Software development teams can benefit from adapting a test management or test case management tool. Such tools help software teams manage their testing efforts, record test results and generate reports to help optimize all testing activities and to provide useful feedback to developers and project leads. Many teams have traditionally been using Excel to manage their software tests and test results, but as teams and projects get larger, more and more teams migrate to a specialized tool to have a central repository for all testing efforts.
There are various test management tools available (many of them web-based) for different needs. For example, some tools come with their own integrated issue and requirement management modules and this is a good fit for teams who don't use an existing tool for this. Other test case management tools concentrate on integrating with popular issue tracking tools such as JIRA or FogBugz instead and this would be a good fit if your team is already using an issue tracking tool.
More and more teams use web-based tools to manage their projects, testing efforts and resources. And there are good reasons for this: teams don't need to install anything on their machines, they can access tools from various locations and web-based software is usually cross-platform and cross-browser compatible. Some web-based tools can optionally also be installed on your own server, and this can be important if your IT team doesn't approve cloud/SaaS-based tools.
TestRail is a web-based test management tool that is available both for your own server as well as cloud/SaaS edition. TestRail can be integrated with various tools including JIRA, FogBugz, Redmine and more.
Testlink is one of the few open source test management tools. It can be hosted on your own server and can be used to manage your test cases and test runs and you can also install and host it on third-party cloud services.
Zephyr Enterprise is an enterprise test management tool that can be installed on your own server or you can use the SaaS edition hosted by the vendor. Full pricing information is not available on the vendor website.
QMetry is a test management tool that is available in different editions for different needs. You can additionally also install it on your own server or use the cloud/SaaS edition.
SpiraTest can be used as a standalone test management tool or can be integrated with other issue and bug tracking tools. You can either install SpiraTest on your own server or use the cloud/SaaS edition.
PractiTest is a test management tool that comes with integrated bug tracking capabilities so you don't necessarily need to integrate it with another issue or bug tracking tool.
QAComplete is a web-based test management tool that can be used to manage either just your testing efforts (and integrate with other tools) or the full development life cycle as an ALM solution.
Testopia is another open source test management tool that you can install on your own server. Testopia is part of the Mozilla project and has been specifically designed to integrate with Bugzilla.
Enterprise Tester is a web-based test management tool that can be integrated with various third-party requirement and issue management tools. It's available both for as a download and hosted edition.
Klaros is a web-based test management tool that is installed directly on your own server. It integrates with bug tracking tools as well as continuous integration systems.
There are still some desktop-based tools teams can use to manage their testing efforts. Some of these tools can be used with a shared database or cloud back-end so you can access the same information from multiple machines at the same time.
Quality Center is one of the traditional test management tools and has been available for many years. It can be hosted and installed on your own server or you can get it hosted by a Quality Center service partner.
Testlog is a desktop-based test management tool with an "Explorer-like" user interface. There is also an optional web-based CGI front-end that can be used to access the data remotely.
Zeta Test is a test management tool with a desktop-based user interface. It requires a Windows-based environment and can be installed in single or multi-user mode.
Testuff is another desktop-based test management tool. It does use a cloud/SaaS based back-end though and is available for both Windows and Mac environments.
XStudio is a desktop-based test management tool. It supports different database backends and comes with an SDK for custom integrations.
It's difficult to objectively compare test management tools without evaluating them for your specific needs, as factors such as ease-of-use, performance and user experience are at least as important as other factors. This is especially true as testers often spend many hours per week using such a tool. Nonetheless it can be useful to look at other factors such as pricing and available editions to get a first overview of available solutions.
| Product | Type | Editions | 5 Users Installed | 5 Users Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TestRail | Web-based | Installed & Cloud | $1,149 | $125/month |
| PractiTest | Web-based | Cloud only | - | $225/month |
| QAComplete | Web-based | Installed & Cloud | $4,495 | $166/month |
| QMetry | Web-based | Installed & Cloud | $7,500 | $325/month |
| SpiraTest | Web-based | Installed & Cloud | $599 | $99/month |
| Enterprise Tester | Web-based | Installed & Cloud | $1,200 | $550/month |
| Testuff | Desktop-based | Cloud only | - | $125/month |
| XStudio | Desktop-based | Installed & Cloud | $1,800/year | - |
Listed prices as of 2013-06-06, please contact us if you notice any inaccuracies. If multiple editions are available, the best edition/support offering is used for the comparison.
The following books explain the basics of test management for software projects and help new managers as well as experienced team leads get started with topics such as test case management, measuring software quality, leading teams and working with customers and project stakeholders.
The book covers core testing concepts and thoroughly examines the best test management practices and tools of leading hardware and software vendors. Step-by-step guidelines and real-world scenarios help you follow all necessary processes and avoid mistakes. If you're responsible for managing testing in the real world, Managing the Testing Process is the valuable reference and guide you need.
In Agile Testing, Crispin and Gregory define agile testing and illustrate the tester’s role with examples from real agile teams. They teach you how to use the agile testing quadrants to identify what testing is needed, who should do it, and what tools might help. The book chronicles an agile software development iteration from the viewpoint of a tester and explains the seven key success factors of agile testing.
Managing the Test People was written for managers, leads, and people who may soon find themselves in a technical leadership position. It focuses on some of the unique problems in the software quality assurance profession, yet the bulk of the book is applicable to any technical management job. It provides practical advice for the novice and affirmation for the expert. It contains real world stories illustrating the concepts discussed in the text.
The world's leading software testing experts lend you their wisdom and years of experience to help you avoid the most common mistakes in testing software. Each lesson is an assertion related to software testing, followed by an explanation or example that shows you the how, when, and why of the testing lesson. More than just tips, tricks, and pitfalls to avoid, Lessons Learned in Software Testing speeds you through the critical testing phase of the software development project without the extensive trial and error it normally takes to do so.
A comprehensive and practical introduction to software test design. This book presents all the important test design techniques in a single place and in a consistent and easy-to-digest format. An immediately useful handbook for test engineers, developers, quality assurance professionals and requirements and systems analysts, it enables you to: choose the best test case design; find software defects in less time and with fewer resources; and develop optimal strategies that help reduce the likelihood of costly errors.
Successful software depends as much on scrupulous testing as it does on solid architecture or elegant code. But testing is not a routine process, it's a constant exploration of methods and an evolution of good ideas. Beautiful Testing offers 23 essays from 27 leading testers and developers that illustrate the qualities and techniques that make testing an art. Through personal anecdotes, you'll learn how each of these professionals developed beautiful ways of testing a wide range of products – valuable knowledge that you can apply to your own projects.
In addition to the above mentioned books, there are some useful articles and online resources related to test management, test case management and general best practices regarding the software testing process. We researched the best articles and online resources and please see the list of links below.
This article addresses the often expressed criticism that software test management isn't an effective use of time and resources. The author argues that the focus on test management (the process) shouldn't be confused with the desired outcome of the software development effort.
With new software development methodologies and new ways to deliver, deploy and manage software in production and staging environments, adjusting the software testing efforts to reflect these changes becomes more and more critical. This article discusses some of the challenges associated with this and provides tips and best practices.
This article discusses various best practices, tips and general guidelines on how to best structure your software testing efforts. It also provides a useful list of advice new test managers and QA leads can use to get started.
In this article the authors Jose Vargas and Julio Córdoba share some of the lessons they learned about test management, software quality and collaboration of testers and developers during their career. It contains useful ideas and advice that can be used as a starting point for your own research.
Test management is the activity of managing some tests. A test management tool is software used to manage tests (automated or manual) that have been previously specified. It is often associated with automation software. Test management tools often include requirement and/or specification management modules that allow automatic generation of the requirement test matrix.