In the challenging world of software development, quality is a fundamental pillar for the success of any project. Users and customers demand applications and systems that are reliable, secure, and meet their expectations. To achieve this goal, development teams must adopt rigorous and efficient approaches that ensure quality at all stages of the software lifecycle.
In this context, the management of software quality (QA) plays a crucial role, enabling the early identification of problems, the correction of errors and the continuous improvement of processes. However, to achieve optimal levels of quality, QA professionals must rely on the right tools that give them the ability to perform extensive testing and monitor software performance.
In this article, I present a guide to help you select the right tools for your QA needs.
Guide to selecting the best QA tools
1. Requirements that you should keep in mind before you start looking for tools:
1.1 Type of tests you want to perform (functional tests, load tests, performance tests, etc.)
1.2 Languages with which you work
1.3 The forms on which the test cases will be executed
1.4 Spare parts available for the tools.
2. Research and compare the different QA tools available on the market.
You can compare the features, functionality, pricing, and support offered by each tool. I show you a clear example below, with a list of the most used tools, in this case for the definition and execution of test cases manually:
3. Very important is the evaluation of functionalities:
Make sure that the tools you are considering meet the specific functionality you need. In the example that I show you, check if the tool supports integration with Jira, Jenkins, Git...
4. Another important point is the automated tests.
They help you in the execution of those processes that are more repetitive and at the same time more important. To do this, you must also take into account tools that help you with this task. You will have to carry out the same exercise as in the previous case and analyze which is the tool that best suits your situation.
Next, I show you an example of the comparison of different tools that can help you with your work:
5. Another important point is the ease of use.
At this point is key to ensuring that your team can effectively adopt and use the tool. Evaluate the user interface and the learning curve of the tool to make sure it is intuitive and friendly.
6. Integrations:
Make sure that the QA tools can seamlessly integrate with other tools you already use in your development workflow or have integration capabilities, even if you have to develop it as a separate project.
7. Other and no less important points to take into account would be:
7.1 Good technical support: It is important that the tool you choose has a customer support team that is preferably accessible, to solve problems and answer questions.
7.2 Try before you buy: Whenever possible, take advantage of free trials or demos offered by tool providers. This will allow you to get hands-on experience and decide if the tool is right for you before making a full investment.
7.3 Review customer opinions and success stories.
8. Cost-benefit evaluation:
Consider the total cost of acquiring the tool, including license fees, number of users, maintenance… All this should not exceed the value of the benefits.
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In the case of ecommerce, is it necessary to guarantee the quality of the software?
For an ecommerce site, it is essential to guarantee the quality of the software and the user experience. Here are some of the tools you can consider to improve the quality of your digital business.
The tools that I mention are grouped according to the type of tests you want to perform:
- Automated functional tests:
Tools like Selenium, Cypress or Protractor mentioned in the previous point allow automated testing to check that all the functionalities of the site, such as the purchase process, registration forms, carts and payments, work correctly in different browsers and devices.
- Load and performance tests:
Tools like JMeter will help you assess the performance of your website under simulated load conditions. These tests are crucial to ensure that your site can handle a high volume of traffic without affecting loading speed or user experience.
- Accessibility tests:
Tools like AX open source available as an extension for web browsers and through a series of algorithms and rules analyze the structure of the website detecting potential accessibility issues.
- Performance monitoring in real time:
Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor site performance in real time, analyze user behavior, and gain insight into visitor flow, conversion rates, and potential pain points.
- Bug and issue tracking tools:
Use systems like Jira or Trello to efficiently track bugs, issues, and QA tasks. These tools help keep an organized record of issues found during testing and make it easy to communicate with team members even across different departments.
- Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD):
Consider implementing tools like Jenkins or GitLab CI to automate the continuous integration and delivery of your software. This ensures that updates and fixes are tested and deployed quickly and efficiently, without affecting the stability of the site.
- Emulation and testing tools on mobile devices:
Since many users access ecommerce sites from mobile devices, it is crucial to test functionality on different sizes and operating systems. Tools like BrowserStack or Sauce Labs allow testing on different devices and virtual browsers.
Final thoughts.
As we have seen throughout this article, ensuring quality is critical for all ecommerce businesses. This is where the selection of the best QA tools becomes important. Evaluating the functionalities, the ease of use or the integrations are part of what we must consider to choose the solution that best suits the needs of the business.
Although keeping in mind that just one or several tools is not enough, it will also be necessary to have a human team with experience in the sector that can get the most out of the entire quality assurance process, a great challenge faced by companies from multiple industries.
Ensure the quality of your ecommerce platform with a team of specialized professionals, contact us today to find out the next steps.
QA Manager at Orienteed.
