When I first started learning about automation over ten years ago, one of the first tools that were introduced to me was Selenium RC. Selenium RC is an example of a playback tool that enables you to record your actions and then play them back. It is a straightforward tool for automating human actions. Other similar tools that offer a similar experience are Ghost Inspector and Katalon Recorder.
But one question that comes to mind is how does this differ from using other automation tools like UIlicious? Let me explain the pros and cons of using playback tools.
Understanding how playback tools work
Playback tools such as Selenium RC and Katalon Recorder record a user’s actions on a website. For example, if a tester navigates to the homepage, then logs into their account, the tool will capture these actions. The tool can then replay the actions that were performed repetitively.
When you start using screen recorder tools, there is some setup involved such as downloading an extension to the browser or installing software on your computer. After setup is complete, the tester will then need to manually test the website while the tool is recording the tester’s actions.
This is great for a simplistic hybrid type of automation, but the capabilities are somewhat limited. After recording the initial playthrough, the playback feature will open up a new browser window and replay the actions that were performed.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of using Playback tools
1. Great for recording steps to reproduce
There may be instances where it is easier to record your actions when demonstrating how a certain issue was found on a website. Playback recorder tools like Selenium RC and Katalon Recorder are perfect for these types of situations.
2. Maintenance can be time consuming
A playback recorder tool is great for projects that do not involve complex maintenance. If this is something that only involves initial testing then a tool like this could serve as a possible solution for a temporary project.
It also depends on the overall testing requirements. If the requirements require simple testing actions such as navigating to a site and performing simple functionalities within a general user interface, this tool can be a good fit. If there are too many actions performed, then that will require those actions to be repeated again if a change occurs within the application being tested. This can result in a large amount of time spent to perform those actions again.
3. Limited Cross-Browser Testing
Unlike traditional automation tools, recording tools are limited to the specific browser the extension was installed to. Therefore, if the user wants to test across multiple browsers, they will need to install the tool on every browser they wish to test. This can be time-consuming and cumbersome since the tester will need to perform the same actions several times across multiple browsers.
4. Making Mistakes
Another difficulty that may arise is the fact that when the tester makes a mistake during their initial playthrough, they will need to record the entire video again. This means if the tester needs to perform several actions, and accidentally makes a mistake near the end of the recording, they will need to redo the entire test from the beginning.
5. Great for non-technical people
Not everyone who will use these tools will need to have experience in QA. One advantage of a recorder tool such as Katalon Recorder, Ghost Inspector, and Selenium RC is that these tools are user-friendly for anyone who may not be tech-savvy or have a strong technical background.
6. Ideal for simple tasks and projects
Project Managers and QA Engineers who have limited experience with automation testing will find value in recorder tools. The major reason is that they will not have to write any test scripts and instead can just manually run through a website, such as navigating to the Homepage and clicking on a link. This is a hybrid method of both automation and manual testing.
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Where UIlicious has an advantage over recording tools
Automation tools like UIlicious can seem intimidating at first since scripts are written in a code-based language. However, one advantage of using UIlicious is the simple fact that scripts are written in a basic language that empowers and enables anyone to create their own automated tests.
1. Able to do more with UIlicious
Because recording tools such as Selenium RC require the user to manually run through their tests, there is no opportunity to automate repeatable actions. If the tester wants to retest their playthrough, they will need to click on the Play button again.
With UIlicious, users are able to schedule their tests to run automatically. This means the test scripts can be configured to run when necessary.
2. Maintenance
Another difference between UIlicious and recording tools is that the maintenance is significantly easier with UIlicious. Because the scripts can be updated at certain points within the test, the tester can focus on updating and maintaining their test scripts.
With recording tools, the tester will need to record themselves repeatedly in order to update and maintain their playthroughs. This is extremely time-consuming.
3. Cross Browser Testing
Because UIlicious offers multiple browsers and screen resolutions, testers can perform multiple tests across multiple browsers and screen resolutions with ease. As mentioned previously, in order to cross browser test in a recording tool, the user will need to add the extension within their web browser. This means any browsers that are unsupported by these tools will not be able to be tested such as Edge (non-chromium) and IE11.
4. Run multiple tests simultaneously
Since UIlicious enables multiple concurrencies, this means multiple tests can be scheduled to run simultaneously. With recording tools, some tests can run simultaneously such as in Ghost Inspector. But in other tools, this is not always an option.
5. Chaining tests
Test scripts can be chained to run sequentially. This means if there is a testing scenario or if there are multiple test scripts that need to run in sequential order, it is possible to do this in UIlicious. This is another advantage that UIlicious holds over playthrough recording tools. From my experience using recording tools, I was unable to chain my tests together.
6. Sharing test results
With recording tools, there are no features that allow testers to share their test results. UIlicious offers users the ability to share their test results. This is something that cannot be achieved with screen recorder tools. Anyone who testers shares their UIlicious test results with can view them in an embedded iFrame. There is also an option to download the results as a PDF report.
Another factor to keep in mind
Many Playback tools tend to also be browser extensions. While this serves as a convenient method for accessibility, this can hinder browser performance. There is also the risk of losing test playbacks since they will be saved on the hard drive of the computer. If something ever happens to the hard drive then the data will be lost. Some tools such as Ghost Inspector only save the testing results for a certain period of time.
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Final Thoughts
As mentioned before, tools like Katalon Recorder, Ghost Inspector, and Selenium RC are great for what they offer. It is convenient to record playthroughs when performing different actions on a website. This is helpful when needing to show precise steps to reproduce, which makes this ideal for a somewhat hybrid method of manual and automated testing. Since the user must first manually record themselves performing the actions, they can replay them with a simple click of a button.
However, in regards to true automation testing, playthrough tools may not be ideal for certain testing scenarios that are much more complex. There is also a risk of data loss since the files are saved locally and not in a cloud-based environment. Another note is when an issue is found, the tester cannot easily share the testing results unless that person also has the same tool installed, or they have an application that can read the file. This makes it quite difficult if the results need to be shared with a client or customer who may not have the capabilities to view the test data.
UIlicious provides automation that allows you to write code once and reuse it on all devices with just one script! If this sounds like something that might be helpful for your company, then register now to start trying our powerful automation tool for free!
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our team would love to work with you so we can provide powerful automated testing solutions at affordable prices.
Photo by Craig Pattenaude
