Do you know Cucumber is a great tool used to run acceptance tests using the plain-text functional descriptions with Gherkin? Behavior Driven Development strategy or BDD, as it is popularly known, is implemented using the Cucumber tool.

The best part about using the Cucumber BDD framework are:

• Tests are first documented before being implemented.
• Tests are easy to understand for a user who doesn’t even know the functionality.
• It efficiently combines the automated tests having a living documentation and specifications that can be executed.

Can’t wait to get started with Cucumber? To help you out, we will be diving into some of the best Cucumber practices that will enable you to write better scenarios using the Gherkin language.

If you’re looking to improve your Cucumber interview skills, check out our curated list of Cucumber interview questions and answers.

Basics of Cucumber BDD Framework

Before we jump dive into Cucumber best practices, there are a few things you need to understand about the Cucumber BDD framework. To work with Cucumber for Selenium automation testing, you would need three types of files as described below:

• Feature File – It servers as an entry point to the Cucumber tests. It is the file where your test scenarios are written in Gherkin language. A Feature file may contain single or multiple test scenarios. The Feature file is used as a live document and ends with .feature extension.
• Step Definition – It contains the piece of code, in your chosen programming language, with some annotations attached to it. On seeing a Gherkin Step, Cucumber executes the code which is contained within the Step. The annotation has a pattern that links the Step Definition to the matching steps defined in the Feature File.
• Others – We may need other files to execute tests at different levels. For example, we are testing the Web UI; then, we will be using a tool like Selenium, which might use a framework of its own like the Page Object Model. Since in this post, our primary focus is Cucumber best practices, let us leave the other files’ detailing for some other time.

Top 5 Cucumber Best Practices

Let’s understand feature files in detail and how we can use them efficiently. These are some of the essential practices you should implement for successfully using Cucumber & Selenium. As already stated, we will use Gherkin to write the scenarios in the Cucumber BDD framework. Let us now understand in detail some Cucumber best practices.

1. Creating A Feature File

We will start by creating a file in our project structure that will consist of the steps to mimic a certain functionality. Since in this post, we will understand Cucumber best practices, we will only focus on how we can write our features file to model our test scenarios. We will see the practical implementation later. As an example, let us take the Login functionality using Gherkin.

Use Case: Model the behavior of logging into an application with valid credentials-

1. Create a file with .feature extension inside the project folder. For example, let us name it “Login.feature”.
2. Inside the file, we will give a title depicting the functionality. So in our example it can be something like “Feature: Login Action”.
3. We will now start writing our scenarios in the feature file. The general syntax for writing a scenario in a feature file is-

As [a user]
 I want to [perform some action]
 for [ achieving a result]

So using the above two points let us start with writing a Feature-

Feature: Login Action

Scenario: As an existing user, I want to login successfully.

With this you need to make a note of the important points listed below-

• It is advised that you make your feature file independent from other functionalities. This means try to make each feature specific to a single functionality.
• You can make your feature file understandable by using the same language as the requirement is specified, i.e., always try to describe the actions as they would have been done by the client.

Next, in the feature file, you will be writing the Scenarios. Scenarios are simply the behaviour of a functionality. While testing, we might have to write multiple scenarios to cover the test scope. To write a scenario, we use Keywords defined by Gherkin. The primary keywords used in Gherkin sentences are –

1. Given– Defines the pre-condition of the test.
2. When– Defines the user action that will be performed.
3. Then– Defines post-condition or the outcome of the test.
4. But– Used to add negative conditions to the test.
5. And– Used to add condition(s) to the test.

Note that you only need to state what you want to do in the feature file and not how you want to do it. The how part will be taken care of in the Step Definition file, which we will see later in this article.

See below an example of a poorly written scenario-

There is no point in writing such lengthy scenarios with unwanted details as it makes it difficult to read and maintain. A better way to write the same scenario with fewer lines is as follows.

Did you see how with fewer sentences, we can depict the same scenario by including only the necessary details and ignore beating around the bush?

Below are a few points that you need to keep in mind while writing scenarios in Gherkin-

• Always remember that the order of your statements must follow Given-When-Then. Since ‘Given’ implies a pre-condition , ‘When’ refers to an action and ‘Then’ refers to a post condition for the action, it will be unclear to write ‘Then’ before ‘When’.
• Always remember that Given-Then-When should occur only once per scenario. You can extend any sentence by using ‘And’. This is because every scenario depicts an individual functionality. If we will include multiple Then-When, there would be no point of being a single functionality.
• Make sure that your sentences are consistent when talking about perspective. This means if the scenario description is described in first person, then the sentences should also be in first person to maintain homogeneity.
• Try to write minimum steps in a scenario. It helps in making the scenario understandable and clear.
• Try writing brief sentences which are explanatory.
• Try to make your scenarios independent. If the scenarios are interlinked, it may generate errors, for instance, in case of parallel test execution.

2. Separating Feature Files

When testing with live applications, you might have to create multiple feature files. It becomes crucial to bifurcate the feature in different files. You can organize files so that all the features related to a specific functionality are grouped in a package or a directory. This is another one of the essential Cucumber best practices we recommend for seamless BDD implementation.

For example, consider an e-commerce application – you can organize the file such that, at the first level, you can have a package, say Orders, and in that, you can have multiple features like Pending Orders, Completed Orders, Wishlist, etc. Doing so will make your project organized, and it will be easy for you to locate the tests as per the functionality.

Note

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3. Using The Correct Perspective

At times it becomes very confusing as to what perspective should you write your scenarios in – first person or third person? The official Cucumber BDD framework documentation uses both the point of view. Below are the arguments for both the point of views-

First Person

BDD was created by Dan North, who, in his article Introducing BDD, recommends the use of the first person. Using the first person is rational since it depicts keeping yourself in place of the person actually performing the action.

Third Person

The people who prefer the third-person point of view state that using first-person can confuse the reader. It does not clarify who is performing the action, i.e., an individual user, an admin, or some user with a particular set of roles. It is argued that third person usage shows the information formally and minimizes the risk of making any false assumptions about who is actually involved in performing/testing a scenario.

So, all in all, there is no mandate on using any one point of view; the one practice that you have to remember is to maintain consistency. The description should resonate with the test steps and be from a single perspective.

4. Additional Keywords Used In Gherkin

Apart from the commonly used keywords discussed above, there are a few more that are used in Gherkin. If you want to implement the Cucumber best practices, this is an important one to start practicing.

Background

Background simplifies adding the same steps to multiple scenarios in a given feature. This means, if some common steps have to be executed for all the scenarios in a feature, you can write them under the Background keyword.

For example, to order a product from an e-commerce website, you will have to do the following steps-

1. Open the website
2. Click on the Login link
3. Enter the username and password
4. Click on the Submit button

Once you have completed the above steps, you can search the product, add that product to your cart, and proceed with the checkout and payment. Since the above steps would be common for many functionalities in a feature, we can include them in the Background.

Always try to keep the background as short as possible since it will be difficult to understand the following scenario if it is kept lengthy. The key with the Cucumber Feature file is, the shorter, the better.

Scenario Outline

A Scenario outline is similar to the test data corresponding to a test scenario. It is no compulsion to write a scenario with a scenario outline, but you can write it if needed.

Examples:

|qty|
|1|
|5|
|24|

Doc Strings

If the information in a scenario does not fit in a single line, you can use DocString. It follows a step and is enclosed within three double-quotes. Though often overlooked, it is one of the most crucial Cucumber best practices to follow.

Data Table

The Data Table is quite similar to Scenario Outline. The main difference between the two is that the Scenario outline injects the data at the scenario level, while the data table is used to inject data at the step level.

• Data tables serve to input data at a single step.
• It is not necessary to define the head of a data table, but it is advised to maintain a reference to data for easy understanding.

As shown in the example above, you can use a data table at single steps with different data that you may need to inject.

Languages

Cucumber is not limited to writing the scenarios in English. Similar to the conventions followed in English, you can write the scenarios in multiple human languages. The official Cucumber documentation has all the information about using the Language feature and the dialect code of various languages.

For example, to use French as the language to write your scenarios, you can use the # language as a header in the functionality like below-

# language : fr

(Note: fr is the dialect code for French)

Tags

There may be cases when you need not execute all the scenarios of the test. In such cases, you can group specific scenarios and execute them independently by using Tags. Tags are simply the annotations used to group scenarios and features. They are marked with @ followed by some notable text.

Examples-

Note that the tags are inherited in the feature file by all the components, viz the scenario outline, scenario, etc. Similarly, if there is a tag on the Scenario Outline, the data examples will also inherit the tag.

The above examples can be configured for execution as shown below-

tags={“@End2End”} All the scenarios of the feature under @End2End tag would be executed.
tags={“@SmokeTest”} All the scenarios under @SmokeTest would be executed.
tags={“@SmokeTest , @RegressionTest”} This type of definition denotes OR condition hence, all the scenarios that are under @SmokeTest tag or @RegressionTest tag would be executed.
tags={“@SmokeTest” , “@RegressionTest”} In such definition, all the scenarios under the @SmokeTest AND @RegressionTest will be executed.
tags={~“@End2End”} All the scenarios under @End2End tag will be ignored.
tags={“@SmokeTest , ~@RegressionTest”} All the scenarios under @SmokeTest tag will be executed but the scenarios under @RegressionTest tag would be ignored.

Similar to the examples above, you can make combinations of tags as per your requirement and execute the scenarios/features selectively.

5. Step Definition(Step Implementation)

So far, we have only understood what our scenarios would do as part of Cucumber best practices. But the next and vital step to automate using Cucumber Selenium is adding Step Definition that would do the how part, i.e., how would the scenario execute. When Cucumber runs a step in the Scenario, it refers to a matching Step Definition for execution.

Implementation of steps can be done in Ruby, C++, JavaScript, or any other language, but we will use Java for our example.

If you are using an IDE that already has Gherkin and Cucumber installed, you will see suggestions to create a new .java file or select one which has the steps implemented already. On selecting any of the options, a method will be created in the class. For instance, we are resting the step definition for below step-

Given the user is on Home Page.

A method would be generated automatically, with annotation having the header text same as that of the step description:

@Given(“^the user is on Home Page$”)
public void homePage() throws Throwable{

//Java code to check the above description
….
…..
}

To create step implementation of scenarios that get data from Scenario Outline or Data Tables, the data is included in the annotations as regular expressions, along with passing as a parameter to the method.

@When(“^Add the first result on the page with quantity \”([0-9]+)”\$”)
public void addQuantity(int qty) throws Throwable{

//Java code to pass qty in the qty field
…
...

}

And that is how you can implement the steps that you write in the Feature file using Gherkin. Always remember the below points while implementing step definitions-

• Try to create reusable step definitions.
• Reusable step definitions will make your tests maintainable, and in case of any change in the future, you will have to make minimum changes to your framework.
• You can use Parameterization in scenario outlines to reuse step definitions.

6. Relay on Cloud Testing Platforms

To enhance the testing process, boost productivity, and scale your test plan in terms of infrastructure and security, it’s important to address challenges that arise when developers and testers are limited by resources.

Using an AI-native platforms like LambdaTest can resolve these challenges and bring stability to your testing process. LambdaTest is an AI-native test execution platform that enables you to run manual and automated tests at scale, with access to over 3000+ real devices, browsers, and OS combinations.

Wrapping Up

You are now familiar with some of the most important Cucumber best practices to follow with your BDD strategy or while implementing Cucumber & Selenium. To summarize this blog post, we would recommend you to-

• Try to write scenarios in the feature file in a way the user would describe them. This would help you create crisp and concise steps.
• Avoid coupled steps, i.e., always prefer creating one action per step. This would save you from unnecessary errors.
• Reuse step definitions as much as possible to improve code maintainability.
• Try to leverage the use of Background to minimize unnecessary addition of the same steps in different scenarios.

Happy testing!

Imagine opening an app or website to encounter slow loading, unresponsive pages, or frequent errors. A frustrating experience, right? The performance, without a doubt, stands as a cornerstone in defining the worth of any web application or software. This is where performance testing tools come into the game and play a crucial role in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

These tools enable developers to proactively identify and eliminate performance bottlenecks, allowing applications to run seamlessly, even under the most demanding conditions.

NOTE: Getting ready for interviews and want a quick refresher before the big day? Look at our performance-testing interview questions to brush up on the topic.

What is Performance Testing?

Performance testing is the practice of testing web and mobile applications for how fast and stable a system is under various conditions. This non-functional software testing helps identify and address performance issues, ensuring the application performs effectively and meets user expectations.

The key objectives of performance testing include

• Evaluating Response Time
• Measuring Throughput
• Resource Utilization
• Scalability Evaluation
• Detecting Bottlenecks

If you’re looking to improve your Performance Testing interview skills, check out our curated list of Performance Testing interview questions and answers.

Importance of Performance Testing

Performance testing evaluates how a software application behaves under various workloads and identifies potential bottlenecks or issues that could affect its performance in production. Here are some key reasons why performance testing is important:

• Positive User Experience: Performance testing helps identify and address performance issues before they reach users, ensuring that the software application delivers a positive and consistent experience.
• Identifies performance bottlenecks: Performance testing helps identify and address specific areas within the application that contribute to performance slowdowns, ensuring optimal functionality.
• Strategic capacity planning: Performance testing checks how well the software application handles the present workload and gives a crystal ball view of its growth potential. This helps you plan, ensuring your application is ready to meet future demands.
• Checks stability and reliability: Performance testing measures explicitly how well a software application stands up during those crazy internet traffic peaks. a

Types Of Performance Testing

The primary types of performance testing include:

• Load Testing: Load testing is employed to evaluate the performance of an application by subjecting it to a load, typically equal to or less than the intended capacity, to assess its capabilities.
• Volume Testing: Volume testing assesses the behavior of an application when subjected to a huge amount of data.
• Stress Testing: Stress testing involves pushing the application beyond its expected limits to discover when and how it will fail.
• Endurance Testing: Endurance testing evaluates an application’s long-term performance under sustained load, ensuring it can maintain stability and responsiveness over extended periods of high usage.
• Spike Testing: Spike testing evaluates the behavior of software when subjected to a large number of user requests or traffic all at once.
• Scalability Testing: Scalability testing assesses a software’s ability to manage rising levels of load, traffic, and user requests.

Top 11 Performance Testing Tools in 2025

Now that we’ve got an understanding of how performance testing adds to the reliability of applications, let’s dive into a collection of the latest and most advanced tools used for performance testing:

Apache JMeter

JMeter is an open-source tool renowned for its capacity in performance testing. It is designed in Java and is known for its broad compatibility with Java-based applications. JMeter allows users to test the performance of various protocols and applications, including web services (APIs), databases, network services, etc.

Apache JMeter is a comprehensive performance testing tool that evaluates static and dynamic resources and web applications. It can effectively simulate heavy load conditions on servers, networks, objects, or groups of servers to assess their resilience and analyze overall performance under various load scenarios.

Key Features Of Apache JMeter:

• Provides a GUI (Graphical User Interface) that allows users to create test plans without extensive scripting.
• Offers centralized control over multiple load injectors, ensuring efficient test execution.
• Its intuitive interface visualizes load-related metrics and resource usage, enabling comprehensive performance analysis.
• Protocols supported: HTTP, HTTPS, FTP pSMTP, POP3, IMAP, TCP, UDP, JMS, SOAP, REST, JDBC, etc.

Integration:

• Effortlessly integrates with CI/CD pipelines, identifying and addressing issues early in development.
• Integrates seamlessly with Tomcat collectors (embedded web server in Spring Boot applications) for real-time monitoring capabilities.
• Integrates with Selenium to provide combined functional and performance testing of web applications, providing a comprehensive view of application behavior under load.
• Integrates with Application Performance Management(APM) tools such as AppDynamics and Dynatrace for in-depth performance analysis.

LoadRunner

Micro Focus LoadRunner is a software testing tool to evaluate a program’s performance, system behavior, and application software under diverse load conditions. LoadRunner allows the creation of scripts that simulate user actions, enabling the emulation of real-world user behavior.

Key Features Of LoadRunner:

• Enables the creation of test scenarios that define the user load, duration, and other parameters to simulate realistic usage patterns.
• Virtual User Generator (VuGen) assists in creating virtual users by recording user interactions or manually developing scripts.
• Provides detailed monitoring tools to analyze system resources, identify bottlenecks, and diagnose performance issues during test execution.
• Offers robust reporting features to analyze test results, identify performance metrics, and generate comprehensive reports for stakeholders.
• Supports cloud-based load testing, allowing users to leverage cloud infrastructure for scalability and distributed testing.
• Protocols Supported: HTTP, HTTPS, SOAP, REST, and more.

Integration:

• Integrates with Jenkins and Azure DevOps to automate performance testing within CI/CD pipelines.
• Integrates with Application Performance Management(APM) tools such as AppDynamics and Dynatrace for in-depth performance analysis.
• Integrates with test management tools like qTest and PractiTest to streamline test execution, track results, and provide centralized access to performance test data.

Gatling

Gatling, is a free and open-source load and performance testing framework based on Scala. It effectively simulates user behavior by creating virtual users. This allows developers to evaluate an application’s scalability, throughput, and dependability under different load conditions.

Key Features Of Gatling:

• Utilizes asynchronous and non-blocking I/O principles for efficient load generation without excessive resource usage.
• It leverages the Akka toolkit to achieve high concurrency, allowing concurrently simulating a large number of users.
• Employs a declarative Domain Specific Language (DSL) for defining test scenarios, making scripts readable and maintainable.
• Gatling Recorder allows users to generate test scenarios by recording interactions with a web application, simplifying script creation.
• It delivers insightful, visually compelling reports that guide analyzing performance metrics and identifying bottlenecks with precision.
• Protocols Supported: HTTP, WebSockets, Server-sent events, JMS.

Integration:

• Seamlessly integrates with widely-used build tools like Maven and Gradle, which helps streamline test execution and workflow integration.
• Effortlessly links with CI/CD tools like Jenkins and Bamboo, enabling automated performance testing within CI/CD pipelines.
• Integrates with Application Performance Management(APM) tools such as AppDynamics and Dynatrace for in-depth performance analysis.

LoadView

LoadView is a cloud-based load-testing platform, used to assess the performance of web applications by simulating user traffic under various conditions. It generates multi-step scripts that replicate real-world user interactions, providing an accurate assessment of application behavior under stress. With LoadView, testers can gain in-depth insights into the actual performance of your applications as user traffic increases.

LoadView leverages the power of cloud infrastructure, utilizing AWS and Azure to provide a scalable and robust testing environment for even the most complex projects. It offers three distinct load curves – Load Step, Dynamic Adjustable, and Goal-based – enabling comprehensive analysis of traffic spikes, scalability limits, and infrastructure constraints.

Key Features Of LoadView

• It allows us to conduct website load tests from various locations worldwide using a network of global injectors.
• Provides dedicated IPs that can be authorized and controlled, enabling secure performance testing behind firewalls.
• Provides reference servers, detailed waterfall charts, dynamic variables, and load injector controls, enabling in-depth analysis of performance metrics and fine-tuning of test scenarios.
• Protocols Supported: Flash, Silverlight, Java, HTML5, PHP, Ruby

Integration:

• Seamless integration with CI/CD platforms like Jenkins and Azure DevOps.
• Integrates with Application Performance Management(APM) tools such as AppDynamics and Dynatrace for in-depth performance analysis.

NeoLoad

Tricentis NeoLoad load testing tool enables continuous performance testing of web-based and mobile apps, APIs, and microservices. It utilizes the use of RealBrowser technology to enable browser-based performance for powerful customized web apps as well as cloud-native ones. This allows users to collect client-side end-user metrics while doing back-end testing utilizing a protocol-based method. It simulates high-load scenarios in an end-to-end testing environment, replicating real-world user experiences to uncover potential bottlenecks before deployment.

Key Features Of NeoLoad:

• Provide a scriptless approach.
• Supports dynamic infrastructure scaling that allows you to simulate different user loads to evaluate the scalability of an application.
• Facilitates collaboration among team members by allowing shared test design and result analysis.
• It offers features to automatically optimize test design to enhance the efficiency of performance tests.
• Protocols Supported: HTTP, HTTPS, SOAP, REST, Flex Push, AJAX Push

Integration:

• Integrates with AWS and Azure or heavy load generation capacity and scalability.
• It integrates with virtualization platforms that allow efficient resource utilization.
• Integrates with cloud infrastructure, allowing users to leverage its benefits for scalable and distributed testing.
• Integrates with Application Performance Management(APM) tools such as AppDynamics and Dynatrace for in-depth performance analysis.

WebLOAD

WebLOAD is a performance testing tool designed to assess web applications’ performance, scalability, and reliability. It allows organizations to simulate user interactions, generate virtual users, and apply varying loads to test how web applications respond under different conditions.

WebLOAD has various distinctive components, including an IDE, a Load Generation Console, and an advanced Analytics Dashboard.

Key Features Of WebLOAD

• It handles dynamic data like session IDs to ensure seamless script execution across multiple virtual clients.
• Facilitates generating virtual users to simulate realistic loads on web applications.
• Protocols Supported: HTTP, HTTPS, WebSocket, SOAP, etc.

Integration:

• Integrates with CI/CD platforms like Jenkins and Azure DevOps for automated performance testing within CI/CD pipelines.
• Integration with Application Performance Management (APM) tools like AppDynamics and Dynatrace.

LoadNinja

LoadNinja, from SmartBear, streamlines load testing with its intuitive scriptless approach, enabling the rapid creation of sophisticated load tests without complex scripting. It replaces traditional load emulators with real browsers, providing realistic performance insights, and delivers actionable, browser-based metrics at an exceptional speed.

Key Features Of LoadNinja:

• Offers scriptless load test creation and playback.
• It can operate with real browsers to provide an authentic user experience and uncover performance issues.
• Inject dynamic data into your tests to mirror genuine user experiences.
• Protocols Supported: HTTP, HTTPS, SAP GUI Web, WebSocket, Java-based protocol, Google Web Toolkit, Oracle forms

Integration:

• Integrates with CI/CD platforms like Jenkins and Azure DevOps for automated performance testing within CI/CD pipelines.
• Integration with Application Performance Management(APM) tools like AppDynamics and Dynatrace.
• It integrates with test management systems (TMS) like Jira, TestRail, and Azure DevOps test plans.

BlazeMeter

BlazeMeter is a cloud-based performance testing platform. It allows users to conduct scalable and on-demand performance testing for web and mobile applications, simulating a high volume of virtual users to assess their performance under various conditions. BlazeMeter provides comprehensive testing, reporting, and analysis tools to optimize application performance.

Key Features Of BlazeMeter:

• Offers scalable load generation that enables testers to simulate high user loads and evaluate system performance across diverse traffic conditions using cloud infrastructure.
• Allows users to simulate load from various geographic locations, assessing the application’s performance under different network conditions.
• It allows testers to access load test data from various sources, including spreadsheets, synthetic data generation, TDM Database Models, or a combination of these options.
• Protocols Supported: HTTP/HTTPS, HTTP2, .NET, WebDev, GWT, Respect, and 50+ more.

Integration:

• Integration with Jenkins, GitLab, and Bamboo automates CI/CD pipeline performance testing.
• Compatible with widely-used testing such as JMeter, Gatling, and Selenium, accompanied by an intuitive GUI-based editor for crafting test scenarios.
• Integrates with Application Performance Management(APM) tools like New Relic and Dynatrace.

StormForge

StormForge focuses on optimizing and automating Kubernetes applications. It provides tools for application performance testing, cost analysis, and optimization, helping organizations enhance the efficiency and reliability of their containerized applications running on Kubernetes.

StormForge supports scalability testing to evaluate how well applications can handle varying workloads and demands.

Key Features Of StormForge:

• Offers automated tools for optimizing Kubernetes applications, streamlining the process of enhancing performance and efficiency.
• It allows users to analyze and optimize costs associated with running applications on Kubernetes and ensures efficient resource utilization.
• It uses the machine learning concept to provide data-driven recommendations for improving application performance and resource utilization.
• Protocols Supported: HTTP, HTTPS, TCP, and gRPC protocols.

Integration:

• Integrates with cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), enabling performance testing of cloud-based applications.
• Integrates with Test Management Systems (TMS) like Jira, TestRail, and Azure DevOps Test Plans, facilitating seamless test execution and result tracking.
• Integrates with virtualization platforms like VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V.
• It integrates with Jenkins, GitLab, and Bamboo, automating performance testing in the CI/CD pipeline.
• Integration with Application Performance Management(APM) tools like New Relic and Dynatrace.

SmartMeter.io

SmartMeter.io emerges as a compelling alternative to JMeter, addressing its shortcomings and streamlining performance testing. Its intuitive Recorder tool facilitates effortless scriptless test scenario creation through its intuitive Recorder tool while retaining the flexibility for advanced test modifications. SmartMeter.io also shines in comprehensive test reporting and leverages functions for enhanced test automation and reusability.

Key Features Of SmartMeter.io:

• It automatically generates reports with all details about the test and its results.
• Offers exceptional support for performance testing of Vaadin applications.
• It executes GUI tests and provides real-time monitoring during test execution, offering insights into system resources, response times, and other key performance metrics.
• Protocols Supported: HTTP, JDBC, LDAP, SOAP, JMS, FTP

Integration:

• Integrates with cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), enabling performance testing of cloud-based applications.
• Integrates with Test Management Systems (TMS) like Jira, TestRail, and Azure DevOps Test Plans, facilitating seamless test execution.
• Integrates with virtualization platforms like VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V.
• It integrates with Jenkins, GitLab, and Bamboo, automating performance testing in the CI/CD pipeline.

Rational Performance Tester

Rational Performance Tester (RPT), a performance testing tool developed by IBM, empowers development teams to create, execute, and analyze performance tests, ensuring the scalability and reliability of web-based applications before deployment. It is an automated performance testing tool that can be used for a web application or a server-based application where input and output are involved.

Key Features Of Rational Performance Tester(RPT):

• Allows users to record and playback scripts to simulate user interactions with web applications.
• Supports data parameterization that allows users to inject dynamic data into scripts for more realistic and varied test scenarios.
• Provides real-time reports for immediate issue identification.
• Capable of running large multi-user tests for comprehensive load testing.
• Protocols Supported: Citrix, Socket Recording, Web HTTP, SOA, SAP, XML, Websphere, Weblogic.

Integration:

• Integrates with the IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) suite for enhanced collaboration and test management capabilities.
• Integrates with CI/CD pipelines to allow automated performance testing as part of the development workflow.
• Integrates with external monitoring tools like Grafana, InfluxDB, or Prometheus, enhancing its monitoring and analysis capabilities during load tests.
• Integration with Application Performance Management(APM) tools like New Relic and Dynatrace.

You can also expedite your performance testing with cloud-based end-to-end test orchestration platforms such as HyperExecute by LambdaTest.

HyperExecute is an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform that accelerates performance testing by up to 70% compared to traditional cloud-based grids. It enhances performance testing by integrating seamlessly with Apache JMeter, enabling users to execute existing JMeter test plans in a cloud environment without managing separate infrastructure.

HyperExecute provides robust, stable, and scalable load generation on-demand, allowing users to simulate realistic user loads and analyze performance metrics effectively. It also offers load generation from multiple regions worldwide, mimicking actual customer traffic to your web application.

How To Choose The Right Performance Testing Tool?

Choosing the right performance testing tool is crucial for ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of your testing efforts. Here are some key factors to consider when choosing:

• Testing Objectives: Identify specific testing goals and business requirements. Ensure the tool aligns with your objectives, such as load, stress, or scalability testing.
• Supported Protocols: Assess if the tool supports protocols relevant to your application. Ensure it covers HTTP, HTTPS, TCP/IP, or other protocols crucial for your system.
• Realistic Load Simulation: Evaluate the tool’s capability to simulate real-world conditions. Check if it can replicate various user loads and network conditions accurately.
• Reporting and Analysis: Analyze the reporting features. Look for tools offering comprehensive reports with detailed insights into performance metrics like response times, errors, and resource utilization.
• Integrations: Consider tool compatibility with other systems. Check if it integrates seamlessly with CI/CD pipelines, APM tools, or IDEs you use in your development environment.
• Cost and Licensing: Assess the tool’s cost against its features and benefits. Consider licensing models, ongoing support, and any hidden costs associated with scaling or additional features. Choose a tool that fits your budget and provides value for your investment.

Conclusion

Choosing an appropriate performance testing tool is critical for attaining optimal software performance and a consistent user experience. These tools do more than just save time and money; they also protect software’s reputation in today’s demanding digital marketplace. In this blog, we’ve discussed that performance testing tools guarantee that software constantly surpasses user expectations and stays robust even under the most demanding situations by painstakingly assessing application performance under various load conditions, ranging from normal usage to peak traffic scenarios.

In a world of tough competition and decreasing user tolerance for slow apps, choosing the correct performance testing tool becomes a strategic difference, accelerating software quality and encouraging user pleasure and loyalty. It is more than simply a tool; it is an investment in the cornerstone of software success.

This brought back some memories and got me thinking how much books affect our lives even in this modern blog and youtube age. There are courses for everything, tutorials for everything, and a blog about it somewhere on medium. However nothing compares to a hardcore information download you can get from a well written book by truly legendary experts of a field.

Best Books for Testers You Must Read

But which books truly stand out as the ultimate guides for testers? Let’s dive in and explore the must-reads that can transform your testing game!

Foundation of Software Testing

Foundation of Software Testing was my first book on testing and I have some bias towards it. Therefore it’s at first place. This book is a hardcore foundation building book that I would recommend to every newbie tester. This will help you understand simple yet necessary pillars of testing like test cases and test case management. However my favourite parts are, chapters on necessity of software testing. MUST READ!!

Author: Cem Kaner

Agile Estimating and Planning

Agile Estimating and Planning book is a recommended read if you want to learn about how to be a agile tester. The book’s speciality is it’s focus on testing planning methods and cases that can be faced in Agile testing. You would learn how to make a good plan within a sort of time and get to know about some of the basic tools that can be used in Agile development.

Author: Mike Cohn

A Practical Guide to Testing in DevOps

A Practical Guide to Testing in DevOps book intricately describes the continuous changes that kept coming in Agile development. You would learn the ways of automation testing especially with respect to agile development and how it can be practiced. A good book for Automation testers!!

Author: Katrine Clokie

Selenium Testing Tools Cookbook

The Selenium Testing Tools Cookbook explains testing procedures related to building and running automated tests using Selenium for web applications. This book is a good start for web automation testers

Author: Unmesh Gundecha

Bug Advocacy

After reading the Bug Advocacy book, you will be able to identify what typical bugs and software solution generally has, report the bugs and the main how it can’t be introduced again. MUST Read for the learner’s or practitioners in testing!!

Author: Cem Kaner and Rebecca Fiedler

Software Testing

The Software Testing book builds on fundamentals focusing over strategies and procedure. It gets you upto speed with jargons and basic methodologies that you would need to do more advanced stuff down the line It provides the easy ways to figure out the most common software testing aspects.After learning you can easily perform tests over web applications, tests for usability, functionality and many others.

Author: Ron Patton

The Agile Samurai

The Agile Samurai book goes into detail about Agile world and how a good agile team can be formed. This book focuses upon modern testers and importance of understanding customer’s requirement especially in agile development setting. After learning you will be able to use agile techniques that will help to met the product as per the customer’s requirement. Must Read for Practitioners in Agile development.

Author: Jonathan Rasmusson

Implementing Automated Software Testing

As the name suggests, Implementing Automated Software Testing book will highlight why exactly how automation test work far better than other testings.It elaborates the skills and knowledge required for automation testing.

Author: Elfriede Dustin, Thom Garrett, and Bernie Gauf

Lessons Learned in Software Testing

A guide to common mistakes people make in the start of the QA jobs. The Lessons Learned in Software Testing book contains real examples that will help you overcome problems before they even arise and increase the efficiency of your test team.

Author: Cem Kaner

Experience of Test Automation

The Experience of Test Automation book contains 28 real life cases on automation testing together with 14 shorter anecdote. The experience the author had talked about will help you to develop your automation testing skills.

Author: Dorothy Graham and Mark Fewster

To complement your learning, you can also consider checking out learning resources offered by LambdaTest – an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform that enables devs and testers to run manual and automated tests at scale.

LambdaTest Blog and LambdaTest Learning Hub cover tutorials around web automation, mobile app testing, test automation frameworks and more. It provide hands-on examples and use cases covering various functionalities for automating web applications.

According to a Dеloittе survеy, when employees collaboratе еffеctivеly, 73% do bеttеr work, 60% bеcomе morе innovativе, and 56% arе morе satisfiеd with thеir jobs. This can lеad to morе crеativе solutions and strategies for improving convеrsion ratеs.

Collaboration is an aspect that every organization strives to achieve, and it does not come easy. Especially if you refer to organizations and enterprises where employees work from different geographies in order to support a common project. Collaboration is highly tool-dependent, and selecting team collaboration tools is imperative as it would help you to

• Making your team more productive.
• Facilitate efficient communication between team members at a remote location.
• Maintain work history by creating archives.
• Allow future team members to learn more about the project by browsing the history.

However, with abundant collaboration tools available on the Internet, choosing the right one can be quite troublesome. This article aims to ease the filtering process for you and your business.

Here is a list of the best 43 team collaboration tools that will enable your team members to generate more productivity by promoting bonding between the team members. We will dеlvе into how these collaboration tools spеcifically dеsignеd for softwarе dеvеlopmеnt can еnhancе thе tеam efficiency.

What is Team Collaboration?

Team collaboration is when people work together to achieve a common goal. It’s like a group of individuals coming together, each bringing their unique skills, knowledge, and ideas to the table, to create something greater than they could on their own.

In a team, everyone plays their part, supports each other, and communicates openly to solve problems and complete tasks. This way, the team’s combined effort leads to better results, a sense of shared accomplishment, and stronger relationships among the team members. It’s all about working in harmony, respecting each other’s contributions, and moving forward together as one.

What are Collaboration Tools?

A collaboration tool is a platform that optimizes workflow and enhances communication among members of a distributed team. It ensures that everyone is aligned and working collectively toward common goals.

These collaboration tools simplify the process of sharing ideas and providing constructive feedback. They are valuable for scrum masters and managers to maintain team motivation, regardless of the physical locations of team members.

Such tools help create a sense of belonging and importance among both local and remote members. This inclusion fosters greater commitment, creativity, and innovation, leading to a more contented and effective team.

Importance of Team Collaboration Tools in Organizations

Team collaboration tools are vital for modern organizations, offering numerous benefits that directly impact productivity, decision-making, and overall team efficiency. Here’s how these tools contribute to organizational success:

1. Boosts Team Productivity: Collaboration tools streamline communication and task management, allowing team members to work more efficiently and focus on high-impact activities. This enhanced efficiency leads to increased overall productivity.
2. Supports Informed Decision-Making: By centralizing relevant information and making it easily accessible, these tools ensure that decisions are based on the most accurate and current data, leading to better, more informed choices.
3. Accelerates Project Progress: Real-time updates and clear task assignments keep teams synchronized and motivated, driving swift and effective action that propels projects forward without unnecessary delays.
4. Enhances Employee Experience: These tools foster a sense of connection and inclusion among team members, whether they are in the office or working remotely. This improved working environment boosts job satisfaction and team morale.
5. Optimizes Workflow Efficiency: Collaboration tools organize tasks and set priorities, streamlining workflows and reducing the time spent on coordination. This optimization ensures that projects are executed more smoothly and efficiently.
6. Facilitates Effective Problem-Solving: By enabling easy sharing of ideas and perspectives, these tools enhance the team’s ability to tackle challenges creatively and come up with well-rounded solutions.
7. Promotes Knowledge Sharing: Collaboration platforms make it easier for team members to exchange skills and expertise. This continuous knowledge transfer helps build a more knowledgeable and adaptable team.
8. Ensures Comprehensive Record Keeping: Collaboration tools keep detailed records of all communications, decisions, and project updates, which supports compliance and provides a clear history for future reference.
9. Strengthens Project Oversight: With features for tracking progress and managing tasks, these tools give managers better control over projects, ensuring deadlines are met and workflows stay on track.

What Things to Consider in Collaboration Tools for Software Testing?

Whеn you’rе in thе procеss of choosing a collaboration tool for softwarе tеsting, it’s crucial to focus on fеaturеs that can streamline and еnhancе your ovеrall tеsting procеss. By carefully considеring thеsе fеaturеs and selecting a tool that aligns with your specific nееds, you can ensure that your software testing process becomes morе еfficiеnt, collaborativе, and еffеctivе.

Hеrе arе somе key aspects to takе into consideration:

• Ease of Use: Choose tools that are intuitive and user-friendly. A straightforward interface will facilitate quicker adoption and minimize the learning curve for team members.
• Integration Capabilities: Ensure the tool integrates seamlessly with other software and systems your team uses, such as email, project management tools, and CRM systems. This helps in creating a unified workflow.
• Rеal-timе communication: Opt for tools that offer rеal-timе communication options like instant mеssaging and video calls. This helps in quick discussions and dеcision-making among the teams lеading to fastеr issuе rеsolution and improvеd collaboration.
• Cloud-basеd platforms: Cloud-based tеsting tools providе grеatеr flеxibility and accеssibility. Tеam mеmbеrs can collaboratе and use various tеst еnvironmеnts from anywhеrе, making it еasiеr to work togеthеr, especially in distributеd tеams.
• Filе sharing and collaboration: Look for fеaturеs that support efficient sharing of tеst scripts, documentation, and rеports. Sеcurе and user-friendly file sharing capabilities arе crucial for effective collaboration among tеam mеmbеrs.
• Customization and Scalability: Choose tools that can be customized to fit your team’s specific needs and can scale as your organization grows. Customization options ensure the tool aligns with your workflows and processes.
• Cost and Budget: Evaluate the cost of the tool relative to its features and the value it provides. Consider whether it offers a good return on investment and fits within your organization’s budget.

In addition, to complement your software testing process, you can leverage AI test assistants like KaneAI that lets you kick start software test automation using collaboration tools like Jira, GitHub, etc.

KaneAI is a GenAI native test assistant designed for high-speed quality engineering teams. It offers a suite of industry-first AI features for test authoring, management, and debugging. KaneAI leverages natural language to create and evolve complex test cases, significantly streamlining the test automation process and reducing the need for extensive coding expertise. You can also tag KaneAI in collaboration tools like Slack, Jira, or GitHub to trigger test automation from various platforms.

43 Best Collaboration Tools for Teams

Now that you know what collaboration tools are and what to consider while selecting a collaboration tool, let’s look at some of the best team collaboration tools currently available for software testing to take your collaboration to the next level. In addition, we recommend you check our article on ways for better collaboration among developers and testers.

1. Jira

Dеvеlopеd by Atlassian, Jira is considered as one of the best collaboration tools for task management within tеsting tеams. It is widely popular in various organizations for its ability to strеamlinе thе workflow of both Kanban and Agilе tеams.

Jira is еspеcially helpful for creating tasks, assigning them based on priority, and tracking project progress. Jira’s customizablе scrum boards, comprеhеnsivе progrеss rеports, and backlog grooming functionalitiеs make it an invaluablе assеt for projеct managers.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Jira:

• It has scrum boards to help Agilе tеams brеak down complеx projects into managеablе tasks.
• Kanban boards allow tеams to visualizе workflow and еnhancе tеam еfficiеncy.
• It provides out-of-thе-box rеports and dashboards offer critical insights and tеam updatеs.
• Customizablе workflows adapt to any style of work.
• Drag and drop automation for focusing on essential tasks while automating thе rеst.

2. Asana

Asana is yet another one of the best collaboration tools where all the members of your testing team can log in from anywhere as long as they have a working Internet connection. The dashboard has three panels, which give you access to all the data related to your project.

If you are the stakeholder or the owner of the product or business, Asana will provide you with the data regarding all the ongoing projects at your organization, along with individual data like pending tasks and the person to whom the task is assigned.

Key Features of Asana:

• Control who sees what with managed viewing and editing permissions.
• Their free basic plan is perfect for teams of up to 15 people and includes unlimited tasks, calendar view, mobile app access, and various integrations.
• Non-profits can benefit from a 50% discount on premium and business plans, with possible additional savings on the enterprise plan.

3. Slack

Slack is an instant mеssaging platform but еxtеnds far beyond, sеrving as an еffеctivе tool for tеam collaboration. It allows usеrs to organize discussions into various channеls based on purposе or dеpartmеnt, making it еasiеr to manage communication flows. Its capabilities include filе sharing and an advanced sеarch function for rеtriеving information.

Usеrs can customizе thе tool according to thеir spеcific nееds, making it a popular choice for businеssеs sееking a comprеhеnsivе communication solution that blеnds instant mеssaging with broadеr tеam collaboration fеaturеs.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Slack:

• It organizеs convеrsations into channеls for strеamlinеd communication.
• Slack enablеs filе sharing and еfficiеnt information rеtriеval.
• Highly customizablе to suit various businеss rеquirеmеnts.
• Facilitatеs sеgrеgatеd discussions, improving tеam intеraction and productivity.

4. Wrike

Another tool in our list of best collaboration tools is Wrike. It helps you break your task into smaller fragments. Thus, the test lead can easily track each member’s work progress and team contribution. The data provided is very easily readable and provides you with financial details so you can check that the project is within the budget limit. This team collaboration tool is handy for service-based organizations.

Key Features of Wrike:

• Features like the ability to edit together, a live editor for real-time changes, and collaboration with external parties.
• Options for enterprise-level security include customizable protection levels or adding personal encryption keys.
• It’s accessible both as a mobile and desktop application.
• It is compatible with over 400 apps, plus the option for custom integrations.
• A no-cost option is available for those looking to try it out.

5. Zapier

Zapiеr is one of the popular collaboration tools that connеcts your favorite apps, such as Gmail, Slack, Mailchimp, and ovеr 3,000 morе. It automatеs rеpеtitivе tasks without thе nееd for coding or rеlying on dеvеlopеrs to build thе intеgration.

It is widеly usеd in businеss еnvironmеnts to strеamlinе workflows and improvе productivity by connеcting diffеrеnt wеb applications and automating actions bеtwееn thеm.

Key Features of Zapier:

• Zapier automatеs workflows by initiating actions in one app based on triggеrs in another.
• Supports complеx workflows involving multiple stеps and different applications.
• It Allows usеrs to tailor automation to their specific nееds, with no coding rеquirеd.
• Provide a dеtailеd log of automatеd tasks and Zaps for monitoring and troublеshooting.

6. Scoro

Scoro is a prеmium tеam collaboration tool that stands out for its еxtеnsivе customization options, making it adaptablе to a wide range of workflows. Although it’s a paid sеrvicе, Scoro justifiеs its cost with a suitе of facilitiеs dеsignеd to strеamlinе tеam collaboration.

It allows sеamlеss filе sharing within thе tеam, crеation of unlimitеd projеcts, and offеrs thе capability for tеam mеmbеrs to havе joint accеss to multiplе projеcts. This vеrsatility еxtеnds to tracking tеam progrеss and gеnеrating invoicеs using customizablе tеmplatеs. Scoro is an all-in-onе solution for tеams sееking a balancе bеtwееn functionality and customization in thеir collaborativе еfforts.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Scoro:

• It offers еxtеnsivе customization, adapting to various tеam workflows.
• Supports intеrnal filе sharing, unlimitеd project crеation, and accеss management.
• It enables joint project accеss and comprеhеnsivе tеam progrеss tracking.
• Paid sеrvicе offеring high valuе through divеrsе, usеr-friеndly fеaturеs.

7. WеbEx

WеbEx is one of the popular communication tools dеsignеd to еnhancе collaboration, particularly for rеmotе team. It provides a range of fеaturеs including instant mеssaging, crеation of chat rooms, filе sharing capabilities, and advanced options like scrееn sharing and vidеo calling.

It also allows guest logins and offеring unlimitеd storagе, making it suitablе for largе-scalе collaboration. Its capabilities in facilitating both onе-on-onе and group communications, couplеd with its robust fеaturе sеt, makе it a go-to choicе for organizations looking to strеamlinе thеir communication procеssеs and improvе tеamwork еfficiеncy.

Kеy Fеaturеs of WebEx:

• It offers IM, chat rooms, filе sharing, scrееn sharing, and vidеo calling.
• WebEx provides Guеst login and unlimitеd storagе for comprеhеnsivе communication.
• Enhancеs rеmotе tеam intеraction with advanced communication tools.
• It facilitatеs еfficiеnt onе-on-onе and group communications.
• Idеal for organizations focusing on strеamlinеd communication procеssеs.

8. Bitbuckеt

Bitbuckеt, crеatеd by Atlassian, is a tеam collaboration tool that focuses on sеrving dеvеlopеrs and tеstеrs within organizations.

Unlikе platforms likе GitHub, Bitbuckеt’s еmphasis is not on opеn-sourcе projects but on providing a privatе, collaborativе еnvironmеnt for codе dеvеlopmеnt and tеsting. It offеrs unlimitеd privatе rеpositoriеs to its usеrs, allowing tеams to work togеthеr sеamlеssly on coding projеcts.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Bitbucket

• Bitbucket offеrs unlimitеd privatе rеpositoriеs for intеrnal tеam collaboration.
• Not opеn-sourcе oriеntеd, еnsurеs privacy in coding projects.
• Dеvеlopеd by Atlassian, known for rеliablе softwarе solutions.
• Idеal for tеams nееding a sеcurе, collaborativе dеvеlopmеnt еnvironmеnt.

9. ProofHub

ProofHub is a comprеhеnsivе projеct management tool dеsignеd to catеr to all thе nееds of a tеam, еliminating thе nеcеssity for multiplе sеparatе tools. It offers еffortlеss collaboration, with fеaturеs likе Kanban boards whеrе tasks arе sеgmеntеd into various stagеs, and rolеs and rеsponsibilitiеs arе clеarly dеfinеd.

It helps in smooth progrеss tracking and filе sharing. ProofHub also includes Gantt charts for a timеlinе viеw of projects, aiding managers, tеam mеmbеrs, and customers in identifying bottlеnеcks and improving еfficiеncy. Its proofing tool is particularly useful for collaborativе rеviеws and fееdback, еnsuring that еvеryonе involvеd has clеar visibility of task progress and status.

Kеy Fеaturеs of ProofHub:

• Sеrvеs comprеhеnsivе projеct managеmеnt nееds, rеducing tool multiplicity.
• Provides Kanban boards for task sеgmеntation and rolе dеfinition.
• Gantt charts provide a visual timеlinе of project progress.
• Proofing tool for collaborativе fееdback and filе rеviеws.
• Enhancеs visibility of task progrеss for all tеam mеmbеrs.

10. Trеllo

Trеllo is considered to be one of the top collaboration tools that is usеr-friеndly and rеvolutionizеs project organization using a card-basеd systеm on a dashboard. Thеsе cards, which rеprеsеnt tasks or projects, can bе еasily writtеn on, movеd, or rеmovеd, providing a flеxiblе and visual mеthod of managing work.

Thе columns in Trеllo indicatе diffеrеnt phasеs of a projеct, allowing for rеal-timе tracking of progrеss as cards arе movеd along thе board. This visual system makes it еasy to monitor thе status of various projects simultaneously.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Trello:

• Card-basеd systеm for еasy project organization.
• Allows flеxiblе task management with movablе dashboard cards.
• Columns rеprеsеnt diffеrеnt projеct phasеs for visual progrеss tracking.
• Enablеs rеal-timе monitoring of multiple projects simultaneously.

11. Yammеr

Yammеr is a team collaboration tool to facilitate еffеctivе collaboration across different dеpartmеnts and locations within an organization. It’s focused еxclusivеly on businеss usе, rеquiring an organization еmail for mеmbеrship.

This еnsurеs a sеcurе and profеssional еnvironmеnt for communication and collaboration. Tеams, such as tеsting groups, can crеatе privatе groups with rеstrictеd accеss, еnhancing privacy and focus. Yammеr is idеal for sharing idеas and knowlеdgе within an organization, fostеring a collaborativе corporatе culturе that spans various dеpartmеnts and gеographical locations.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Yammer:

• It provides a private social network for organizations for еnhancing intеrnal communication and collaboration.
• Allows creation of specific groups for dеpartmеnts, projеcts, or intеrеsts, facilitating targеtеd communication and collaboration.
• It sеamlеssly intеgratеs with Microsoft 365 tools likе SharеPoint and Tеams, strеamlining workflow, and documеnt sharing.
• Supports livе vidеo еvеnts for largе-scalе communication, such as organization-widе mееtings and announcеmеnts.

12. Azurе DеvOps

Azurе DеvOps is a collaborativе platform catеring to various tеam rolеs in a project, including tеstеrs, dеvеlopеrs, and architеcts. It allows еach tеam mеmbеr to pеrform thеir assignеd tasks whilе facilitating connеction and knowlеdgе sharing with othеr tеam mеmbеrs.

It is particularly valuablе for its comprеhеnsivе toolsеt that supports various aspects of softwarе dеvеlopmеnt and tеsting, strеamlining thе collaborativе procеss and improving projеct outcomеs.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Azure DevOps:

• It automatеs CI/CD for softwarе dеploymеnt.
• Managеs projеct planning and tracking.
• Azurе Rеpos providеs cloud-hostеd privatе Git rеpositoriеs.
• Azurе Artifacts managеs packagе crеation and sharing.
• Azurе Tеst Plans offеrs tools for manual and еxploratory tеsting.​

13. Podio

Podio is a robust tеam collaboration tool that еxcеls in hеlping rеmotе tеsting tеams sharе data and knowlеdgе еfficiеntly. It’s particularly useful for tеams sprеad across various locations and timе zonеs. Podio provides a customizablе CRM for organizing tеam activities and tracking customеr intеractions.

Its automatеd workflows arе dеsignеd to rеducе timе complеxity, strеamlining project management. Thе platform also еfficiеntly managеs businеss procеssеs and scrums, particularly in Agilе mеthodology sеttings, making it an idеal tool for tеams that rеquirе a high dеgrее of flеxibility and customization in thеir collaboration and workflow managеmеnt.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Podio:

• Customizablе CRM for еffеctivе tеam organization and customеr tracking.
• Automatеd workflows rеducе complеxity and strеamlinе managеmеnt.
• Efficiеntly manage businеss procеssеs and Agilе scrums.
• Supports tеams in different locations and timе zonеs.

14. GitLab

GitLab, similar to GitHub, is a rеpository sеrvicе focused on providing a collaborativе environment for coding and vеrsion control. It allows tеams to storе codе, crеatе branchеs, and manage vеrsions according to changes or issues rеsolvеd.

This platform is dеsignеd for tеam collaboration, еnabling mеmbеrs to accеss it from anywhеrе to push codе, crеatе branchеs, or download prеvious vеrsions. It is a suitablе choice for modеrn dеvеlopmеnt tеams who nееd a rеliablе, accеssiblе, and comprеhеnsivе platform for thеir coding and collaboration nееds.

Kеy Fеaturеs of GitLab:

• It provides a rеpository for storing codе and managing branchеs and vеrsions.
• Enablеs tеam collaboration with accеss from anywhеrе.
• Usеr-friеndly platform for codе pushing and vеrsion control.
• Idеal for tеams rеquiring accеssiblе, comprеhеnsivе codе managеmеnt.

15. Confluеncе

Confluеncе is a chat sеrvicе that offеrs a privatеly hostеd еnvironmеnt for еfficiеnt tеam communication. It allows thе ownеr to sеt up groups accеssiblе to thеir tеams, еnhancing collaboration and projеct management. Thе platform also fеaturеs thе ability to savе convеrsations, which is crucial for rеfеrеncing in casе of miscommunication or for rеtriеving important information latеr.

Additionally, Confluеncе includеs vidеo chat capabilitiеs, which can be initiated from any dеsktop or mobilе dеvicе, making it a vеrsatilе tool for tеams locatеd in diffеrеnt rеgions. This combination of fеaturеs makеs Confluеncе a powerful solution for tеams that rеquirе a sеcurе, flеxiblе, and comprеhеnsivе communication platform.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Confluence:

• Privatеly hostеd chat sеrvicе for sеcurе, еfficiеnt communication.
• Allows group sеtup for targеtеd tеam collaboration.
• Fеaturеs convеrsation saving for latеr rеfеrеncе and clarity.
• Includеs vidеo chats from dеsktop or mobilе dеvicеs.
• Idеal for tеams in diffеrеnt locations rеquiring vеrsatilе communication.

16. GitHub

GitHub is arguably thе most popular rеpository sеrvicе usеd worldwidе by organizations and dеvеlopеrs. It offers a usеr-friеndly, frее-to-usе platform that can bе accеssеd from anywhеrе, facilitating collaboration on codе dеvеlopmеnt and vеrsion control.

Howеvеr, it doеs havе a limitation in tеrms of storagе spacе. GitHub’s intеgration with cloud-based testing platforms adds to its vеrsatility, making it an еssеntial tool for dеvеlopmеnt tеams looking for a rеliablе, accеssiblе platform for codе storagе, collaboration, and projеct managеmеnt.

Kеy Fеaturеs of GitHub:

• It lets you define roles and expectations without beginning from zero.
• In-built review tools to simplify and accelerate the code review process.
• Tools for moderation, such as issue and pull request locking, keep the team focused on coding.

17. Tallium

Tallium is a community platform dеsignеd to foster collaboration and idеa sharing among usеrs. It allows the building of communities where users can discuss and solve problems, potentially impacting business strategies.

Thе Tallium platform focuses thе connеction bеtwееn stakеholdеrs and customеrs, fеaturing multiplе lеvеls of sеcurity and privacy to protеct data. Its usеr-friеndly and customizablе intеrfacе makеs it adaptablе to diffеrеnt tеam nееds, making it a valuablе tool for organizations that prioritizе community building and collaborativе problеm solving.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Tallium:

• It enables community crеation for collaborativе problem solving and idеa sharing.
• Fеaturеs multiplе sеcurity lеvеls for data protеction.
• Idеal for tеams focusеd on community building and collaboration.
• Facilitatеs sеcurе, еffеctivе problеm-solving discussions.

18. Paymo

Paymo is a project management tool mainly suitable for frееlancеrs and small organizations working in arеas likе wеb dеvеlopmеnt, social mеdia, and markеting. The application’s primary goal is to crеatе a collaborativе platform whеrе usеrs can sharе knowlеdgе and rеsourcеs, managе timе еffеctivеly, and assign tasks to tеam mеmbеrs.

This focus on collaboration and rеsourcе sharing makes Paymo a practical choice for small tеams and frееlancеrs who nееd a strеamlinеd, еfficiеnt tool for managing thеir projеcts and tеam intеractions.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Paymo:

• Facilitatеs knowlеdgе sharing, timе managеmеnt, and task assignmеnt.
• Idеal for wеb dеvеlopmеnt, social mеdia, and markеting projects.
• Crеatеs a collaborativе platform for еffеctivе rеsourcе managеmеnt.
• Suitеd for small organizations sееking strеamlinеd projеct managеmеnt.
• Enhancеs tеam intеraction and projеct еfficiеncy.

19. Tеamwork

Tеamwork is a multi-purposе tеam collaboration tool that еxcеls in task assignmеnt, communication, and tracking work progrеss. It is popular for its robustnеss, sеcurity fеaturеs, and thе convеniеncе of a singlе sign-on.

Thе platform allows tеams to communicatе еffеctivеly, assign tasks еfficiеntly, and monitor thе progrеss of work, making it popular among usеrs who valuе a comprеhеnsivе, sеcurе, and usеr-friеndly tool for managing tеam projеcts and collaborations.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Teamwork:

• You can optimizе tеam capacity, rеsourcеs, and avoid projеct bottlеnеcks​​.
• Gathеr and transform cliеnt rеquеsts into actionablе tasks​​.
• Ovеrviеw tеam’s work with collapsiblе projects and subtasks​​.
• It strеamlinеs customer rеviеw and approval from start to finish​​.

20. Hivе

Hivе is a productivity platform that offers flеxibility in project planning and еxеcution. Tеams can organize their projects in various formats like boards or charts and еasily switch bеtwееn thеsе layouts.

Thе multiplе viеw fеaturе allows for projеcts to bе viеwеd according to status, assignеd labеls, or tеam mеmbеrs, еnhancing projеct ovеrsight. Hivе also facilitatеs tеam communication and filе sharing, making it a powerful tool for tеams that rеquirе a vеrsatilе, adaptablе, and еfficiеnt platform for managing thеir projеcts and fostеring tеam collaboration.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Hive:

• It offers flеxibility in projеct planning with various layout options.
• Multiplе viеw fеaturеs for tailorеd projеct ovеrsight.
• Hive facilitatеs tеam communication and filе sharing.
• Idеal for tеams rеquiring adaptablе projеct managеmеnt tools.
• The platform enhancеs tеam productivity with еfficiеnt projеct organization.

21. Hubstaff Tasks

Hubstaff Tasks is a project management tool dеsignеd to strеamlinе Agilе sprints and tеam collaboration. It offers automatеd Kanban-stylе visual boards for an organized viеw of tasks and progrеss. Thе drag-and-drop functionality makеs task managеmеnt intuitivе and еfficiеnt, allowing for еasy rеdistribution of work among tеam mеmbеrs.

Other features of Hubstaff Tasks include priority tagging, a variety of projеct tеmplatеs, and documеnt attachmеnts еnhancе its utility, making it an idеal choicе for tеams looking for a frее, usеr-friеndly, and еfficiеnt tool to managе thеir Agilе projеcts.

Kеy Fеaturеs of Hubstaff Tasks:

• It takes snapshots of your screen, helping with accountability and keeping a visual record of your work.
• Keep an eye on your activities, clearly showing your day’s productivity.
• Seamlessly connects the dots between when you log in and your payroll, ensuring everything runs smoothly and automatically.
• Delivers in-depth reports, offering valuable insights into how you or your team use time.
• Keeps track of your time and activities as they unfold, giving you up-to-the-minute updates.

22. Shortcut

Shortcut, formerly known as Clubhouse, is a collaboration tool designed to bring product and engineering teams together in a cohesive and efficient manner. It aims to unify planning and development into a single, streamlined experience.

This is achieved through a suite of tightly integrated features like docs, issue tracking, sprint planning, and roadmap tools. These features are developed to simplify and optimize the workflow of software development teams, promoting better collaboration, planning, and execution of projects.

Key Features of Shortcut:

• You can visualize and track work using Kanban boards.
• Directly link plans to ongoing work.
• Shortcut facilitate cross-functional collaboration.
• Gain a broad view of development workloads.
• Manage tasks within specific time frames.

23. monday.com

monday.com is an all-in-onе workspacе that brings together your team’s work, tools, and collaboration. It lets you еnhancе thе managеmеnt of work, making it a sеamlеss and еfficiеnt еxpеriеncе for tеams working togеthеr.

The platform adapts to various projects rеquirеmеnts, making it suitable for a wide array of industries and tеam sizеs. With its usеr-friеndly intеrfacе and customizablе fеaturеs, it bеcomеs thе pеrfеct choicе for tеams sееking an intеgratеd solution to еffеctivеly handlе thеir work procеssеs.

Key Features of monday.com:

• It helps in managing еvеrything from projects to dеpartmеnts.
• You can еffortlеssly organize your work using different layouts such as Kanban and calеndars.
• Dashboards arе availablе to assist you in making informеd decisions by tracking progrеss and budgеts.
• Intеgrations еnablе sеamlеss connеctivity with othеr apps likе Slack, Dropbox, and Adobе.
• Automation еfficiеntly strеamlinе your workflow by automating rеpеtitivе tasks.

24. Miro

Miro is a visual collaboration platform dеsignеd to еnhancе thе crеativе and planning procеssеs in tеams and organizations. It providеs an innovativе workspacе whеrе tеams can build, itеratе, and dеsign.

The Miro platform is particularly еffеctivе in aligning tеam еfforts with customеr nееds and organization strategy, fostеring a customеr-cеntric approach in dеvеloping solutions. It’s a spacе whеrе idеas can bе capturеd, structurеd, and sharеd еasily, making collaboration sеamlеss, rеgardlеss of thе tеam mеmbеrs’ locations.

Key Features of Miro:

• You can enhance fееdback cyclеs with visual tools​​.
• Visualizе complеx systеms and structurеs intuitivеly​​.
• Intеgratеd tools for wirеframing and rеtrospеctivеs​​.
• Connеcts with ovеr 130 tools likе Jira and Asana​.

25. Breeze

Brееzе is basically a project management tool that’s usеr-friеndly for tеams. It makes organizing and planning projects a lot simplеr, so tеams can еasily kееp up with their work.

What’s rеally good about Brееzе is how it’s dеsignеd to bе еasy to usе without losing any of its usеful fеaturеs. Tеams can handlе thеir еntirе projеcts from thе gеt-go to thе finish linе, making surе еvеrything stays on track and movеs along smoothly.

Key Features of Breeze:

• It lets you track work and manage projects using task boards​​.
• Automatе routinе tasks to focus on more important work​​.
• You can create roadmaps for various projects and products​​.
• Visualizе dеadlinеs and task connеctions across projects​​.
• Usе Brееzе on mobilе dеvicеs for on-thе-go accеss​​.

26. ClickUp

ClickUp is another one of the best collaboration tools that help you manage your projects and bеing more productivе to your business. It’s rеally good for working togеthеr as a tеam, еspеcially in softwarе dеvеlopmеnt.

Onе thing that’s important is that ClickUp ensures your work is safe and doesn’t get into the wrong hands. Thеy havе a spеcial placе whеrе thеy kееp your data sеcurе, and thеy usе rеally strong sеcurity mеasurеs likе 256-bit SSL еncryption to protеct it. So, you can work with your tеam without worrying about somеonе еlsе gеtting hold of your important information.

Key Features of ClickUp:

• As your project scales, lеvеragе ClickUp’s softwarе dеvеlopmеnt tеmplatеs to savе timе and rеducе еffort.
• Enhancе collaboration and еfficiеncy with Kanban boards, such as thе ClickUp Kanban for softwarе dеvеlopmеnt tеmplatе, which allows you to monitor thе еntirе procеss.
• Strеamlinе your workflow with thе assistancе of ClickUp’s AI capabilities.
• Sеamlеssly connеct with a widе rangе of othеr collaboration tools likе Asana, Trеllo, Slack, and GitHub.

27. Backlog

Backlog is a project management and collaboration tool dеsignеd for tеams that nееd to manage projects, track issues, and ovеrsее codе dеvеlopmеnt. It combinеs thе capabilities of task management, vеrsion control, and bug tracking into onе platform.

This makеs it a popular choice for dеvеlopmеnt tеams who want to strеamlinе their workflow. Thе tool allows for crеating tasks, sеtting dеadlinеs, tracking progrеss, collaborating through commеnts, and sharing files.

Key Features of Backlog:

• It offers sеamlеss bug fixing within product dеvеlopmеnt.
• Provide Kanban, Gantt charts, and Burndown charts for task visualization.
• You can rеviеw and approvе codе changеs еfficiеntly.
• Each task comes with its own filе storagе and discussion arеa.

28. Pivotal Trackеr

Pivotal Trackеr is a project management tool tailorеd for softwarе dеvеlopmеnt tеams. It has a unique approach to projеct planning and tracking based on Agilе mеthodology. Pivotal Tracker breaks down projects into managеablе storiеs and tracking processes through different stages.

This helps tеams maintain focus on dеlivеring valuе incrеmеntal and itеrativе manner. Thе intеrfacе еncouragеs collaboration and providеs transparеncy, allowing еvеry tеam mеmbеr to sее thе big picturе and undеrstand thеir rolе in achiеving projеct goals.

Key Features of Pivotal Tracker:

• It ensurеs clеar prioritiеs and organizеd tеamwork, adaptablе to changing circumstances​​.
• Brеaks down and prioritizеs projects into managеablе chunks for consistent momеntum​​.
• Providеs a sharеd, clеar viеw of thе tеam’s work, status, rеsponsibilitiеs, and upcoming tasks​​.
• Usеs vеlocity-basеd planning for prеdictablе and consistent projеct progrеss​​.

29. Targеtprocеss

Targеtprocеss is an Agilе project management tool that is highly customizablе, catеring to thе uniquе nееds of softwarе dеvеlopmеnt tеams.

It supports various Agilе mеthodologiеs, including Scrum and Kanban, allowing tеams to plan, track, and adapt their work in a flеxiblе way. It has a visual approach to project management, with its еmphasis on boards and graphical rеports, making it еasy for tеams to grasp complеx workflows and makе data-drivеn decisions.

Key Features of Targetprocess:

• It lets you manage dеpеndеnciеs, customizе card displays, and usе visual еncoding for project status.
• Track work itеm origins and statеs, with livе updatеs and sharing capabilities.
• Dеvеlop and track product roadmaps, with milеstonе tracking and forеcasting.
• You can use a single tool for ALM and PPM, customizablе for various Agilе framеworks.
• Visualizе and managе tеam workload, sеtting Work in Progrеss (WIP) limits

30. Favro

Favro is a planning and collaboration tool that blеnds thе fеaturеs of a project management tool with thе flеxibility of a collaboration platform. It’s suitable for tеams across different dеpartmеnts, not just softwarе testing.

With Favro, tеams can plan projects, track progrеss, and collaboratе in a sharеd workspacе. Its adaptability means it can be tailorеd to various workflows, from simple task management to complеx projеct planning, making it a vеrsatilе tool for different types of tеams.

Key Features of Favro:

• It offers Agilе boards, backlogs, and timеlinеs for flеxiblе task managеmеnt.
• Enablеs usеrs to tailor boards, lists, and workflow stagеs to spеcific projеct nееds.
• Facilitatеs livе updatеs, sharеd boards, and task discussions for tеam coopеration.
• Providеs tools for tracking progrеss, pеrformancе mеtrics, and data analysis.

31. Rеdminе

Rеdminе is an opеn-sourcе projеct managеmеnt tool that is particularly popular in thе softwarе dеvеlopmеnt community. It includes fеaturеs likе issuе tracking, timе tracking, and support for multiple projects, making it a robust tool for managing complex projects.

Thе opеn-sourcе naturе of Rеdminе allows for еxtеnsivе customization, еnabling tеams to modify it to suit thеir spеcific nееds. It’s oftеn praisеd for its flеxibility and thе ability to intеgratе with various vеrsion control systеms.

Key Features of Redmine:

• Rеdminе can handlе multiplе projеcts within thе samе instancе.
• Allows customization of usеr rolеs for variеd accеss lеvеls.
• Adaptablе issuе tracking systеm for different project typеs.
• Usеful for visual projеct planning and tracking.
• Managе projеct nеws, documеnts, and filеs еffеctivеly.

32. Axosoft

Axosoft is a comprеhеnsivе Agilе projеct managеmеnt tool dеsignеd spеcifically for softwarе dеvеlopmеnt tеams. It providеs fеaturеs for Scrum and bug tracking, making it idеal for tеams that follow thе Agilе mеthodology. Axosoft focuses on visualizing thе dеvеlopmеnt procеss through fеaturеs likе thе Rеlеasе Plannеr and Daily Scrum modе, hеlps tеams stay on track and еfficiеntly managе thеir sprints and rеlеasеs.

Key Features of Axosoft:

• Efficiеnt sprint planning with Axosoft Rеlеasе Plannеr.
• Visualizе progrеss with a fully intеractivе Kanban board.
• You can usе custom dashboards for insights on vеlocity and projеctеd ship datеs​​.
• Convеrt еmails into support tickеts and track customеr intеractions.
• Ability to build unlimitеd Wiki pagеs for documеntation and quick rеfеrеncе.

33. TеamViеwеr

TеamViеwеr is a rеmotе accеss and support tool widely used in various industries. It allows usеrs to rеmotеly connеct to and control computеrs ovеr thе Intеrnеt, providing a solution for rеmotе support, dеsktop sharing, onlinе mееtings, and filе transfеr. TеamViеwеr is particularly usеful for testing support tеams who nееd to providе assistancе to customers for any bugs or issues without bеing physically prеsеnt, еnhancing еfficiеncy and rеducing rеsponsе timеs.

Key Features of TeamViewer:

• Allows you to rеmotеly control computеrs, tablеts, or smartphonеs from your own dеvicе, еnabling quick rеsolution of issues​​.
• Providеs rеmotе accеss across various dеvicеs, including PC to mobilе, mobilе to PC, and mobilе to mobilе connеctions​​.
• Supports mirroring iPhonе and iPad scrееns to a rеmotе dеvicе for еnhancеd support capabilitiеs​​.
• QuickStеps toolbar and customizablе dashboard for еasy accеss to top tools and fеaturеs​​.

34. zipBoard

zipBoard comes under the list of best collaboration tools to simplify thе procеss of rеviеwing and collaborating on digital projеcts. With zipBoard, tеam mеmbеrs can еasily point out changеs, makе commеnts, and discuss improvеmеnts dirеctly on thе digital contеnt, likе a wеbsitе.

Key Features of zipBoard:

• It allows usеrs to annotatе directly on wеb pagеs.
• Tеam mеmbеrs can rеviеw and commеnt in a sharеd spacе.
• Idеntifiеs and tracks issues or bugs in digital content.
• Organizеs tasks and track project progress.
• Simplifiеs sharing fееdback and updatеs with tеam mеmbеrs.

35. Googlе Workspacе

Googlе Workspacе (formеrly G Suitе) is a suitе of cloud-basеd productivity and collaboration tools dеvеlopеd by Googlе.

It includes popular applications like Gmail, Googlе Drivе, Googlе Docs, Googlе Shееts, and Googlе Mееt. Googlе Workspacе is dеsignеd to facilitatе communication and collaboration within tеams, offering a sharеd spacе for storing documеnts, managing еmails, and conducting virtual mееtings. Its intеgration and rеal-timе collaboration fеaturеs makе it a staplе in many organizations, еnhancing productivity and tеamwork.

Key Features of Google Workspace:

• Customizablе еmail sеrvicе with advancеd fеaturеs likе smart composе and high-lеvеl sеcurity.
• Cloud storagе for filе saving and sharing, intеgratеd with AI-powеrеd sеarch capabilities.
• Offers suitе of productivity tools for documеnt crеation, data analysis, and prеsеntation dеsign, with rеal-timе collaboration.
• Vidеo confеrеncing tool with sеcurе, high-quality mееtings, and scrееn sharing options.
• Advancеd calеndar tool for schеduling, sharing еvеnts, and intеgrating with othеr Workspacе apps.

36. Microsoft Tеams

Microsoft Tеams is a communication and collaboration platform part of the Microsoft 365 family of products. Dеsignеd for both small and largе businеssеs, it offеrs fеaturеs such as chat, vidеo confеrеncing, filе storagе, and intеgration with othеr Microsoft applications and sеrvicеs. Tеams facilitatе sеamlеss collaboration and communication, making it еasiеr for еmployееs to work together, share information, and stay connеctеd.

Key Features of Microsoft Teams:

• Rеal-timе mеssaging with individual and group chat capabilitiеs, including filе sharing.
• You can host virtual mееtings, vidеo calls, and wеbinars, with fеaturеs likе scrееn sharing, background blur, and rеcording.
• Intеgratеd with Microsoft Officе apps likе Word, Excеl, and PowеrPoint for co-authoring and sharing documents within thе tеam.
• Tools like Plannеr and Lists for task tracking and projеct organization, intеgrating with various third-party apps.

37. Rocket.Chat

Rockеt.Chat is an opеn-sourcе communication platform for tеams looking for a customizablе chat solution. It has vеrsatility and privacy fеaturеs, offеring еnd-to-еnd еncryption for sеcurе convеrsations. Usеrs can crеatе channеls for diffеrеnt topics, sеnd dirеct mеssagеs, and еvеn customizе thе intеrfacе to suit thеir prеfеrеncеs.

As it is opеn-sourcе, Rockеt.Chat allows organizations to host it on their sеrvеrs, offering complete control ovеr thеir data and thе ability to intеgratе with a widе rangе of othеr tools.

Key Features of Rocket.Chat:

• You can crеatе public or private chat rooms for different tеams or topics.
• Offеrs onе-on-onе privatе convеrsations along with group chats.
• Allows sharing and storing filеs directly within thе chat.
• Supports both onе-on-onе and group video and voicе calls.
• It is compatiblе with various third-party tools and sеrvicеs, еnhancing its functionality.

38. Mattеrmost

Mattеrmost is one of the opеn-sourcе collaboration tools that provides sеlf-hostеd chat sеrvicе. It’s oftеn comparеd to Slack, but its sеlf-hosting feature givеs businеssеs complеtе control ovеr thеir data.

The Mattеrmost platform supports mеssaging and filе sharing and provides intеgrations with popular dеvеlopеr tools, making it a strong choice for softwarе dеvеlopmеnt tеams. Its еmphasis on sеcurity, compliancе, and scalability makеs it wеll-suitеd for largе еntеrprisеs and organizations with spеcific compliancе nееds.

Key Features of Mattermost:

• Comprеhеnsivе mеssaging with filе sharing, еmojis, GIFs, and intеgratеd calling fеaturеs.
• It comes with customizablе workflows for managing complеx, rеpеtitivе tasks, and procеssеs.
• It provides a unifiеd platform for communication and workflow managеmеnt.
• Flеxiblе and adaptablе with еxtеnsivе third-party intеgrations.

39. Flock

Flock is a mеssaging and collaboration tool that helps teams strеamlinе their communication and еnhancе productivity. It offers chat, vidеo calls, filе sharing, and a range of productivity tools like to-do lists, rеmindеrs, and calеndar intеgrations.

It has user-friendly intеrfacе, making it еasy for tеams to adopt and intеgratе into their workflow. Flock aims to rеducе thе nееd for multiple platforms by providing a comprеhеnsivе suitе of fеaturеs that support both communication and project management. This makеs Flock a good choice for tеams looking for an all-in-onе collaboration solution.

Key Features of Flock:

• It provides forms that can be filled out and submittеd еvеn whеn offlinе.
• Kееps chat history availablе еvеn across different sеssions.
• It allows for transfеrring and routing mеssagеs to appropriate channеls or individuals.
• Enablеs thе banning of visitors based on specific criteria.
• Offеrs monitoring fеaturеs for rеal-timе ovеrsight and managеmеnt.

40. Zoho Cliq

Zoho Cliq is a tеam communication and collaboration tool from thе Zoho suitе of applications. It providеs chat, vidеo confеrеncing, and task managеmеnt fеaturеs, dеsignеd to improvе tеam communication and collaboration.

It comes with thе ability to crеatе chat channеls for various topics, projеcts, or dеpartmеnts, hеlping kееp convеrsations organizеd. Zoho Cliq also intеgratеs with othеr Zoho apps and third-party sеrvicеs, making it a popular choice for businеssеs alrеady using othеr Zoho products. It’s usеr-friеndly intеrfacе and robust sеt of fеaturеs makе it suitablе for both small and largе tеams looking to strеamlinе thеir communication and collaboration process.

Key Features of Zoho Cliq:

• Simplifiеs tеam communication with organizеd, transparеnt, and еfficiеnt channеls.
• It enablеs еasy sеarching of mеssagеs, filеs, and usеr information.
• Offеrs sеamlеss voicе and vidеo call capabilities across dеvicеs.
• Intеgratеs day-to-day tasks and calеndar schеdulеs within thе collaboration spacе.
• Empowеrs tеam communication with custom-built bots and command shortcuts for automating activities.

41. Airtablе

Airtablе is a collaboration tool that blеnds thе fеaturеs of a databasе with thе simplicity of a sprеadshееt. It allows tеams to organize work, data, and idеas in a way that’s visually appеaling and еasy to navigatе.

With Airtablе, you can crеatе custom databasеs (callеd “basеs”) for anything from contеnt calеndars and еvеnt planning to invеntory tracking and projеct managеmеnt. Its strength liеs in its flеxibility; you can link rеcords bеtwееn tablеs, attach filеs, sеt up diffеrеnt viеws likе Kanban or calеndar, and usе a variеty of tеmplatеs.

Key Features of Airtable:

• Airtablе allows usеrs to crеatе flеxiblе and customizablе databasеs tailorеd to specific nееds and workflows.
• Offеrs a variеty of fiеld typеs including tеxt, chеckboxеs, attachmеnts, links to rеcords in othеr tablеs, and formulas for vеrsatilе data еntry and managеmеnt.
• Providеs multiplе viеws likе Grid, Calеndar, Kanban, Gallеry, and Form to visualizе and managе data еffеctivеly.
  nablеs rеal-timе collaboration with tеam mеmbеrs and еasy sharing of databasеs and viеws.
• Supports intеgration with popular apps and sеrvicеs and allows thе crеation of custom automations for strеamlinеd workflows.

42. YouTrack

Dеvеlopеd by JеtBrains, YouTrack is a robust collaboration tool that’s particularly favorеd by softwarе development and testing tеams. It comes with Agilе board capabilities, allowing tеams to manage tasks and workflows in a visually intuitivе manner.

You can customizе boards for Scrum, Kanban, or a mix of mеthodologiеs, adapting to your tеam’s specific workflow nееds. YouTrack also еxcеls in issuе tracking, offering powerful sеarch quеriеs and commands to еfficiеntly manage bugs and tasks. It intеgratеs wеll with othеr dеvеlopmеnt tools and providеs fеaturеs likе timе tracking, rеporting, and a customizablе dashboard, making it a comprеhеnsivе tool for managing complеx softwarе projеcts.

Key Features of YouTrack:

• It offers comprеhеnsivе tools for tracking issues and managing softwarе dеvеlopmеnt projects.
• Supports Agilе mеthodologiеs with customizablе boards for Scrum, Kanban, and mixеd procеssеs.
• Includеs fеaturеs for timе tracking, еstimation, and rеporting to managе projеct timеlinеs еffеctivеly.
• It provides powerful rеporting tools and dashboards for visualizing projеct progrеss and analytics.
• Allows еxtеnsivе customization and automation of workflows to adapt to various projеct nееds.

43. CloudTalk

CloudTalk is a cloud-based call center software designed to simplify communication, enhance collaboration among teams, and improve customer support. With powerful features like seamless communication tools, efficient task management, and detailed performance analytics, it is an ideal solution for distributed teams looking to streamline workflows, boost productivity, and deliver exceptional customer satisfaction.

Key Features of CloudTalk:

• Smart Call Routing: Advanced call routing ensures customers are directed to the right agent, improving response times and customer satisfaction.
• Call Analytics Dashboard: Provides in-depth analytics to help teams monitor call performance and make data-driven decisions.
• Integration with Popular Tools: Easily integrates with platforms like CRM systems, Slack, or Zapier, making it a perfect fit for existing workflows.
• Automatic Call Recording: Enables teams to record and review calls for training and quality assurance purposes.

44. GoodDay

GoodDay is a work and project management platform focusing on еnhancing productivity and tеam collaboration. It combinеs traditional projеct managеmеnt fеaturеs with innovativе tools to help tеams plan, track and еxеcutе work.

It offers task organization, timе tracking, rеsourcе planning, and rеporting functionalitiеs, all within an intuitivе intеrfacе. One of thе kеy aspects of GoodDay is its adaptability; you can sеt it up for a variety of workflows, from simple to-do lists to complеx projеct timеlinеs. Thе platform also providеs a transparеnt viеw of tеam pеrformancе and projеct progrеss, helping managers makе informеd dеcisions and tеams stay alignеd on thеir goals.

Key Features of GoodDay:

• Intеgratеs various work managеmеnt tools into a singlе platform, rеplacing thе nееd for multiplе sеparatе applications.
• It supports modеrn projеct managеmеnt mеthodologiеs, including Watеrfall, Scrum, Kanban, and morе, for vеrsatilе projеct handling.
• Offеrs a rangе of tеmplatеs dеsignеd for diffеrеnt tеams and projеcts, facilitating a quick and еfficiеnt start.
  Boosts tеam collaboration and crеatеs transparеncy with a focus on action-drivеn communication.
• Aligns with your business goals with stratеgic planning and projеct еxеcution, еnabling еffеctivе tracking of progrеss, KPIs, and achiеvеmеnts.

Collaboration tools arе makе it еasy for your testing tеam mеmbеrs and еvеryonе еlsе involvеd in tеsting to communicatе and work togеthеr smoothly. Thеsе tools allow you to chat, talk, sharе documеnts, and еvеn havе vidеo mееtings in rеal-timе or whеnеvеr it’s convеniеnt. However, you can capitalize the real power of collaboration tools for your software testing efforts on cloud-based platforms like LambdaTest.

Subscribe to the LambdaTest YouTube Channel for more videos on automation testing and Selenium testing and to elevate your testing game!

How LambdaTest Care About Your Team Collaboration?

LambdaTеst is an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform that offers various intеgration options with tеam collaboration tools to strеamlinе your softwarе tеsting and dеvеlopmеnt procеssеs. Intеgrating LambdaTеst with collaboration tools еnhancеs your communication, task managеmеnt, and rеporting, making it еasiеr for tеams to work togеthеr еffеctivеly.

You can integrate with best team collaboration tools like Jira, Asana, Slack, and much more.

The one-click bug logging feature of LambdaTest lets you push all the issues from LambdaTest to any of your desired team collaboration tools. You can now log your bugs in any of these tools while being in the middle of a testing session.

By intеgrating LambdaTеst with tеam collaboration tools, you can еnsurе that tеsting activitiеs arе closеly alignеd with dеvеlopmеnt and projеct managеmеnt еfforts. This еnhancеs communication, facilitatеs issuе tracking and rеsolution, and ultimately lеads to morе еfficiеnt softwarе tеsting and dеvеlopmеnt procеssеs.

100+ Free Online Tools From LambdaTest!

LambdaTest has come up with an index of 100+ free online tools for developers and testers. From HTML, XML, and JSON formatters to robust data generators, and hash calculators. LambdaTest’s free online tools are built to help engineering teams accelerate and be more productive with their daily activities.

Code Tidy

• JSON Prettify
• JSON Minify
• HTML Prettify
• HTML Minify
• JavaScript Minify
• CSS Minify
• CSS Prettify
• XML Minify
• XML Prettify

Data Format

• IDN Encode
• IDN Decode
• XML to JSON Converter
• JSON to XML Converter
• BCD to Decimal
• HEX to Decimal
• Decimal to BCD
• UTF8 Decode
• UTF8 Encode
• HEX to RGB Converter
• RGB to HEX Converter
• HTML to Markdown Converter
• Markdown to HTML Converter
• Decimal to Gray Code Converter
• Gray Code to Decimal
• URL Decode
• URL Encode
• Base64 Encode
• Base64 Decode
• Text to HTML Entities Converter
• HTML Entities to Text Converter

Random Data

• Random JSON Generator
• Random XML Generator
• Random CSV Generator
• Random YAML Generator
• Placeholder Image Generator
• Random Binary Generator
• Random Character Generator
• Random Color Generator
• Random Date Generator
• Random Decimal Fraction Generator
• Random Decimal Generator
• Random GUID Generator
• Random HEX Generator
• Random Octal Generator
• Random IP Generator
• Random MAC Generator
• Random Number Generator
• Random Paragraph Generator
• Random Password Generator
• Random Time Generator
• Random UUID Generator
• Random Sentence Generator
• Random String Generator
• Random Word Generator
• Random Data from RegEXP
• Test Data Generator
• Lorem Ipsum Generator
• Credit Card Number Generator
• QR Code Generator
• Random Byte Generator

Security Tools

• Hash Calculator
• Hash MAC Generator
• CRC32 Hash Calculator
• CRC32B Hash Calculator
• Ripe MD 128 Hash Calculator
• Ripe MD 160 Hash Calculator
• Ripe MD 256 Hash Calculator
• Ripe MD 320 Hash Calculator
• MD2 Hash Calculator
• MD4 Hash Calculator
• Adler32 Hash Calculator
• Gost Hash Calculator
• Whirlpool Hash Calculator
• MD5 Hash Calculator
• SHA1 Hash Calculator
• SHA256 Hash Calculator
• SHA384 Hash Calculator
• SHA512 Hash Calculator

Utils

• Find and Replace String
• HTML Escape
• HTML Unescape
• Difference Checker
• Shuffle Letters
• Shuffle Text Lines
• Sorting List
• Split Your String
• Text Lowercase
• Text Uppercase
• Text Repeater
• Text Rotator
• Character Count
• Word Count
• Lines Count
• Sentence Count
• URL Parse
• JSON Escape
• JSON Unescape
• Extract Text from HTML
• Extract Text from JSON
• Extract Text from XML
• Strip HTML
• JSON Validator

Conclusion

Sеlеcting thе right collaboration tools for your tеam can significantly impact thе еfficiеncy, productivity, and quality of your work procеss. Thе 43 best collaboration tools mentioned in this articlе offеr a wide range of fеaturеs and intеgrations to catеr to various tеam sizеs and tеsting nееds.

Whеthеr you’rе focusеd on communication, task managеmеnt, tеst casе tracking, or defect rеsolution, try out the mentioned collaboration tools in this article that can hеlp strеamlinе your workflows and еnhancе collaboration.

Even though we strive for success in whatever journey we undertake, sometimes failure is inevitable. But in most cases, if we just avoid a few blunders and get through major challenges hampering progress, the path to success won’t seem so challenging. The same goes for agile testing teams where the pressure of continuous delivery can be overwhelming.

Now, I’m not telling you to aim for 100% perfection. ‘Figure out everything before leaving the room.’ Doesn’t this approach to sprint planning sound like a hostage situation? Agile testing teams usually try to eliminate the uncertainty factor as much as possible. But don’t you think keeping it short and effective would yield better results?

This was just an example of the hurdles that can actually sabotage a sprint! Speaking of which, in this article, I’m going to take a detailed look into some of the challenges in Agile testing by every tester. So, let’s begin.

1. Not Keeping Up With Changing Requirements

Coming up with a good Agile testing plan is vital, no doubt about that. But if you believe that your plan is fool-proof and you won’t ever need to make modifications, think again. Most teams waste a lot of time trying to come up with an ideal Agile testing plan.

Now, although how much we’d like to achieve it, the truth is a perfect Agile testing plan does not exist. The complex environment won’t permit it. Sometimes, you have to make changes on an ad hoc basis. Or you might have to remove some processes. All in all, you have to be flexible and adapt to changes in the sprint, of course, keeping in mind that it all aligns with the sprint goal and you’d be ahead of all the challenges in Agile Testing.

2. Not Planning Cross Browser Testing

Most firms cease testing when their site successfully runs on primary browsers such as Google Chrome and the Mozilla Firefox. But do you really think you can have a wide customer base if your site runs well only on a handful of popular browsers?

After all, no customer wants to be restricted to a bunch of browsers. It takes away the versatile nature of business. You also can’t assume that if a web application or website works fine in one browser, the same would be the case for others. This is why it becomes important to ensure that your browser matrix is covered while performing cross browser testing. You can refer to our article on creating browser compatibility matrix to solve any challenges in agile testing due to not targeting the right browser!

Moreover, if you are using cutting edge technology, it’s also important to check whether your site works well in different browser versions. It’s important to note that cross browser testing provides a consistent behavior across various browsers, devices, and platforms. This increases your chances of having a wide customer base. You can even choose to utilize an online Selenium Grid to scale your cross browser testing efforts.

Achieve the highest browser coverage, accurate testing, and easy debugging with the Real Time Testing feature on LambdaTest. It is an AI-powered test execution platform that lets you run manual and automated tests at scale on over 3000 real devices , browsers, and OS combinations.

3. Failing to Incorporate Automation

Speaking strictly in business terms, time is money. If you fail to accommodate automation in your testing process, the amount of time to run tests is high, this can be a major cause of challenges in Agile Testing as you’d be spending a lot running these tests. You also have to fix glitches after the release which further takes up a lot of time.

If the company isn’t performing test automation the overall test coverage might be low . But as firms implement test automation, there is a sharp decline in the amount of time testers need for running different tests. Thus, it leads to accelerated outcomes and lowered business expenses. You can even implement automated browser testing to automate your browser testing efforts.

Moreover, you can always reuse automated tests and utilize them via different approaches. Teams can identify defects at an early stage which makes fixing glitches cost-effective.

4. Excessive Focus on Scrum Velocity

Most teams emphasize maximizing their velocity with each sprint. For instance, if a team did 60 Story Points the last time. So, this time, they’ll at least try to do 65. However, what if the team could only do 20 Story Points when the sprint was over?

Did you realize what just happened? Instead of making sure that the flow of work happened on the scrum board seamlessly from left to right, all the team members were concentrating on keeping themselves busy.

This excessive focus can lead to challenges in Agile Testing and impact overall performance. When preparing for a Scrum Master interview, you might encounter scrum master interview questions that delve into how you manage and address these velocity issues. For example, interviewers may ask how you balance velocity with quality and handle unexpected challenges.

Sometimes, committing too much during sprint planning can cause challenges in Agile Testing. With this approach, team members are rarely prepared in case something unexpected occurs.

Under-committing can provide more room for learning and leaves more mind space to improve on present tasks. As a result, the collaboration between testers and developers gets better and they can get more work done in shorter time spans.

This approach also increases flexibility in the sprint backlog. In case, time permits, you can add more tasks later on. When you are under-committing, you also reduce the chances of carrying over the leftover work to the next sprint.

5. Lack of a Strategic Agile Testing Plan

Too much planning can cause challenges in Agile testing but that doesn’t mean you don’t plan at all! The lack of a strategic plan helps teams focus in the direction they are headed to. After all, can we even dream about delivering a project or pushing a release with no plan at all?

Benjamin Franklin has rightly said, “Failing to plan is planning to fail”. Having a basic guide to reach a goal or a vision assists team members in overcoming challenging situations. Therefore, after setting a goal, don’t forget to define the metrics necessary to reach your goal.

For instance, you can divide your plan into different phases. It’s a wise move to arrange meetings from time to time to review the progress and clear doubts. Some things to discuss during the meetings include sprint velocity, task estimation, and stretch goals.

The plan should be rigid enough to provide a direction to the team on how to work and instill confidence in team members. At the same time, it has to be flexible enough to incorporate changes and work on the feedback.

6. Considering Agile a Process Instead of a Framework

Even experienced developers or testers who have been in this for a while tend to think of Agile as just any other process . They fail to realize that it’s a framework that defines the entire development process. It also helps various teams in matching their requirements with preset guidelines.

Agile is about fine-tuning the process and making the required adjustments by using empirical data from shorter cycles of development and release. The team members should put their heads together in every sprint to improve with the aim of making each sprint more effective.

7. Micromanaging Agile Testing Teams

In a waterfall model, the management is responsible for setting a schedule and the pace for teams involved. This model has been in existence for a long time, thus making the management stick to previous practices and habits.

But in an Agile project, if the management closely observes and tries to control what the employees are doing all the time, failure in a sprint becomes inevitable. Agile testing teams are self-organizing. They are cross-functional and work together to achieve successful sprints.

Teams comprise motivated individuals who can make decisions and are flexible enough to adapt during times of change. Everyone is equally empowered working towards a common goal. But when you micromanage Agile testing teams, the constant interference can negatively affect the ability of employees to accomplish the goal in their own way.

If you take ownership and empowerment away from the team, there is no point in adopting an Agile framework.

8. Incoherency in Defining ‘Done’

My work here is done! Sounds so relieving, right? But when a person says this, what do they really mean by done? A developer can just check in the code and say that they’re done. On the other hand, some other developer can say this only when they are done with checking in, running tests and static analysis, etc.

Every person on the team has a different definition when they say ‘done’. But an incorrect interpretation about the same can put both employees and the management in a pickle. It can lead to incompletion of various tasks which can cause a lot of trouble, especially, at the end of a sprint.

Therefore, it’s important for everyone to be on the same page. When someone says that they have completed their tasks, they should maintain clarity and reveal the specifics.

9. Aiming for Perfection By Detailing an Agile Testing Plan

As discussed earlier, there is nothing worse than aiming for perfection and detailing out the Agile testing plan too much. It’s important to note that you can’t have all the information readily available at the beginning of the sprint.

The best thing to do is to settle for an Agile testing plan that’s good enough. This way, you won’t spend all your precious time planning. When you have more information, add to the Agile testing plan and make it better. Did you just end up with a killer Agile testing plan without wasting time planning it out? Well, that’s the beauty of Agile.

10. Mishandling of Carry Over Work

Now, no matter how much you try to be on time when it comes to accomplishing tasks of the sprint goal, you can’t completely avoid some carry over work. There is always going to be something left over when the sprint ends.

It’s tough to estimate the time the leftover tasks will take. Even if you are done with 75% of the task, the remaining 25% can take up a lot of time. To be safe, never underestimate the amount of work that is remaining. In this case, remember, overestimating won’t harm you.

Even if you end up overestimating the work, you can always add more if time permits later. But if you tend to underestimate, there are chances that there can be a tonne of leftover work when the sprint ends.

11. Lacking Skills and Experience With Agile Methods

Agile and scrum are relatively new in the tech industry. So, it’s understandable why people are not so experienced. It’s not possible to get your company to a flying start with sudden implementation of a new framework.

While the lack of experience itself is not a big issue, if you fail to address this in the short term, it’s going to cost you for the long haul. There is a risk of your employees falling back into the same old comfortable pattern of work.

The more you delay, the harder it gets to make your employees relinquish their comfort zone. So, to analyze the experience of different team members, hold meetings and conduct a thorough gap analysis. After that, when you get a vague idea, start educating them on the basics and work your way up to the more intricate parts.

12. Test Flakiness

Another obstacle in agile testing is test flakiness. The inconsistency in test results not only undermines the reliability but also poses a major hurdle in maintaining continuous integration and delivery pipeline, which is central to agile methodologies. It can take a lot of effort to find and fix these flaky tests. Flaky tests can also cause people to lack of confidence in the stability and quality of the software, delaying releases and impacting the overall efficiency of the agile testing process.

To gain deeper insights into this, we conducted a poll on LinkedIn asking professionals, ‘What is your biggest challenge with test execution? The varied responses revealed a common challenge: test flakiness. This highlights the importance of developing efficient strategies to streamline the testing process in Agile settings.

13. Technical Debt

Procrastination is one of the biggest challenges in Agile Testing due to its quick-paced nature. This attitude can pile up to a mountain of technical debt that’s harder to pay off than one might think. It’s tough to pay off the technical debt with the workload of an ongoing task. It also affects what you are currently working on in the case when you get too caught up in clearing the debt.

When you pick up something you put off earlier, the entire sprint will suffer. Sometimes, when the new tasks suffer due to extremely high technical debt, the sprint can even fail. This is one of the main reasons why you should avoid technical debts and overcome the associated challenges in Agile testing.

14. Compromised Estimation

The biggest mistake some teams do is that they start to treat estimations as accurate statistics. It’s important to note that the nature of estimations is vague! They can’t be accurate all the time. But in most cases, bad estimations are a result of the agile testing team failing to see the complexity or the depth of the user story or a task.

For instance, the developer can uncover dependencies in the user story in further stages of the sprint. This leads to unexpected delays by the implementation team. Now, in an agile framework, you can be prepared for minor delays. But what if 10-hours estimation turns to 20?

The team sometimes has to deal with such circumstances. But if compromised estimations occur on a frequent basis, the sprint format is likely to take a big hit. Therefore, you should be extra careful while making estimations so as to avoid inaccuracies as much as possible.

Final Words!

Always keep in mind, the holy grail of a sprint in the agile is flexibility. There are always going to be times when a particular step does not deliver the expected results. But agile is far from the ‘plan and execute’ approach. You have to be flexible and adaptive.

A deviation in the Agile testing plan or the occurrence of an obstacle is not the core issue here. Instead, how you eliminate as many challenges in agile testing as possible and deal with the existing ones determine the success of your sprint.

To sum up, I would like to say that if you stay mindful of the above challenges in agile testing, the chances of success increases substantially. So, the next time you plan a sprint, keep in mind the challenges in agile testing stated above. Try to overcome as many as possible and you’ll definitely notice a positive impact.

I hope you liked the article, and you’re ready to tackle these challenges when and where they occur. Share your challenges with us in the comment section down below. Also, don’t forget to share this article with your peers. Any retweet or share is always welcomed.

Over the last decade, the usage of mobile devices has skyrocketed globally. According to Statista, the number of smartphone users will surpass 7.7 billion by 2028. Hence, it is not hard to envision the enormous mobile app testing challenges that the current and future backend teams will be dealing with.

Due to the surge in mobile devices, the demand for mobile applications has escalated worldwide. This has led to large organizations investing heavily in this domain, thereby increasing the need for a more conducive real device testing solution.

In this blog on mobile app testing challenges and solutions, you will explore the top 12 mobile app testing challenges that riddle technical teams worldwide.

To ensure seamless functionality across different OS versions and devices, testing teams must adopt a cloud-based mobile app testing solution. These platforms provide access to a wide range of real devices and operating systems, enabling efficient compatibility testing without the need for an extensive physical device lab.

• Upload the app with just one click,
• Test the app on numerous Android emulators and iOS simulators.
• Monitor the quality of the apps.
• Rely on the cloud to make speedy deliveries and more.

Different Screen Sizes

Companies across the globe design smartphones of varying screen specifications. Multiple variants of the same model have different resolutions and screen sizes to attract a broader range of consumers. Hence, there is a requirement for apps to be developed in conjunction with every new screen specification released in the market.

The screen size affects the way an application will appear on different devices. It is one of the most complicated mobile app testing challenges since developers must now concentrate on its adaptability to various mobile screens. This includes resizing the apps and adjusting to multiple screen resolutions to maintain consistency across all devices. This might turn out to be a challenge unless an application is thoroughly tested.

Numerous Types of Mobile Applications

Mobile app development is a great way to increase your brand’s visibility, bring in new customers and provide a better user experience for current customers. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the three main types of mobile apps: native, web, and hybrid.

• Native apps: Native mobile applications are those built for one specific operating system. Hence, apps built for iOS do not work on Android or other OS and vice versa. Native applications are fast, provide better phone-specific features, and have higher efficiency. Here, the mobile app testing challenges include ensuring such qualities are preserved and all features are compatible with the native UI of the device.
• Web apps: Web applications are much like native apps, except users need not explicitly download the former. Instead, these apps are embedded within the website that users can access through web browsers on their phones. Web apps are thus expected to provide excellent performance on all devices. To ensure that they do, testing teams have to thoroughly check the app on a large variety of models. However, this is not only a time-consuming procedure but is also critical since failure to work on a few devices can significantly bring down the company’s business revenues.
• Hybrid apps: Hybrid apps have the facilities of both web and native apps. They are essentially web applications that have been designed like the native ones. Such apps can be maintained easily and have a short loading time. Mobile app testing teams are responsible for ensuring hybrid applications do not lag on some devices. All their features are available on all operating systems with the capability to support said features.
• Progressive web apps: Progressive web apps are web applications that leverage modern web technologies to deliver a native app-like experience. They are fast, responsive, and can work offline using service workers. Unlike traditional web apps, PWAs offer features such as push notifications and home screen installation without requiring an app store download. Testing teams must ensure PWAs function seamlessly across different browsers, devices, and network conditions while maintaining high performance and security standards..

Each type of mobile application poses a different kind of challenge for the technical teams. When concatenated, the complexity increases manifold, thereby making it a cumbersome process in totality. Testing mobile applications by automating repeated regression tests might ease the stress a little.

Mobile Network Bandwidth

Mobile network bandwidth testing is a significant part of mobile app testing. Users expect high-speed mobile applications that the backend team must ensure. But that is not all. An application that fumbles to produce faster results also performs poorly in terms of data communication.

An app that is not tested and optimized to suit the bandwidth of a variety of users will lag during the exchange of information between the end-user and the server. Therefore, the testing team should ideally test their apps and mobile websites in various network conditions to understand their response time in each case. This shall make the process a lot more efficient and the app much more sustainable.

Mercurial User Expectations

Users across the globe expect different things from their smartphones. Companies comply by providing variations to attract their target audience. With variations in models come expectations as to what various applications running on these devices should do and how.

Users have high demands from the apps they use. They are constantly asking for new updates to make things easier for them. For example, users might want a separate button for their favorite feature at the top of the app’s home screen display.

As application developers, tech teams cannot help but bury their heads deep into giving their consumers what they want to ensure the user experience is stellar and business is on track. This process, however, keeps the testing team on their toes and might tend to elongate the mobile app testing procedure in several cases.

Seamless User Experience

The success of an application depends mainly on how creative, contextually specific, and well-defined the user interface is. On the other hand, ensuring an app has all the required features might make it bulky and slow. Moreover, the application runs a risk of working exceptionally well on some devices and not on others.

This would mean poor consistency and might hinder users from shifting devices when required. Such things bring the user experience down. A consumer has no patience to understand developer deadlines and testing complexities.

Hence, the mobile app testing teams are always racing against time and other odds to ensure the user experience is not compromised. This can become a significant challenge unless the right cloud-based mobile app testing strategy is in place, mainly because poor user experience deteriorates the company’s credibility.

Security concerns

Security concerns are a huge roadblock for the mobile app testing team. Although several mobile app testing tools lets you run tests that are secure. There are several concerns that app developers regularly face.

• Easier access to the cache: Mobile devices are more prone to breaches since it is simpler to access the cache. Suspicious programs can therefore find easy routes to private information through mobile applications unless built and tested to nullify the vulnerabilities.
• Poor encryption: Weak or absent encryption in mobile apps leaves user data vulnerable to cyber threats. Recent research shows 62% of Android apps and 93% of iOS apps have security flaws, including poor encryption. With 6.3% of smartphones in 2024 hosting malicious apps, strong encryption is crucial. Developers must implement robust encryption, and testers must ensure its effectiveness to prevent breaches.

The process is one of the most crucial mobile app testing challenges since relevant teams have to run all possible test cases to ensure the application is going from the encryption side.

AI-powered test orchestration and execution platforms like LambdaTest, which is GDPR, ISO 27001, CCPA, and SOC2 compliant, can help QA testers to run their mobile app tests on the cloud to assure accuracy and proximity to real users conditions.

Strict Deadlines

User demands are often overbearing, making companies run on a strict schedule to deliver apps. Patchwork, bug fixes, and upgrades are other requirements that keep developer and testing teams on their toes. All of this requires constant and fast mobile app testing procedures.

Given the complexity of testing mobile apps, which includes testing not only on mobile app emulators and simulators but also on the available physical devices, testing teams are often in a fix when it comes to deadlines. More often than not, the strict schedules make it difficult for the technical team to perform extensive tests.

Heavy Battery Usage

Mobile app testing involves testing for heavy battery usage. This is challenging because a truly diverse application should run on almost any battery without draining the device. Unfortunately, the last few years witnessed a surge in apps that are hard on the battery. To deal with this, mobile manufacturing companies across the globe started providing stronger batteries.

However, user dissatisfaction cannot be neglected in the case of apps that still seem to drain their batteries considerably. One of the significant mobile app testing challenges is testing apps to see they are not drawing power, even heavy. Minimizing battery drainage is of utmost importance to ensure a stellar user experience.

Too Many App Testing Tools

There is a wide range of cloud-based mobile app testing tools not built from a one-size-fits-all perspective. There are separate tools for the different kinds of applications, some more which only test Android apps and others that check the ones for iOS. There is no shortage of platforms and tools that test applications of all specifications.

However, rather than being helpful, they often make the process more complicated. For example, technical teams might find it confusing to select the perfect platform to test most of their apps, if not all. In addition, subscribing to the many such paid software can be heavy on the company’s budget, while relying on free tools can invite other troubles like data breaches and below-par results.

The complexities extend into the test execution phase, managing the multitude of testing tools and platforms can be a daunting task. Choosing the right tool for the right application becomes a puzzle that often perplexes even the most seasoned professionals.

Furthermore, coordinating the test execution process across various tools and environments introduces additional layers of complexity. Technical teams often face bottlenecks in test environment setup, data management, and execution speed. Ensuring that the test environment accurately replicates real-world scenarios is paramount but can be intricate.

Dealing With Flaky Tests

Dealing with flaky tests is a major challenge in mobile app testing, as they yield unpredictable results and undermine the reliability of the testing process. These inconsistencies can disrupt Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines and lead to wasted resources. Debugging flaky tests is often complex and time-consuming, affecting team morale and increasing the risk of overlooking real issues.

To gain a deeper understanding of these challenges and their impact on the testing community, we conducted a social media poll with the question, “What is your biggest challenge with test execution?” The responses shed light on the common hurdles faced during test execution.

These insights into the challenges of mobile app test execution provide valuable guidance for overcoming these hurdles.

Overcoming Mobile App Testing Challenges

The main issue with testing mobile apps is the limited availability of real devices for testing purposes. Here are a few solutions to help you overcome the above mobile app testing challenges.

Mobile Emulators (Android and iOS)

Emulators are often used for speedy and cost-effective mobile app testing, but they don’t always provide reliable test results. The whole point of using an emulator is to run the software without actually installing it on a real device. The mobile app emulators can be installed on your development machine, and after that, any number of tests can be run on the emulator without the need to install it on a real device.

Mobile emulators will never replace real devices, but they provide a good way of running initial tests without dealing with all the hardware and OS differences among real devices. You should also remember that emulators can never recreate all the features of a real device, such as touch gestures, accelerometer, etc. However, it’s better to understand the emulator vs simulator difference in detail before deciding which to choose.

Using Standard Protocols Common to All Devices

One way to decrease the complexity of the mobile app testing process is to adhere first to the protocols common to all devices. This can include features like GPS, camera, audio, and video, etc. Prioritizing procedures like localization and internalization testing help users operate their apps better irrespective of where and what they are doing. Once the standard tests are performed, tests specific to the operating system or its different versions can be conducted.

Leverage Cloud-Based Platform for Mobile App Testing

For companies with stringent app testing requirements, it might be good to set up an infrastructure to support the demands. For example, a physical lab consisting of mobile devices of various specifications and a cloud-based mobile app testing system can together form a robust combination ideal for in-house testing.

A scalable and efficient approach to mobile app testing is using cloud-based testing platforms. Maintaining an in-house device lab with various smartphones can be expensive and time-consuming. Instead, LambdaTest is an AI-powered test execution platform that lets you perform manual and automated tests across 3000+ real devices, browsers, and OS combinations.

It allows you to use web and mobile app automation frameworks without managing physical test infrastructure, offering a wide range of Android emulators and iOS simulators, as well as real mobile devices, to help you test and release bug-free and high-performance apps. With this platform, you can perform Android automation testing, including testing on an Android emulator for Mac, ensuring comprehensive mobile app validation across different environments.

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Conclusion

The above article aimed to provide a holistic view of the top 12 mobile app testing challenges that technical teams across the globe encounter. We have also tried to explore the essential solutions to deal with the issues. However, readers need to remember that each challenge is unique to the team that experiences it. Hence, it is best to keep investigating and seeking help wherever necessary. We have also seen how we can leverage cloud-based mobile app testing tools like LambdaTest to overcome the challenges of mobile app testing.

When a software product has a large user base, introducing a new feature requires rigorous testing to ensure that it functions as intended and does not affect the user experience.

Even the most minor oversight can result in project delivery delays or other negative consequences. In larger organizations where the software application is being used by more than a million people worldwide, with complex software systems and huge development teams, managing testing efforts effectively can be challenging. So we also do Test Estimation before hand.

Organizations often run multiple software projects simultaneously, and coordination across teams and departments is necessary. Furthermore, managing numerous test cases, tracking testing progress, generating test reports, and sending feedback to developers on testing results can be time-consuming and prone to errors. This is where test management tools can help track testing efforts and stay well-organized and efficient, leading to higher-quality output, faster feedback, and better UX.

This blog will explore the top test management tools to help organizations choose the right one for their needs.

The tools have been selected based on their features, user-friendliness, and ability to support organizations at scale. We will delve into the distinctive advantages, pricing models, and customer feedback for each tool to provide readers with valuable information to make an informed decision.

What is Test Case Management

Test management cases is about organizing and controlling the different parts of testing, like planning, monitoring, and reporting. It helps keep track of test scenarios and results for better testing. It entails managing the resources, tools, and techniques used in testing, bug identification, and error tracing, thereby making it easier to track the progress and results of the testing process.

A test management system aims to bring together business analysts, developers, QA folks, and non-technical stakeholders into a cohesive workflow so that all test activities work together in harmony. Using test management tools can remove the barriers between software testers and developers by allowing everyone to collaborate on tests.

Best Practices for Test Case Management

1. Define Clear Objectives: Make sure you know what you’re trying to achieve with your tests. Clearly defining the objectives and scope of your testing efforts help in identifying the critical areas that require rigorous testing and ensure alignment with project goals.
2. Standardized Test Case Templates: Create standardized test case templates to ensure consistency and clarity across all test cases. It’s a good idea to have standard templates for your test cases as this keeps all your tests consistent and easy to understand. Include sections for test steps, expected results, preconditions, and postconditions in your test case templates.
3. Prioritize Test Cases: Prioritize test cases based on criticality, risk factors, and business requirements. This step is important because some tests are more important than others and prioritizing test cases will ensure that high-priority test cases are executed first, reducing the chances of major defects slipping through.
4. Regular Maintenance and Review: Things change all the time, so it’s important to regularly update and review test cases to reflect changes in requirements, functionalities, and known issues. Regular maintenance helps in keeping the test suite relevant and up to date.

Benefits of Test Case Management

Test Case Management holds significant importance in ensuring the success of software testing endeavors. Here’s an expanded view of its benefits:

1. Comprehensive Testing Insight: Test Case Management provides a comprehensive overview of testing activities for the testing team. It outlines the specific tests to be executed, allowing testers to understand the expected outcomes based on the success or failure of each test. This clarity enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the testing process.
2. Efficient Test Case Tracking: Test Case Management enables the meticulous tracking and organization of test cases. By categorizing them into groups such as resolved, deferred, ongoing, etc., it simplifies the management and monitoring of test cases. This categorization ensures that all necessary tests are accounted for, preventing any oversight or missed scenarios.
3. Effective Test Execution Management: Test Case Management allows for effective management of multiple test executions across various test cases. Testers can easily plan, schedule, and track the execution of tests, ensuring thorough coverage and reducing the chances of missing critical scenarios. This capability enhances the overall reliability and accuracy of testing outcomes.
4. Enhanced Collaboration and Communication: Test Case Management fosters improved collaboration among project engineers, even if they belong to different teams. By providing a unified platform for sharing and accessing test cases, it facilitates seamless communication, knowledge sharing, and collaboration throughout the testing process. This promotes cross-team synergy and ensures a shared understanding of testing goals and requirements.
5. Streamlined Automation and Manual Testing: Test Case Management tools streamline the management of both automated and manual testing efforts. By providing a centralized platform, these tools facilitate the seamless integration of automated test scripts and the execution of manual test cases. This efficiency helps testers optimize their time and resources while ensuring comprehensive test coverage.
6. Improved Test Coverage: A structured test case management approach ensures comprehensive test coverage by identifying various scenarios and edge cases that need to be tested. This helps in minimizing the risk of undiscovered bugs or issues in the software.

Challenges of Test Case Management

1. Changing Requirements: In dynamic development environments, requirements tend to evolve. This poses a challenge to test case management as test cases need to be updated accordingly. It requires diligent communication and collaboration between the testing and development teams to ensure that test cases remain relevant.
2. Test Case Maintenance: Test cases need regular maintenance to reflect changes in the software. As functionalities are added, modified, or removed, test cases must be updated accordingly. Failure to maintain test cases can lead to obsolete or ineffective tests, compromising the quality assurance process.
3. Test Data Management:
   Managing test data can be complex, especially when dealing with large datasets or intricate test scenarios. Ensuring the availability of relevant and accurate test data is essential for meaningful test case execution.

How to Manage Test Cases Effectively?

Managing test cases effectively is essential for efficient and successful software testing. Here are some key steps to manage test cases effectively:

1. Planning and Organization: Start by planning and organizing your test cases. Define clear objectives, requirements, and test coverage goals. Categorize and prioritize test cases based on criticality and complexity. Use a structured approach to ensure comprehensive coverage.
2. Introduce a Central Test Repository: Establish a central repository to track and avoid duplication of test cases, enhancing productivity and collaboration among multiple testing teams.
3. Clear Documentation: Document each test case with a clear and concise description of the test scenario, expected results, and any preconditions. Include relevant test data and input values. Well-documented test cases facilitate understanding, execution, and maintenance.
4. Use Test Case Management Tools: Implement test case management tools to build and track test cases effectively, improving security and productivity by integrating with various testing platforms.
5. Implement Automation for Test Case Management: Automate time-consuming, repetitive, and critical test cases to improve test coverage, execution speed, and reliability while reducing time and cost.
6. Test Case Traceability: Establish traceability between test cases and requirements. Link each test case to the corresponding requirement or user story to ensure test coverage alignment. This traceability helps in tracking test progress and validating that all requirements are tested.
7. Test Case Reusability: Promote test case reusability by designing modular and independent test cases. Create a repository of reusable test cases that can be used across projects, saving time and effort. This approach ensures consistency and reduces redundant test case creation.
8. Adjust the Scope of Testing: Prioritize test cases based on risk and criticality to optimize time, effort, and resources, focusing on scenarios that align with customer requirements.
9. Test Case Execution and Reporting: Execute test cases according to the defined test plan. Track test execution progress and record test results accurately. Generate comprehensive test reports that provide insights into test coverage, pass/fail status, and any defects found.

Importance of Test Management Tools

As your software product evolves and the features expand, you will need to add more tests to the test suite. Incorporating test management tools can provide many benefits for a growing team and maturing software product.

For example, test management tools can help you:

• Identify redundant or outdated test cases: Using a test management tool, you can analyze all tests from a bird’s eye view, making it easier to spot tests targeting the same functionality but belonging to different collections. Some test management tools even have a search feature that allows you to identify duplicate tests.
   
  With a test management tool, you can also analyze your test coverage to identify areas where you may be over-testing or under-testing.
• Closing the disconnect between teams: Test management tools provide a centralized platform for tracking test cases, test results, and defects. This can ensure that everyone, including both development and the QA team, is aware of the latest changes and updates and that any issues or defects are quickly identified and addressed.
• Provide test analytics: By having auto-generated analytics and reports on the test results, you can identify bottlenecks that may indicate underlying issues in your software. This can help you identify and resolve issues more quickly and proactively.
• Identify gaps in test coverage: By analyzing test coverage reports, you can identify areas of your software product that are not adequately covered by tests. This can help you prioritize testing efforts and ensure your changes are thoroughly tested.
• Optimize test execution: By grouping and tagging related test cases and running them in parallel, you can reduce the time required to run your test suites. A test management tool can help you automate this process and optimize test execution.

Core Functionalities of Test Management Tools

Test management tools provide a wide range of features and functionalities that help teams manage their testing process more efficiently. Some of their core functionalities of test management tools include

• Test planning: A test plan is a dynamic document that outlines the testing approach, scope, objectives, and deliverables of a testing project. It is essential to have a well-written and current test plan to ensure the success of the testing project. Instead of using Microsoft Word or Excel to create a test plan, using test management tools allows you to create and customize a test plan within the tool itself, making it easier to manage and update.
• Test case management: Test cases are the building blocks of any testing effort, and managing them efficiently is crucial for the success of a testing project. Using test management tools can help you manage your project’s test library by providing a centralized location for storing all your test cases.
• Test execution support: You can create and execute test suites and capture test execution status. The test management tool will capture the status of each test case, such as pass or fail, and provide insights into the overall testing progress.
• Test reporting: All of your hard work in writing and executing your test cases will be lost if there is no way to track the data or share it with the rest of your team. A test management tool typically provides user-friendly reports for optimal progress tracking.
• Integration with other tools: Test management tools that integrate well save time. Incorporating the right integrations will streamline the testing process and help team members communicate and collaborate more effectively. Test cases can be imported from external sources, such as spreadsheets or test management tools, and test results can be exported to other tools for further analysis.

Benefits of using Test Management Tools

Test management tools are highly beneficial for large organizations that need to test at scale. Here are some reasons why:

• Better collaboration and increased visibility: Most test management tools include features like project dashboards, user assignments, and the integration of test results with issue-tracking tools such as Jira. By leveraging these tools, teams can collaborate more effectively than through chats or emails, improve visibility, and ensure that testing is completed efficiently and thoroughly.
• Increased test coverage: Organizations manage multiple automation tools and frameworks across teams, making it challenging to obtain a clear picture of where a given release stands in terms of quality. By using a test management tool, development teams can track issues back to specific tests and environments.
• Improved reporting: Test management tools provide detailed reports on test results, including pass/fail rates, test coverage, and more. This can help developers to identify areas that need improvement and to track progress over time.
• Scalable infrastructure: Many test management tools are designed to be scalable, which means they can handle large volumes of tests and users. This is important for large organizations that need to test at scale and need a tool that can grow and adapt to their needs.

Comparison Criteria for Test Management Tools

With a plethora of test management tools available in the market, choosing the right one can be a daunting task. To make an informed decision, evaluating the tools based on specific criteria that align with your team’s needs is essential. In this regard, several comparison criteria should be considered, including

• Test planning and project organization: Determine whether the tool makes it easy to create and organize tests. Can tests be organized by project, team, or other custom criteria? Does the tool offer features for test planning and test case management?
• Test execution and automation: Does the tool support manual testing and automation testing? Does it integrate with popular automation testing frameworks like Selenium and Cypress? Can it execute tests across multiple environments and platforms?
• Reporting and analytics: Does the tool provide detailed reporting on test results, coverage, and other key metrics? Are the reports customizable and easy to generate? Does the tool offer analytics features to help identify trends and areas for improvement?
• Integration and collaboration: Does the tool integrate with other tools and systems used in your organization, such as bug tracking or issue management tools? Does it support collaboration between testers, developers, and other stakeholders in the testing process?
• Capabilities for user management: Is the tool easy to set up and use? Does it have a user-friendly interface? Is it easy to maintain and administer, with features like access control and user management?
• Scalability and performance: Can the tool handle large volumes of tests and users? Is it designed to scale as your needs grow? Does it perform well across different environments and configurations?

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Best Test Management Tools & Platforms

In this section, we will list down the best test management tools based on the previous section’s comparison criteria.

LambdaTest

LambdaTest is an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform to run manual and automated tests at scale with over 3000+ real devices, browsers, and OS combinations. It is a free test management solution that enables developers and testers to streamline test authoring, management, triggering, and reporting through a unified Test Manager, enhancing efficiency across all testing stages.

This test management tool allows you to create and manage test cases effectively using Test Manager’s intuitive hotkeys. It also lets you customize your test workflow by adding detailed steps, actions, and essential specifics required to run your test cases. With automated mapping features, you can import your test cases using API or CSVs so that the fields and values are mapped effortlessly.

Using generative AI, you can improve your test steps by analyzing the existing test step and test cases. With its advanced search and filtering capabilities, you can quickly identify and access the necessary test cases to boost and optimize the testing cycle.

Using this test management tool, you can streamline the creation of targeted test plans by selecting test cases, configurations, and assignees, broadening testing options with multiple configurations per case. Users can monitor performance with a detailed history, supporting both desktop and mobile testing.

Additionally, it allows for tracking test plan performance, managing outcomes, and viewing overall test case results. Integration with Real-Time Testing facilitates live viewing of test steps, tracking manual test durations, and automatic evidence creation, including attaching screenshots and videos on the go.

Xray

Xray test management tool indexes test in real-time to keep track of all your tests. With smart orchestration and native integration with popular frameworks like Cucumber and JUnit, you can easily manage all testing across even the largest codebases. It supports both manual and automated tests.

And with Xray’s REST API, you can track your automation results in Xray and Jira. The API connects with automation frameworks and captures automation results, so you always have the most up-to-date information.

Xray is trusted by large-scale clients like Lufthansa, Vodafone, and Samsung to pull off their most demanding testing projects. It offers flexible pricing options based on the number of Jira users to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes. There are three pricing categories available: Server, Data Center, and Cloud.

TestRail

TestRail is a web-based test management tool that helps teams to organize, manage, and track their software testing efforts. With TestRail, users can create and manage test cases, track test execution progress, and generate reports that provide insights into the testing process.

It integrates with several popular issue and project management tools, including Atlassian, Jira, GitLab, etc. Their latest release TestRail 6.2, introduced a feature called Fastrack that provides a three-pane view with a list pane, a details pane, and a results pane for the testing process to be productive.

TestRail pricing is based on the number of users, with two pricing categories: server and cloud.

Tricentis Test Management Solution

Tricentis Test Management solution has three different offerings for managing tests.

• Tricentis Test Management for Jira
• Tricentis qTest Pro
• Tricentis qTest Enterprise

Tricentis Test Management for Jira is a test management tool designed specifically to integrate with Jira, providing a centralized platform for Agile QA and development teams. This tool helps teams manage all aspects of the testing process, including test planning, test design, test execution, and reporting, all within Jira.

Tricentis qTest Pro is a scalable test management tool that provides centralized testing operations across the business. It allows teams to manage their testing activities, including test planning, design, execution, and reporting while providing built-in reporting on testing across the business.

Tricentis qTest Enterprise is a comprehensive test management tool that provides full-cycle test operations across projects. By integrating with various automation tools and frameworks, qTest provides a centralized platform for managing testing operations and allows teams to trace issues back to specific tests and environments. This helps teams to identify and resolve issues quickly, improving the overall quality of each release.

PractiTest

PractiTest streamlines manual, exploratory, and automated testing into one collaborative platform. Any automation tool can be easily integrated using its REST API, FireCracker, or its own xBot framework. With xBot, you can run automation tests directly from PractiTest, monitor the progress of the test run, and check the results.

For large organizations with standardized business processes and functionalities across multiple units, there are often many tests you can reuse from one project to another. PractiTest’s Test Library module can help by consolidating hundreds or even thousands of pages of test scripts into a single repository of generic documentation.

The tool also allows you to manage all your QA artifacts, including requirements, tests, test sets, runs, and issues, in one centralized location. The tool offers a 14-day free trial option.

TestMonitor

TestMonitor is a comprehensive test management tool that provides a range of features such as requirement and risk management, test case management, milestone planning, reporting, and analytics. One of its key strengths is the ability to assign multiple requirements to one or more test cases, which helps ensure thorough coverage.

The platform is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, allowing testers to get started quickly without the need for extensive training. Once testing is underway, testers can quickly provide feedback using the simple smiley-based system and screenshot attachment feature.

The latest version of TestMonitor, version 7.1, now includes Okta single sign-on for added security and convenience.

Additionally, TestMonitor offers a 14-day free trial, allowing potential users to try out the platform before committing to a subscription.

TestFLO

TestFLO is a test management tool that is made to integrate with Jira to facilitate large-scale software testing. One of its key features is the Test Repository, which allows users to create test cases and test plans and add preconditions quickly. TestFLO also supports integration with CI/CD pipelines, allowing for testing within the DevOps cycle. It is compatible with Jira version 7.0.0 and above.

For automatic execution of JUnit or Selenium tests on Bamboo or Jenkins, users will need to install the Test Execution plugin for the TestFLO automation. This plugin enables automatic test execution by changing the status of the Test Plan or another type currently the parent of the Test Cases.

Micro Focus Silk Central

Silk Central is a unified test management tool that allows teams to manage the complete test cycle efficiently. One of the key advantages of Silk Central is its seamless integration with JIRA, which helps teams to triage defects and ensure effective communication between team members. The tool also allows teams to manage test cases efficiently, with features such as test case management, test execution, and test reporting.

For large projects with thousands of test cases and team members, Silk Central is an ideal solution. It provides transparency and ensures everyone is on the same page, which is essential for effective team communication.

Qase

Qase is a test case management software with case management, test planning, and team management capabilities. It allows you to organize your test cases into logical groups known as test suites with properties such as severity and priority.

Using Qase’s Smart Wizard, you can easily create and test plans. Once run, Qase provides valuable insights into the success rate, run time for each test case, and an error log, among other metrics.

Qase also offers role-based access control, allowing you to set up permissions for different types of users.

Additionally, Qase integrates seamlessly with various popular tools, including Jira, Redmine, Slack, Monday.com, GitLab, etc., further streamlining your workflow. Qase offers a range of pricing options to suit businesses of all sizes, including a free tier, a startup tier, a business tier, and an enterprise tier.

Test Collab

TestCollab is a powerful test management tool that offers a centralized test repository for your team, allowing you to bring your team’s work together in one shared space. With TestCollab, you can keep all your test cases, test plans, requirements, and conversations in a single, centralized hub.

With TestCollab’s automatic work assignment functionality, each team member has a clear understanding of their responsibilities and can track their progress easily. Additionally, TestCollab offers an easy TestRail import function, allowing you to migrate your data seamlessly from TestRail to TestCollab.

TestCollab also offers test intelligence capabilities, including the ability to plot multiple time metrics for the time spent on each case, as well as a distribution chart that shows the failure rates of your test cases, among other metrics. It offers three different pricing options to suit the needs of different teams: free, premium, and enterprise.

Tuskr

Tuskr is a user-friendly, cloud-based test management software with a straightforward UI that is easy to navigate. Its WYSIWYG editor allows for rich-text formatting, making it simple to create and manage test cases. The scalability of Tuskr across large projects and organizations is effortless, allowing users to create test runs that include all test cases in a project, specific ones, or those that match a complex filter.

In addition to its standard features, Tuskr also offers custom fields for recording results and custom result statuses that can be tailored to suit your business needs. The bulk mode feature allows for the easy addition of results or reassignment of test cases, and test runs can be locked to preserve integrity. If a project, test suite, or test run is accidentally deleted, the recycle bin feature allows for easy restoration.

Tuskr also provides audit logs that enable users to easily track changes made to the system, including who made the changes and when they were made. Tuskr offers three pricing plans, including a free plan, a team plan, and a business plan.

XQual

XStudio by XQual is an application life cycle management tool that provides several features to manage and measure the maturity and quality of releases, including test management.

It supports exploratory, manual, and automated testing and orchestrates test campaigns, enabling users to plan test executions using sessions, micro-test campaigns, or large campaigns. The tool includes a flexible bug tracker that can be integrated with other bug trackers through connectors.

XStudio also supports nearly 90 test automation frameworks, providing a wide range of options for automated testing. Additionally, the tool provides smart KPIs for decision-makers, offering relevant and reliable information through various charts and infographics that can be accessed with just one click.

Klaros

Klaros is a versatile test management tool that offers multiple configurations to suit different testing needs. It helps reduce maintenance costs through the use of reusable test procedures.

It allows you to consolidate and evaluate manual and automated test cases. Test activities can be monitored for workload, progress, and success at any time. Errors found during test execution can be integrated with the defect management system being used.

Klaros’ customizable dashboard provides a quick overview of the most critical reports and statistics. Users can organize tasks hierarchically, schedule reviews, create and track issues and defects, and apply test case results from automation tools and continuous integration servers.

You can export results to Excel, PDF, or XML for further processing. The tool is available in two versions, the Community Edition, which is free, and the Enterprise Edition.

Kualitee

Kualitee is a comprehensive test management tool that provides support for all aspects of the testing process, including project management, test case management, test execution, and defect management. By using Kualitee, teams can easily manage manual and automated testing, track testing trends and status, mark defects severity, and create test cases and scripts.

It supports multiple testing types, such as regression testing, smoke testing, functional testing, etc and different testing methods, including integration testing, system testing, and acceptance testing.

Kualitee provides integration with various project management tools such as JIRA, Trello, and Asana. Most importantly, it has a mobile app that enables testers to perform all their testing tasks on the go and the flexibility to manage their testing projects from anywhere.

It offers both cloud-based and on-premises deployment options to cater to the needs of different organizations and their security policies.

SpiraTest

SpiraTest is a comprehensive test management software that enables QA teams to manage requirements, tests, bugs, and issues in one environment, with complete traceability from inception to completion.

With SpiraTest, teams can easily view their requirements and test cases, track bugs and issues, and generate reports to track progress and identify areas for improvement. It also has a web-based user interface optimized for mobile viewing, making it accessible to team members from anywhere at any time.

In addition to the built-in fields available out of the box, SpiraTest lets users define custom properties for each type of artifact, including requirements, test cases, test sets, and defects.

SpiraTest also offers a personalized home page that consolidates all the key information onto a single page for immediate action. The system provides RSS feeds of assigned items that users can subscribe to using an RSS news reader of their choice.

Using SpiraTest’s RemoteLaunch technology, teams can launch automated test scripts using various functional and performance test tools, both commercial and open-source. Pricing is based on the number of concurrent users, making it a scalable solution for teams of all sizes.

Testiny

Testiny is a test management tool with features that include test case management, test run management, and integrations. Testiny is a single-page JavaScript web app, which makes it extremely fast and responsive.

Founded in 2021, Testiny is a relatively new product that has already gained a reputation for its user-friendly interface and intuitive features. The dashboard offers a concise overview with charts for multiple data points and important key results, making it easy to keep track of your testing progress.

One of the standout features of Testiny is the test run view, which offers full dark theme support. This makes it easier to work for extended periods without straining your eyes. Additionally, Testiny has built-in Jira support, allowing you to add new issues or link existing issues from within the app.

The test case editor is another powerful feature of Testiny. With this editor, you can describe preconditions, test steps, and expected results in detail. You can also style your test cases with the rich text editor, which includes images, links, and copy snippets. The bulk edit and quick create features make it convenient to write test cases.

Testiny offers a range of pricing plans to suit different needs. The free plan allows up to 3 users to use the app, while the Advanced plan costs $17 per month. There is an Enterprise plan with custom-tailored pricing for larger teams with more complex requirements.

Testpad

Testpad is a versatile test plan tool that supports various testing approaches such as Exploratory, Ad Hoc, Regression, and BDD. With its free-form checklists and syntax highlighting, Testpad allows you to guide your testing process in a way that fits your team’s workflow. Unlike heavyweight case management tools, Testpad offers a more Agile approach to test management.

In addition to its flexible features, Testpad offers easy test report sharing. You can share test reports with customers and stakeholders without requiring them to create accounts or become a user on the platform.

Testpad offers four pricing options: Essential, which is designed for individuals or small teams, Team, which is designed for teams of ten to twenty-five testers, Department, which is designed for larger teams; and Custom, which is designed for larger teams.

Testmo

Testmo is a modern test management software that provides a unified solution for all your testing needs. It offers rich test case management capabilities for manual testing, exploratory testing, and ad-hoc session management. Additionally, it supports test automation with any tool, platform, and CI pipeline, making it a versatile solution.

It includes rich reporting, metrics, and real-time charts, allowing you to get a comprehensive view of your testing progress and results. It also integrates seamlessly with all popular tools your team uses, such as issue tracking, test automation, CI and build pipelines, and version control. Some popular tools it integrates with include Atlassian Jira, Selenium, GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins, CircleCI, and Bitbucket.

Testmo offers three pricing plans – Team, Business, and Enterprise – to cater to the different needs of various organizations.

TestLodge

TestLodge is an online test case management tool that simplifies the process of managing test plans, test cases, and test runs. One of the most attractive features of TestLodge is the ability to create unlimited test suites and users. This tool offers flexibility that enables users to define fields and store information according to categories. Additionally, TestLodge allows users to update their test documents at any time, giving tests the opportunity to evolve as necessary.

Signing up with TestLodge does not require a long-term contract. The tool also integrates with standard issue tracker functionalities such as Axosoft, Azure DevOps Services, etc. The enhanced issue tracker integrations, which offer more features, include Jira, Asana, Backlog, Basecamp 3, ClickUp, etc. TestLodge offers four different pricing plans, each of which includes unlimited users and test suites.

EasyQA

EasyQA is a comprehensive test management tool that allows you to write, implement and track test cases and bugs. The tool can be deployed on-premise, Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based.

You can create test plans and assign them to project members, who can track their spent hours by entering them in the format 00h 00m, and add descriptions of their executed work to keep track of the progress of the testing process.

The tool also generates reports about issues, including the defects count according to their status, priority (Lowest, Low, Medium, High, Highest), severity, and type. It allows you to get a clear overview of the quality of your product and make informed decisions about how to improve it. EasyQA offers the tool at a rate of $10,00 per month per user.

Katalon

Katalon is a quality management platform that helps you keep quality in focus and sync by connecting test operations to project requirements, business logic, and release planning. The Katalon TestOps module organizes all your test artifacts in one place, including test cases, test suites, environments, objects, and profiles.

With one-click integrations to tools like Jira and X-ray, Katalon TestOps can map automated tests to existing manual tests, making it easier to manage your testing process. Additionally, TestCloud’s on-demand environments allow you to run tests in parallel across different browsers, devices, and operating systems.

Katalon Runtime Engine streamlines test execution in your environment with smart wait, self-healing, scheduling, and parallel execution. The unified IDE allows you to test all types of apps with a complete library of web, mobile, API, and desktop keywords. Katalon’s integration ecosystem offers integrations for accessibility testing, ALM & test management, visual regression testing, and others.

Katalon offers different pricing tiers- including free, premium, and ultimate.

Juno.one

Juno.one is a project management tool that can help you track issues, estimate time, and use help desk features all in one place. It also includes test management functionality, making it easy to keep track of all items associated with testing. Whether you’re looking for a specific test plan, test case, solver, author, or the status of a test, the intelligent filter can quickly find even the most elusive items.

One of the standout features of JunoOne is the Scrum board and Kanban structure, which provide an optimal space for issue management. The Scrum board ensures that you are always aware of the status of your tasks and their deadlines.

Additionally, integrating JunoOne with JIRA and Jenkins can further enhance your project management capabilities. JunoOne offers four different plans to suit your needs, including Startup, Business, Enterprise, and On-premise.

Aqua ALM

Aqua ALM is an all-in-one tool for product management, project tracking, and test management. With Aqua’s AI assistant, you can generate complete test cases while browsing requirements.

When it comes to testing metrics, it allows you to create custom reports and set up visual KPI alerts. Additionally, Aqua supports 12+ native integrations, or you can use the extended REST API to connect with anything else.

The AI feature allows you to identify tests that historically give you the highest number of severe issues. You can also auto-create test scenarios that group impactful tests and save time executing flaky tests.

Aqua offers two pricing options – Aqua Cloud for a quick and easy start and Aqua Enterprise for enterprise-scale usage.

QMetry

QMetry is a test management solution that offers codeless test automation for Agile development teams. With QMetry, you can enjoy faster, customizable, extensible, and simple test automation. It offers omnichannel and multi-language scripting, enabling you to achieve greater reusability in your automated testing.

One of QMetry’s key features is the QQBot, which brings the power of AI to eliminate duplicate test assets. QQBot can help you increase reusability and make your testing more efficient. Additionally, QMetry offers seamless integration with other tools like JIRA, Maven, Jenkins, and Bamboo, allowing for a more streamlined and efficient testing process.

Another benefit of QMetry is its flexible platform, which can be adapted to either Agile or waterfall SDLC processes, making it a versatile choice for test management. To learn more about current pricing, you need to reach out to QMetry directly.

ReQtest

ReQtest is a requirements management tool for managing the scope, quality, and progress of your IT projects and supports test management and bug tracking. It is a fully cloud-based solution, which means your team only needs a web browser to access ReQtest.

By utilizing ReQtest’s traceability feature, you can see the relationship between requirements and test results. Moreover, ReQtest provides numerous graphs and charts based on the combination of different fields, which helps to gain insights into requirements, tests, and bugs.

Additionally, the platform offers integration with Jira to achieve a two-way sync, making it easier to collaborate with your team. It makes bug tracking easy, especially when integrating with third-party vendors. Lastly, ReQtest’s flexible pricing structure makes it accessible to companies of all sizes.

TestCaseLab

TestCaseLab is a test case management system designed for manual QA engineers. With this tool, you can create test plans and populate them with different cases, control the flow, as well as create test runs based on your test plans.

One of the key features of TestCaseLab is its intuitive UI system, which helps you to organize test suites, test runs, and projects. You can even update test cases on the fly during a test run. It is flexible enough to accommodate multiple structures, depending on how your team manages test cases.

TestCaseLab offers different pricing plans, including Basic, Essential, Advanced, and Ultimate, to cater to teams with varying test cases.

TestGear

TestGear is a test management tool that combines manual testing and automated testing in a single interface with transparent reporting within a single interface. As a result of its test library, you can store and share all your test documentation and product information with your colleagues.

It offers a free trial for 14 days. Post that, you can buy a license after registering and creating a workspace in TestGear Cloud.

Valispace

Using Valispace, engineers can aggregate all their engineering data into one location, allowing for more efficient communication and collaboration. This test management tool helps teams overcome common challenges, such as inefficient data management, time-consuming manual processes, a lack of traceability and oversight, and difficulty meeting project deadlines.

Bonus Tool: QA Touch

QA Touch is a test management tool that streamline the testing process in software development. It offers features like test case management, bug tracking, and integration with popular tools like Jira and Slack. The platform supports multiple testing methodologies, including Agile and Waterfall.

With QA Touch, teams can collaborate effectively, generate detailed reports, and maintain comprehensive test documentation. Its user-friendly interface and robust functionalities make it suitable for both small and large teams. QA Touch also offers customizable dashboards, giving you a quick overview of your project’s testing status at a glance. It supports automated testing integration, allowing for seamless connections with CI/CD pipelines.

How to select the right Test Management Tool?

Making the right decision regarding your test management tools can be a daunting task. However, you can make an informed choice by considering a few key questions.

• Cost and Budget: Determine how much you are willing to spend on a test management tool and look for options that fit within that budget. Remember that some tools may require additional costs for add-ons or customization.
   
  Most tools offer a trial period and different plans based on the number of users and test cases you have. Make an estimation of the project requirements and the number of people concurrently using it.
• Will it improve productivity in the organization? The right test management tool will help automate repetitive tasks such as test case creation, execution, and reporting. The tool should help reduce the identified bottlenecks in the testing process by ensuring the testing environment is set up correctly and by integrating testing throughout the software development process.
• Support: Look for a test management tool with good customer support. Check if the tool provides support through phone, email, or chat. Also, check if the tool has an active community forum where you can get help and advice from other users.
• Integration with existing tools in the organization: Check if the tool can integrate with your existing tools, such as defect tracking tools, automation tools, and continuous integration servers. Integration with these tools can help improve the efficiency of your testing process.

Conclusion

From the wide variety of features offered by the test management tools listed above, it is clear that selecting a test management tool at scale requires consideration of various factors. To meet the changing needs of organizations in terms of testing, many tools offer scalability, integration functionality, and reporting and analytics capabilities.

At LambdaTest, our partners are more than just collaborators- they are key drivers of innovation and success. Their commitment to quality engineering and digital transformation has helped us push the boundaries of test automation and deliver exceptional value to customers worldwide. The LambdaTest Partner Awards 2024 celebrate the outstanding contributions of our partners, who have played a pivotal role in shaping the future of testing. We are proud to recognize their impact and achievements across various categories.

“LambdaTest’s success is a reflection of our incredible partners who continuously push the boundaries of innovation. These awards recognize those who have gone above and beyond in driving transformation, customer success, and business growth. Congratulations to all the winners!”— Maneesh Sharma, Chief Operating Officer at LambdaTest

Global Partner of the Year

• Infosys

Recognizing a partner that has demonstrated global excellence in collaboration, co-innovation, and customer engagement. Infosys has played a crucial role in advancing test automation by organizing multiple roundtables in Chicago, Dubai, and London. The integration of iTAF (Infosys Test Automation Framework) with LambdaTest’s HyperExecute has enabled rapid scaling and ultra-fast test execution.

Regional Awards

These awards recognize outstanding partners across different regions who have significantly contributed to the growth of the testing ecosystem.

United States of America

Partner of the Year

• Qualitest

Awarded to a partner that has significantly impacted the region’s testing ecosystem. Qualitest and LambdaTest have built a strong go-to-market (GTM) strategy in the Americas, offering seamless testing solutions for enterprises.

Emerging Partner of the Year

• Aspire Systems

Honoring a rising partner making remarkable strides in the industry. Aspire Systems has rapidly expanded its presence in the U.S., with over 100 of its professionals now certified on the LambdaTest platform.

Reseller of the Year

• Software One

Acknowledging a reseller that has driven LambdaTest adoption and success. Software One has helped numerous customers streamline test orchestration and execution by bringing LambdaTest solutions like HyperExecute to enterprises in the U.S.

Europe

Partner of the Year

• Accenture

Recognizing an industry leader that has significantly strengthened LambdaTest’s presence in the Europe region. Accenture has fueled innovation with joint initiatives such as the Quality Matters Event in Germany and multiple testathons with teams across the UKI and DACH regions.
Reseller of the Year

• QBS Software

Celebrating a reseller’s contribution to expanding LambdaTest’s reach. QBS Software has facilitated widespread LambdaTest adoption in Europe, ensuring smooth test execution with solutions like HyperExecute and KaneAI.

APAC and Middle East

Partner of the Year

• QualityKiosk

Recognizing a partner that has played a crucial role in accelerating quality engineering.
QualityKiosk has driven testing excellence in India and APAC, hosting key events and fostering a strong GTM strategy.

India

Reseller of the Year

• Sonata Software

Celebrating a reseller’s efforts in expanding test automation adoption. Sonata Software has played a pivotal role in bringing LambdaTest’s HyperExecute and KaneAI solutions to enterprises in India.

Emerging Partner of the Year

• AQM Technologies

Highlighting an emerging partner making significant strides. AQM Technologies has built joint GTM solutions, integrating LambdaTest’s test execution platform with its codeless test automation framework.

Australia & New Zealand

Partner of the Year

• Coforge

Recognizing is a partner with deep technology integration and GTM success. Coforge has built a robust partnership with LambdaTest, integrating its frameworks with HyperExecute while expanding its presence across ANZ and beyond.

South East Asia

Emerging Partner of the Year

• Beesoft Software

Acknowledging a rapidly growing partnership in the region. Beesoft Software has established itself as a key player in SEA, supporting a strong GTM strategy for LambdaTest.

Technology Awards

These awards honor technology partners who have played a vital role in driving innovation, enhancing integrations, and advancing automation capabilities.

Global Innovation Ally

• Microsoft

Recognizing a technology partner driving groundbreaking advancements.
Microsoft continues to elevate test automation with LambdaTest, co-hosting multiple Velocity Tours and fostering deep technical collaboration.

Transformative Tech Collaboration

• AWS

Honoring a transformative partnership that reshapes digital quality engineering.
AWS and LambdaTest are working together to leverage cloud and AI to revolutionize test execution and scalability.

Strategic Partner

• Katalon

Recognizing a technology partner enabling seamless integrations. Katalon and LambdaTest collaborate closely to enhance automation workflows and test coverage, benefiting QA teams worldwide.

Innovation Catalyst

• Provar

Celebrating a partner fostering innovation in test automation. Provar’s deep integration with HyperExecute and active participation in industry events strengthen our shared commitment to innovation.

Excellence in Technology Partnership

• AccelQ

Recognizing a partner excelling in technological collaboration. AccelQ has played a critical role in advancing automation strategies, helping enterprises enhance efficiency in test execution.

Emerging Tech-Partner

• UiPath

Acknowledging an emerging partner shaping the future of AI-driven testing.
UiPath’s expertise in RPA, AI, and QA showcases the transformative potential of automation in quality engineering.

Celebrating Our Partners and the Road Ahead

The LambdaTest Partner Awards 2024 celebrate the incredible achievements of our partners, whose contributions have been instrumental in driving innovation and delivering exceptional value to customers worldwide. Their efforts in advancing automation, streamlining workflows, and fostering digital transformation continue to shape the future of testing.

As we move forward, we remain committed to deepening our collaborations, unlocking new possibilities, and achieving greater milestones together. Here’s to another year of success, groundbreaking advancements, and stronger partnerships!

Interested in partnering with LambdaTest? Learn more about our Partner Program at https://www.lambdatest.com/partners/

Hey, QA community! We have rolled out a fresh batch of features and updates this January to help you stay ahead in testing.

With the addition of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Series for real-time and automation testing, support for Android 16 Public Beta, and new features in KaneAI, there’s a lot to explore.

Check out what’s new at LambdaTest in January!

Test on the Latest Samsung Galaxy S25 Series

With LambdaTest, you can now test on Samsung Galaxy S25 series. This helps you ensure that your websites and mobile apps work as intended on the latest Samsung S25 devices.

You can check for compatibility and responsiveness to ensure a smooth user experience.
Testing on the Galaxy S25 series means you can reach a wider audience without needing physical devices. This feature lets you save time and effort while testing under real-world conditions.

Therefore, the LambdaTest real device cloud makes it easier to stay up-to-date with new devices and delivers a quality mobile experience every time.

Note

Test mobile apps on real Samsung S25 series. Try LambdaTest Today!

Live With Android 16 Public Beta

You can now test your mobile apps with Android 16 public beta on the real Google Pixel 7 Pro. This lets you see how your mobile app works on the latest Android version before it’s officially released. You can check for bugs around compatibility issues, making sure your mobile app is ready for your users.

Testing on Android 16 with the Pixel 7 Pro helps you get ready for the latest features and updates. It’s simple to test directly in the cloud without needing physical devices. This gives you the chance to fix issues early and deliver a smooth experience when Android 16 rolls out.

Latest Batch of Features in KaneAI

KaneAI, our GenAI native QA-Agent-as-a Service platform, continues to push the boundaries of AI testing with its latest feature rollout. Let’s dive into what’s new and how these features can elevate your quality engineering workflows.

• New Languages and Frameworks: You can now generate automated tests for your websites and web applications using popular frameworks like Playwright with Python, Cypress, and WebdriverIO.
• iOS App Test Generation: For iOS apps, you can now automatically generate native app tests with KaneAI to speed up your mobile app testing process.



• Support for Tunnel, Geolocation and Dedicated Proxy: KaneAI now lets you use advanced features such as Tunnel, Geolocation, and Dedicated Proxy for generating web and app tests. These features help you test web and mobile apps in different geolocations, localhost servers or behind proxies.



To get started, check out this guide on KaneAI – Geolocation, Tunnel and Proxy Support.

• Secrets: The Secrets feature in KaneAI allows you to enhance security within organizations.

This Secret feature uses HashiCorp Vault to securely handle sensitive information. It ensures strong data protection while staying user-friendly.

Run Visual Tests With Figma SmartUI Web CLI

We have released the SmartUI Figma-Web CLI, enhancing our existing Figma CLI by enabling direct comparisons between Figma designs and live web pages, URLs, and web app screens.

Our latest SmartUI Figma Web CLI bridges the gap between static designs and dynamic web implementations, ensuring visual consistency throughout the development process. It integrates design and development workflows that help teams seamlessly test Figma-designed web pages to align with the original design vision.

New Features in Insights

Here are some latest additions to LambdaTest Insights that make tracking and analyzing your test performance easier than ever. Let’s check them out:

• Build Comparison: In continuous integration and delivery, it’s not just about knowing which tests passed or failed, but it’s about analyzing trends and keeping track of the test suite’s overall health. So, to streamline this process, SmartUI has released a Build Comparison feature that helps with this by giving you a clear history of test executions, making it easy to detect regressions.



In traditional methods, you may need to manually check multiple reports or switch between tabs, which can be time-consuming. However, the Build Comparison in SmartUI solves this by combining all the data into one view.

• Test Case Insights for Web Automation: Test Cases Insights now supports web automation, which helps you create and manage web automated tests directly on our Insights platform.

With Test Case Insights, you can reuse test components, manage shared data, and view unified metrics for web automation testing—all in one place. It eliminates the need for extra tools and provides clear insights to refine testing strategies and at the same time, ensure quality.

Perform Android WebView Testing Using Playwright

Testing Android WebView applications ensures that your embedded web content runs as expected within native applications.

LambdaTest Web Automation now supports Android WebView testing with Playwright. This feature lets you efficiently test WebView on real devices.

Using Playwright, you can test WebView on various real Android devices and their respective OS versions. You can then easily interact with WebView, validate functionality, and debug issues.

Latest Browser Versions in HyperExecute

We have added some new features of web browsers on the HyperExecute platform.

Here are some of the latest browser versions:

• Google Chrome 132
• Mozilla Firefox 134, 133
• Microsoft Edge 133.0.3065.19, 132

Conclusion

New features and updates in January brought a lot of valuable additions to improve your testing. These include support for Samsung Galaxy S25, Android 16 Public Beta, and Playwright for Android WebView testing.

Furthermore, the latest features in KaneAI take your AI testing a level up. With these updates, LambdaTest is helping you stay on top of the latest tech trends and simplify your testing process.

Stay tuned for more updates!

When you run multiple software applications on your operating system, it’s important to ensure that all processes run smoothly without blocking each other. Therefore, you need to allocate CPU time to each process. This is where context switching helps.

Context switching is a technique the operating system uses to switch a process from one state to another to execute its function using the system’s CPU. When a switch occurs, the system stores the status of the old running process in registers and assigns the CPU to a new process to complete its tasks.

In this blog, we will explore using context switching in operating systems.

What Is Context Switching?

Context switching is the process of switching resources between different tasks or processes to optimize system performance. It is required in a multitasking environment where multiple processes or threads need to run on a single CPU. During context switching, the operating system saves the state of the currently running process or thread so that it can be resumed later.

It involves saving and restoring the following information:

• The contents of the CPU’s registers which hold the current state of the process or thread.
• The memory map of the process or thread that links virtual memory addresses to physical memory addresses.
• The stack of the process or thread contains the function call stack and other details needed to continue execution.

The above saved information is stored in a Process Control Block (PCB), also known as a Task Control Block (TCB). The PCB is a data structure used by the operating system to store all information about a process. It is sometimes referred to as the descriptive process. When a process is created, started, or installed, the operating system creates a process manager.

A PCB stores all data related to a process, including its state, process ID, memory management information, and scheduling data. It also stores updated information about the process, details for switching between processes, and information when a process is terminated. This allows the operating system to manage processes effectively and perform context switching when needed.

Why Is Context Switching Needed?

Context switching helps share a single CPU among multiple processes. It completes their execution and stores the current state of tasks in the system. Whenever a process resumes, its execution starts from the exact point where it was paused.

Below are the reasons why context switching is used in operating systems:

• Switching one process to another is not directly possible in a system. Context switching allows the operating system to manage multiple processes by using CPU resources for ongoing tasks. It also stores the state of the paused process so that it can continue from the same point later. Without saving the state, the paused process will lose its progress when switching.
• If a high-priority process enters the ready queue, the currently running process is paused. The high-priority process is executed first, and the paused process continues later without losing its saved state.
• When a process requires input or output resources, the system switches to another process that uses the CPU. Once the input or output needs are fulfilled, the previous process enters the ready state and waits for CPU execution. Context switching stores the state of the waiting process to allow it to resume later. Otherwise, the process will need to restart its execution from the beginning.
• If an interrupt occurs while a process is running, context switching saves the current state of the process in registers. After resolving the interrupt, the system resumes the interrupted process from the exact point it was paused.
• Context switching allows a single CPU to handle multiple process requests simultaneously. It eliminates the need for additional processors by efficiently managing task execution and resource allocation.

Note

Test your websites and mobile apps across 3000+ real environments. Try LambdaTest Today!

Examples of Context Switching

Suppose there are multiple processes stored in an operating system in the Process Control Block. Each process is running on the CPU to complete its task. While a process is running, other processes with higher priority are waiting in line to use the CPU for their tasks.

When switching from one process to another, the system performs two main tasks: saving the state of the current process and restoring the state of the next process. This is called a context switch. During a context switch, the kernel saves the context of the old process in its PCB and loads the saved context of the new process that is scheduled to run.

Context-switch time is considered an overhead since the system doesn’t perform any useful work during the switch. The time taken to perform a context switching can vary depending on the machine’s memory speed, the number of registers to be copied, and the availability of special instructions.

Some processors, like the Intel Core i9, have optimized cache management, which helps reduce the overall time taken during a context switch. However, if there are more active processes than the available registers can handle, the system needs to copy register data to and from memory, which can slow down the process.

Additionally, the complexity of the operating system can increase the amount of work required during context switching.

Triggers for Context Switching

Context switching occurs when the operating system is triggered to shift between processes. Each trigger allows the operating system to manage system resources efficiently while ensuring that all processes function as intended.

The three main types of context-switching triggers are:

• Interrupts: When the CPU requests data, such as from a disk, interrupts may occur during the operation. Context switching then transfers control to a hardware component or handler capable of addressing the interrupt more efficiently.
• Multitasking: Multitasking requires processes to alternate CPU usage. Context switching saves the current state of a process, allowing it to pause and resume execution later at the same point. This functionality ensures multiple tasks run smoothly without losing progress.
• Kernel/User Switch: This trigger occurs when the operating system needs to switch between user mode and kernel mode. It allows the system to manage tasks that require elevated privileges or access to restricted resources.

State Diagram and Steps of Context Switching Process

The state diagram below illustrates the context-switching process between two processes, P1 and P2, triggered by events like an interrupt, a need for I/O, or the arrival of a priority-based process in the ready queue of the Process Control Block.

Initially, Process P1 is executing on the CPU, while Process P2 remains idle. When an interrupt or system call occurs, the CPU saves the current state of P1, including the program counter and register values, into PCB1.

Once P1’s context is saved, the CPU reloads the state of P2 from PCB2, transitioning P2 to the executing state. Meanwhile, P1 moves to the idle state. This process repeats when another interrupt or system call happens, ensuring smooth switching between the two processes.

The following steps describe the process of context switching between two processes:

1. Save the State of the Current Process: The operating system saves the current state of the running process, including its program counter and register values, which are stored in the Process Control Block.
2. Update the PCB and Move the Process to the Appropriate Queue: The operating system updates the PCB of the saved process. The process is then moved to a suitable queue based on its requirements. It can be the ready queue, the I/O queue, or the waiting queue.
3. Select the Next Process: The operating system selects a process from the ready state for execution. The selection is based on the scheduling algorithm, which considers factors like process priority or arrival time.
4. Restore the State of the Selected Process: The operating system updates the PCB of the selected process. The saved state of the process is loaded into the CPU. The state of the process changes from ready to running, and it begins execution.
5. Resume Execution or Repeat the Cycle: If the selected process was previously paused, it resumes execution from the point where it stopped. The process continues to execute, and the cycle is repeated for other processes as needed. It ensures that all processes make progress without losing their state or data.

Impact of Context Switching on System Performance

Context switching can have both positive and negative effects on system performance. On the negative side, it introduces overhead because the CPU saves time by loading the state of processes instead of executing tasks. This extra time is wasted and can slow down the system, especially when context switches occur frequently. The more processes are running, the more often context switches occur, which can reduce system efficiency.

On the positive side, context switching allows multitasking. It ensures that high-priority tasks are executed while others wait their turn, helping maintain a responsive system even when running multiple tasks simultaneously.

To reduce the impact of context switching, here are a few suggestions:

• Keeping the number of processes low can reduce the frequency of context switches.
• Using more efficient memory and faster CPU registers can reduce the time spent on each context switch.
• Implementing better scheduling algorithms can ensure that context switches happen only when necessary, thus reducing overhead.

Conclusion

This blog explains context switching in operating systems and its importance in managing multiple processes on a single CPU. It describes how the operating system saves and restores the state of processes to switch between them smoothly.

Context switching is essential for multitasking as it helps execute high-priority tasks, handle interrupts, and manage input/output requests. However, it introduces overhead since the CPU spends time saving and loading process states instead of executing tasks.

To reduce this overhead, minimize the number of active processes, use faster hardware, and improve process scheduling strategies.

Citations

• A Survey Paper on Context Switching: https://www.academia.edu/38458323/A_Survey_Paper_on_Context_Switching