run as configured.&nbsp;



But, today, we are at a stage where we have grown so much that even automation scripts, which were introduced for saving time, are taking quite a lot of time. Hence, we add another dish to our menu which could speed up the process of automation: <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/what-does-scriptless-test-automation-mean-automation-tester/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">scriptless automation</a> and scriptless testing tools. 



Scriptless testing tools or codeless testing tools are sometimes confused with writing nothing at all which is a misconception. Scriptless testing is developed to minimize the script writing which took most of the time in automation. 



As a result, we do not need people with x years of experience in a tool. Just a bit of reading and understanding the syntax would make everything work. And therefore, even business partners and stakeholders can contribute to the test automation process. Scriptless <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/advantages-of-using-codeless-test-automation-tools-an-exhaustive-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testing tools or codeless</a> testing tools convert the easy-to-understand-to-human-eye instructions written by the team into code behind the scene. 



Scriptless testing is gaining market share rapidly as it provides multiple benefits such as faster developments, speeds up processes, saves a lot of time, and helps in scaling the software faster. In this post, we will discuss the best scriptless testing tools available in the market that can help you automate your angular based applications with ease and efficiency.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Testsigma">1 Testsigma</a></li><li><a href="#Perfecto_Scriptless_formerly_Testcraftnbsp">2 Perfecto Scriptless (formerly Testcraft)&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="#ZapTest">3 ZapTest</a></li><li><a href="#ACCELQ">4 ACCELQ</a></li><li><a href="#TestComplete">5 TestComplete</a></li><li><a href="#Which_ones_your_favourite">6 Which one’s your favourite?</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="testsigma">Testsigma</h2>



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank">Testsigma is an extremely efficient scriptless testing tool</a> that not only works on all types of web applications (including angular based applications) but also Android and iOS mobile applications. Testsigma supports a very wide range of testing paradigms including continuous testing and cross-browser testing which makes it a complete solution for those looking for efficient scriptless test automation. 



Testsigma contains powerful AI and NLP-based algorithms that help in automation test creation “scriptlessly” in less time and with more accuracy.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/uuWrNgrkGC_ouYxdust1cpJqkt1KkEFPWdSrx9vA2KMg8TF60Q0M_zHF3J0R23jfYapZkozm6kmw77NMNC4heszAQHiy-0a28nYWjF9j0oB54emMmrIWPubJNBcZ2h4pBZ1TGWXj" alt="Testsigma"/></figure>



Features



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>The artificial intelligence algorithm paces up the automation test creation very easily (up to 5 times <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">as claimed by Testsigma</a>). It also helps in identifying the UI identifiers with a dynamic locator strategy. </li><li>Testsigma lets its users create automated test cases in English which makes it easier for anyone including business stakeholders to test their angular application. </li></ul> 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/6QTQynqMMNmtMMYxACYn3qQcRcAPy5Z6JEnG2goytDrXhbGTCzgjs0Spzui8hj7FMVMA-djoJH4eARfbJLl-IGbBTjfubyzLFf_wzTGrvbYwXvjvaPS7L0cUkKGzcWEgKTpO9Bgi" alt="Testsigma"/></figure>



 <ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Testsigma is completely hosted on the cloud, thus you only need to signup and you can start with you test case automation process immediately </li><li>Testsigma offers a unique binding feature under which the testers can test the application even when the app is under development, thus shift left is really easy. Later on, after completion, the tests can be bound together with ease. </li><li>Testsigma offers self heal whenever there is a change in a related resource which saves the overall execution time. Also, it suggests changes for affected resources after such a change. </li><li>Testsigma also has an in-built <a href="https://testsigma.com/continuous-integration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">CI/CD integration</a> facility which helps setting up the complete testing workflow easily. </li><li>Testsigma gives you the option to connect to any of the 5 device labs on the cloud at the click of a button and perform your cross browser testing with ease. </li><li>There is no initial setup required for Testsigma. Just sign up and test your application based on angular on any other technology on the cloud.</li><li>Testsigma provides easy test maintenance as the test steps can be added anywhere in the script with Add Before and Add After features. </li><li>Testsigma excels in providing rich reports with screenshots and videos which can be shared with other members of the team for review and modifications in the tests. </li></ul> 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/WBMMil6d1lAdgjEQjRViyaz5_6DdMjJ_OYcsTxnt0KSBiFCRQ3jKkSN7sczVep72wV4o8QcUu8R8T2BIWE5kWWxUZykIkYktSctaJqj3Mn-N3cjb7iPo0Jpog_FQKAgUO42nEhOV" alt="Testsigma - Features"/></figure>



Testsigma generated report.



Along with above highlighted features, Testsigma offers much more contribution in this scriptless test automation world. To know more about these features, you can visit Testsgima <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/scriptless-test-automation-tool-why-testsigma/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scriptless Testing</a> Features or you can just start your scriptless test automation journey on your angular application right away. 



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<h2 id="perfecto-scriptless-formerly-testcraft">Perfecto Scriptless (formerly Testcraft)&nbsp;</h2>



Perfecto Scriptless, is a scriptless tool for automated testing of web applications that cover angular based applications as well. Perfecto Scriptless is made on top of <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/blog/selenium-and-mobile-test-automation-can-selenium-be-used-for-mobile-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Selenium</a> which is an added advantage because Selenium has already proven itself in the community. 



Hence, Perfecto Scriptless becomes a trusted and reliable software. Perfecto Scriptless uses AI technology to create the tests as well as to minimize the overhead of test maintenance.&nbsp; 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/nK-lrPu6KEbkZR5xA2lJpGzj6VNoHGG6UozLfz-OHpsGzzZUpy78tHh00JxevKQzqsUT50wfqqrbpqZt5B5Y1T35ZYOLMAOlg_1_d0cPH1Yxdavi3VriVUHusmfvYzQnpOLyDW1G" alt="Perfecto"/></figure>



Features:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Perfecto Scriptless makes use of artificial intelligence to adjust the test cases, automatically, when a change occurs which is a plus point during the automation of complex angular applications. </li><li>Perfecto Scriptless uses a visual modeling technique that is interactive, interesting and indulges testers for faster and better test creation. </li><li>Perfecto Scriptless eliminates the need to learn the programming language that creates opportunities for different people to indulge in test creation. </li><li>Perfecto Scriptless comes with CI/CD integration capabilities. </li><li>Selenium-based and hence can leverage open-source modules and Selenium powerful functionalities. </li></ul>



<h2 id="zaptest">ZapTest</h2>



ZapTest is an easy-to-use scriptless automation testing tool for web applications including angular based applications.Unlike the above-mentioned software, ZapTest uses drag and drop features rather than artificial intelligence to build up the test cases. 



This makes test creation easier and super fast. Just like any other scriptless test automation software, a background in a programming language is not a requirement to work on ZapTest. 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Y5bK_Qc232xznLKxkeXlR2acm0je34fS4goS7x7dUzD_h6ldKIxF5jXcrBRwaVm8K4ie8f9bbV3bNEm5WvBLi7nhz3hE2vxqhUDLTnTUUwaIfKWkFvPsA9-oUeziMgHVyH2huxcm" alt="Zaptest"/></figure>



Features



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>ZapTest works on GUI-based pages (calling them GUI Maps). The tester can pick the elements directly from the GUI and place them on the scriptless test board. They can later make a testing flow out of it. </li><li>ZapTest uses a drag-and-drop feature which is very easy to use and understand. </li></ul> 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/IpJJ9W0SSfVtX6ajeIWJr2jIOu59VEXJ0H-bF0b6LZf8F9IWcXK4PEhrKMgZ7ZfCfIaT2walBVkrqbd1Wgghl-4mI1fE24WtNlpDF4kGzCUU4Y6znkkAFw6QmMLXoJZbtaKiuYAi" alt="Zaptest - features"/></figure>



 <ul class="list_style_disc"><li>ZapTest has a very simple user interface with the majority of tools available in the side toolbar or the header toolbar. This gives ZapTest a smaller <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/automated-functional-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">learning</a> curve compared to other tools. </li><li>ZapTest provides a detailed scriptless test automation report for your angular application so that testers and business stakeholders can carefully scrutinize the application’s performance. </li><li>ZapTest can also connect to multiple devices (such as desktop and iOS-based devices) and the tester can run the tests on all of them parallelly. </li></ul>



<h2 id="accelq">ACCELQ</h2>



ACCELQ is a continuous test management tool focussing on “self-healing capabilities” and cutting down the testing time. The selling pitch of ACCELQ has always been the scriptless automation testing approach for test creation. 



To test the web applications including angular based applications, ACCELQ takes care of overheads and provides a cloud-based smooth approach to the tester or business analyst (since the process is codeless/scriptless).



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/T7CXG0YXAEk9C-SKUY0xCovO8TmiWRHgQ083jDU4JH3q3cmd4lHWju550-WZG8SvGnN8xLaaF4_dOho2lw2vgebVHhuw2HoTADkB9Ff_PUvph_m9Y-KEYM4aFG9Q7XsHHGoUkkGn" alt="Accelq"/></figure>



Features



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>ACCELQ works in the natural English language and does not require coding in any programming language. Such methods bring business analysts and testers together to contribute their thoughts. </li><li>ACCELQ comes with self-healing capabilities that adapt to the changes done in the user interface. ACCELQ stands apart from other self-healing tools as it can detect synonym-based changes too. </li><li>ACCELQ has an in-built view analyzer that can analyze your angular web application page’s DOM structure. With DOM in our hand, it becomes extremely easy to pick up the elements from the application which could have been a hard job with complex angular applications. </li></ul>



<h2 id="testcomplete">TestComplete</h2>



TestComplete is the final software making it to our list of best scriptless testing tools that can be used with angular based applications.TestComplete is built by Smartbear and is a codeless tool focussing on the record and replay feature provided by it. TestComplete is a popular tool in the testing community adopted by big companies. 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/agEpeLM266kTgXSdcUeQHvwyUjzMIa0_YkJf19XaqiORuq4NWh0SZ_9Bs8fz78G_TwhseOH94bLOcKNdD1zS77pWt3zozOQ5AlqAu5AQ9pTpfgOX55og16aoDcYfpN7OUFGEK7Zd" alt="TestComplete"/></figure>



Features



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>TestComplete brings a “record and replay” feature that can help build UI tests with the “point and click” test creation feature. </li><li>The recorded tests can then be played across a variety of other devices such as desktop, web, and even mobile applications. This is a good feature to test the cross-platform compatibility of our angular application. </li><li>TestComplete has an in-built GUI object recognition system that uses artificial intelligence to identify objects from GUI. </li><li>TestComplete also has self-healing capabilities as described among other tools. Self-healing capabilities are one feature that has become quite important these days. </li></ul>



<h2 id="which-one-s-your-favourite">Which one’s your favourite?</h2>



<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/advantages-scriptless-automated-testing-tools/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scriptless testing</a> is the future of test automation. You can accomplish your goals without writing those messy Java code lines that would take hours to rectify errors. 



Scriptless test automation eliminates the process of learning a time-consuming course and applying those to the test automation. When you build a web app and “time” is one of the enemies, we need to play fast, and scriptless test automation works as a catalyst in the process.&nbsp; 



In a nutshell, it does not matter what scriptless test automation tool presents what at your doorstep. What matters is what increases your efficiency and blends in your work environment. Maybe you are fascinated by drag and drop and maybe you love the English-like instructions that Testsigma offers. 



Hence, we invite your thoughts into our comment section and let the community know what, according to you, is heading the race and for what reasons. Till then, have a happy scriptless AI-packed testing!



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Best scriptless testing tools for angular based applications

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=""/></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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With its latest release, Testsigma is set to change mobile test automation forever. Witness the change live on 11th August 
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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=""/></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=""/></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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Kick-start your mobile test automation within minutes
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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.



<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="#4_Top_Android_UI_Testing_Frameworks">4 4 Top Android UI Testing Frameworks</a><ul><li><a href="#Testsigma">4.1 Testsigma:</a></li><li><a href="#Appiumnbsp">4.2 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-4-top-android-ui-testing-frameworks">4 Top Android UI Testing Frameworks</h2>



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



<h3 id="testsigma">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 30-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/testsigma-vs-other-tools" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma vs Selenium, Tricentis Tosca, Micro Focus UFT</a></li></ul>



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



An open-source framework with a rich <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/we-are-going-open-source-with-testsigma-community-edition/" 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.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/pg6upkitHu-YtEyobUBSOvyBBaXs0iFzp5SiuUoH7ZNBAJFasNgKAmpj-7PqreXF73Jtv_xBetTXurZmIQ-_5zAVDBb-wTRR-2K1kBvlVY9y9yG9Ngs0RhfFCeKEPWN-TcdR2fVq" alt="Appium UI framework"/></figure>



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>



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  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.



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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

Android Automated Testing and Manual Testing: Which Approach to Follow?

Robotic Process Automation and Test Automation are two confusing terms in testing processes. Similar to TDD and BDD processes, RPA and test automation seem like a single branch of the test segment which is common to be exchanged in communication during planning. The word “automation” seems to be a culprit in this case. 



When both the terms end with automation and someone knows any one of them, it is not hard to presume another one based on primitive knowledge. While it is definitely true that both of these processes automate the process, “what” and “how” of their automation is entirely different. 



This post is constructed to narrow the gap of understanding and to validate that RPA and Test automation are not only different in their working and mechanism, their base foundation works on different scenarios. Before we jump to discuss the details of RPA vs Test Automation, it is better to understand what they individually are.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Robotic_Process_Automation_RPA">1 What is Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_Test_Automation">2 What is Test Automation?</a></li><li><a href="#RPA_vs_Test_Automation">3 RPA vs Test Automation</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="what-is-robotic-process-automation-rpa">What is Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?</h2>



According to Google, the meaning of a “robot” is: “a machine resembling a human being and able to replicate certain human movements and functions automatically.” Surprisingly, this definition fits perfectly with RPA by making slight adjustments.&nbsp; 



Robotic Process Automation is the process of mimicking a user’s actions on the system and performing them automatically. This is achieved through artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms by learning the patterns from the user’s actions. 



RPA is achieved through software bots with varying capabilities and made available by various developers on the internet. When a user performs the actions with the RPA bot, these user actions are then converted to tasks or actions and performed without a user. 



RPA needs AI algorithms because it does not blindly run the tests again and again but performs the same actions considering the various scenarios. For example, data entry requires us to enter data by performing the same actions but with different data. This can be achieved through RPA. 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Lj54HcI5AwDiGMi5IzNSfrnl2chgxH26PIBQLpYTE0fIG_vv6AhN_ufCWklhXJd7j3emFaJWfF1FtUeBlZ37MHVmxeKsOdZKA-n0FLaTaLoeXNaZmBDHohSnFqfKUQQu1lwlZWVA" alt="Robotic Process Automation Applications" /><figcaption>Robotic Process Automation Applications in various fields.</figcaption></figure>



Robotic Process Automation does not require extensive codes to understand the problem. Rather, they are run when a user is performing actions on the graphical user interface. This can be attributed to the name of RPA which has “process” instead of Robotic “Test” Automation. 



A codeless process makes them an important part in performing business-related activities such as data entries, fetching queries or manipulating certain data on situations. RPA removes redundancy in the process and performs repetitive business tasks in order to achieve efficient and time-saving performance.&nbsp;



Benefits of RPA



The RPA boasts the following benefits:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Efficient Results: RPA bots and processes are highly efficient in performing their tasks. They take less time and wrap things up quickly.</li><li>Accurate Performance: RPA is a machine-led process. Similar to other machine-specific tasks, RPA too has high accuracy and can work for longer hours than a human tester.</li><li>Perfect Resource Usage: RPA consumes resources at a steadier rate and occupies a resource only when it is needed. This method provides a way for other processes.</li><li>Cost-Effective Solution: RPA is a cost-effective solution since manual tester’s work hours are not counted. Moreover, the work done with RPA is faster which is an added advantage in cost-cutting.</li><li>Highly Secure: RPA is a highly secure process and the tasks performed are single tasks. The chances of data leakage are next to zero and information is exchanged through secure paths.</li><li>Helps in Future Planning: RPA performs an error-free job. This makes the overall analytics highly accurate and the analytics data can then be referred for planning for future business goals and investments.</li></ul>



<h2 id="what-is-test-automation">What is Test Automation?</h2>



Test automation is the automation of repetitive “test cases” rather than business rules. Test automation is not a new term for testers working professionally for some time. While building up a big project with a lot of modules, test cases become repetitive. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/regression-testing" target="_blank">Regression tests</a> are one such example. 



These repetitive test cases not only waste the time and effort of testers but makes the process boring, error-prone and make them overlook specific bugs. Automating these test cases cuts the cost of the project and helps testers focus their energy somewhere else.&nbsp; 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/4K9eRqXzzJ1icmE1zlcXkoN2HROUzmHIJfZCjKuDqiq_4YEbt7m37BgpKMhX6XU5jmnwF2mFSJk2mElPTl-YYTQ2iJsZAu1aa2VDbHcBijJdz3xiSO9ztTvZQwQr-B1RNHLuynHC" alt="Test Automation Benefits" /><figcaption>Test Automation Benefits</figcaption></figure></div>







In contrast with RPA, test automation understands specific commands only. For example, for a particular action, there would be a particular syntax that will have to be followed. This syntax might be achieved by writing code or by codeless methods. Codeless methods will be interpreting commands but will be easier to understand and automate. 



One such <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">codeless test automation tool is Testsigma</a>. Testsigma uses plain English to construct test cases which is an easier and simpler method than resolving a language and writing codes in it. To simplify the process, even more, artificial intelligence always watches your actions and heals the automation tests automatically.&nbsp; 



To understand the perfect time to initiate automation in your process, refer to <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/5-signs-you-need-to-implement-test-automation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">article that talks about&nbsp; the 5 signs when you need to implement test automation</a> 



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Benefits of Test Automation



The test automation process boasts the following benefits:



<ul class="list_style_disc"><li>Time Saver: Test automation runs the repetitive tests whenever required on the application under test. Since tests can be hundreds, using <a href="https://testsigma.com/guides/manual-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">manual testing</a> wastes a lot of time for something that can be automated. Test automation can run these tests quickly, anytime and generate reports at the end.</li><li>Cost Saver: Test automation can run the tests all day long with the same accuracy. Automating these tests is not charged per hour and is, therefore, a huge cost saver for the business.</li><li>Faster Project Delivery: Test automation can facilitate the time required to deliver a project since repetitive tasks are done by automation and testers can focus on other tasks. With the work being distributed, a project can be tested quickly.</li><li>Larger <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-coverage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Test Coverage</a>: Since the repetitive tests remain the same when required again with time, we can add more tests and run all the tests for better quality software. Hence, we increase our test coverage and there is no need to skip or delete any test case.</li></ul>



I hope you must have got the gist of RPA and Test automation and how both of these automation processes helps us grow businesses and improve the quality of the software. But still, even though we know both of these phenomena as individual processes, the differences and comparisons between them are a little cloudy. In the next section, let’s see how these two processes differ and on what grounds.



<h2 id="rpa-vs-test-automation">RPA vs Test Automation</h2>



The following table will help you compare RPA vs test automation with keywords. The gist of these keywords can be found in the above sections.







<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"><tbody><tr style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"> </td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">RPA</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Test Automation</td></tr><tr style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Goal</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Business Process Automation</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Test Case Automation</td></tr><tr style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">syntax</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Not Required, it is rule-based</td><td>Required(for code and codeless features)</td></tr><tr style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Used For</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Automating any kind of Business Process</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Automation of Testing Process</td></tr><tr style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Flexibility</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Highly Flexible</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Limitations with Tools (Ex. Selenium works only with Web applications)</td></tr><tr style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Automation Spectrum</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Very Wide</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Only tests can be automated.</td></tr><tr style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Working Process</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Adaptive due to AI and ML.</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Although AI and ML have made their foray here, still the scope is limited</td></tr><tr style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"><td>Objectives</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Validate business objectives.</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Validate software application functionality and performance.</td></tr><tr style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Applications</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Data Entry, Billing, Ticket Booking etc.</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Security Testing, Regression Testing etc.</td></tr><tr style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Tools (examples)</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Blueprism, UiPath, NICE</td><td style="padding:15px;border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse">Selenium, Appium, JIRA</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Automation is expanding its wings to every field from manufacturing to information technology services. It has become an important part of a tester’s and businesses’ daily life. Automation cuts our costs, saves a lot of time and works with very high accuracy. It deserves the attention it gets from everyone today. Two such segments branching from automation are RPA and test automation. 



RPA focuses on automating business processes such as mimicking the tasks and actions while keeping in mind various scenarios through artificial intelligence. <a aria-label="Test automation (opens in a new tab)" href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Test automation</a> on the other hand requires strict rules and focuses on different scenarios related to the testing of software. They might sound a bit similar, but they are different from their foundation and working.



RPA and test automation are both important in building a high-quality product and improving the business. While they come with their own set of bane and boons, the team has to decide what suits their needs the best. RPA is important for improving the business processes and making them more efficient while test automation is for building a high-quality product. 



It is recommended to use them whenever they can be of help to save time. I hope this post helped declutter the confusion and doubts about RPA vs test automation. If this post served its purpose, we would love to hear it from you in the comment section below!! Keep testing and keep improving!



Read here <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/low-code-vs-rpa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RPA VS Low Code</a>

RPA Vs Test Automation

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