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Every organisation that operates in a particular industry must ensure that they provide a high-quality product or service to their customers. Therefore, it is mandatory to check the quality of the product or application throughout the development process.
In software development, quality assurance professionals must closely examine the processes to ensure that the software or applications meet the required quality standards. They check for errors and bugs to ensure the application is issues-free.
This blog will introduce you to the several quality assurance tools that QA engineers use. We will also discuss the necessity of this and its working process. Before we list these helpful tools, you must know the definition of QA.
What is Quality Assurance?
Software quality assurance, also known as the SQA, is an easy way to assure quality in software development. The set of practices ensures that the procedures, standards, and processes are implemented perfectly and match the project requirements.
It is the process that works parallel to software development. It mainly focuses on improving the software quality to eliminate bugs and errors before they become a big issue. There are several elements of SQA, which are mentioned below:
- Testing
- Standards
- Audits and Reviews
- Error Collection and Analysis
- Security Management
- Change Management
- Education of QA Engineers
- Risk Management
- Safety
For QA enthusiasts, understanding the complete quality assurance tools list is essential. To help you, we are providing an overview of some helpful tools quality assurance engineers use in their work.
Read More:
A Step by Step Guide To the Quality Assurance Process
Overview of Top 10 Quality Assurance Tools
In the software development lifecycle, these QA tools act like a toolkit that can help you to validate, inspect and perfect the processes before they go live. Undoubtedly, there are multiple tools that you can use as a professional, but we are listing the top ten tools that you must add to your bucket list.
01. Selenium
Selenium is one of the best open-source automated web automation tools that allow users to execute testing for web applications. It is also used on various platform testing applications and supports many programming languages. Therefore, this tool is appropriate for professionals who want a flexible QA testing solution.
Type – Automation Testing Tool
Benefits
- Large user community
- Support resources and extensive documentation
- Compatible with several platforms
Drawbacks
- Training required for effective use
- Extensive manual coding is required
- Additional Software needed for the Mobile App testing
02. TestLink
TestLink is a test management platform that assists the quality assurance engineers in tracking, planning and making reports on the test efforts.
It is specifically helpful for those teams working on agile projects and looking for a QA tool to help them manage the complete testing process in software development.
Type – Test Management Tool
Benefits
- Executing tool for test management
- Integrated with bug-tracking tools
- Flexible permissions and customisable workflow
Drawbacks
- Outdated User Interface
- Limited Reporting Capabilities
- Low Integration with Other Tools
03. Apiary
It is an API software testing tool on a cloud-based platform for building, testing and designing APIs. Thus, it is beneficial for documentation, collaboration, and integration with popular frameworks and programming languages.
This tool is helpful for QA professionals who require API management and testing solutions. You should know that this tool is available online on a subscription basis.
Type – API Testing Tool
Benefits
- Helpful in building, designing and testing APIs
- Integration with programming languages
- Documentation and collaboration
Drawbacks
- Unsupported API Types
- Limited external tool integration
- Low Post Deployment Testing availability
04. Cypress
It is an open-source quality assurance automation tool that supports multiple testing types using JAVAscript, like API, end-to-end, and component testing. Cypress is a complete tool that is helpful for automated testing and supports running various tests in a single framework.
Type – Quality Assurance Automation Tools
Benefits
- Out-of-the-box testing support for API
- Hybrid framework
- Less maintenance
Drawbacks
- Requires technical knowledge
- Data-driven testing
- It does not support performance testing
05. Playwright
Playwright is an open-source automation tool or framework that Microsoft uses. It is also similar to Cypress because it is an end-to-end automation testing tool supporting API testing. It helps to maintain a single framework for different testing types.
Type – API Testing Tool
Benefits
- Easy to set up
- Support of programming languages
- Provides different types of reporters
Drawbacks
- Less Community Support
- No GUI (Graphical User Interface)
- Requires Technical Knowledge
06. Jmeter
JMeter is an open-source platform quite famous for performance testing (It is a non-functional testing technique which helps to observe the speed, stability and responsiveness of an application under a given work pressure), but it is also used for API testing without any problem.
JMeter is useful because it offers a user interface that makes it easy to run complicated tests.
Type – API and Performance Testing Tool
Benefits
- Powerful CLI Tool
- It is an open-source tool
- Supports multiple operating systems
Drawbacks
- Glitches in GUI
- Complexity
- Memory Consumption
07. Tricentis Tosca
Tricentis Tosca is a testing platform offering many test management and automation tools. It is a good choice for those teams which want to improve efficiency and streamline their testing process.
Type- Model-Based Automation Testing Tool
Benefits
- Reporting and collaboration
- Integrated with Development environments and famous programming languages
- Flexibility and customisable dashboards
Drawbacks
- High Certification Fees and Cost
- Challenging Learning Curve
- Technical expertise required
08. Jira
Jira is a top-notch project management platform that offers multiple tools for managing projects quickly. It also includes quality assurance testing. This tool is helpful for those QA professionals who want a quick and effective solution to manage the complete software development process.
Type- Project Management Tool
Benefits
- Agile project management tool
- Reporting Options
- Customisable Dashboards
Drawbacks
- Cost Considerations
- Customisation challenges
- Resource intensive
09. Soap UI
It is one of the best open-source API testing tools, and it is supported by the SmartBear community. Soap UI is a good option for those QA professionals who want to perform API testing in an organisation.
Type – API Testing Tool
Benefits
- Easy to Debug
- Allows Scripting
- Multiple Environment Support
Drawbacks
- Limited to core features
- Technical knowledge required
- Consumes Memory
10. Postman
Undoubtedly, Postman is a high-quality API testing tool that is a famous choice for quality assurance engineers. It offers multiple services for documenting APIs, debugging and testing. Thus, it is helpful for the teams that work on microservices-based applications in an organisation.
Type – API Testing Tool
Benefits
- Documentation and Collaboration
- Integration with programming languages
- Offer multiple features
Drawbacks
- Resource Intensive
- Browser Support Hardships
- Difficulties during Automation
So, these are some of the best tools you must master in the software quality assurance sector.
Why do we need QA Tools?
In the software development sector, these quality assurance tools significantly ensure the software processes’ reliability, quality and efficiency. Suppose you work as a QA engineer in an organisation; you must use these tools to detect errors early.
That’s why you should know why these tools are essential and where you can optimise these QA applications wisely. However there are multiple reasons to opt for these tools, but some of the vital reasons are as follows:
- Comprehensive Test Coverage
- Accuracy and Efficiency
- Early Bug Detection
- Repeatability and Consistency
- Communication and Collaboration
- Better Decision Making
Final Word
It is concluded that quality assurance tools are crucial for modern software development practices, which help the teams to achieve higher quality, efficiency and reliability. Also, these tools are helpful to automate the tasks, ensuring consistency and repeatability and providing comprehensive test coverage.
Overall, it is beneficial for QA professionals for informed decision-making, promoting communication and collaboration, and early bug detection. So, if you are passionate about using these tools, you can move ahead in the quality assurance journey for a brighter future. If you have any queries, you can contact our expert trainees.
