OpenQA Selenium and CruiseControl

There are probably hundreds of Ajax testing tool out there that could be used anytime. Each of them has strengths and weaknesses, uniqueness which makes them a powerful software and promising releases which will continue to improve an application. Some are created for businesses with a license fee while others are absolutely free.

With that said, let’s take a look at two Ajax testing tools – OpenQA Selenium and CruiseControl. These tools were developed when Ajax is already part of the mainstream coding. Unfortunately, some tools are being abandoned because they took the wrong way or there is just not enough developers to rebuild a particular tool. On the other hand, OpenQA Selenium and CruiseControl were able to survive to demand of users and developers. They are now among the powerful testing tools for Ajax based applications.

OpenQA Selenium – Surprisingly Small

If there’s one thing you’ll notice first in OpenQA Selenium is its size. This testing tool has been in development since 2005 and although it just went on 1.0 Beta last March, its features are very impressive. OpenQA Selenium is a testing tool that could test Ajax based applications while they are actively used.

The results are displayed in real time as the user tries to enter data and interacts with the interface. Live monitoring is a very tall order for an Ajax testing tool. But OpenQA Selenium is not your regular application – it’s merely a Firefox Plug-in.

You can create two Firefox browsers and run OpenQA in one end to monitor the performance of the application on the other browser. It can be programmed to monitor the application’s performance for various major browsers as well as major operating systems.

But what makes OpenQA different to other testing tools is that it will not only test the Ajax coding, but also the native programming language of the application. That means it can be tested on different frameworks.

But even with advances OpenQA Selenium, this small Firefox Plug-in can get you easily confused. It’s a small application that’s really difficult to harness. But if you’re running acceptance functions of the application, you can be assured of the functionality of the application.

CruiseControl – Taking Care of Clutters

CruiseControl is an online tool that could take test not only the Ajax based application but also the plug-ins that comes with the application. It tests the interactivity of the application in terms of its efficiency in using third party applications.

CruiseControl can be used by developers while they are building the application. It’s a highly efficient tool that could notify you when something is wrong with the application. This is very important especially when you are trying to trigger a third party application.

The best thing about CruiseControl is that it could go down to the bare basics of the application. The legacy of the application is still kept as a record which could be used as a reference. This is very important especially when you are building an application with a lot of third party plug-ins. The legacy should be able to keep the original application as build-up continues.