February 2023 Summaries

Winning with saucectl, Part 2` is a continuation of the previous article on using `saucectl`, a tool that helps improve test efficiency by automating test execution in the Sauce Labs cloud. The author, Allen Loew, shares his experience with `saucectl` and provides tips and lessons learned on how to get the most out of it. He discusses the need for a different test design approach due to the changes in test execution, and explains how to refactor tests to run well in this new paradigm. He also talks about parallel test execution, which can massively reduce time to result, but requires atomic test design with no dependencies on execution order. The author shares his experience with Sauce Labs' automated testing dashboard, which allows for real-time monitoring of test runs, video playback, and failure analysis. However, he notes that `saucectl` has confirmed that the primary test environment is under-sized and needs to be upgraded to keep up with the increasing test execution. He also discusses the importance of considering test data and scalability when using `saucectl`. Finally, he addresses an objection about using Jenkins as a test runner, arguing that it may not be necessary in all cases, especially if there are no benefits to its use.

The Fellowship program at Sauce Labs is supporting the development of open source Elemental Selenium, a web application that aims to improve accessibility for all users. Rajene Harris, a junior developer with three internships and one year of professional backend experience, has joined the fellowship program to gain full-stack experience and learn about open source software from conception to final stages of development. She is excited to contribute to a user-facing web application and gain more Ruby/Rails experience, particularly in developing accessible interfaces. Through the fellowship, Rajene has learned about testing, user-centric design, and user research, with a surprise finding that user research is a significant investment of time and resources. The program aims to provide diverse and rich learning experiences for its fellows.

Sauce Labs is excited to announce a new brand identity for 2023, designed to complement its expanding portfolio of tools and make it easier for users to create and test high-quality code. The company has also released the latest Appium 2.0 beta version in its Real Device Cloud, which aims to save testing time while ensuring quality. Additionally, Sauce Labs is introducing an enhanced cross-browser testing experience on Windows, a new beta program for Linux VMs that provides faster feedback and testing speed, and several new features such as Virtual USB version 2.0.5, iOS 16.2 on Simulators, and support for MacOS 13 Ventura. The company has also released updates to its `saucectl` CLI tool and is hosting a "Bug Bash" session to fix issues identified by customers. Furthermore, Sauce Labs is sharing its favorite blogs and discussing topics such as page objects and frameworks in the latest episode of "The Test Automation Experience" on YouTube.

Slow Down! You’re Running Automation Way Too Fast` is a blog post by Paul Grizzaffi, QE Automation Architect, that highlights the importance of slowing down automation execution speed. The author argues that while speed is crucial in some scenarios, it's equally important to account for delays and user behavior in software testing. He advocates for incorporating intentional delays, such as "human delay" functions, into test scripts to mimic real-world user interactions. This approach can help reveal previously unknown behaviors and improve the overall quality of automated tests. The author emphasizes that automation speed should be used judiciously, taking into account the specific needs of each testing scenario. By doing so, we can create more realistic and effective automated tests that "join the human race."

Today, Sauce Labs revealed a new brand identity that reflects the company's transition from testing tools to accelerating code delivery through testing. The company has undergone significant changes in recent years, expanding its portfolio of tools to make it fast and easy to test, iterate, and accelerate the delivery of high-quality code. The new logo features an interlocking cube, symbolizing the security and flexibility of Sauce Labs' platforms, which are considered the most secure on the market. The brand has also updated its color palette and iconography to be more flexible and fun, while maintaining accessibility standards for WCAG AA. The goal is to empower teams to create and accelerate high-quality code, helping them meet customer expectations for instant and intuitive experiences.

This article discusses some of the best web development frameworks available in Ruby. These include Ruby on Rails, Sinatra, Hanami, Grape, Cuba, and Padrino. Each framework is evaluated based on its features, performance, ease of use, time on the market, and popularity. While Ruby on Rails remains the most popular choice due to its comprehensive feature set and extensive community support, other options like Sinatra and Hanami offer different strengths such as lightweight design or clear separation between frontend and backend logic. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of testing web applications across various platforms for optimal user experience.

The Sauce Labs Next Gen Windows Cloud is a scalable and dynamic solution for live (manual) and automated cross-browser testing, providing improved performance, reliability, and stability across multiple browsers, devices, and operating systems. This cloud-based service offers increased test efficiency with faster execution times, improved scalability to support agile development teams, and high-velocity innovation to provide diverse platform coverage and meet users' needs. By leveraging this solution, developers and testers can ship high-quality code faster and more reliably.

Espresso is an Android automation testing framework that provides faster test execution, scalability, and actionable feedback when used for testing Android applications. It's a powerful open-source testing tool that can be used to test an Android application's user interface while it's being developed in the Android Studio IDE. Espresso has numerous benefits for both Android developers and automation testing engineers, including fast test cycle, ease of setup, and suitability for black box testing. The framework provides synchronization capabilities, scalability and flexibility, support for Android intents, and a separate module for testing the Android WebView component. It also offers features such as idling resources, which aid in accurately validating asynchronous actions when testing Android apps. Espresso is simple to set up because it works well within the Android Studio IDE, and users can easily maintain and customize Android UI tests using Espresso APIs. The framework enables developers to monitor the device's internals for finer control and also test activities outside the application.

Why Migrate to Appium 2.0? With the release of Appium 2.0, mobile testers and developers can take advantage of improved performance, new features, and enhanced compatibility with W3C standards. The latest version introduces an ecosystem of independent driver development, allowing for faster and more frequent updates, as well as support for newer devices and OS versions. By migrating to Appium 2.0, users can save testing time while ensuring the quality of their mobile apps, and take advantage of comprehensive coverage with Sauce Labs Real Device Cloud. The new version also features updated drivers with the latest versions, including Android UIAutomator2, iOS XCUITest, and Flutter for Android and iOS. With Appium 2.0, users can seamlessly switch between Selenium and Appium for both mobile web and native app testing, and remove any delays and bottlenecks in their quality assurance processes.

Manual testing, also known as live testing, is a process where human testers perform tests on an application to validate its functionality, user experience, and other aspects. This approach differs from automated testing, which relies on software automation tools to execute test scripts. Manual testing is suitable for evaluating user experience, exploratory testing, and low-risk functionality that does not require frequent testing. However, it comes with a higher risk of errors due to human involvement. Automated testing, on the other hand, is ideal for unit and integration tests, performance and load testing, but requires specialized skills and upfront investment in setup and script development. Organizations can benefit from using both manual and automated testing strategies, depending on their specific needs and application requirements.

Sauce Labs has introduced a new App Management dashboard that allows mobile app developers to manage their apps in one place, increasing testing efficiency and saving time. The dashboard provides a centralized location for uploading, updating, and deleting mobile apps for live (manual) and automated testing, enabling a more connected experience between live and automated testing. With the new feature, teams can access their Android and iOS mobile app builds and launch tests easily, streamlining their mobile testing experience.

Mobile app testing scenarios are essential for ensuring that an app is free from bugs and errors, provides a good user experience, and meets its specifications. These scenarios simulate real-world usage of the application to test its functionality and usability, identify flaws, optimize performance, and improve user retention. To create effective test scenarios, developers need to consider key features and functionality, prioritize them based on importance, and write detailed test cases that outline specific steps and conditions for testing. Common mobile app testing scenarios include installation testing, adaptability to different device screens and operating systems, network performance, sign-up and sign-in, buttons, menus, and dropdowns, push notifications, and integrations with other systems and services. However, creating and executing these tests can be challenging due to limited access to devices and networks, inefficiencies of manual testing, and the need for continuous testing. Using a testing platform like Sauce Labs can help overcome these challenges and ensure that mobile apps are thoroughly tested before release.

Winning with saucectl, Part 1` is an article by Allen Loew, a Principal Quality Engineer at Progressive Leasing LLC, who shares his experience with using `saucectl`, a tool that has transformed his team's test efficiency. Sauce Labs grew up with Selenium in the early days and has since expanded into a "TaaS" platform offering various testing capabilities, including functional regression, visual regression, API testing, performance, and mobile testing. Allen Loew saw a solution to the problem of platform diversity and its impact on software development when he started using `saucectl`. The tool has contributed to velocity and quality by making it easier for his team to run tests, allowing problems to be found sooner, features to be tested immediately, and enabling a culture of greater teamwork. With `saucectl`, Allen is able to advance test development as a team activity, giving developers a way to become more involved in testing their own code and mine, and improving the accuracy and efficiency of testing.

Can Selenium Be Used for Mobile Testing?` While Selenium was not designed for mobile testing, frameworks like `Appium` and `Selendroid` provide a Selenium-like experience for mobile apps by extending the WebDriver protocol to support device types, gestures, buttons, screen rotation, and more. These frameworks allow developers to write tests in various languages, such as C#, Python, and Java, and execute them on Android and iOS devices using an architecture similar to the WebDriver protocol. The choice between `Appium` and `Selendroid` depends on the specific needs of the project, with `Appium` being the better choice for a Selenium-like approach due to its wider support and compatibility with desktop apps, while `Selendroid` offers better backwards-compatibility support for older Android versions.