Most important part of every software development process is ‘Testing’ and with mobile applications it has become even more important. Enormous fragmentation of OS, screen sizes, variations of standard OS and more can be witnessed due to the growing number of mobile devices. With agile processes, software testing is performed every so often in order to assure the best possible quality. In short intervals, new features and bug fixes need to be released so that the users don’t lose interest and newly added features should not bring new bugs. So it can be rightly said that the testing process is vital for an application’s survival.
Automation testing is one of the widely used mobile application testing approach. In this, user is required to set up as many test cases as possible which will allow the user to automate approximately 80% of the testing. Both manual and automation approach can be used for mobile application testing while automation testing saves a lot of time and effort in comparison to manual testing. Below is the brief description of the automation tools available these days:
1. Appium (Android, iOS and Windows)
i. Appium is an open source test automation framework
ii. It supports native, hybrid and mobile web apps
iii. It also supports cross-platform test automation (Android, iOS and Windows) apps using the WebDriver protocol
iv. Any framework or any language that can create an HTTP request support by Appium
v. No app modification is needed for testing. It supports testing on real devices or emulators
2. KeepItFunctional (iOS)
i. Keep It Functional is an integration test framework through which we can easily automate iOS apps
ii. We can develop tests in the same language as code which require minimal knowledge
iii. Required minimal knowledge for setting a run in a test suite
iv. Support for continuous integration
v. Tests in framework are written in Objective C language which results in maximum integration with code
3. Eggplant Mobile (Android and iOS)
i. Eggplant does mobile testing by using the iOS and Android Gateway agents to connect directly to live mobile devices or emulators
ii. Supports variety of mobile devices and OS such as mobile apps on iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry
iii. Eggplant uses unique functional image-based UI testing techniques
iv. It uses the most natural way for testing the mobile applications
v. Little effort is required for cross-device and cross-platform mobile applications testing
vi. No need to write different scripts for different devices and platforms, one script is enough for all devices and all platforms
vii. No jail-breaking is required in iOS
viii. Does not require any application modification for testing
4. MonkeyTalk (Android and iOS)
i. MonkeyTalk is an open source automation testing tool for mobile applications (native, mobile, and hybrid) in Android and iOS
ii. MonkeyTalk helps in automating functional tests for iOS, and Android
iii. It supports Web, HTML5, Hybrid and Flex apps
iv. It can be used for smoke tests or data-driven test suites
v. It supports real devices or simulators
5. SeeTest (iOS, Android, Windows Phone & BlackBerry)
i. SeeTest is a test automation tool for testing mobile applications on different mobile platforms such as iOS, Android, Windows Phone8 & BlackBerry
ii. Supports testing on real devices or emulators
iii. Used as a Plug-in on various testing environments such as Selenium Web Driver, HP UFT/QTP, JUnit, Python and Microsoft Visual Studio
iv. SeeTest gives best results in terms of performance
v. Support various methods of object recognition and recording
vi. Unique feature of mobile cloud solution which provides remote access from within the local area network to any device which is connected
vii. Supports running of various scripts on multiple handsets and simulators
viii. Support regression test cycle or a continuous integration process
6. Selendroid (Android)
i. Selendroid is a test automation framework used for testing Android apps
ii. Supports both native and hybrid applications
iii. Tests are written using the Selenium WebDriver client API
iv. Multiple devices or device emulators supported by the framework
v. Compatible with the JSON Wire Protocol and Selenium 3
vi. Built in Android driver web view app is used in testing mobile web
vii. Same concept is used for automating hybrid and native applications
viii. Built in inspector tool for test case creation
7. Robotium (Android)
i. Robotium is a test framework through which we can write robust black-box test cases for applications under test
ii. It supports web, native or hybrid mobile applications
iii. Automation of functional, system and acceptance test cases
iv. Minimal knowledge required for developing test cases
v. Run-time binding to GUI components makes the test cases more robust
vi. Smoothly integrates with Maven or Ant that makes running of tests as part of continuous integration
