How Does Mobile App Testing Automation Work?

Mobile app performance testing automation tools and frameworks continue to impact nearly every component of our industry. More than ever, organizations are using automated and AI-driven software to inform steps of the mobile application testing process.

That’s because mobile app testing tools and frameworks are able to simulate user behavior and interactions, all for the purpose of identifying issues related to response, execution, and performance. In fact, a solid understanding of mobile automation testing best practices can benefit engineers overseeing the development of any kind of app.

Fortunately, there are a number of tools and frameworks available today. Not only do they help to ensure proper functionality, but they can also expedite timelines. Here, we’ll introduce and share a few key points related to each.

Mobile Testing Tools: A Comparative Look

Kobiton

Kobiton accelerates mobile test automation in a number of ways — not the least of which is with advisory strategies and consultations to complete more effective mobile UI automation testing. While the world of engineering and application development has consistently changed in recent years, Kobiton is always at the head of the class with game-changing automation know-how.

Appium

Developers today also automate native or hybrid app testing with the help of Appium, an open-source and cross-platform framework. Flexibility is a big plus with Appium, which is developed and supported by Sauce Labs.

Selenium

Selenium – sometimes known as Selendroid – allows testing agents to complete native and hybrid testing for mobile app software. Its a popular open-source (and automated) testing tool.

Xcode Instruments

Preferred for work with iOS devices, XCTest can initiate tests for Xcode projects, and it can also integrate them into whatever testing scenario you happen to be using. Xcode Instruments is included with Xcode, and offers a number of tools and resources.

Android Studio’s Emulator

Flexibility, fidelity, and speed are three big advantages presented by the Android Studio Emulator. True to its name, this tool simulates Android devices — allowing you to evaluate a number of scenarios within test cases as they apply to the world of Android.

TestComplete

Created by SmartBear Software, TestComplete is an automated testing platform for testing of Microsoft Windows, Web, Android, and iOS applications. It allows for recording and playback of testing scenarios with a wide array of tools and controls.

Calabash

One big advantage of Calabash is its ability to work with multiple languages: Ruby, Java, Flex, and .NET. It also allows engineers to enable touchscreen native apps with the use of APIs. Calabash libraries also allow scripts to interact with both native and hybrid apps.

Ranorex

Software developers Ranorex GmbH provide Ranorex Studio, a GUI testing framework for desktop, web, and mobile apps. It provides engineers around the world with what many consider to be an “all in one” testing solution.

Perfecto

Perfecto provides cloud-based testing for mobile and web applications. However, compared to Kobiton, Perfecto lacks flexibility in on-premises deployment options and is seen as less intuitive for manual testing sessions, particularly for mobile-first testing strategies that prioritize user experience and real device interaction.

BrowserStack

BrowserStack is a popular platform for testing web and mobile applications across various devices and browsers. However, it falls short in providing the depth of real device testing and user experience insights that Kobiton excels in, particularly for mobile app testing where device performance and user interaction nuances are critical.

How to Choose The Right Tool?

Choosing the right tool for mobile application testing involves considering several key factors: compatibility with your development environment, support for the platforms (iOS and Android) you’re targeting, the ability to test on real devices, integration capabilities with your CI/CD pipeline, and the specific testing needs such as manual, automated, performance, or security testing. Assess the tool’s ability to provide detailed insights and analytics, its scalability to match your project’s growth, and the level of support and documentation available. Lastly, consider the cost-effectiveness of the tool in relation to your budget and testing requirements.

10 Best Testing Frameworks for Mobile Apps

When it comes to automated testing processes for mobile applications, testing professionals begin by selecting the testing automation framework that provides the best solutions for them. Frameworks complete automated tests by connecting to the testing simulator, the testing emulators, or the real devices that testing is being performed with. Regardless of which mobile app testing framework you decide to go with, Kobiton professionals are able to recommend best practices and policy.

XCTest (Swift)

Produced by Apple, many find XCTest (and XCUITest) is a great fit for automated white box testing. Xcode provides everything you need to get started — testing is relatively simple to start, and the tool is easy to work with.

JUnit (Java)

Created for the Java programming language, JUnit has been an important driver toward testing development. It provides basic and advanced testing concepts, and is widely used within the Java ecosystem.

TestNG (Java)

TestNG was designed to cover a number of different testing category types: like end-to-end, or functional. TestNG is also employed by many for its reputation as being easy to use — without sacrificing power to do so.

NUnit (C#)

NUnit is an open-source unit testing framework for the .NET Framework and Mono. It serves the same purpose as JUnit does in the Java world, and is one of many programs in the xUnit family.

Appium

Appium is such a popular testing framework for iOS automation testing, you’d be hard-pressed to find an engineer who isn’t already familiar with it. Using Appium, testers are able to evaluate hybrid, native, and mobile web software apps.

Espresso (Android)

Google’s Espresso allows for the creation and deployment of testing strategies for Android devices and their environments. This is a widely used framework for testing — users are able to record interactions and save snapshots of the testing process.

XCUITest (iOS)

Apple’s native framework for testing with iOS devices is XCUITest, which launched in 2015. It enables engineers to create and run unit tests, performance tests, and UI tests, and is considered to be especially robust.

Detox

End-to-end tests are notoriously flaky, and Detox is helpful when conducting tests on a mobile app, while also running it on real devices — think of it as an actual user being part of the testing process.

UI Automator (Android)

Cross-app functionality in UI testing is a breeze with UI Automator. It allows users to find and interact with data within the tests.

Selenium

With Selenium, both native and hybrid apps for Android are able to be properly evaluated during the testing process. In doing so, it’s gained a following among developers as an efficient and effective testing framework.

How to Choose the Right Framework?

Personal experience and resources will be a big part of your framework decision. There are a number of frameworks to choose from. Not only are Kobiton professionals deeply  experienced with these mobile app testing frameworks and mobile app testing tools, they’re also knowledgeable about cutting-edge approaches  that don’t quite get the attention they deserve right away.

Automated testing strategies and best practices change frequently. Kobiton will be ready when you are.

Enhance Your Testing Strategy with the Best Tools and Frameworks

Thorough and adequate software application testing is crucial during the development process, and a changing landscape of tools and solutions can be confusing for most. Kobiton is able to help clients save both time and money – each one a valued resource – with industry-leading expertise and competitive strategies.

Want to learn more about achieving mobile excellence through mobile application testing? Join us for MTES 2024! Register today and elevate your mobile testing strategy through data, AI-augmented tools, and the experience of the Kobiton team.