Facebook Open-Sources Mobile App Testing Tool

Facebook Open-Sources Mobile App Testing Tool :: Mobile Application and Cloud Strategies :: Apps and Cloud in the Enterprise :: Yankee Group Developers looking for an easy, cost-efficient way to test their mobile apps now have a new option. Facebook decided to open-source an internal tool that tests app performance across 2G, 3G and LTE network conditions.

FierceWireless reports the tool, called Augmented Traffic Control, simulates network connections based on bandwidth and latency, as well as packet loss, corruption and reordering. The tool lets developers easily switch among different networks and connections strengths to demonstrate app feature performance in real time. The tool is especially relevant for developers looking to launch apps in emerging markets because it simulates the most common connections in countries such as Brazil, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria and the Philippines. The news comes as Facebook is expected to make a variety of announcements at its F8 conference, many of which were mistakenly revealed in an errant tweet, including making Messenger an app platform and tailoring its Parse mobile app building suite for Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Developers deal with a wide range of variables that can impact the performance of mobile applications. Network connections, in particular, can be challenging for developers because latency and bandwidth can vary significantly on cellular networks. Facebook’s new testing tool is consistent with market requirements for monitoring the end user experience; it is also consistent with a larger trend, which is to enable a proactive approach to quality and performance in mobile app development. These, combined with new capabilities for app development for IoT, place Facebook well ahead of the curve as a provider of mobile app development solutions.

451 Research Senior Analyst Raúl Casta?ón