From Web to Mobile to Protocols: Exploring Key Automation Tools in QA

 

Automation Tools in QA

Previously, we saw how Test Management tools are used in QA and how helpful they are for maintaining our tests and defects.

In this blog, I’ll be sharing knowledge about Automation tools used in QA. Automation tools are useful for developing scripts, which in turn make it easier to test a product or web page more effectively.

Automation testing improves efficiency, enables centralized execution, and saves time with large coverage. Tests can be run on simulators or emulators; they don’t always need to be executed on real devices. Reporting is also simple — all logs are available in a centralized location, which is very useful for further triage.

Our focus here will be on three automation tools I’ve worked with extensively:

  1. Selenium

  2. Appium

  3. TTCN-3

Selenium

Selenium is the most widely used open-source framework for web UI automation testing. It automates browsers by mimicking user actions like clicking, typing, and scrolling. It’s not a single tool but a suite:

Why QA Engineers Use Selenium:

  • Supports many languages: Java, Python, C#, JavaScript, Ruby, Kotlin.

  • Works on all major browsers.

  • Flexible → can be extended with TestNG, JUnit, Cucumber, etc.

Appium

Imagine you are testing a mobile banking app. As a tester, some basic use cases would be:

  • Log in with username/password (multiple times).

  • Validate that the account balance is displayed correctly.

  • Transfer money & check for a confirmation message.

  • Ensure the app works on both Android and iPhone.

Manually testing these would be time-consuming, and some coverage might be missed. Each use case might also have multiple scenarios and boundary values. Appium helps achieve all of these efficiently.

Why Choose Appium?

  1. Hybrid app testing → works for both native apps and web views.

  2. Cross-device testing → supports different screen sizes, devices, and OS versions.

  3. Easy integration with CI/CD pipelines.

TTCN-3

TTCN-3 is used for protocol and telecom system testing. For example, when SIP protocol testing is required, TTCN-3 can be used as a scripting language to both write and run test cases. It can simulate initiating and ending calls using SIP.

I’ve specifically used TTCN-3 for SIP and VoIP testing. It makes protocol testing with automation much easier.

Why Choose TTCN-3?

  1. Protocol-aware → designed to send, receive, and validate protocol messages.

  2. Great for complex, stateful communication scenarios (e.g., call setup, message handshakes).

  3. Platform-independent → can test hardware devices, network nodes, or pure software stacks.

  4. Widely used by telecom vendors (Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei, etc.) and standardization bodies (3GPP, ETSI).



Automation tools have become a core part of QA because they save time, increase accuracy, and provide wider test coverage. While tools like Selenium focus on web applications, Appium enables testing across mobile platforms, and TTCN-3 is specialized for protocol and telecom testing. Each tool has its own strengths and areas of application, and choosing the right one depends on the product and testing needs.

This blog focused on three automation tools that I have personally worked with, but there are many more in the QA ecosystem. In the upcoming blogs, I’ll share insights into other categories of tools — like API testing, performance testing, and CI/CD integration — so stay tuned!

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