13 Tools for Black Box Testing
Black box testing tools focus on analyzing software inputs, outputs, behavior, and functionality from the end user's perspective. They are used for various types of testing, including functional, system and acceptance, without requiring access to the source code.
The benefits of these tools lie in their ability to provide an objective assessment of external software functions. They help ensure that the software being developed meets user requirements and behaves as expected in real-life situations. These tools are especially useful for identifying inconsistencies in a program's functionality and interface, making them ideal for testers without deep technical knowledge of the software's internals. This approach promotes user-centricity.
Mobot
Solution for outsourcing complex black box tests.
Mobot helps optimize the mobile and web testing process by transferring testing responsibilities to a mechanical robot. As a result, all tests are carried out almost entirely manually: the robot performs functions and compares them with pre-established standards to provide a report of the tests performed.
Because testing is done manually, test plans do not require writing code. You just need to describe the desired test and indicate how to carry it out. The Mobot team easily converts videos into a custom test plan. Once the plan is automated, robots will be able to run multiple tests simultaneously and generate a report that can be used to identify and fix bugs.
Distinctive features Mobot:
The Account Manager carefully reviews all test results, flagging specific tests for discussion and pointing out failed tests to facilitate analysis of the reports.
All reports include test results, including comparison of test screenshots with original screenshots.
Robots conduct tests on real devices, which helps identify problems associated with specific devices, instead of using emulators and simulators.
In addition, robots can also test Bluetooth connections between the device under test and various third-party devices such as headphones.
Mobot integrates with Jira, Slack and Github. It also supports Android and iOS.
Mobot prices start at $1,500 per month. A 30-day free trial is available.
Pros:
Installation without writing code saves a lot of time.
Each client is accompanied by a manager who assists him throughout the entire process.
5 days of human testing are reduced to 1 day of automated testing.
Minuses:
Katalon
Platform for managing E2E testing.
Katalon Studio is a platform for creating automated tests with support for artificial intelligence, using Groovy as a programming language. It allows you to reuse automated scripts without the need for coding and enables testing of different types of applications – websites, APIs, visual, desktop and mobile systems. With an end-to-end software development ecosystem, Katalon helps DevOps deliver solutions quickly.
Distinctive features of Katalon:
Provides novice users with low-code, reusable testing artifacts, and a single development environment for testing all types of applications.
The Katalon runtime provides scheduling, self-healing, and intelligent waiting to enable parallel testing across multiple browsers, devices, and operating systems.
Extensive data- and keyword-based testing capabilities combined with automatic script generation help you gain valuable insights and effectively analyze the root cause of problems.
Built-in CI/CD system provides real-time notifications, holistic pipeline visibility, and multiple DevOps integrations.
Fast automatic recording and playback allows you to quickly respond to real-life application scenarios.
Katalon can be integrated with CI/CD tools such as Jira, Bamboo and Jenkins.
Katalon is free, but it also has Premium and Ultimate plans. The Premium plan starts at $25 per month and also offers a 30-day free trial.
Pros:
Fast script creation
Parallel execution of tests
Integration with other DevOps platforms
Minuses:
Gremlin
A solution for testing microservices and containerized applications.
Gremlin is a framework that is used to automate systematic testing using chaos testing, especially in the areas of cloud applications, microservices and containerized applications.
He specifically crashes applications to learn how to make them more resilient. Gremlin allows testers to manage inter-service communications at the network level, helping to minimize potential failures and code rollbacks that often occur in less robust products.
Distinctive features of Gremlin:
Testing fault tolerance in cloud infrastructure and applications such as containers and microservices.
Gremlin test automation allows you to thoroughly test every layer of your application's infrastructure, including safe stopping and automatic rollback.
The package includes a well-documented API and CI/CD, which speeds up the development of high-quality code and allows for reliable tests.
With Gremlin, you can use 12 chaos engineering experiments to identify weak points in a system.
Gremlin integrates with LoadRunner Professional 2022.
Prices Gremlin start at $300 per month for the service. A 30-day free trial is available.
Pros:
Easy to learn and use.
Provides teams with reliable and fast testing.
Testing helps improve results across the entire technology stack.
Minuses:
Watir
A free tool for black-box testing of Ruby web applications.
Watir (Web Testing Application in Ruby) is an open-source automated testing tool for the Ruby language that allows you to write tests in a humanoid style, simulating user interactions in the browser. It uses the OLE protocol for efficient communication between the browser and Ruby.
Distinctive features of Watir:
Instead of creating a browser simulator like most web testing systems, Watir uses the OLE protocol (as mentioned above).
Supports the most popular and current browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera and Safari.
Improves the efficiency and effectiveness of tests and test cases by allowing tests to run simultaneously.
Allows you to test the user interface via the command line – without opening a browser, that is, in headless mode.
With Page Objects, Watir enables code reuse and page performance measurement.
Watir Provides integration with cross-browser and test automation tools such as Cucumber, BrowserStack and SauceLabs. Apart from Ruby, it also integrates with Python, Rails and Selenium.
Pros:
Free, open source and very easy to use.
OLE-based testing with Ruby libraries eliminates the need for an external server.
Using the Ruby language to write test scripts.
Minuses:
IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT)
Best suited for creating black box testing scripts using a test logger.
IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT) is an automated testing system from IBM for regression, functional and GUI testing. RFT supports various programming languages and environments (Java, AJAX, Power Builder, SAP, .Net, Dojo Toolkit and Siebel), covering both web and terminal emulator-based applications.
RFT allows you to record, playback and export test scripts with Robotic Response Time agents, intelligent script maintenance capabilities and various customization options.
It scales efficiently across a wide range of scenarios, is useful for a variety of business types, and has reporting capabilities for communication and collaboration in hybrid environments.
Distinctive features of RFT:
IBM Rational Functional Tester (RFT) provides extensive testing capabilities for a variety of systems, making it a versatile tool for QA teams. RFT allows you to flexibly test both legacy and modern applications in a variety of business scenarios.
One of the key features of RFT is the ability to reuse tests with different data, which speeds up the testing process and shortens test cycles.
RFT also offers advanced test scripting features, including the ability to view and analyze response times and other metrics during testing. ScriptAssure technology makes it easy to manage user interface changes without additional maintenance costs.
Besides, RFT Integrates with other IBM products, such as IBM Jazz® integration, for collaborative application lifecycle management. It also integrates with non-native enterprise messaging solutions such as JMS and TIBCO EMS.
Prices are available upon request only. The starter version is free.
Pros:
Provides reliable testing at scale.
Allows you to easily switch between languages and platforms.
Works well with mainframes.
Minuses:
Selenium IDE
Selenium IDE is a free and open source tool for automated testing of websites. It allows you to record and playback actions on web pages, making it easier to create automation tests. With Selenium IDE's features, developers can avoid repeating manual steps. The tool also allows DevOps and testers to manage, record, edit and debug tests.
Selenium IDE is a lightweight web browser extension with minimal overhead and digital footprint.
Distinctive features of Selenium IDE
Create, manage and organize test cases and test suites for easy deployment by testing teams.
Ability to perform cross-browser tests using Selenium WebDriver.
Ability to record and run robust tests from different element locators.
Seamless operation in popular browsers such as Chrome and Firefox.
Save scripts and load them for execution on demand.
The ability to reuse one test case inside another and control the speed.
In addition to browser plugins, Selenium IDE integrates with Jenkins, Azure DevOps and IntelliJ.
Pros:
It is a free and open source tool
Easy to use
No programming language required to use it
Provides flexibility when writing advanced tests
Minuses:
Selendroid
Framework for automated black-box testing of native, web and hybrid applications for Android.
Selendroid improves the efficiency of testing web applications on Android. It allows you to interact with multiple devices simultaneously, making it an excellent choice for black box testing. To write tests, you will need to use the Selenium 2 client API, known as Selenium WebDriver.
Distinctive features of Selendroid:
Automation of user actions in a mobile application.
Compatible with the JSON Wire Protocol and Selenium 3 Ready protocols, the ability to use both protocols.
Scalability and parallel testing through the integration of emulators and real devices into the Selenium network.
Flexibility to extend the runtime with custom extensions.
Selendroid also supports hot plugging of hardware devices and full integration with Selenium frameworks.
Pros:
Ability to test various types of Android devices.
There is no duplication of effort as the same concept is used to automate native and hybrid applications.
There is no need to modify the application under test to automate it.
Minuses:
Squish by Froglogic
Well suited for graphical user interface (GUI) testing using the black box method.
Squish by Froglogic is a tool for automated testing of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and human-machine interfaces (HMIs). It is ideal for testing visual features and elements of an application.
Squish provides behaviorally driven development and testing (BDD) and supports Agile methodology, facilitating collaboration between business and technical teams. This tool has cross-platform compatibility with various types of GUI tests on desktop, mobile, embedded and web platforms. Squish supports various programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, Perl, Ruby and Tcl.
Distinctive features of Squish:
Includes the ability to refactor scripts to suit use cases, compare images to check values in tables.
You can create, debug, and edit tests in the Squish IDE. It also includes features such as recording and playback, as well as image and object recognition.
With comprehensive documentation and qualification tools to ensure compliance with safety standards, Froglogic Squish ensures reliable test execution.
Squish easily integrates with multi-tech applications from various toolkits such as iOS, Android, Embedded (Qt, Windows, Java), Java, AWT, Swing, SWT, RCP, JavaFx, Windows and Mac.
Squish by Froglogic supports frameworks and platforms such as Windows, Android, iOS, Qt, Web, HTML5, Flex & JavaApplets, Java and others.
Price: Squish Tester's floating license costs $589 per month, billed annually. A 10-day free trial is available.
Pros:
In addition to working with little-known QT applications, Squish can work with Windows and Mac.
Equipped with a centralized dashboard and monitoring system.
Supports audio recording of test scripts.
Minuses:
QTP/UFT
Automated testing tool with minimal system monitoring.
QTP/UFT (English Unified Functional Testing – unified functional testing) was developed by Micro Focus for functional, regression and service testing without the use of monitoring systems.
It is suitable for users with varying levels of technical knowledge and provides both GUI and API testing using virtualized tools.
Distinctive features:
QTP/UFT allows users to automate actions, identify and test bugs in real time.
Provides consistency across different users and browsers on Windows.
QTP/UFT provides all services under a common IDE, including GUI and non-GUI testing using the Service Test API.
VB Script is used as the scripting language in QTP/UFT.
QTP/UFT uses ALM to integrate with other HP products. It also integrates with SAP and Oracle.
Pros:
Virtually no monitoring is required to operate effectively.
Allows you to test both the API and the GUI.
Minuses:
The execution time is relatively high compared to other testing tools.
Limited to desktop applications and Windows OS.
AutoHotkey
A free, open-source tool for automating user actions by simulating keystrokes and mouse buttons.
Tool AutoHotkey developed for Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2022; it is quite lightweight, fast and stable.
As a macro program, AutoHotkey makes it easy to pass user mouse and keystrokes into an application. In addition to reducing data entry tasks, the tool allows developers to perform complex tasks such as creating form fillers. Additionally, AutoHotkey is fully programmable and supports various concepts such as arrays, matrices, and component object models (COM).
Distinctive features:
Through scripts and macros, AutoHotkey allows users to customize and reassign keyboard shortcuts.
You can create small or complex scripts to perform various tasks, such as filling out forms.
Ability to analyze script files using programming paradigms such as OOP, procedural programming, and command-based programming.
AutoHotkey allows scripts to be structured as independent modules, especially with routines such as functions, Hotstrings and Hotkeys.
AutoHotkey can integrate with platforms such as Git, VSCode and PowerShell.
Pros:
Powerful yet easy to learn
Good documentation
Fully programmable
Other tools for black box testing
Here are a few more options that didn't make the top list:
SilkTest — automation tool for regression and functional testing.
MbUnit — framework for automated unit testing in C#.
Ranorex — a universal framework for test automation.
In conclusion, we invite all testers interested in development to open lessons:
