2020 and Top Codeless Testing Tools You'd Better Know

This article was originally published in May 2020.

Coding may take years to practice to master. Having testers program a bunch of codes, fix errors in applications, and finish backlogs in weeks are challenging, time-consuming, and cost rising. The World Quality Report 2019–2020 has pointed out that lacking advanced programming expertise is one of the top challenges when applying test automation to Agile projects. We could say, the development of codeless automation testing tools is an emerging solution to the challenge.

First, let’s define codeless test automation. It means creating automated tests without needing a line of code. Codeless testing tools, based on this definition will empower testers with less programming skills/other non-dev users with project templates for workflow, element libraries, and interface customization. 

Plus, new innovations have been applied to the testing process. For example, some tools allow users to automate robust and reusable tests combining Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning algorithms into the self-healing mechanism, which ultimately leads to continuous test execution and consistent results.

The seamless increase in codeless automation tool adoption is stated to be one of the most influential automation testing trends in 2020.

2020 has come. Let’s go through a shortlist of the most potential 10 codeless testing tools:

1. Katalon Studio 

This codeless tool is popular for its wide test capabilities: Web, API, Mobile, and Desktop applications.  Katalon’s user-friendly interface, record and playback, drag and drop commands are basic but powerful features that effectively help newbies to get started with test automation. No need to build a framework from scratch, users can easily import a variety of external libraries and let the tool do it.

Not only a choice of beginners, but the rich set of built-in keywords and dual-scripting interfaces and many other advanced features will also satisfy even the experts and experienced users. These powerful features enable users to write their own advanced test scripts effortlessly. If you want to write test scripts at ease and gather such design principles along the way, you may want to give this tool a try. One more advantage, Katalon Studio offers Free and Enterprise versions that are designed to best suit different requirements and team sizes. Start with the Free version if you need time to evaluate the tool.

Highlight features:

• No required programming skills and complex configuration 
• Short learning curve due to its codeless nature, hassle-free implementation, and ease of use 
• Can be used for various types of testing
• Powerful Record and Playback to capture and convert all movements on the app into runnable backend codes 
• BDD Cucumber conveys test scenarios in natural languages, and stakeholders on a project can get involved in the testing process easily.
• Centralized, insightful analytics dashboard and reports
• Seamless integration with modern CI/CD tools and ALM systems: Git, Jenkins, qTest, Jira, CircleCI, Kobiton, etc.
• Smart Wait allows users to cope with Selenium wait issues without any additional test scripts
  Built-in and custom keywords help transfer keywords in the project without changing any external behaviors.

More information: https://www.katalon.com

License: Free - $759/year

2. TestCraft

TestCraft was introduced as an end-to-end automation testing platform for regression and continuous testing. Like other codeless testing tools with the Record and Playback feature, the tool also provides a test script with inputs coded beforehand that needs to be customized later. 

Tweaking some codes may break the test script. Thus, Smart Binding refers to the smart element locators that can immediately capture various attributes such as IDs, position, text value, or size. They can even rebound during a run to match changes in the code.

Highlight features:

• No required extra plugins 
• Agility - Create test scenarios even before the application is ready
• Multiple data sets and parallel execution supported
• On-the-fly binding to adapt to most application changes
• Elements and flows can be reused across scenarios
• Smart reports and analysis on every test step
• Bunch of built-in integrations such as Test Management, Issue Management, Notifications & Communication 

More information: https://www.testcraft.io/

License: Commercial - Contact sales

3. Perfecto

Trusted by large teams, Perfecto is a cloud-based test automation solution for web-based and mobile applications. It offers comprehensive AI analytics with error classifications to optimize the CI/CD pipeline. Multiple supported devices, browsers, and OS combinations for mobile and web app testing are also provided. Within Perfecto, robust and AI-driven bindings account for 97.4% of app changes. Self-healing feature enables test scripts to continuously run without any disruptions or maintenance required. 

Perfecto cloud-based solutions are developed to ensure they will work smoothly no matter any market issues happen, for example, new iOS or Android version update, new browser, or smartphone release. Although providing a bunch of advanced features, the trial period of the tool is quite short which causes difficulty for the team to evaluate the tool.

Highlight features:

• AI-driven test maintenance capabilities
• Smart reports and analytics
• Debugging capabilities and test management
• Unlimited scalable execution on multiple Android devices and in parallel
• Increase the test reusability
• Accelerate testing process and fasten feedback between QA and Developers

More information: https://www.perfecto.io/

Pricing: From $3,600/year

4. CloudQA

Built on top of Selenium, CloudQA is a powerful cloud-based, integrated codeless test automation platform. It is developed to build, maintain, and execute tests against many browsers in parallel. Not simply a Record and Playback tool, CloudQA provides its users with an integrated reporting tool for quickly creating and scheduling regression testing suits. 

CloudQA gives you the equivalent power of Selenium without advanced programming skills required. Recorded tests are put into maintainable modules and visualized into easily comprehensible forms. Even similar tests can be reused for regression testing, load testing, and synthetic monitoring.

Highlight features:

• High reusability for synthetic monitoring without modifying any codes
• Monitor multiple data sets over diverse real-time browsers (e.g: Chrome, Firefox, IE)
• Smart Record and Playback testing with screenshots after every step
• Smooth and huge capability to maintain 1000's of tests 
• Support for data-driven testing
• Schedule and run tests unattended
• Bugs can be handled via third-party integrations such as JIRA, GitHub, Asana, Slack, etc.

More information: https://cloudqa.io/

License: From $1,188/year 

5. Sikuli 

Sikuli is a Python-based GUI test automation tool that can automate anything on the screen that has native GUI components such as toolbars, Windows dialogs, dialogue boxes, and Linux programs. To be specific, tests are automated through screenshots (using PowerPoint) using scripts in IDE to maximize its capabilities.

Moreover, Sikuli IDE plays as an editor in the visual scripting API to control screenshots and test the computer vision commands. However, to mention one of its disadvantages, in comparison with other codeless tools, Sikuli requires users to install the Java runtime (a visible application GUI) as an extra plugin.

Highlight features:

• Image recognition algorithms to identify GUI elements based on images (learn more: Extending Selenium with Image Recognition)
• Able to run automated tests for mobile on iOS and Android devices
• Support various platforms such as Windows, Mac, and Linux
• Smart Record and Playback testing
• Not suitable for web automation tasks as it has no browser recorder

More information: http://sikulix.com/

License: Open-source

6. Mabl

Mabl is considered as one of the simplest SaaS solutions that integrate automated end-to-end testing into the entire software development life cycle due to wide coverage of web browser automation.

This is a unified DevTestOps platform for both Developers and Testers to simply but quickly generate and execute automated functional UI tests at scale. You can write scriptless code by simply fetching data using the user’s recorded actions. 

Plus, the tool can maximize the potential of your data; from user experience, visual design, to performance testing by running robust tests in minutes across all major browsers, in parallel and in the cloud. 

Highlight features:

• Mabl Trainer extension helps to track all user interactions and allows adding assertions
• Reusable flows to edit any steps in the test
• Extensive data reports and insights
• Convert test output to multiple issues (e.g: Jira, BigQuery)
• Native integrations with popular CI/CD platforms (e.g: Bamboo, Jenkins) as well as others, such as Jira, Slack to keep pace with the deployment speed of DevOps  
• Auto-heal keeps tests stable and test results secured

More information: https://www.mabl.com/

License: Contact sales.

7. Applitools

Applitools is a visual functional testing tool running basic Selenium tests to capture and compare screenshots across multiple application versions. The tool automatically validates performance testing and user experience testing of your applications and websites in minutes. Its test capabilities include Web, Mobile, and Desktop testing. 

The tool enables Visual AI-powered test automation to efficiently release higher quality web and mobile apps. Since the new launch of Applitools Visual Grid, Applitools Servers receive DOM snapshots and analyze in parallel 30 times faster than the previous snapshot images.

Highlight features:

• Support various programming languages (e.g: Java, JavaScript, C#, Python, Ruby)
• Cross-device and browser tests
• Comprehensive data reports provided with screenshots, baseline images and easy zoom-in on changes
• Functional feedback exchange between teams on Jira, Slack, or email
• Web API and merge CLI tools to allow you to merge the source and target baselines to resolve conflicts
• No inbound firewall changes or tunnel configuration required
• Build functional and visual test results directly from powerful third-party tools such as TeamCity, Jenkins, Bamboo, CircleCI, Travis CI, HP Quality Center, and other CI systems

More information: https://applitools.com/

License: Contact sales

8. Usetrace

Usetrace is a codeless regression automation testing software that automates cloud-based computers to test applications and websites. These computers automatically repeat the traces of customers' usage using record and playback, drag and drop interface — real-time on most used browsers. 

Plus, Usetrace will help the team write all test scripts, users can keep pace with the application from the dashboard, including how it is working in different browsers by diving into many traces. Without advanced coding skillsets, users still can reuse modules to speed up tests.

Highlight features:

• Simply and flexible maintenance of user’s traces
• Record and transform robust UI regression tests
• Monitor integral features (scheduled or on-demand)
• Enable smooth team collaboration on email, Jira, Slack, Atlassian HipChat, or FlowDock
• End-to-end testing including backend, database, user experience, website performance, content, networks, and third-party testing
• Automatic instant SMS notifications will be sent to alert the failed web tests

More information: https://usetrace.com/

License: From $1,188/year

9. Leapwork

Leapwork is a cloud-based, codeless testing tool with a user-friendly interface and advanced features. Within a few clicks, users can easily design automated test cases using the default library and predefined building blocks. The tool empowers workforces to execute automated testing and processes across web applications, Windows applications, SAP applications, and more. Leapwork can be used to test multiple types of applications (e.g: Web, Desktop and virtual applications)

Besides, it allows you to flexibly run tests on both local and distant environments via customizing run schedules. In case any performance errors occur, Leapwork will automatically alert you in SMS. You can check live dashboards and insightful reports for better changes.

Highlight features:

• No need to modify automation flows whenever the system under test changes
• Combine automation flows into reusable components as sub-flows across test cases
• Support cross-browser testing and parallel executions
• Combining Center of Excellence set up to shorten the time for sharing automation flows, components, best practices and test cases across projects
• Documentation with videos and logs in audit trails
• Seamless integrations with REST API and CI/CD ecosystem to build your own integrations with third-party systems
• In case any performance errors occur, an automatic instant SMS will be sent out

More information: https://www.leapwork.com/

License: Contact sales.

10. Ranorex

Ranorex is one of the most comprehensive GUI test automation frameworks for Desktop (Windows only), Web, and Mobile testing. The tool well supports both newbie and experienced users via its flexible customization capability. Ranorex can be integrated with many technologies such as Silverlight, .NET, Winforms, Java, HTML5, Windows apps, iOS, and Android. However, it does not support macOS, Android web-based, and hybrid testing applications. Also, it only supports C# and VB.NET Shop languages.

Ranorex’s UI test execution reports are exported during test execution to reproduce bugs and maintain tests, thus reducing time to find out what and where things failed. They also comprise screenshots of those failed test cases.

Highlight features:

• RanoreXPath fully identifies all types of GUI elements
• Ranorex Spy clearly maps out GUI elements to the RanoreXPath expression
• Ranorex Recorder captures and replays actions through an action table editor, then converts those actions into readable languages 
• Ranorex Studio develops tests by completing codes, debugging, and managing test projects
  Extensive reports for quick error detection
• Flexible test automation interface for easy test suites running
  Enhanced test step reusability

More information: https://www.ranorex.com/

License: From $3,130/year

Conclusion

In brief, there is no perfect codeless testing tool. The thing to do is to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each solution and match them with your team’s requirements and characteristics (project status/maturity, team size, team members' general domain knowledge, Agile model applied, etc.). You can shortlist the potential tools and select the best suit ones.

All factors combined and considered, codeless automation testing tools are coming as an avoidable trend, a chosen solution when it comes to the Agile software development process. They truly relieve QA testers from the burden of mastering complex testing frameworks or technologies or having advanced coding skill sets to automate tests effectively. The adoption of AI/ML takes these tools to a higher level with flexibility in changing codes, reducing flakiness, improving maintainability, and having constant updates. 

Let’s make it clear, codeless doesn’t mean 100% codeless. Although scripts are automatically created in the background, automation testers are required to have the basic coding knowledge to further customize their scripts. Thus, its codeless nature will not affect the testing experience of professional users.

To be honest, I think codeless testing tools would not replace automation testers completely. It is developed to shorten the pace of their jobs. The importance of codeless tools is expected to increase in 2020. With continuous enhancements, codeless testing tools will be complementary to the overall test automation landscape.