Last Updated: 6-Mar-2021
The process of choosing the best automation tool for a test project is not always straightforward. Thus, in this article I’d like to shed some more light on it.
- Define a list of criteria that your ideal Test Automation framework should meet such as supported automation platforms (desktop, web or mobile?), usability, maintainability, stability, ease of debugging test failures, ease of integrating test automation into a CI/CD pipeline, first-class Docker support, budget/pricing, etc.
- Weigh the criteria you selected. Which criteria are more desirable and which annoying problems you can live with in the long run?
- Look around (especially for tool listing articles), and pick at least 3 good Test Automation frameworks that closely match your criteria considering your current situation.
- Try building a workable framework if you picked open-source solutions like Selenium, Protractor, Cypress, etc. or ask for a demo if you‘re evaluating commercial solutions like UFT, TestComplete, TestArchitect, Ranorex, etc. When you’re at it, pay special attention to the criteria you already listed out. Some call this stage a POC (Proof of Concept).
- Rate each tool on the scale from 1 to 10 for every criterion you selected. Then compute the score of each tool considering the weight of each criterion. Make sure you’re being fair and your rankings are transitive (if toolX > toolY and toolY > toolZ, toolX must be superior to toolZ).
- Voila! Pick the best tool that got the highest score. No brainer!
If you like Selenium and look for Selenium alternatives, check out this article: Best Alternatives to Selenium WebDriver. Hopefully, this weighted-decision method can help you pick the best software testing tool for automated testing. Feel free to leave a comment below.
DISCLAIMER: I'm not affiliated with or sponsored by any of the tools mentioned in this article or the companies behind them. I receive no commission for directing traffic to those tools whatsoever. All product and company names are the registered trademarks of their original owners. The use of any trade name or trademark is for identification and reference purposes only and does not imply any association with the trademark holder or their brands.