15 BEST Open Source Automation Testing Tools & Software

 Open-source testing tools are applications that support a range of testing activities. This software enables you to plan, build, test execution, defect logging, and more. These testing tools are used for testing software firmness and thoroughness.

Following is a handpicked list of Top Open Source Testing Tools, with their popular features and website links. The list contains both open source (free) and commercial (paid) software.

BEST Open Source Testing Tools & Software

Name	Link
Selenium	https://www.selenium.dev/
Appium	http://appium.io/
Apache JMeter	https://jmeter.apache.org/
SikuliX	http://www.sikulix.com/
Watir	http://watir.com/

1) Selenium

Selenium is the most popular automated software testing tool. It specifically designed to support Automation Testing of functional aspects of web-based applications, a wide range of platforms, and browsers.

Features:

• This open source testing tool offers the support for parallel test execution that reduces the time taken in executing parallel tests.
• Selenium needs very lesser resources when compared to other testing tools.
• Test cases prepared using this testing tool can be executed on any OS.
• This website testing tool supports the many known programming languages like Java, Python, C#, Perl, PHP, and JavaScript.

Link: https://www.selenium.dev/

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2) Appium

Appium is an open source test automation tool for mobile applications. It is one of the best open source automation tools which allows users to test all kinds of native, web, and hybrid apps. It also supports the automated tests on emulators and simulators.

Features:

• Test the same application which is going to the marketplace.
• It is a simple application that needs very little memory of for the test process.
• Testing Native apps do not need SDK, it offers standard automation APIs which can be used on for all types of platforms.
• Easy to setup on a different platform
• It does not require anything to be installed on the device
• You can still use the Selenium WebDriver that uses the JSON wire protocol.
• Supports various languages like Ruby, Java, PHP, Node, Python

Link:http://appium.io/

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3) Apache JMeter

Apache JMeter is an open-source load testing tool. It is a Java desktop application designed to load functional test behavior and measure the performance of websites. The tool was developed for the purpose of load testing web applications, but it is now expanded to other test functions.

Features:

• JMeter allows performing load and performance tests for various server types.
• This load testing tool stores its test plans in XML format, which allows users to generate the test plan using a text editor.
• The performance testing tool can be used to perform automated and functional testing of the applications.

Link:https://jmeter.apache.org/

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4) SikuliX

SikuliX is an open-source GUI based test automation tool. It is mainly used for interacting with elements of web pages and handling windows-based popups. SikuliX uses the technique of “Image Recognition” and “Control GUI” to interact with elements of web pages and windows popups. In SikuliX, all the web elements are taken as images and stored inside the project.

Features:

Link:http://www.sikulix.com/

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5) Watir

Watir is an open-source, cross-platform web application performance testing tool. It uses Ruby libraries for web browsers automation. It is one of the best open source test automation tools that interacts with a browser just like a human being, so it clicks links, filling out forms, and validating text.

Features:

• It is a free, so there are no costs to use the tool.
• This automated testing tool is supported by a very active and growing community.
• It supports multiple browsers on different platforms.
• It is a powerful and lightweight tool.

Link:http://watir.com/

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6) Capybara

Capybara is a tool that enables you to test web applications by simulating the interaction of real users with your app. It does not need setup for rack and rails application.

Features:

• It offers intuitive API that mimics as a language an actual website user will use.
• Run tests with the actual browser with no hassle.
• It has a synchronization feature. You do not need to wait manually for any asynchronous process to finish.

Link: https://github.com/teamcapybara/capybara

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7) Testlink

Test-link is the most widely used web-based open-source test management tool. It synchronizes both the requirements specification and test specification together. Users can create a test project and document test cases using this tool. With Test-Link, you can create an account for multiple users and assign different user roles. Admin users can manage test cases in assigned tasks.

• It supports multiple projects
• Export and import of test cases with ease.
• Integrate with many defect management tools
• Automated test cases execution through XML-RPC
• Provides filtration of test cases with version, keywords, test case ID and version
• You can quickly assign test cases to multiple users
• Easy to generate test plan and test reports in various formats
• Provide credentials to multiple users.

Link: http://testlink.org/

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8) TestNG

TestNG is an automation testing framework in which NG stands for “Next Generation”. This application is designed to make end-to-end testing easy. It enables you to generate test plans and test reports in various formats quickly

Features:

• It supports multiple projects
• You can export and import test cases without any hassle.
• Integration with many defect management tools.
• Automated test case execution through XML-RPC.
• Easy filtration of test cases with version, keywords, test case ID and version
• You can assign test cases to multiple users
• Provide credentials to multiple users and assign roles to them.

Link: https://testng.org/doc/

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9) WireMock

WireMock is a simulator HTTP based tool which allows checking of an edge case and failure modes that the real API may not be able to produce.

Features:

• Robust and power API URL request matching.
• Record and Playback tool
• Hosted Mock API service. No need to configure servers and set SSL certificates.
• You can run this software within your Junit, Java application, standalone process, or Servlet container.
• It can match request methods, URLs, and headers using a wide range of strategies.
• This application helps you to capture traffic to and from the current API.

Link: http://wiremock.org/

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10) Fitnesse

Fitnesse is a test framework for testers, developers, and customers. It is one of the best open source automation testing tools for web applications that enables you to create test cases on the wiki through collaboration. This tool works well with almost all programming languages and environments.

Features:

• You can easily create a table.
• Provides flexibility in documenting test.
• It is easy to setup.
• Requirements can be used as test input.
• Supported languages are Java, C#, and Python.

Link: http://www.fitnesse.org/

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11) JUnit

JUnit is an open-source Unit Testing Framework for JAVA. It is useful for Java Developers to write and run repeatable tests.

Features:

• It offers automation to identify test methods.
• JUnit enables you to write code faster.
• The tool allows you to organize test suites with ease.
• It has easy to use GUI.

Link: https://junit.org/junit4/

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12) Gatling

Gatling is a developer tool to test any web application. It is one of the best open source software testing tools which enables you to anticipate slow crashes and response time.

This application can detect performance issues early in the software development life cycle.

Features:

• It can be integrated with continuous integration pipelines.
• The application enables you to integrate with real time monitoring tools.
• It offers a detailed matrix dashboard.
• This load testing tools allows you to test under a version control system that enables you to enhance collaboration.

Link: https://gatling.io/

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13) Selendroid

Selendroid is a test automation framework that drives off the UI of Android native and hybrid applications (apps) and the mobile web. Using the Selendroid, us can write client API.

Features:

• It is fully compatible with JSON wire protocol.
• No alteration of the app under test is needed to automate it.
• UI elements can be easily found by different locator types.
• It can interact with multiple Android devices at the same time
• Selendroid supports hot plugging of hardware devices

Link: http://selendroid.io/

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14) Open Test

Open Test is an open surface open source functional automation tool for APIs testing, web applications, and mobile apps. It is one of the best automation testing tools open source that does not require any coding skills and can handle virtually any type of functional project.

Features:

• Perform web testing using Selenium.
• Supports JavaScript.
• You can run a test for more than one time.
• Suited for source control system like Git.
• Built test once and run it on multiple environments.

Link: https://getopentest.org/

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15) Cypress

Cypress is an open-source test automation solution for web environments. This tool is closely aligned with current development practices when compared with Selenium.

Features:

• The test status menu feature allows seeing how many tests passed or failed.
• Cypress automatically waits for commands and assertions before moving on.
• Allows checking responsive sites with viewport sizing.
• You can take snapshots and video of a test.
• Cypress is one of the best open source tools for testing that automatically reloads every change made in the tests.
• Command Log and the app preview shows the precise automation actions on the web app during test execution.

Link: https://www.cypress.io/

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16) Serenity

Serenity BDD is a selenium alternative for automated acceptance and regression tests. It is one of the best open source test tools which generates test reports that document and describe functional test coverage.

Features:

• Comments/narrative and screenshots for each test step.
• Aggregate vies of test results by Requirements or Release.
• It helps you write cleaner and more maintainable automation code.
• Map your automated tests back to your requirements
• Provides Test coverage (measure the amount of testing).

Link: http://www.thucydides.info/

FAQs:

❓ What are the open-source testing tools?

Open-source testing tools support a range of testing activities. These software’s help you to plan, build, execute, log defect, and do other testing activities. These testing tools are used to ensure complete test coverage and provide ready software tester metrics.

💻 Which are the Best Open Source Testing Tools?

Following are some of the best open source testing tools:

• Selenium
• Appium
• Apache JMeter
• SikuliX
• Watir
• Capybara
• TestLink
• TestNG

⚡ How does open source tool compared with paid tools?

Open-source testing tools do not have good support compared to paid tools. Open source tools lack frequent updates, whereas paid tools are frequently updated. Any bug in the open-source tool may take a very long time to be fixed, whereas commercial tools provide bug fixing rapidly. Though the source-code of open-source tools is freely available, and you can quickly modify the tools as per your needs.

👉 Which factors should you consider while selecting an Open Source Automation Testing Tool?

You should consider the following factors while selecting an open-source automation testing tool:

• Easy to setup and use
• Quality of Customer support
• The cost involved in training employees on the tool
• Hardware/Software requirements of the remote access tool
• Support and Update policy of the automation tool vendor
• Reviews of the software provider company
• Multiple platform support
• Support for multiple programming languages
• Integration with other software applications