Katalon Studio – A Quick Introduction

Summary

Catalon Studio is a low-code platform for automated testing of web, API, mobile, and desktop applications. It offers a range of features to enhance productivity and simplify the testing process, including record and playback, manual mode, and script mode for customized actions. With built-in reporting tools, cross-browser and device support, and integration with CI/CD tools, Catalon Studio aims to streamline the testing workflow and ensure product quality across the development lifecycle. The platform also provides learning resources and a free version, with an enterprise option for advanced features and dedicated support.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Catalon Studio is a low-code platform designed for web API, mobile, and desktop automated testing, aiming to enhance productivity for practitioners of all levels.
• 🚀 It facilitates continuous testing with native integrations to various tools, open source solutions, and frameworks, ensuring features remain functional with each code change.
• 💻 The setup is straightforward, requiring only a download from Catalon's website and the initiation of a new project, with a ready-made and regularly updated framework.
• 🔍 Studio includes a page object model design for efficient web element management and offers three methods to create automated tests: codeless record and playback, manual mode with drag and drop, and script mode for custom actions.
• 🔄 Cross-browser and device support, along with headless mode, ensures optimal test coverage for automated regression tests.
• 📊 Post-execution, the log viewer allows for quick test result reviews and exportation in various formats such as PDF or HTML.
• 📈 Catalon Studio's built-in reporting tool with Test Ops helps track pass and fail patterns and execution trends over time.
• 🔧 Test maintenance is simplified through the organization and management of tasks in test suites and test suites collections.
• 🔄 Data-Driven Testing (DDT) allows for the use of different input data from various sources to achieve comprehensive test coverage for scaled projects.
• 🛠 Self-healing capabilities address flaky tests by searching for alternative locators when an object is not found, reducing the need for manual updates to test cases.
• 🔍 Debugging mode provides insight into the exact step causing test failure, saving time in troubleshooting compared to UI mode.
• 🔗 Artifact sharing allows for the easy exportation and sharing of test artifacts, simplifying the process of importing them into different projects.

Q & A

What is Catalon Studio?

Catalon Studio is a low-code platform for web API, mobile, and desktop automated testing, designed to help practitioners at all levels start test automation quicker and become more productive.

How does Catalon Studio enable continuous testing?

Catalon Studio enables continuous testing through its native integrations with tools, open source solutions, and frameworks, allowing for the automation of testing processes and ensuring existing features remain functional with every new code change.

What is the initial setup required for Catalon Studio?

The setup for Catalon Studio involves downloading the tool from catalon.com and starting your first project right away. It comes as a ready-made and regularly updated framework with everything already set up for use.

What design pattern does Catalon Studio use for better management of web elements?

Catalon Studio uses a page object model design for better management of web elements, providing flexibility and wiggle room in test design.

How many methods does Catalon Studio offer to create automated tests?

Catalon Studio offers three methods to create automated tests: codeless option with record and playback, manual mode using drag and drop, and script mode for programming-based users with Java and Groovy.

What does the execution of tests in Catalon Studio cover?

The execution in Catalon Studio ensures optimal coverage with cross-browser and device support, as well as headless mode to run automated regression tests.

How does Catalon Studio assist with test maintenance?

Test maintenance in Catalon Studio does not demand additional effort. Users can organize and manage tasks by putting them in test suites and test suites collection.

What is the purpose of the log viewer in Catalon Studio?

The log viewer in Catalon Studio is available for a quick look at test results and to export them in different formats like PDF or HTML.

How does Catalon Studio support Behavior-Driven Development (BDD)?

Catalon Studio supports BDD by applying the Gherkin language, enabling test code and technical materials to be translated into business-level language and an easier-to-understand format.

What is the Smart Guide feature in Catalon Studio and what does it do?

The Smart Guide feature in Catalon Studio automatically waits until objects or webpages are fully loaded and able to interact with before proceeding further, helping to handle flaky test cases due to 'item not found' errors.

How does Catalon Studio support Data-Driven Testing (DDT)?

Catalon Studio supports DDT by allowing the use of the same test case to run against different input data from external files like Excel and CSV, internal data, or databases, to achieve sufficient test coverage for projects at scale.

What is the Self-Healing feature in Catalon Studio and how does it help?

The Self-Healing feature in Catalon Studio instantly searches for alternative locators of an object when the assigned locator encounters an 'item not found' error, allowing users to update the new attributes suggested by Self-Healing to the repository without changing the relevant test cases.

How does Catalon Studio assist with debugging test cases?

With the debugging mode in Catalon Studio, users can identify the exact step responsible for a test failure, saving time on troubleshooting compared to using the UI mode only.

What options does Catalon Studio provide for exporting and sharing test artifacts?

Catalon Studio allows exporting and sharing test artifacts such as test cases, objects, profiles, and customized keywords within a few clicks, which can be imported into different projects without a complex git flow or used for backup purposes.

How does Catalon Studio help maintain a clean repository?

Catalon Studio scans, sorts, and categorizes unused objects, keeping the repository neat and clean for better maintainability in the long run. It also allows exporting unused objects to CSV or using artifact sharing.

What are the two options Catalon Studio offers for monitoring test status and product quality?

Catalon Studio offers the log viewer for exporting execution results to PDF, HTML, or CSV files, and the Catalon Test Ops platform for advanced built-in reporting and test orchestration, allowing users to store test results, view performance trends, and analyze useful metrics.

How does Catalon Studio support integration with CI/CD tools?

Catalon Studio supports native integration with many popular CI/CD tools, allowing it to act as a quality gate for creating automated API and end-to-end regression tests, with the ability to run tests in CLI mode and through pipeline triggers.

What learning materials does Catalon provide for users?

Catalon provides free and plentiful learning materials, including detailed product documentation, step-by-step video tutorials on Catalon Academy, a community forum for support, blogs, and webinars to keep up with the latest tech trends.

What is the difference between Catalon Studio and Catalon Studio Enterprise?

Catalon Studio Enterprise offers advanced and powerful feature sets, dedicated technical support with ticket submission, and a 30-day trial to use all of its capabilities, in addition to the features available in the standard Catalon Studio.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Introduction to Catalon Studio and Its Features

This paragraph introduces Catalon Studio as a low-code platform for automated testing across web, API, mobile, and desktop applications. It emphasizes the platform's ability to streamline test automation for practitioners at all levels, offering a ready-made and regularly updated framework. Key features include a page object model for web element management, a library of built-in keywords, and three methods for creating automated tests: record and playback, manual mode with drag and drop, and script mode for more customized actions. The paragraph also highlights cross-browser and device support, headless mode for automated regression tests, and a log viewer for test result analysis. Additionally, it mentions Catalon Studio's built-in reporting tool with test ops for tracking pass and fail patterns and execution trends over time.

05:02

🛠 Advanced Testing Capabilities of Catalon Studio

This section delves into the advanced capabilities of Catalon Studio, starting with record and playback for capturing and converting user actions into test scripts. It then discusses manual mode for easy test creation and update using drag and drop, and script mode for custom keyword development. The importance of Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) is highlighted with the use of Gherkin language for translating technical materials into business-level language. The paragraph also addresses challenges with flaky tests due to item not found errors and introduces Smart Guide, which waits for objects or webpages to be fully loaded before proceeding. Data-Driven Testing (DDT) is explained as a method to run test cases against different input data from various sources, including external files and databases. Self-healing, debugging mode, and artifact sharing are other features discussed, along with the maintenance of test cases and the use of the log viewer and Catalon Test Ops for monitoring test status and product quality.

10:03

🌐 Integration and Support for Catalon Studio

The final paragraph focuses on the integration capabilities of Catalon Studio with popular CI/CD tools and the support it offers for growing projects. It provides a practical example of using Catalon Studio with Bitbucket, demonstrating how tests can be triggered in the CLI mode and through pipeline triggers. The paragraph also mentions the convenience of reusing test scenes and managing different environments. It highlights the availability of a full list of integrations on the Catalon website and the learning materials provided, including detailed product documentation, video tutorials, community forums, blogs, and webinars. The paragraph concludes by encouraging users to download Catalon Studio for free and to explore the advanced features of Catalon Studio Enterprise for a 30-day trial period.

Keywords

💡Catalon Studio

Catalon Studio is a low-code platform designed for web API, mobile, and desktop automated testing. It is a central theme of the video, which aims to showcase how it helps practitioners of all levels to start test automation quickly and become more productive. The script mentions that it offers a collection of productive and powerful features, and it is designed to ensure that existing features remain functional with every new code change.

💡Low-code platform

A low-code platform refers to a development environment that allows developers to create applications using minimal coding. In the context of the video, Catalon Studio is a low-code platform that simplifies the process of test automation, making it accessible to a broader range of users, from beginners to experts.

💡Test automation

Test automation is the process of using software to execute tests on applications. The video emphasizes that Catalon Studio enables quick start and increased productivity in test automation, which is vital for continuous testing and ensuring the quality of software products.

💡Continuous testing

Continuous testing is a practice where tests are run frequently with every change made to the application. The script highlights that Catalon Studio supports continuous testing by enabling the setup of automated tests that can be executed regularly to check the functionality of new code changes.

💡Productive features

The term 'productive features' in the script refers to the capabilities of Catalon Studio that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of test automation. These include record and playback, manual mode, script mode, and various other functionalities that facilitate the creation, execution, and maintenance of automated tests.

💡Record and Playback

Record and Playback is a feature of Catalon Studio that allows users to record their actions on an application and then playback these actions to automate tests. The script explains that this feature removes coding difficulties and captures actions to convert them into runnable test scripts.

💡Manual Mode

Manual Mode in Catalon Studio is a feature that enables users to create and update tests using a drag and drop interface. The script mentions this mode as a way to quickly edit or update tests without the need for programming knowledge.

💡Script Mode

Script Mode is a feature of Catalon Studio that allows programming-based users to generate more customized actions using Java and Groovy. The script positions this mode as suitable for users who require more control and customization in their automated tests.

💡Cross-browser and devices support

This refers to the capability of Catalon Studio to ensure that automated tests can be executed across different browsers and devices. The script mentions this feature as a way to ensure optimal test coverage, which is crucial for testing applications that need to be compatible with various platforms.

💡Log Viewer

The Log Viewer is a tool within Catalon Studio that allows users to view and export test results in different formats. The script describes it as being available for a quick look at test results after execution, which is important for analyzing the success and failure of tests.

💡Test Suites

Test Suites in the context of the video refer to the organization and management of tests within Catalon Studio. The script mentions that users can organize and manage tasks by putting them in test suites and test suites collections, which helps in maintaining and updating tests efficiently.

💡Behavior-Driven Development (BDD)

BDD is a software development approach that encourages collaboration between developers, QA, and non-technical or business participants in a software project. The script explains that Catalon Studio applies the Gherkin language to enable BDD, translating test code and technical materials into a business-level language that is easier to understand.

💡Smart Guide

Smart Guide is a feature introduced in Catalon Studio to handle flaky test cases due to 'item not found' errors. The script describes how it works by having each test step automatically wait until objects or webpages are fully loaded and ready for interaction, thus reducing test flakiness.

💡Data-Driven Testing (DDT)

DDT is a testing approach where the same test case is executed with different sets of data. The script mentions that Catalon Studio supports DDT, allowing users to run tests against various input data from external files or databases, which is essential for achieving comprehensive test coverage.

💡Self-healing

Self-healing in Catalon Studio refers to the ability of the platform to automatically search for alternative locators when an object cannot be found during a test. The script explains that this feature helps maintain test stability by allowing users to update attributes suggested by self-healing without changing the test cases.

💡Debugging Mode

Debugging Mode in Catalon Studio is a feature that helps users identify the exact step responsible for a test failure. The script illustrates this by describing a scenario where a test fails due to an invisible layer on a button, and how debugging mode would allow users to quickly pinpoint and troubleshoot the issue.

💡Artifact Sharing

Artifact Sharing is a feature of Catalon Studio that enables users to export and share test artifacts such as test cases, objects, profiles, and customized keywords. The script mentions that this feature simplifies the process of importing these artifacts into different projects without complex workflows.

💡Test Maintenance

Test Maintenance refers to the process of updating, modifying, and maintaining previously created tests. The script discusses how Catalon Studio helps in test maintenance by scanning, sorting, and categorizing unused objects, thus keeping the repository clean and improving maintainability.

💡Catalon Test Ops

Catalon Test Ops is an advanced built-in reporting and test orchestration platform of Catalon Studio. The script explains that it allows users to store test results, view trends of test performance over time, and analyze other useful metrics, which is crucial for monitoring test status and product quality.

💡Native Integration

Native Integration in the context of the video refers to the seamless integration of Catalon Studio with various popular CI/CD tools. The script provides an example of how Catalon Studio can be integrated with Bitbucket, allowing for automated API and end-to-end regression tests as part of the development pipeline.

💡Studio Enterprise

Studio Enterprise is a version of Catalon Studio that offers advanced and powerful feature sets, dedicated technical support, and a 30-day trial. The script mentions it as an option for teams that require more robust capabilities for growing projects, positioning it as a comprehensive solution for scaling test automation efforts.

Highlights

Catalon Studio is a low-code platform for web API, mobile, and desktop automated testing.

Designed to help practitioners at all levels start test automation quicker and become more productive.

Studio removes friction in critical phases of testing while adhering to end-user product exploration.

Easy setup by downloading the tool from Catalon.com and starting your first project immediately.

Includes a ready-made and regularly updated framework with a page object model design for web elements.

Equipped with a large library of built-in keywords and three methods to create automated tests.

Codeless option with record and playback for fast test creation.

Manual mode allows drag and drop for quickly editing or updating tests.

Script mode for programming-based users to generate customized actions with Java and Groovy.

Cross-browser and device support ensures optimal test coverage.

Headless mode for running automated regression tests without a GUI.

Log viewer and export functionality for test results in various formats like PDF or HTML.

Built-in reporting tool with Test Ops for tracking pass/fail patterns and execution trends.

Effortless test maintenance with test suites and test suites collection organization.

Record and playback feature captures actions and converts them into runnable test scripts.

Manual mode simplifies test creation and updating with drag and drop and built-in keywords.

Script mode for complex AUT scenarios allows custom keyword development with content assist utilities.

Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) with Gherkin language for streamlined collaboration.

Smart Guide feature to handle flaky test cases by waiting for objects or webpages to load.

Data-Driven Testing (DDT) for running test cases against different input data from various sources.

Self-healing feature to find alternative locators for objects when the initial one is not found.

Debugging mode to identify the exact step causing test failure for faster troubleshooting.

Exporting and sharing test artifacts such as test cases, objects, profiles, and keywords.

Maintenance features to decrease flakiness rate and improve repository maintainability.

Log viewer and Catalon Test Ops for monitoring test status and product quality.

Native integration with popular CI/CD tools for automated API and end-to-end regression tests.

Comprehensive learning materials including documentation, video tutorials, community forums, blogs, and webinars.

Studio Enterprise offers advanced features, dedicated technical support, and a 30-day trial.

Transcripts

[Music]

hi and welcome to an introduction to

catalon studio

this video will give you an overview of

what studio is

an in a sneak peek of its collection of

productive and powerful features

how it enables your ship to continuous

testing from various native integrations

with tools

open sources solutions and frameworks

callon studio is a low-code platform for

web api mobile and desktop automated

testing

designed to help practitioners at all

levels start test automation quicker and

become more productive

studio removes the friction of critical

phases while still adhering to the

general objective of exploring the

product from an end user's standpoint

and making sure existing features stay

functional with every new code change

for the setup you only need to download

the tool from canon.com and start your

very first project right away

and since it's a ready-made and

regularly updated framework everything

has already been set up for you to use

including a page object model design for

better management of web elements

to provide flexibility and wiggle room

in test design

studio comes equipped with a large

library of built-in keywords and three

methods to create automated tests

there's the codeless option with record

and playback for fast creation

manual mode using drag and drop to

quickly edit or update test

and script mode for programming based

users with java and groovy to generate

more customized actions

as for execution optimal coverage is

ensured with cross browser and devices

support

as well as the headless mode to run your

automated regression test

then after your tests are executed

the log viewer is available for a quick

look at your test results and to export

them in different formats like pdf or

html however if you want to keep track

of your pass and fail patterns and

execution trends over time

studio's built-in reporting tool with

test ops can take care of that

following this test maintenance does not

demand additional effort

just organize and manage your tasks by

putting them in test suites and test

suites collection

now we'll go ahead and look at some of

the main capabilities

in caillon studio what they are a quick

demo of how they work and the problems

that they solve

record and playback removes coding

difficulties and essentially records or

captures the actions you take on the

application under test and automatically

converts them into runnable test scripts

when all is done you can then run the

same tasks on different platforms or

browsers using the playback feature

[Music]

similarly in manual mode you can use

drag and drop and pick from the list of

built-in keywords to create and update

your tests easily

for more complicated auts scenarios test

suites or dynamic actions toggling to

the script mode enables you to develop

your own custom keywords

during the process

content assist utilities are also

present to help you speed up the process

bdt or behavior-driven development is

essential to keep the collaboration

between non-technical business

representatives and the rest of your

team streamlined

with the gherkin language applied studio

enables test code and technical

materials to be translated into business

level language and an easier to

understand format

[Music]

open source libraries and tools usually

take up a lot of your effort and time to

look into and handle flaky test cases

due to the item not found error

that's why smartway was introduced

by turning on smart guide in studio

each of the test steps automatically

waits until the objects or webpage are

fully loaded and able to interact with

before proceeding further to the ones

after

voila everything has passed

data-driven testing or ddt allows you to

use the same test case to run against

different input data in external files

like excel and csv

internal data created in callon studio

or from your organization's database

to attain a sufficient level of test

coverage for projects at scale

other sources like microsoft sql server

oracle or any bdms using java database

connectivity are also available

and since different features are

typically developed by separate

functions using various types of test

data

studio conveniently lets you combine

multiple data sources those mentioned

before for your test scripts to read

say the system you're using has

background jobs to keep an active

trading stock floor updated to the

newest data

then the possibility of web elements

becoming stale is very high since it

couldn't find an object with the

assigned locator and encounter the item

not found ever when this happens what

self-healing does is that it instantly

searches for alternative locators of

that object in the order you've made you

can then update the new attributes

suggested by self-healing to the

repository without having to update or

change the relevant test cases

viewing test cases in the ui mode only

lets you see its steps but not the

extent of answering why a particular

test field or the step it failed in

let's assume your test case has a click

step on the element login button

yet for some reason there is an

invisible layer on top of the button

preventing the click action to be

functional failing this test and the

ones after

with the debugging mode you will know

the exact step that is responsible for

its failure thereby saving you time to

troubleshoot compared to the ui mode

[Music]

exporting and sharing your test

artifacts such as test cases objects

profiles and customized keywords can be

done within a few click

these all can be imported into a

different project without going through

a complex git flow

you can also use artifact sharing to

backup your test objects before removing

them from the repository

[Music]

over the span of working aside from

adding new tests

previously created tests also need to be

maintained updated and modified which

inevitably pops up orphan test objects

to decrease flakiness rate and the

overall duration to build projects

studio scans sorts and categorizes your

unused objects keeping your repository

neat and clean for better

maintainability in the long run

apart from this you also have the option

to export your unused objects to csv

or using artifact sharing

the remaining test objects into

artifacts they can now be your backup to

import into a different test case in the

future without having to recreate once

again

to help you monitor test status and

product quality across the software

development lifecycle catalon studio

offers you two options one is using the

log viewer and exporting your execution

results to a pdf html or csv file for

on-the-fly

fixes two is connecting and pushing

everything on catalan test ops

studios advanced built-in reporting and

test orchestration platform

you can now store all of your test

results view the trends of your test

performance over time and other useful

metrics with smart charge to identify

flaky and style test

calalon studio supports native

integration with many popular cicd tools

to act as your trusty quality gate to

create automated api and end-to-end

regression tests

this is what it looks like in practice

with bitbucket

with the ability to run tests in the cli

mode and through pipeline triggers

i have generated my command in studio to

paste it into the bucket yaml file

over here i got my pipeline on bitbucket

with a new commit from a developer and

my team which has already triggered the

pipeline to build test and security scan

the source code

after the deployed staging stage is

successful the ntn tests i've created on

calalon studio will start running

in the production environment studio's

profile conveniently allows me to reuse

the same test scene and manage the two

different environments to run on

and once more studio is highly

interruptable to work with the tool

chain your team uses

simply go to kellon.com

integrations

to view the full list of integrations

with application lifecycle management

project management communication

collaboration and other testing

platforms

when it comes to learning materials

callon provides users with free and

plentiful options to test automation

much quicker

there is the detailed product

documentation step-by-step video

tutorials on calen academy our community

forum to get support from peers and

technical experts

along with blogs and webinars to keep up

with the latest tech trends in the field

all pumped up get started right away and

download studio for free

if you want to keep your team extra

equipped for growing projects you can

have a look at studio enterprise for

advanced and powerful feature sets

dedicated technical support with ticket

submission

and a 30-day trial to use all of studio

enterprise capabilities to the full list

for free

visit callon.com catalog studio download

and see test automation in a whole new

way

[Music]

you