Frequently Asked Questions | Automated Testing

General information

What is QF-Test?

QF-Test is a software for creating, executing and administration automated system and load tests for Java, Web and Windows...

We - Quality First Software GmbH (QFS) - develop and distribute the software since 2001. Detailed information about QF-Test is available here.

For which GUI technologies can tests be created?

Java Swing, SWT, JavaFX, Web, Mobile, Electron, Windows Desktop applications and PDF documents...

- Java: For Java based applications the full toolkit set is covered starting with the traditional Swing (including Applets, Webstart, ULC, CaptainCasa), its successor JavaFX and also SWT, the Standard Widget Toolkit from Eclipse, including Plugins and RCP (Rich Client Platform) applications.
- Hybrid applications Java with Web (embedded browser): e.g. JxBrowser, SWT-Browser, JavaFX WebView components, Jpro and Webswing.
- Web: QF-Test provides cross-browser testing of Web GUIs including HTML5, AJAX, DOM and Electron applications. QF-Test supports completely frameworks like Angular, React and Vue.js. Also extensions for dedicated UI toolkits are integrated in QF-Test, like Smart (GWT), ExtGWT, ExtJS, ICEfaces, jQuery UI, jQueryEasyUI, Kendo UI, PrimeFaces, Qooxdoo, RAP, RichFaces, Vaadin and ZK. Further toolkits can be integrated with little effort if required, e.g. SAP UI5, Siebel Open UI and Salesforce.
  The supported browsers are Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Safari, Microsoft Edge (also Chromium based), Microsoft Edge Legacy and Internet Explorer as well as the headless browser versions of Chrome, Firefox and Edge (Chromium based)
- Mobile applications testable via the mobile emulation mode.
- Windows desktop applications: Win32, .Net (often C#), Windows Forms, WPF, Windows Apps and C++ (often Qt)
- PDF documents can also be tested by QF-Test (Testing PDF documents Video).

What makes QF-Test special?

Easy to use, highly flexible, powerful and extensively documented…

Easy to use:

Quick creation of tests with capture and replay
Excellent usability through QF-Test's intuitive GUI
Simple composition of complex, high coverage tests without the need to program

Highly flexible:

Automatic adaptation to changes in the application under test
Intelligent recording and filtering
Full access to recorded sequences
Support for trees, tables and other widgets, even with dynamic content

Powerful:

Powerful algorithms for component recognition
Advanced programming elements if desired, like loop constructs, 'try/catch', dependencies and logical 'if/else' control structures as well as variables and procedures allowing modularization
Text processing with regular expressions
Full access to the Java API of the application under test
Integrated scripting with Jython, Groovy and JavaScript, command line scripting
XML/HTML based test reporting, incl. screenshots

Well documented:

An extensive manual (over 1,000 pages) containing a user's guide with many examples and a reference section
Tutorial for a quick start, with many easy to understand test scenarios
Blog, FAQ for basic questions - right here :)
Both English and German language documentation
Example test-suites
Videos

For which platforms is QF-Test available (system requirements)?

QF-Test supports the following platforms:

Windows (Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Server 2019, Server 2016, Server 2012 R2): You can test Java Swing, SWT, JavaFX, Web and native Windows applications with QF-Test.
Linux/Unix (Solaris, AIX, HP-UX...): You can test Java Swing, SWT, JavaFX and Web applications with QF-Test.
macOS: You can test Java Swing, JavaFX and Web applications with QF-Test.

Further information - also regarding JDK-/SWT-/Browser-versions - can be found in the installation chapter of the Manual.

Which Java versions supports QF-Test?

QF-Test supports for the SUT the Java versions 8 and higher...

QF-Test itself is distributed with OpenJDK version 8 which is open source and does not incur any hidden costs for you.
In case we bring QF-Test to Java 11 or higher, we plan to either use OpenJDK or some other free JRE or acquire a Distribution License from Oracle so that there won't be any additional costs either.

Which QF-Test versions are existing and what do they contain?

There is QF-Test for Java Swing, SWT, JavaFX, Web and Windows...

For detailed information about the QF-Test versions, please see the Release Notes.

Can QF-Test be integrated with other tools?

QF-Test offers a flexible integration with other tools and areas due to XML as primary data format and different interfaces (batch execution via command line, daemon mode, scripting, REST, standard report):

Continuous Integration and build tools e.g. Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, Bamboo, Travis CI, Circle CI, TeamCity, Ant, Maven, CruiseControl
Version control e.g. Git, SVN/Subversion, CVS, Mercurial
Test management e.g. ALM/QualityCenter by MicroFocus/HP, TestBench by Imbus, QMetry, Klaros by Verit, TestLink, IBM Rational Quality Manager
JIRA and JIRA PlugIns like TestRail, Zephyr, X-Ray, TM4J
Keyword driven / behavior driven testing via our own approaches, Testmanagement tools, Excel, Cucumber
Data driven Testing with Excel, CSV and all kind of data bases
Error tracking e.g. Jira, MantisBT, Bugzilla
Load and performance tests via daemon mode or tools like NeoLoad

Who is using QF-Test already?

More than 1,300 enterprises in over 55 countries, more than 8,000 licenses are in use in small companies as well as the bigges IT service providers...

See here for examples: References.

We are testing our web sites and web applications already via Selenium. Do I still need QF-Test then?

With Selenium developers can create tests fast. When it becomes more complicated and the tests should stay comfortable and maintainable and non-developers work in the team, then the migration to QF-Test is recommendable...

With Selenium developers can quickly create web-tests. However, if tests get more complicated or should be easily maintainable, and when also non-developers are part of the testing team, we recommend switching to QF-Test. To control modern browsers, QF-Test uses, like Selenium the WebDriver-standard. It is also possible integrate existing Junit-based Selenium tests via Unit test steps or via the Selenium API in scripts directly in visual test procedures.

QF-Test offers lots of features (e.g. easy and stable component addressing, implicit synchronization, intuitive handling of Javascript-GUI-toolkits). The proven test approach of QF-Test applies also for web applications.

The tool price of QF-Test in comparison to Selenium is just a small part of the test project costs. The main factor is manpaower. So the effectivity of implementing and maintaining tests is playing a decisive role. And QF-Test already has maintenance, support, further development, bug fixes etc. included. Comparison of QF-Test and Selenium
All mentioned aspects also apply for derivates of Selenium as Protractor for Angular.

Why GUI test automation?

I run unit tests, why is that not sufficient?

Though indispensable, unit tests can only test small parts of a system in isolation (steering-wheel OK, motor OK)...

GUI based testing exercises an application as a whole (steering-wheel and motor taken together don't guarantee roadworthiness). See Benefits for developers.

What is the use of test automation?

Automated software testing reduces time and costs spent on quality assurance...

Comprehensive automated tests, executed regularly during software development, will detect bugs at an early stage. The reproducible security thus achieved ensures higher quality and shorter time to market at lower maintenance expense. A tool with reliable component recognition and low maintenance effort is a precondition, however.... and a few other conditions (tester, test design...).

What can I tell my boss who doesn't want to spend money?

Thanks to the low price for licenses and the good usability of QF-Test you can start quickly with efficient testing...

Additionally you can count on a high return on investment (blog). Just compare the costs for licenses with common costs for developers' or testers' wages and the costs of bugs detected after release - not to mention the damage to your company's reputation. See Benefits for decision-makers.

Evaluation and licenses

Is a trial version available for download?

Yes. You can download the trial version without registration...

Download it here. You can start your application with QF-Test and get a first impression of the tool. For saving your work you need a license file.

And where do I get this license file?

You can request a free trial license valid for 4 weeks...

Request it by filling in the request form. There are no restrictions (= like a commercial license). With this license you can evaluate QF-Test for your application and work through the Tutorial to lean to know QF-Test.

How much does QF-Test cost?

License types and prices for QF-Test are listed on the page Prices...

The QF-Test licenses are "floating" within a network and persistent (except subscription licenses of course). Prices

Does QF-Test need an additional license server?

No, not necessarily...

QF-Test handles multi user license management for local networks by itself, provided that IP multicast works. For floating licenses across multiples sites and in case of restricted networks, a license server is available.

product description and technical details in the license server manual

Support, training and feedback

Where do I get help troubleshooting?

Before asking for help, please read through this FAQ to see if your question has already been answered...

Additional information can be found in the technical FAQ.
At the beginning the learning-by-doing tutorial proves useful (incl. Chapter Getting help), our Get started guidance and further questions are answered by the manual.
Context sensitive help: click right mouse button on arbitrary tree node or attribute (in the details pane) select "What's this?" reference in the manual
Evaluation webinar for beginners every Monday. Registration via service@remove-this.qfs.de
Videos with different subjects for beginners and advanced users.
There is a blog, and a mailing list for QF-Test questions and discussions (subscription highly welcome). The mailinglist archive contains lots of helpful postings (full text search possible).
During evaluation period of QF-Test we grant free support via email support@remove-this.qfs.de, via support form (in QF-Test's help menu "Contact support team") or by phone +49 8171 38648-20.
These support options with guaranteed response time also apply to customers in form of our Software Maintenance Agreement.

What about training for QF-Test?

QF-Test trainings for beginners and advanced users in German and English language take place regularly here...

There is also the option for webinar-based or on-site training & consulting 3-4 times per year we offer free special webinars.

How can I request an enhancement to QF-Test?

Feature requests are always welcome...

Please send your wishes to support@remove-this.qfs.de.

Where do I report a QF-Test bug?

Please send us an email...

Simply send the issue description via email to qftest-bug@remove-this.qfs.de and we will have a look. Please be sure to provide as much information as possible, especially test-suites and run-logs.

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FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions concerning QF‑Test

General information

Why GUI test automation?

Evaluation and licenses

Support, training and feedback