What is Katalon Studio
Katalon Studio is an open-source automation tool released in January 2015 with a Selenium-based engine. Mainly, Katalon is designed to create and reuse automated test scripts for UI without coding. Katalon Studio permits running automated tests of UI elements, including pop-ups, i Frames, and wait-time. The tool can be launched on Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Katalon Studio is one of the leading tools for automated testing. Along with Selenium, Ranorex, Test Complete, and Apache JMeter, it’s worth discussing as more and more testing engineers opt for Katalon. The platform facilitates running automated tests for Web interfaces, APIs, and mobile apps (both iOS and Android), provides test recording, and analysis reports.
In this blog, we’ll look at the pros and cons of Katalon Studio. If you’re looking for a broad overview, have a look at our dedicated blog:
It has a quick setup and several pre-installed templates that allow repeating some testing patterns. Katalon Studio is a tool that supports Web, mobile, and API Testing. These solutions go with analytics and recording modules.
API testing
Dissimilar to Selenium and Ranorex, with Katalon Studio you can test APIs without additional integrations. Its built-in module allows testers to conduct end-to-end API testing, automate scripting, and maintain their tests. The main features of this module are code auto-completion, code inspection, code snippet, references, and debugger. The software supports all types of REST, SOAP/1.1 and SOAP/1.2 requests, and multiple data sources (XLS, XML, databases with dynamic mapping to maximize test coverage).
The API testing mode allows users to import tests from such API testing and editing tools like Swagger, Postman, and WSDL. This testing also has a built-in response viewer with auto-formatting and search for access to artifacts.
Web testing
Katalon allows complete web testing solution with inbuilt delivery and DevOps integrations. It supports the testing of Web, Android, and iOS applications. The tool has code-assist utilities like built-in object spy, code-refactoring, and in-context references. Local plugins integrate with Jenkins, Git, JIRA, and qTest.
Katalon’s web-testing execution mechanism uses multiple configurations and datasets. It allows building execution for workflow and running it automatically. The module features importing external libraries to improve automation functions.
Mobile testing
This module allows users to test mobile Web, iOS, and Android apps. With local integration through Appium, a test automation tool for mobile applications, the module supports testing for the latest mobile platforms and devices without additional installations. Katalon fastens mobile testing by detecting and storing the objects.
Katalon Analytics
Dissimilar to Selenium, Katalon Studio provides testing analysis and reports. Katalon Studio displays test results and maintains test history. Katalon Analytics provides interactive dashboards and reports. Reports focus on testing areas, highlighting the most crucial parts. All execution patterns are recorded on screenshots and videos, and test results are displayed as specific KPIs on dashboards. Analytics in Katalon Studio features email failure notifications that arrive with reports.
Katalon Recorder
Katalon is available with a Selenium-based recording module for Chrome and Firefox. It allows testers to perform debugging, automate test management, and export testing scripts into C#, Java, Ruby, Python, Groovy, and Robot Framework. Katalon Recorder has a save and playback feature for testers without programming skills and saves the methods previously used in testing.
Katalon support
Katalon Studio is an open-source tool that offers technical support plans for different prices. These types are:
Business (respond within 24 hours, 1 Helpdesk account, and 1 support project) – $2,500 per year.
Enterprise (respond within 12 hours, 3 Helpdesk accounts, and 3 support projects) – $5,000 per year
Premium (multiple accounts, exclusive support) – customization price.
Pros of using Katalon Studio
Integrated with CI/DevOps workflow
Katalon assistance is suited with several tools, used in Continuous Integration and DevOps. Katalon Studio aid local integrations with Git, qTest Manager, JIRA, and Slack. This is also integrated with Jenkins and TeamCity, cloud CI tools like 12 CircleCI, Travis CI, SauceLabs, BrowserStack, Selenium Grid, and Kobiton.
Intuitive analytics dashboard and reports
A built-in, data-driven testing module allows users to analyze tests based on recorded scenarios. Katalon shows analytic results in the form of built-in reports that can be exported in PDF, HTML, Excel, or CSV. The reports are visually automatic and simple to work with.
Wide toolset and integrations
This standard guarantee tool arrives in the box with ALM integrations, frameworks, and plugins that can be installed on Windows, macOS, and Linux. As an outcome, Katalon doesn’t require additional integrations to run tests. It supports parallel execution on multiple environments and can be adjusted to many frameworks. Integration with qTest, a centralized test management tool that facilitates the communication of a QA team, allows for controlling test requirements, test case planning, and defect management.
User-friendly GUI
Katalon User Interface offers rich graphics with tree views, tables, and menus which allow a user to manage test artifacts easily. Testers find the tool’s interface convenient, user-friendly, clean, and easy to grasp even for non-technical users.
Mild learning curve + learning materials
Katalon Studio is famous for its simplicity, both installation and usage. It’s easy to set up thanks to its many integrated packages. It is helpful for both beginners and advanced users, who can use the whole IDE and write advanced scripts. Developers have access to several training videos and documentation for users: Katalon has GitHub repositories, a list of online courses on Udemy, and video courses on YouTube.
Free
Katalon is an open-source tool, which is considered an advantage by most of the users. However, the support works on a paid basis.
Cons of using Katalon Studio
Lack of scripting languages
Dissimilar to Selenium and Test Complete, the only scripting language supported by Katalon is Groovy. This scripting language is in the Java family so anyone who knows Java can use it. But, users would like to see more languages supported.
Small community
Katalon was evolved in 2015, the community is small, and you may experience a lack of support from peer testers. Users must rely on the paid customer support team or Katalon forum replies.
Documentation update lags
The users like the number and variety of training materials for Katalon, but they hate the documentation. It’s too long, complicated, and confuses as it’s not updated along with new version releases. So, anticipate that something won’t work as expected.
Performance issues
Users report some bugs that hamper testing, slowing it down. For example, sometimes the tool freezes or may start lagging, the text and object verification within Iframes is problematic. Mobile testing requires more time due to the necessity to capture and write code.
Conclusion:
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Pattanayak Engineering
