Frequent Asked Questions

What is Test Evolve?

Test Evolve is a testing automation and results dashboard solution consisting of Spark, the engine, Flare, a studio application and Halo, a real time test results cloud reporting platform. It offers desktop, mobile, API, database and desktop app test automation capabilities. In addition, we have you covered for cross browser and cross device testing, alongside our performance and security testing integrations. We shouldn't forget to mention our visual regression testing, accessibility and lighthouse application auditing features either.

How can I try it?

We offer a fully featured, complimentary 30-day FREE trial with no payment details requested or obligation on your behalf. Why not join the Test Evolve community? Simply visit: https://www.testevolve.com/try

How much does Test Evolve cost?

After evaluation, Test Evolve licensing starts from $199 per seat, per month. See our Pricing page for simple and flexible subscription options.

Can I integrate Test Evolve with my CI/CD build?

Yes you can - We use Jenkins builds. Test Evolve can be integrated with Jenkins, GitLab, GitHub and other CI/CD tools. Our Test Evolve consultants will help you with any implementation detail.

Is Test Evolve a record and replay tool? Does it have a recorder?

Test Evolve Flare has the industry's first truly integrated BDD Web Test Recorder. We believe in the well documented benefits of a coded framework which typically leads to more robust front end tests and there are times when only some considered code logic will allow you to address a particular automation challenge. We suggest the use of our BDD Test Recorder as a quickstart low-code accelerator after which you can roll your sleeves up and get your hands dirty with the code should you wish. Review our guide to recording your first BDD test.

Can I/how do I test mobile browser flows with Test Evolve?

For mobile native apps, we integrate with Appium for full gestural control within your automation code. For mobile browser, Test Evolve enables tethered device automation, mobile emulation, browser resizing to specific breakpoints and integration to other industry leading tools for full cross browser and cross device testing.

How do I share my test results with the team?

Anyone in your organisation with project specific Test Evolve cloud credentials will be able to log in and see your labelled or configuration test run dashboards, your summary dashboards and also your test reports. Use kiosk mode for a run dashboard or a summary dashboard large screen display in the office or create a sharing token for run dashboard and summary dashboard sharing to non authenticated business users.

Who should use it?

We suggest that Testers and Developers can write the core tests on a project but the entire delivery team and delivery stakeholders benefit from the real time test result cloud reporting.

What is BDD and Cucumber?

‘BDD’ or behaviour-driven-development is a development and delivery approach to eliciting quality requirements through shared, domain driven conversation with product owners, developers and testers. It then advocates a test led approach to code authoring. It uses a series of keywords, most notably ‘Given’, ‘When’ and ‘Then’ to outline high level user journeys in a way that everybody can easily understand what is being developed and what needs to be tested. Cucumber is an open source code framework for implementing directly linked supporting automated tests.

Can I keep my tests if I cancel my subscription?

Absolutely. We don’t promote vendor lock in. You will still be able to execute and develop your tests through an IDE or a CI build but you would not have access to Test Evolve cloud reporting and some of our vendor integrations.

Does Test Evolve integrate with other tools and test management products?

We currently offer out of the box integrations to Sauce Labs, Browserstack, Kobiton, Perfecto, Appitools Eyes, Percy, JMeter and OWASP ZAP. We can also offer a direct JIRA integration for rapid bug raising from you test run reports. Other Test Management tool integrations are on our product roadmap. Customers should note that individual service subscriptions to Sauce Labs or Browserstack for example may also be required. Test Evolve provides the plug-and-play mechanism to link the two in seconds.

We're building a responsive mobile-first application - do you support Visual regression testing?

We actually have 3 options for users that wish to incorporate Visual checks within their current tests. Either run a local Test Evolve Spark Visual Check or use either of our ready-to-integrations to Applitools or Percy.

How is Test Evolve different from other tools?

Test Evolve offers an industry first low-code BDD Test Recorder whilst also promoting the best aspects of a robust and ready coded automation framework enabling many types of testing - desktop and mobile browser, mobile native apps, REST and SOAP APIs, database and desktop apps. Our Flare Studio app puts all of these local features at the tester’s fingertips and our integrations to other tools allow you to maximise your regression test re-use with other op. systems, browsers and devices. Finally, Halo, our real time test results cloud reporting platform is a first of its kind in the industry giving you and your team immediate awareness of build quality. Test Evolve truly empowers your testing practice, allows you to embrace and succeed with agile automation whilst releasing quickly and frequently with full quality confidence.

Can I/how do I test native mobile apps with Test Evolve?

For mobile native apps, we integrate with Appium for full gestural control within your automation code.

Is Test Evolve a data driven framework?

Considering our Ruby best practice standards, Test Evolve would be considered a hybrid automation framework. This means it is both a data driven and a keyword driven framework. We use Cucumber examples for data driven test iteration and well-crafted method/keyword based step definitions that effectively read like a manual test script and are very easy to follow.

Which applications does it support?

Use Test Evolve for testing of desktop and mobile browser web applications, mobile native apps, REST and SOAP APIs, databases and other desktop applications such as point-of-sale software.

What is the Page Object model?

The page object model suggests that we have a single place to declare element identifiers for objects within a web application that we wish to test. Typically, we would create a single page class per page of the web app, for example, the ‘basket’ of an ecommerce website. Every element of that ‘page’ that we would wish to interact with would be defined in a corresponding page class in Test Evolve. When an identifier then needs to be updated as a result of additional front end development or because of a bug, testers have just a single place to implement the update and not multiple test instances. Check out our complete guide to the selenium page object model.

What is Test Evolve Studio for?

The Test Evolve app brings all of the available test run feature choices into a clean and user friendly desktop application. It also contains our unique BDD Web Test Recorder as well as our Page Object Builder element picker. Open existing or Create new projects, review and select your features and scenarios to run and select how to run them with cross browser and device support, multi level reporting and numerous integrations to other industry leading tools to extend your testing.

Can I/how do I test APIs with Test Evolve?

With Test Evolve, we use certain Ruby gems to enable quick and easy REST and SOAP test automation. All standard REST methods are available and wrapping your API tests in the ‘BDD’ domain language also adds enhanced transparency of a technical testing area to a wider business audience. API test results are pushed to the cloud in exactly the same way as a browser test.

Can I/how do I test databases with Test Evolve?

As per the API testing, we use certain Ruby gems to enable quick and easy database test automation. All standard SQL commands are available and wrapping your SQL tests in the ‘BDD’ domain language also adds enhanced transparency of a technical testing area to a wider business audience. SQL test results are pushed to the cloud in exactly the same way as a browser test. At Test Evolve, we most often work with Oracle, Postgres and Influx Databases.

How easy is it to begin writing tests with JavaScript or Ruby?

When first building the Test Evolve Spark automation engine, we made an early decision to work with JavaScript and Ruby for their conciseness, expressiveness and ability to be adopted quickly by new and experienced coders alike. Our industry first BDD Web Test Recorder will have you up and running in seconds.

Do you support Accessibility testing?

Absolutely. We decided to build an integration with the Axe-Core testing engine in order to give users a page by page Accessibility review from within an existing automated functional test. One line of code is all that's needed.

Can I integrate Lighthouse checks in my automated tests?

Yes, you can. In much the same way as our Accessibility checks, we also enabled the execution of page by page Lighthouse Audits from within an existing automated functional test. One line of code is all that's needed once again.