What are the best QA tools to boost your productivity?

My team is mostly internally sourced, with a significant SME background in the industry. As such, in-depth technical know-how is limited. That said, I've introduced the team to UFT (Unified Functional Testing), which has allowed them to record their actions to code core end-to-end functional flows. What started as linear recordings are now modular and keyword-driven. You cannot beat the look of achievement on their face when they create a brilliant automated solution. I am incredibly proud of what they have and will continue to achieve.

This is my chance to write a love letter to Cucumber! Jokes aside, it is a very powerful and versatile tool that can be used for different sorts of automation tests. Unlike other automation frameworks, the way Cucumber handles step definitions makes it very easy to re-use code. It also can be used in combination with other frameworks, like Cypress, and can be integrated inside code projects very easily. In my past company we used it to test the REST API of our platform, and later on, in combination with Cypress, to test the UI, and in my current company we use it inside a Spring project for integration testing. 10/10 tool!

One platform surely increases productivity . Currently QAautoMATER tool which is the product of QaBunch gives test case management, defect management and automation testing. AI engine of this tool creates test scripts in just 1 click , and defect can be created in 1 click in case of failure.. https://QaBunch.com

When discussing testing, many QA engineers think of Selenium and Postman. However, JMeter shouldn't be overlooked. It excels not only in load testing but also in validating functional requirements. Its strengths: - Universality: Thanks to JVM, it's adaptable across platforms. - Protocol Support: JMeter handles multiple protocols, fitting diverse scenarios. - Flexibility: It aids in crafting detailed test scenarios and verifications. In short, while JMeter is mostly known for load testing, it's also a pretty good contender for functional validation. If you need swift automation, JMeter could be your initial go-to, with possible later transition to JUnit or PyTest.

When selecting any tool for boosting productivity, find one that provides an interface that can clearly show the corresponding data between aims and KPIs.

I feel JIRA and Xray serves the purpose of bug tracking , test plan and test management . Xray supported automated test executions as well such cypress, postman, pytest

Something i have came across recently was xray exploratory testing tool. Which helps me to execute tests with screenshots and videos. Another feature was to add bugs so you don’t have to log in to jira and add them one by one

From my personal perspective, Jira stands out as the undisputed leader in this domain. It has positioned itself as an industry benchmark, to the extent that other tools often get labeled, somewhat dismissively, as "jira-like". For medium to large-scale enterprises, the adoption of Jira is almost a given. Meanwhile, startups might still rely on the basic issue-tracking features of platforms like GitHub, GitLab, or Gitea. Nonetheless, the dominance and ubiquity of Jira can't be overstated.

For my needs, I choose Jira. It allows me to create pipeline CI/CD and create tickets automatically. It suits my needs well. I could also say that Microsoft Teams can do this task, by integrating with Cypress (my favorite one).

Now-days we have many different tool for bug tracking. I personally recommend Jira since it has many other integration which help in software development process. We can also create the different dashboard so we can actively review it and take the necessary action on it.

In my experience, it's essential to see code review not just as a standalone process but as a crucial component of the CI/CD pipeline. The choice of code review tools can vary depending on the project and technological stack. Instead of promoting one tool for all, I'd suggest focusing on popular linters suited to your tech stack. Integrate them into your CI/CD, adjusting settings as necessary. For Python projects, I often rely on tools like flake8, mypy, pylint, and radon. They're well-respected in the Python community, ensuring code quality.

My favorite test management tool is Xray, a tool inside Jira where you can create your test cases, test plans and track your bugs linking them to task's Jira.

SonarQube (from SonarSource) is one of the best static testing tool, which helps greatly in code-review and associated tests. I used the freeware and applied on both isolated class and reasonably sized Java project consisting class files, xmls, build files, executibles and .properties extensions. It's vast and an excellent tool. The paid version even has got connectivity and many more features.

From my experience, Sonarqube is a good choice, but it can be tough to set up it first time. Besides that, there is a list of good plugins available on Vs Code that help us to review our codes.

Code review tool is different for each technology stack. Usually many org add the linter in CI/CD process. Many organization have organization level policies on code approval process.

- JIRA is a great and widely used bug-tracking and test-management tool - The number of features, available add-on tools, and plugin enhances the functionality of Jira

Zephyr for Jira is a great tool as it lets you re-use test cases for each release of software. Then, you can view that test case and see a history of which versions the software passed and which versions it failed. Super useful.

Jira is the best test management tool ! I have worked with different Test management tool but Jira is the best because of different integration with different software engineering tools.

In my experience, test case managers are one of the most common pain points in a QA engineer's workflow, regardless of the tools being used. Especially on long running projects test case managers quickly get cluttered with old test passes and test cases, making it difficult to find things. I've worked on projects with literally thousands of folders worth of old test passes and test cases without useful names making it impossible to find the correct ones without discrete links provided. Tool admins need to be vigilant about pruning and deprecating test cases and passes when they are no longer needed or they just end up becoming more noise for QA engineers to deal with in a job that already has more than enough noise as is.

One of the best test management tools I've used was Adaptivist plugin for Jira. It granted smooth UX while still a powerful toolset with an API to be used with test automation in case you have a Jira Server licence

Collaboration tools should not be an issue up for debate. Between 2020 and now if there is any firm that hasn't incorporated any of the already tools in their mode of communication then there is no desire for growth on the side of managers. these tools provide an avenue that enhances remote working which is by far my favorite added advantage of these tools.

Almost every new tool has a social component allowing collaboration between team members together, i.e. Github has its own task-tracking workflows, and Postman allows to share collections among the team

Just as an idea: in our team to manage collaboration between Dev/QA/Product/Design we are using Figma for new UI features discussions. It allows us to shift testing left and make this asynchronously which is nice.

Lucas hits the nail on the head... communication is key... and we are spoiled with many collaboration tools to choose from... there is no excuse to not grow :)

Slack is popular in market for collaboration. I personally enjoy working in slack. Also , Some organization have policies to use jira ticket for any communication regarding that ticket which help others in future for similar task instead of 1:1 discussion or collaboration.

Udemy: To have curated learning content Stack overflow: For a community-driven solution for errors and issues AI tools: Quick adaptable solutions. Always use it as a learning source rather than solely relying on it

I find Kotakoda very useful as a docker and Kubernetes playground where you can learn new ways to use and manage your virtual containers. As for coding practice and learning, I suggest The Odin Project and Leetcode.

In my experience, the platform I most used was Udemy, and definitely StackOverflow to find some code snippets, some answers to common problems we often face, but to summarize, Udemy is a good choice, and last but not least, on Youtube you can find a varied list of courses, especially in english.

Udemy is the best in all the learning platform ! However if you are facing error and wants to know different possible solution i would suggest using Stack Overflow. If you are big AI fan then you can go with ChatGPT or GithubCopilot.

To sustain continuous improvement in the QA environment through learning tools, individuals must consider reviewing areas such as LinkedIn articles and QualityMatters, which provide different viewpoints and alternative ways to address and improve quality concerns.

Note taking: It’s about getting back to basics for me, tools like notepad++, Ms OneNote, Notepad or even rudimentary word document for collecting thoughts, notes and screenshots.

As a QA engineer, developing critical thinking is essential. This is the best tool to help you become more productive as a tester.

Here are some common QA tools that can help boost your productivity: 1.ClickUp: A project management software that offers customizable features and a fully customizable platform, which means teams can configure ClickUp to fit any use case, needs, preferences, and workflows, including bug tracking and issue management1. 2.Jam: A screen recording and bug reporting tool that helps QA teams report bugs more efficiently. 3.BrowserStack: A cross-platform testing tool that provides access to 2000+ browsers and real iOS and Android devices.

In my various QA roles (and beyond), the one tool that I find myself using constantly regardless of the circumstances is my OneNote. Keeping information accessible and organized is a vital part of any role I've been in, and having a place to store that information and recall it quickly will save you a lot of headaches. After all, You never know when you'll need to be able to quickly recall some bit of data you were given weeks ago...

I see that, there are QA tools to be used specially during design phase as shown in next points: 1. DFMEA to put a preventive action to reduce potential delays due to potential defects 2. DMADV (6 Sgma methodology during design phase) 3. QA plan 4. Quality function deployment, I see, It's an effective tool specially in design phase and software development.