The Top 10 Test Automation Frameworks in 2020
By: Debjani Goswami
Tags: Quality Assurance, Software Testing, Software Development, Test Automation Framework, Test Automation

Keeping up with the pace of a world accelerating towards more and more task automation for increased speed paired with higher efficiency, manufacturers of software programs and applications also need to cut down the standard delivery time without compromising quality. The obvious way to achieve this is to prioritize test automation.

Automating the testing process is a necessary shift that needs to be adapted to, at the high corporate level and by micro, small and medium-sized businesses. The success of making this shift depends on how wisely an organization chooses its test automation framework.

So, what exactly is a test automation framework?

The term “test automation framework” refers to a structure that provides a readymade test environment to execute the automated test codes. The framework comes with tools and features that can help its user execute the test scripts and develop and report and analyze the process.

It is a complete system on its own that serves the specific purpose of test automation. It consists of individual guidelines, standard code practices, ideas, procedures, project ranking, reporting frameworks, test data injections, etc. all of which work to support a successful test automation system. Thus, the framework provides its user with an existing template to set the automation process to execute it successfully.

Each test automation framework comes with its specific advantages like easy coding, extensibility, adaptability, ease of understanding, reduced cost and easy maintenance, etc. Hence, it is advisable to employ more than one framework to access multiple benefits from different frameworks relevant to your project.

In the market, there are primarily six different types of test automation framework, namely:

1. Module-driven Test Framework

2. Library Architecture Test Framework

3. Data-Based Test Framework

4. Keyword Based Test Framework

5. Hybrid Test Framework

6. Behavioral Test Framework

Here is a list of the ten most popular test automation frameworks in 2020 so far:

1. Robot Framework: It is a python-based framework. However, it also supports Jython and IronPython. It is a keyword-based open-source framework and is most suited for developers who have worked with other vendor-centric, keyword-based tools for testing software.

2. Serenity: This one is a Java-based framework that supports behavior-based testing. The main emphasis in this framework lies with the automated acceptance and regression testing procedures. Serenity allows you to maintain a higher-level testing environment while preserving lower-level execution details in the project.

3. Citrus: This is another open-source testing framework and it focuses on automating integration tests for any messaging transport, including but not limited to REST, HTTP, SOAP, and JMS. Citrus can also be integrated with frameworks like Selenium for tasks like interacting with the user interface and verification through a back-end procedure, all well within a single test scope.

4. Cypress: This automation framework is more developer-driven than the others on this list. The primary focus here is on executing the test-driven development model by providing a complete package necessary to simplify end-to-end testing and make it as convenient as possible.

5. WebDriverIO: Based on Node.js, this automation framework consists of an integrated test runner that can execute automated tests for web applications and mobile applications. It is an open-source framework compatible with the WebDriver protocol and the Chrome DevTools protocol, making it convenient to use for many projects.

6. Sahi: This framework acts like a proxy server that can be used within a browser. It comes in both an open-source version and a pro version. This is best suited for those who are just starting with test automation.

7. Cucumber: This framework is another behavior-driven development tool that is compatible with multiple platforms. The primary emphasis in this framework lies in creating acceptance tests for web applications. It is compatible with many coding languages, including Python, PHP, Perl, .NET, Scala, Groovy, etc.

8. OpenTest: OpenTest is another open-source framework that works well for testing APIs of both web applications and mobile applications. It supports almost every test automation scenario and supports any device that can run Java.

9. Gauge: Gauge is an open-source framework that is compatible with Mac, Linux and Windows. This framework provides an upper hand to developers working with TDD or BDD projects by providing executable documentation. The tests in this framework are usually written in standard languages like C#, Java and Ruby.

10. Carina: This framework consists of different open-source tools, including TestNG, Selenium, and Appium. Carina accommodates tests for mobile applications, web applications, REST services, and databases.

While choosing the suitable test automation services for your organization, it is essential to keep in mind that along with meeting the specific quality assurance needs of your project, your framework should also be at par with market trends and improvements. Along with necessary features like data optimization, smart solutions and analytics, keep an eye on the scopes that the frameworks offer for up and coming technologies like AI, codeless, IoT and Big Data testing to ensure that your investment pays off.