What is Software Testing Tools?

Software testing tools are a collection of verification and validation services that support quality control and quality assurance of applications.

According to 360 Quadrant analysis, the following have been identified as the top 10 vendors in the Best Software Testing Tools:

Top 10 Software Testing Tools

1. Wipro Limited
2. Capgemini
3. Accenture Plc
4. Cognizant Technology Solutions
5. TCS
6. Infosys Limited
7. IBM Corporation
8. Tech Mahindra Limited
9. DX Technology
10. Deloitte

Software testing is a process through which the functionality, usability, consistency, and quality of applications are tested with the help of multiple testing methodologies and software testing tools. Best Software testing tools include capabilities such as functionality testing, usability testing, performance testing, compatibility testing, security testing, compliance testing, and automation testing.

The competitive leadership mapping section provides information regarding key vendors offering application testing services and outlines the findings and analysis as well as rates them accordingly based on vendor performance within each evaluation criteria. The evaluation criteria are based on 2 broad categories, namely, Product Maturity and Company Maturity. Each category encompasses various parameters on the basis of which vendors are evaluated.

Parameters considered under  Product Maturity include breadth and depth of product offering, product features & functionality, focus on product innovation, product differentiation and impact on customer value, and product quality & reliability.

Parameters considered under Company Maturity include geographic footprint/presence in emerging markets, breadth of applications served, channel strategy and fit, the effectiveness of organic growth strategy, and mergers & acquisitions strategy.

Vendors who fall into this category receive high scores for most evaluation criteria. They have a strong and established product and service portfolio and a robust market presence. They provide mature and reputable application testing services and encompass strong business strategies. Wipro (India), Cognizant (US), Accenture (Ireland), TCS (India), Capgemini (France), IBM (US), Infosys (India), and Tech Mahindra (India) are recognized as visionary leaders in the Best Software testing tools.

Dynamic differentiators have established vendors with very strong business strategies. However, their service portfolios are not as strong as compared to other companies in the market. SQS (Germany), HCL (India), CGI (Canada), Cigniti Technologies (US), Atos (France), Xoriant (US), R Systems International (India), Indium Software (US), Maveric Systems (India), Cygnet Infotech (India), and YASH Technologies (India) are recognized as dynamic differentiators in the best Software testing tools.

Innovators are vendors who have demonstrated substantial product innovations as compared to their competitors. They have very focused service portfolios. However, they do not have very strong growth strategies for their overall businesses. Deloitte (US), QualiTest (US), DXC Technology (US), NTT DATA (US), and HPE (US) are recognized as innovators in the best Software testing tools.

RapidValue Solutions (US) falls under the category of emerging companies in the best Software testing tools. Emerging companies are primarily focused on expanding their customer base by offering cost-effective testing services.

What’s driving the software testing tools market?

• Digital transformation of businesses- The use of advanced technologies such as cloud, IoT, Big Data & analytics, mobility, and social media has led to innovation and transformation in business processes, thereby influencing growth in the business ecosystem. The transformation in business models and software development processes to attain agility has propelled the need for quality assurance and quality testing. Software testing forms an integral part of businesses, as they help in streamlining workflow, improving productivity, and enhancing quality as well as ensuring proper functioning of applications. Thus, the digital transformation of businesses is contributing to the increasing demand for software testing tools across various verticals.

• Agile and DevOps methodologies for seamless running of applications- The use of agile and DevOps testing methodologies is one of the major factors driving the growth of the best software testing tools. Agile and DevOps methodologies help eliminate obstacles during application development to improve usability as well as the value of applications. In addition, agile testing services deliver a proper framework to test applications and infrastructures. Furthermore, the implementation of these methodologies reduces the development time of applications and enhances the quality of applications. Therefore, the adoption of such methodologies in testing processes is anticipated to drive the growth of the software testing tools market.

• Implementation of automated software testing tools to reduce operational costs and enhance quality assurance- The upsurge in digitization and rise in business complexity are propelling organizations to undergo innovations in the field of automated application testing. Presently, manual testing of applications is being replaced by automated testing. Automated testing has transformed the technique of application development, thereby providing numerous benefits to developers, such as the ability to detect errors during and post the stages of application development. Furthermore, automated software testing tools have helped reduce costs associated with application failure.

What are the different types of software testing services?

• Functionality Testing- Quality assurance testing is one of the major activities that fall under the functionality testing segment. Functionality testing is a testing technique that is used to test the features and functionalities of software applications. Testing software applications against well-defined specifications enable enterprises to address the diverse demands of end-users. This testing type covers both basic as well as complex functionalities of applications. Functionality testing of applications ensures that an application offers baseline performance, thereby providing continuity of operations by limiting the possibilities of a breakdown.
• Usability Testing- Usability testing is carried out during the initial phase of application development. It offers more visibility on user expectations. The primary focus of this testing type is to measure the usability of applications and examine the ability of applications to address the diverse requirements of end-users. The success of any application depends on the degree of usability and gratification it delivers to clients. This testing type also helps identify potential errors in systems. Furthermore, usability testing helps fix errors that are encountered before applications are released in the market.
• Performance Testing- Performance testing helps determine the performance of systems. This testing technique includes load testing (to understand the behavior of the application under a specific load), stress testing (to find the upper limit capacity of the system and to determine how the application performs if the current load goes above the expected load), soak testing (to determine the application parameters under continuous expected load), and spike testing (to determine whether the application can sustain the workload). This testing type includes metrics such as long load time, poor response time, and memory utilization. Performance testing is primarily required to ensure that applications are proficient in dealing with tough challenges.
• Compatibility Testing- Compatibility testing helps determine the capabilities of applications running on heterogeneous devices, operating systems, network environments, hardware, and communication protocol versions. This testing type is used to check the compatibility of applications with mobile devices, browsers, keyboards, printers, and networks. Furthermore, compatibility testing also ensures that web or mobile applications run efficiently without any flaw.
• Security Testing- Over the past few years, security attacks or data breaches have increased to a significant extent. Security testing is considered as a critical part of enterprise development strategy, as it covers testing for potential vulnerabilities in applications. This testing type is primarily used to detect all possible loopholes in security mechanisms and reveal vulnerabilities or weaknesses of software applications.
• Compliance Testing- Compliance testing is also known as conformance testing, regulation testing, or standardized testing. It is a non-functional testing type that determines whether an application meets the prescribed standards formulated by an organization or industry.
• Automation Testing- Automation testing processes replace manual testing processes using automation tools to provide efficiency and effectiveness in testing applications. With an upsurge in advance and automated technologies, software or application provider companies are adopting best practices for quality assurance. The growth of the automation testing type segment can be attributed to its ability to enhance robustness and consistency of applications, enable seamless running of applications, minimize risks, and reduce manual testing effort.

What are the major verticals catered by software testing tools?

• Telecom & IT- The digitization of the telecom sector and the need to ensure global quality standards for enhancing customer experience are factors driving the adoption of software testing tools in the IT & telecom sector. The high adoption rate of software testing tools in the IT & telecom sector can be attributed to customer demand for high-quality service. Major providers of application testing services are focused on enhancing security and providing qualitative services to companies operating in the IT & telecom sector, which, in turn, is anticipated to help companies align their business strategies.
• Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI)- Organizations operating in the BFSI sector deal with financial transactions and encompass confidential data. New and improved financial products and services are introduced by these organizations to enhance business operations and expand the customer base. With facilities such as smart banking, internet banking, and mobile banking, organizations in the BFSI sector are required to implement software testing tools to ensure the proper functioning of secured applications. Furthermore, the adoption of application testing services in the BFSI sector mitigates risks associated with data breach and ensures that banking activities are executed in a safe and secure manner.
• Healthcare & Lifesciences- The healthcare & life sciences industry adopted software testing tools to ensure the smooth functioning of operations. Furthermore, software testing tools are also utilized by the healthcare sector to validate if applications are functionally fit for specific purposes as well as to enhance the performance of applications. These testing services, including functional testing, performance testing, security testing, compliance testing, and device compatibility testing, help improve the quality of healthcare applications.
• Government & Public Sector- The government & public sector segment includes federal governments, state or provincial governments, local governments, and other public entities. Software testing tools are increasingly adopted by the government & public sector to manage large volumes of data generated and to ensure appropriate security of applications. Furthermore, the government & public sector requires the utmost level of quality testing to overcome challenges associated with application quality assurance.
• Media & Entertainment- The media & entertainment industry is focused on the adoption of application testing services to enhance the customer experience. Best software testing tools are being utilized in this industry to test media applications and reduce time-to-market. Additionally, testing engineers in the media & entertainment industry are focused on developing advanced testing methodologies to enhance security, reliability, compatibility, and quality of applications.
• Manufacturing- Manufacturers are harnessing a new generation of machine-to-machine systems, mobile apps, and cloud-based services. Manufacturing companies increasingly rely on software or applications to automate processes, manage supply chains, and facilitate R&D activities. Digitization of processes has made these companies vulnerable to data breaches and system breakdowns. Thus, the manufacturing industry has adopted both manual and automated testing services to ensure the highest quality standards for the proper functioning of secured applications, accelerate revenue, enhance productivity, and reduce operational costs.
• Retail- In the era of digitization, it becomes essential for retailers to facilitate the smooth functioning of effective and user-friendly applications. Retail applications are dynamic in nature and require quality engineering services or quality assurance solutions for their optimal functioning. Best Software testing tools are adopted by the retail industry to mitigate risks and ensure the proper functioning of various retail processes such as pricing, shipping, payment gateways, vendor management, and inventory and warehouse management.
• Energy & Utilities- The energy & utilities industry is focused on the adoption of innovative technologies to drive various business processes. Best Software testing tools are utilized by the energy & utility industry to ensure quality assurance of applications. Different types of application testing services in the energy & utility industry include system & integration testing, regression & automation testing, performance testing, security testing, compatibility testing, and multi-channel testing.
• Logistics & Transportation- The transportation sector includes air transportation services, rail transportation services, truck transportation services, and water transportation services. Similarly, the logistics sector includes post services, courier services, express and parcel service providers, logistics service providers, and freight forwarders. Both these sectors are increasingly relying on automated QA and software testing tools for better performance and security of their applications, thereby reducing costs and enhancing operational efficiency.

A few popular Software testing use cases-

 Use case # 1: Role as a strategic quality partner for insurance companies

• Objective- To employ a strategic independent quality partner to manage and oversee the quality assurance aspect of work
• Description- Leading insurance companies, with a wide presence in 70 countries and more than 80 million clients globally, took the tactical decision to transform their business processes into a ‘digital group’ and sell more products in various other countries. Furthermore, the apprehension of the digital strategy was relevant to the improvement of its core software platform, known as Company Business System (CBS).
• Solution- SQS played the role of a quality partner to manage and enhance the performance of testing applications through the establishment of high-quality and cost-effective testing approaches and ongoing test management methods. These approaches enabled appropriate, cost-effective deliveries of software through a standardized process.
• Benefits- The use of SQS services for standardization and automation has helped insurance companies improve operational efficiency and augment offshore resources.

Use case # 2: Testing Telecom capability for a leading broadband provider

• Objective- To test the telecom capability for a leading broadband provider
• Description- Leading broadband providers faced scalability issues associated with applications. Hence, these providers required an independent testing group with the domain, technical, and process expertise to certify the performance of their applications.
• Solution- Cognizant applied the client solution with its fourth-generation IT offshoring model, offering minimum on-site presence. This solution encompassed professional and skilled staff to write a test strategy, test planning, and test case preparation. Furthermore, Cognizant also automated the existing client system to improve accuracy as well as reduce cost and cycle time of operations.
• Benefits- Cognizant’s client solution and program management office helped leading broadband providers to improve productivity and enhance the quality of applications.