Regression testing is boring…if you are doing it manually.
Indeed, it’s just not efficient when you have to manually repeat the same test steps over and over each iteration. Regression testing is best done with a regression testing tool. These tools allow you to create an automated regression test suite that you can run as a batch when the new build is available.
Let’s check out the top regression testing tools on the current market. Here's a quick list:
Katalon supports automation testing for all AUTs: web, desktop, mobile, and even API. You can effortlessly write regression test scripts without having to code. Katalon offers 3 modes of test authoring:
1. No-code mode: turn on the Record-and-Playback feature and manually execute the regression test case. Katalon registers your on-screen actions and turn that sequence of actions into a test script that you can re-execute across environments. This is extremely convenient and can help you achieve higher test coverage in a shorter time frame as compared to you doing it manually.
2. Low-code mode: you can craft a full test case from the library of keywords that Katalon offers. For example, you can choose the keyword “Click", and specify which web element you want to click on by typing in the ID, and you already have a script that automate the clicking action on that web element.
3. Full-code mode: finally, you can switch to the Scripting mode to enjoy full customizability. Switch back to the other 2 modes whenever you want and get the best of both worlds. Together, these 3 modes significantly improve efficiency.
That's just the first part. All of your regression test cases can be grouped into test suites and test collections. These tests and their artifacts are stored in the Object Repository. You can assign them with tags, see their status, results, and schedule them for execution on the environment of your choice.
For example, here's a test call “Download files” that is scheduled to run on July 18 2023 at 10:58. You can set a Repeat time interval, so that these tests are automatically run (on-cloud) without any of your intervention. Talking about convenience!
Download and Witness The Power of Katalon
During execution, you also have a lot of options, from the type of device, operating system, to its version. This helps you cover a wide variety of test scenarios.
After execution, Katalon generates a rich and detailed test summary report to help you gain a comprehensive view over the project.
Have a quick look at how you can do regression testing effortless with Katalon here:
Other Key Features:
Start Regression Testing At Ease With Katalon
Selenium is favored by developers worldwide for its versatility in web testing. Selenium is compatible with all major browsers, including Chrome, Safari and Firefox, and can be operated on any of the 3 major operating systems, including Macintosh, Windows or Linux. As an automation testing framework, it still requires some effort from the tester to get used to its syntax and mechanism.
Read More: All You Need To Know About Web Testing
Selenium reduces the time and effort needed for manual testing and provides an easy to use interface for creating automated tests. Selenium comes with a rich set of testing functions specifically geared towards web testing needs, with the most notable being:
Of course, there's a catch: Selenium still requires testers to have a decent level of technical expertise and coding experience to get the most out of it. If the team starts from 100% manual testing, they need will need a while to familiarize themselves, and may require some assistance from the dev team to help them onboard.
Similar to Selenium, Cypress is also an end-to-end automation testing framework with features well-suited for web app regression testing. You can set up, write, run, and debug tests thanks to the relatively simple syntax it offers.
If you want to compare Cypress with Selenium, here are some key differences to take into consideration:
Key Cypress features:
Cypress Website: Cypress
Cypress Documentation: Cypress docs
Applitools is an AI-based test automation tool with a wide range of applications, primarily focusing on testing, monitoring, and managing visual testing activities. Applitools is quite effective for visual regression testing tool, where we run tests to ensure that code changes do not affect the GUI. The most common approach to visual regression testing is comparing the screenshots of 2 versions of the GUI: the expected GUI vs. the actual GUI. If the actual GUI matches the expected GUI, we say that there are no visual regressions.
QA teams can totally write a script to compare those 2 screenshots on a pixel-by-pixel basis. It may sound extremely straightforward, but there are some underlying issues:
Smart visual regression testing tools like Applitools can help with these issues, boosting efficiency. Testers can configure the tool to “ignore” dynamic zones in the screenshot comparison process.
Key Features:
Website: Applitools
Documentation: Applitools Docs
testRigor is a good tool to help you automate the creation and execution of end-to-end tests. With its generative AI capabilities, anyone in the team can easily build, maintain, and understand tests in plain English. It is possible to copy-paste your manual tests into testRigor, then correct/expand on those tests using built-in plain English instructions.
testRigor is also quite impressive in its scope, when you can cover both cross-browser & cross-platform scenarios within a single test. It has a Record-and-Playback feature to assist you in no-code test creation.
As you can see here, in testRigor it is relatively simple to create a test case. All you have to do is type out the action you want to automate in plain English.
Key Features:
Website: testRigor
Documentation: testRigor Documentation
Another good regression testing tool for QA team is Tricentis Tosca. Tricentis follows a model-based test automation, separating the automation model from the application. This unique approach ensures that frequent changes to the application do not impact existing tests.
Tricentis also offers Service Virtualization to help QA teams test scenarios on systems that are difficult to access, ensuring that automated tests can be run anytime, anywhere, increasing test coverage. It also has test data management features for full-cycle traceability and visibility across your project.
Website: Tricentis
Pricing: Contact Sales
Leapwork offers a streamlined solution for automating functional UI tests with a smart recorder that simplifies the process to just clicking on a UI element. This intuitive approach allows users to easily capture and define elements, turning test cases into automated flows effortlessly. The platform enhances efficiency by enabling the reuse of common steps as sub-flows, reducing maintenance and development bottlenecks, and ultimately leading to more satisfied teams.
Leapwork also provides robust tools for diagnosing test failures, offering video recordings, data-level insights, and activity logs to quickly identify and understand issues. There is scalable testing across multiple environments, eliminating the need for physical devices. Tests can be executed via cloud providers, local machines, or remote computers.
Website: Leapwork
Documentation: Leapwork Documentation
Apache JMeter, a project under the Apache Software Foundation, is a versatile tool designed for performance testing, with an emphasis on web applications. It's a great addition to your regression testing tool arsenal.
Highlight Features:
Website: Apache JMeter
Rainforest offers a web-based platform enabling users to quickly generate automated test scripts with simple, plain-English prompts such as: “Create a new user account” or “Fill out the demo form with dummy data”. Rainforest's AI can also update tests automatically to reflect changes in the application, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual updates after minor app modifications. There is even a Test Manager that verifies test results to prevent errors and ensure accuracy.
Key Features:
Website: Rainforest QA
Changelog: Rainforest QA Changelog
Postman is a popular collaboration platform for API development, used by millions of developers and companies worldwide. It is a good regression testing tool specifically built for APIs. Postman allows users to create and send HTTP requests with various methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.). It supports a wide range of formats such as JSON, XML, and HTML. You can also create mock servers to simulate API responses without needing the actual API implementation.
Key Features:
Read More: Top 15 Postman Alternatives You Should Know