There is quite a number of software testing challenges today:
- testing a mobile app on different devices with different OS versions
- testing a web app on different browsers and browser versions
- testing an application for compatibility with different hardware configurations
- testing an application for security vulnerabilities
- testing an application for compliance with industry or government regulations
In spite of the rapid development of automated software testing, manual testing tools are still in high demand among developers and QA engineers. Below is a short list of the most popular manual testing tools as of today.
1. Selenium
Selenium is a web application testing tool that enables you to write tests that interact with web browsers. Selenium can be used to test web applications in different browsers on different platforms. It supports different programming languages such as Java, C#, Python, and Ruby.
Selenium is available as a standalone tool and as a plugin for the Eclipse IDE. The Selenium binary distribution is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
2. HP UFT
HP UFT is a software testing tool that enables you to automate software testing. It helps you to identify and resolve defects quickly, and improve the quality of your applications. HP UFT also enables you to manage your testing processes and resources and optimize your testing investments.
3. IBM Rational Functional Tester
IBM Rational Functional Tester is a software testing tool for the automated testing of software applications. It is used to verify the expected behavior of software applications and to identify defects. Functional testing verifies that the software behaves as expected.
4. TestComplete
TestComplete is a commercial software testing tool from SmartBear Software. It is used for automated testing of software applications. TestComplete supports various scripting languages, including C#, VBScript, and JavaScript. It also supports the recording of user actions to create test scripts.
TestComplete is used by many large organizations, including Microsoft, IBM, and Oracle.
- Supported platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
- Supported browsers: Chrome, Firefox, and Safari
- Scripting languages: Java, JavaScript, C#, Python, and VBScript
- Integrated development environment: Yes
- API: Yes
5. Watir
Watir is an open-source (BSD licensed) Ruby library for automating web browsers. It provides a simple API for navigating web pages and extracting information from them. Watir also includes a powerful mechanism for controlling the browser’s behavior. Watir is available as a gem, so you can install it using the gem command.
6. JMeter
JMeter is a Java-based desktop application used for load testing and performance analysis. It can be used to test the performance of a web application, system, or network. JMeter can be used to simulate a large number of users accessing a web application at the same time. It can also be used to measure the response time of a web application and the throughput of a network.
7. Selendroid
Selendroid is an open-source test automation framework for Android. Selendroid supports the automation of native and hybrid apps on Android devices. Selendroid can be used to test Android apps automatically. Selendroid can be used in conjunction with Appium.
8. Appium
Appium is an open-source mobile app testing tool. It enables you to write tests against native and hybrid mobile apps using the same API. Appium tests are written using the Selenium WebDriver API.
9. Espresso
Espresso is a testing tool for Android that enables you to write concise, reliable tests. Espresso helps you write tests that are easy to read and maintain. Espresso is a part of the Android Testing Support Library. It is available as part of the Android Studio development environment.
10. Calabash
Calabash is a free and open-source automated acceptance testing tool for mobile apps. It uses natural language to describe the desired behavior of an app and then generates tests that can be run on the app. Calabash is written in Ruby and can be used with Android and iOS apps.
Some of the key skills required for manual testing are:
- Patience. The tester needs to be patient in order to test all possible scenarios and corner cases.
- Creativity. The tester needs to be creative in order to think of new ways to test the application.
- Open Minded. The tester needs to be open-minded in order to accept changes in the application and test them.
This process can be time-consuming, but it is a necessary step in ensuring that software is user-friendly. By verifying that software functions as expected, developers can catch and fix errors before they are released to end-users. Additionally, manual testing can help developers to understand how users might interact with the software and find potential issues with the user interface.
Conclusion
Manual testing is often used in conjunction with automated testing, which uses computer-based tools to test software applications. Automated testing can help to speed up the testing process, but it is not always possible to catch all errors with automated testing. Therefore, manual testing is still an important part of software development.