So, you’re considering transitioning into the world of no-code automated mobile app testing. Good! It’s no secret that the no-code revolution is upon us, and that it’s the obvious answer to the increasingly complex and resource-intensive world of mobile app testing.
Yet every platform in this space is different, and some offer much more ease-of-use, utility, and capability than others. In turn, it’s important to make an informed decision before taking the plunge.
To make sure that you’re getting the most out of a platform—and that it can do exactly what you need it to do! —be sure to ask the the following questions before choosing your next testing platform.
1. Does it understand user intent?
When you go no-code, it’s very important to ensure that the platform is fully capable of understanding user intent. This includes clicks and gestures like swipes. Ask yourself, does this platform provide validation of intent? If not, you’ll certainly want to go with another option.
2. Does it provide you with the ability to debug and validate?
This is where platform transparency becomes important: A platform should provide enough transparency in how it operates so that you can easily debug and validate any extant issues. If the product is a black box, it may leave you guessing, wasting your time and resources. Remember: The platform should always help and never hinder.
3. Does it eliminate redundancy?
Repeating the same actions over and over again makes for a textbook case of redundancy, and redundancy is the enemy of efficiency. Testing inevitability entails a certain level of repetition, and a good platform should allow you to templatize your actions so that you’re not wasting your time performing needlessly repeating a series of actions. Always check to ensure that the platform allows for templates.
4. Does it flexibly ingest data?
When it comes to data ingestion, the best platforms are also the most flexible. If the platform cannot properly ingest the data you need for testing, then you may find yourself hitting a wall and searching for workarounds—and that simply isn’t efficient. To avoid this issue, ensure that your testing platform allows you to perform tasks like generating dynamic user names and freely manipulating input. To make test cases more robust, users must be able to freely manipulate input, such as applying passwords and data sets.
5. Does it provide a quick and clear way to determine whether a test is pass or a fail?
With any platform, ask yourself the following question: What are the ways in which I can garner insights on my tests based on my results? After all, before you can resolve an issue, you need to know exactly where, when, and under what circumstances the issue occurs. To allow for this, your platform must provide you with reliable and straightforward information, and you need to be able to access that information quickly and without confusion, and there should be no ambiguity about whether a result is a pass and a fail.
6. Does it integrate with my CI/CD setup?
Continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) is essentially the foundation of the modern DevOps pipeline, and it’s important that you can continue to keep that pipeline moving while also making the most of your testing platform’s capabilities. In turn, you should be sure that the testing platform you’re considering allows for full integration with your CI/CD setup, and that any integration is both easy and seamless. Remember, the need here is to maximize efficiency and to avoid getting bogged down with complications and missteps, and with a little foresight you can avoid that.
7. Does it allow my app to interact with external systems?
Some apps need to interact with external systems, performing tasks such as gathering data and using it in test execution. In these cases, it’s important that your testing platform allows you to test with these capabilities, and to do so easily.
8. Is it usable by non-specialists?
Up until quite recently, only specialists could perform mobile app testing. This has changed a lot with major advancements around no-code technology and in the mobile app testing sphere (and beyond). In turn, it’s no longer necessary to tie up specialized team members with mobile app testing tasks, and the best mobile app testing platforms will ideally be so easy that any member of your team can perform testing, saving you time and effort while freeing up resources.
9. Does it offer the ability to test with real devices?
Many testing teams use emulators because maintaining a device lab is far beyond their budget. Yet while emulators certainly have their place, only with a real device can one expect to replicate real performance. In turn, it’s important to ask whether a platform allows for the use of real devices and, better yet, whether a real device lab is available through the testing platform.
10. Does the company behind the platform provide extensive support and documentation?
Even the best platform requires a high-quality support and a solid documentation apparatus. Without an easy-to-use and readily available support system, testers can run into walls that are difficult to workaround. In turn, it’s important to make sure that a testing platform’s company backs the product and is available to assist you within a reasonable timeframe.
Other factors to consider
In addition to the above list, there are other factors that you might want to consider. For example, does your app need to be in proximity of another device to accurately test it? Does it necessitate the use of biometrics?
Whatever your needs, it’s a good idea to go ahead and make a list of these questions in addition to our list beforehand.
Of course, Sofy does all of this and more, but we encourage you to compare Sofy to other platforms on the market so that you know you’ve made the best decision.
