The Android operating system is, without a doubt, one of the most popular operating systems powering hundreds to millions of devices worldwide. In fact, it is the most favorite development platform used by developers for building mobile applications. However, hardware fragmentation and software (or OS) fragmentation has been an issue for this platform for a long time. And now, even Apple’s iOS seems to be facing the same fragmentation problem, which has been experienced with the launch of iOS 8.
With the release of the eight iteration of iOS operating system, and new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus mobile devices, several existing apps were made unwieldy on the newly updated devices.
Even though, it’s easy to deal with the iOS fragmentation issue, as users having older devices only have certain options they can opt for: but a new device to fix the issue. But the same is not true for Android, considering the fact that every now and then new devices keep on getting developed, which gives app developers a hard time trying to make their end-products become fully-compatible with all Android variants.
Luckily, Test automation is a solution to the fragmentation problem and is emerging as a must-have addition for mobile apps development projects. Through this post, I would like to talk about what exactly test automation means and why it is a much-needed addition to the app development process for mobile devices.
Test Automation – A Foreword
Test automation is a process where special software is used to have better control over: tests execution of product (which is mobile apps in our case) and comparing actual outcomes with the anticipated outcomes. It helps automate some of the redundant but essential tasks in parallel with a testing process.
Why Test Automation Is a Must-Have Addition?
Mobile apps development is a continuously evolving exercise, and there are many great tools to support the developing and maturing needs of the apps. However, performing a task manually, such as testing a mobile app still hasn’t been much of a success. This is simply because testing an app manually can be laborious and time consuming which unable developers to focus on other important aspects of app development, because of which they often overlook testing mobile apps. But test automation helps in speeding things up and deliver better outcomes. And this is why it is becoming a needful part of the agile mobile app development process, among app developers. Moreover, there are a number of test automation tools available today that helps to test an app quickly and effectively.
What’s best about test automation, is that it enables you to carry out testing at the same time, while carrying out all other important app development activities. For example, you can use some test automation software that will perform nightly tests on your product, and presents the results for review the very next morning. In addition, once your tests are automated you can perform them repeatedly, time and again.
The benefit of making test automation a part of your app development process is that it will help fix any issue sooner, saving you substantial amount of your time in finalizing the product sooner: with fewer bugs.
In nutshell, test automation helps add value and boost your application development process.
Now, let us have a look at three great test automation tools (for Android/iOS) that are worth a try, when you’re planning on automating your mobile app testing cycle:
MonkeyTalk: This open source tool help automate real as well as functional tests for both iOS and Android applications – be it “Smoke Tests” to complicated “data-driven test suites”. And now, the professional edition of this tool is also available called MonkeyTalk Pro, which makes mobile app testing a lot more easier and seamless process for app developers.
Appium: This is another great open source mobile test automation tool ideal for native, web and hybrid iOS and Android apps. With Appium, developers get the benefit to use any of their favorite programming language (like JavaScript, PHP, Ruby, etc.) and development tools. It can automate mobile apps regardless of language and so on.
Testdroid: This test automation tool help test apps on real mobile (Android and iOS) devices. It is good at bug-fixing, cuts down testing and development time (from moths to just a few hours).
Summing Up!
Fragmentation has been a major problem with Android, and now even iOS latest devices are facing the same problem. Put it simply, many apps do not perform in the same manner when accessed on different Android and iOS variants. A better solution is to test apps on all OS versions. However, testing an app manually is a time-consuming process, a viable solution is automate your app testing cycle using test automation tools.
About the author:
Addison Cohen is an application developer for Appsted Ltd, which is the leading iPhone development company. He loves sharing latest information on mobile technology and provides concrete information on technologies like iOS, Android mobile apps development.
