How to choose the best automation testing tool for your project in 5 simple steps

Every testing project is unique, as well as its requirements. In this article, we walk you through five practical steps that will guide you through the process of searching and deciding which automation testing tools are best for your project.

Depending on the project, testing requirements can vary greatly. From the type of software you are testing, to the language the application is built in, there are numerous factors you should keep in mind before deciding which automation testing tool would be a good fit for your project. The process of determining the right tool can be a complex one, but conducting the appropriate research can make that work significantly easier. Exploring what tool options are available out there and analyzing your own project requirements thoroughly will provide you with a really good understanding of what to look for. Read ahead to learn what else you can do to find the most compatible automation testing tool for your project’s needs!

Step 1: Get To Know Your Project Requirements Thoroughly.

As we already mentioned above, every project has its unique characteristics, and in order to find adequate test automation tools, it’s crucial to first have an in-depth understanding of those specific requirements. Before conducting any research on possible technologies for your project, you would benefit from answering the following questions that will provide you with a better idea of what you need to look for in an automation testing tool:

• What problems am I trying to solve with an automation tool?
• What type of testing needs to be performed?
• What type of application needs to be tested?
• What language is the application built in?
• What operating systems should be tested on?

These are just some of the essential questions that need to be answered before deciding which test automation tool to implement. They are just the starting point that will eventually lead to the exact type of tool your project needs! 

Step 2: Evaluate Your Tester’s Coding Skills.

Knowing the technical skill and experience of your testing team is crucial to pick the correct testing tools. Automation testing tools can be highly technical compared to manual testing ones, therefore, testers might need to have substantial coding knowledge in order to create and run test scripts. However, there are also many no-code automation tools that allow testers with less technical knowledge to automate processes through a user-friendly interface that involves no coding efforts.

There are reliable high quality tools available at both sides of the spectrum. Once you evaluate your team capabilities and what languages they are experienced in, you will know whether the code-based or codeless route is better for your project. 

Step 3: Define Your Project Budget.

Although over time automation testing can lead to significant cost savings, these types of tools can also be considered quite expensive depending on the project. While estimating the cost of purchasing and maintaining an automation testing tool is important, calculating a budget for it is not that simple. There are many other aspects of your project that are going to be indirectly impacted by the implementation of an automation testing tool. Sometimes, the learning curve for a tool is extremely high for your team, and you will have to invest in training your testers or hiring already experienced professionals. Other times, certain tools will provide you with exactly what you need to reduce product maintenance and find defects early during production, which will ultimately save you from unnecessary expenses. All of these factors need to be taken into consideration before deciding on a fixed budget.

Step 4: Research the Type of Tools Available in the Market. 

There are countless types of automation testing tools available. Now that you have figured out your project requirements, testers’ expertise and budget, you are ready to learn about the options available, and filter them according to your established criteria. 

As we mentioned above, there are code-based and codeless tools that cater to different levels of coding skills. But there are also commercial, open-source, desktop, mobile and web testing tools, to name just a few types.

Commercial automation tools can be acquired through a paid license and they usually offer a wider range of features than open-source tools, such as technical support, maintenance and regular updates. Open-source automation tools on the other hand, are free to use and users can access their source code to customize it. On top of this, some automation testing tools only focus on mobile or web applications, or specific types of testing such as performance, parallel or user acceptance testing.

The best tool for your project is the one that best adapts to the criteria defined in all the previous steps. Whether you need a commercial mobile performance automation testing tool, such as Apptim, or an open-source test automation tool for native, hybrid and mobile web apps such as Appium, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Step 5: Give It a Try, and Don’t Be Afraid to Change.

Deciding on an automation tool can be a tough decision, but it doesn’t have to be a definitive one. Once you pick a tool, take the time to experiment and evaluate how it really works with your project. If you don’t go the open-source way, most commercial tools nowadays offer a free trial that you can use in order to check if what they offer really meets your project requirements. Once you are sure of your choice, you can finally purchase the tool.

Enjoy the Searching Process.

If you don’t find the right automation testing tool for your project on the first try, don’t get discouraged. Every tool your testing team implements and puts their hands on will provide them with more experience and knowledge they can later use on a different project. If you want to learn about the automation testing tools we use in our projects, we recommend you read this article written by our Performance Engineer Matias Fornara, about some of the best test automation tools that we have tried and loved here at Abstracta!

If you’d like to learn more about our testing services, you can find out more about our solutions or take a look at our portfolio. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact us, our team would be glad to assist you!