An in-depth evaluation of the BugBug automation tool, discussing its primary testing capabilities, interface, cost, and features:
Efficiency is the main goal for developers and businesses in today’s tech world. When I talk about efficiency, I am emphasizing it in the context of software development. Everybody wants to put the best possible software out there in the market.
The challenge, of course, is to accomplish this goal while avoiding delays and keeping production costs down. This is perhaps what initially led me to pay attention to tools that enable automated testing and low-code development. In my opinion, these are the simplest and most practical options for software development at present.
These tools completely abandon the use of manual coding in favor of automation and visual interfaces. Such an approach to software development and testing is ideal for folks with little to no coding experience. They can be of immense help to organizations, especially small businesses, who wish to develop high-end software in less time and money.
In my pursuit of such solutions, I eventually came across BugBug. This is a platform that’s been on my radar for a while now and I finally had a chance of experiencing its various capabilities first-hand.
So this article will serve as a review of my experience using the tool. My review of BugBug will cover its testing capabilities, interface, and price, and whether or not it’s worth using.
Table of Contents:
Overview of BugBug
Launched in 2019, BugBug is a cloud-based low-code automation testing solution catering to technical and non-technical users. It essentially allows you to create tests, which will assess the quality of web applications. Its biggest USP, however, is the fact that it facilitates testing without the need for manual programming.
With the help of BugBug, you can record tests as the application is in use. You can run the tool and the tests within them in the cloud or in your web browser via BugBug’s Chrome extension. What bought BugBug to my notice was the promise it made of cutting down the time and cost of both creating and maintaining end-to-end tests drastically.
Suggested Read =>> Record and Playback testing to automate tests
After using the tool, I can tell you that this is a promise BugBug delivers in spades. There are various aspects to BugBug that easily distinguish it from other tools of its kind.
It only takes a few minutes to perform end-to-end tests via this platform. I also like how you can schedule tests whenever you want. You can also edit the tests manually and the list goes on.
As promised, I told you this is a hands-on review and I would like to stay true to my words by first sharing my thoughts on BugBug’s Interface.
BugBug Interface
For a tool meant for non-technical users, simplicity is salient. BugBug wins you over immediately with an intuitive interface. As soon as you sign in, you are greeted by an interface that’s clean, well-organized, and easy to navigate. All of its features are easily accessible to you via an immaculate, white interface background.
The simplicity of its user interface by no means compromises the integrity of its core functionality. You’ll be able to reliably create, run, and automate tests without wasting any time. The tool covers almost every important test case. So there is absolutely no need for manual coding or performing redundant testing tasks.
BugBug Core Features
Now that you know what BugBug is and what it is capable of, let’s assess each of its core features.
Running Automated Tests
A prominent feature of BugBug is its capability to run automated tests. BugBug lets you create and run automated tests without a single line of code. You simply create a set of step-by-step instructions. These instructions will tell BugBug how to proceed with the testing of an application.
If BugBug succeeds in following all the test steps, the test will be marked as ‘Passed’. On the other hand, if BugBug cannot finish the test, then it will be marked as ‘Failed’.
Here’s a detailed process on how you can easily run an automated test using BugBug:
#1) Install BugBug’s Chrome extension and create your account.
#2) Open your account and create a new project.
#3) Give the project a name and enter a URL that will act as the starting point of your app, which you want to test.
#4) Now hit the ‘New Test’ button available to you on the right-hand side of your screen. To illustrate this guide, we will be examining the functionality of the app’s login process. So name the test accordingly and hit the ‘Create Test’ button.
#5) On the resulting page, you’ll be prompted to either add new steps manually or move on to recording by entering the URL of the website or app you wish to test.
#6) After hitting the ‘Start recording’ button, wait a second until your page is loaded into incognito mode.
#7) On the loaded page, you’ll find BugBug’s recording overlay with actions dedicated to recording. Remember, BugBug will automatically record all clicks by default. You can, however, use the overlay to record additional actions as well.
#8) Now enter login credentials using ‘demo’ as both username and password before clicking sign in.
#9) After successfully logging in, you’ll need to give BugBug an instruction to check whether the page has actually been logged in. Add an assertion to support this. The assertion in my case was to check whether the ‘Welcome to the react admin e-commerce demo’ is visible’.
#10) So click ‘Assert’ on the recording overlay and then click on the text on the main page that you want to verify every time you log in.
#11) Once done, hit ‘Finish Recording’.
#12) Everything you’ve recorded has now turned into a test step.
#13) You can now hit the ‘Run’ button above. Do not move your cursor when the test is in progress. Also, do not minimize the window.
#14) If the Test succeeded, it will be marked as passed just as shown below.
#15) Hit ‘Finish and Close’ once done.
Run Tests in Cloud or in Browser
Besides running automated tests, I was also impressed by BugBug’s ability to run tests locally in a browser or in the cloud. People who want to run their tests swiftly without compromising on performance will adore this feature. It is very simple to execute tests via your browser. The tool does a good job of simulating the environment of real users.
You can also use the app to continuously test applications in the cloud. This feature will prove useful for those who wish to perform a large number of tests on their apps to check for bugs.
Simulates Real Cursor Clicks
BugBug’s smart click feature can simulate clicks in a manner that is eerily similar to an actual person clicking the mouse. You can rely on this feature to avoid clicking elements on the page that aren’t visible to the naked eye but are still present on the page. As such, you can trust BugBug not to leverage JavaScript to fake-click during testing.
Smart Auto-Scrolling
BugBug’s Auto-scrolling feature proves itself useful, especially when recording a test. During the recording, BugBug will automatically scroll down the page to ensure all interactive elements on it are visible. As such, you can count on BugBug to cover all possible interactions on your page during the test.
I liked that the tool pauses its testing for the page to load. The testing only resumes once the page has been fully loaded. So no time or effort is wasted on an unloaded page.
Scheduled Test Monitoring
BugBug lets you monitor how your tests are performing at all times. You can schedule a test at the date and time you wish. You can select whether to run tests on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. You also don’t need to sit in front of the BugBug interface round the clock to stay informed about the progress of your tests.
The platform will send you a notification email whenever a test fails. Besides email, the platform can also notify you on Slack via Zapier integration.
Also Read =>> Test Monitoring and Test Control
Integration with CI/CD Pipeline and Public API
BugBug integrates seamlessly with all types of CI/CD pipelines. You can attribute this feature to BugBug CLI. These integrations help the tool start testing automatically every time the code of an app is changed.
You also have the option to BugBug’s API to initiate even greater integrations such as the integration with Zapier that lets you receive test failure notifications on Slack.
Limitless Free Seats for Additional Users
BugBug also facilitates team collaboration on tests by letting you invite new users with a single click. Simply hit the ‘Invite User’ button and assign your collaborator a role. You’ll be able to involve a limitless number of users in the testing process at a moment’s notice.
Advanced Features
#1) Using Variable for Testing
BugBug lets you use variables to handle a variety of complex testing tasks. You have the option to create a custom variable or rely on the built-in variable already offered by the platform. From creating random numbers to registering users with unique email addresses, you can use variables to facilitate testing in multiple environments.
#2) Customize Test Steps
Each test step you create can be customized whenever you want as per your wish. You can choose to manually add advanced step types or update selectors. You have complete control over the instructions you give BugBug. You can even enter a custom JavaScript code.
#3) Shared Components
BugBug grants you the privilege to turn each test step into a group, and a group of steps into a reusable component. For example, you can create a login component that contains steps that handle a login form, and then reuse it in any test that requires a user session. This will significantly cut down your testing time.`
Customer Support
As of today, BugBug offers comprehensive documentation, video tutorials, guides, and a massive knowledge base to assist its users. You can reach out to BugBug’s support team via email or the dedicated help desk. The response is pretty quick. However, I would’ve liked a way to directly reach out to the team via phone or live chat.
Price
BugBug is a tool that can be used for free to run unlimited tests on simple web apps via the browser. There is no restriction on the number of users you can invite for testing.
On the other hand, there is a Pro subscription plan available that’ll cost you $49/month (if billed annually) and $59/month for the monthly alternative. This plan is more suitable for professional testing and monitoring. A 14-day free trial is applicable to this plan.
There is a custom testing plan is also available for larger teams who seek brisk testing and monitoring capabilities.
Overall, BugBug is very affordable and perfect for startups and agile businesses with limited funds.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free forever plan | The customer support available only via e-mail. |
| Flexible pricing | |
| Intuitive interface | |
| Invite unlimited users | |
| Run multiple tests at once | |
| Can be used in the browser and in Cloud | |
| Excellent test coverage | |
| CI/CD and public API integration |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q #1) Who is BugBug for?
Answer: BugBug is a low-code automation testing tool with a great focus on simplicity. As such, I believe the tool is best suited for software engineers, QA testers, product managers, and startups with limited funds.
Q #2) What can BugBug be generally used for?
Answer: BugBug can generally be used for automation testing of websites and web applications. In fact, you can use the tool for free to perform tests on unlimited simple websites and web applications.
Q #3) What applications does BugBug integrate with?
Answer: BugBug integrates with multiple applications. The most prominent of these applications are as follows:
- JIRA
- GitHub
- Jenkins
- Redmine
- Selenium
- Cypress
- Gitlab
- Zapier, etc.
Q #4) Does BugBug facilitate team collaboration?
Answer: Yes, BugBug allows team collaboration. There is no restriction on how many users you can invite for collaboration on tests. All you have to do is click ‘Invite User’ and assign a role to the new user who will be joining you for the tests.
Q #5) What platforms does BugBug support?
Answer: Currently, you can use BugBug to perform tests locally via any chromium-based browser. A Chrome extension is also available and you can install it to run and record tests conveniently.
Conclusion
For me, BugBug was everything I wanted from a cloud-based, low-code automation testing tool. Feature-packed and loaded with an intuitive interface, the platform manages to strike the perfect balance between simplicity and efficiency.
The easy, no-code testing it facilitates makes it an ideal choice for non-technical users. There are many things that set BugBug apart from contemporary automation tools. One of those things is customization.
With BugBug, you can tailor the testing process as per your specific requirements, even to the extent of adding a custom JavaScript code. Furthermore, you get BugBug’s API that can seamlessly integrate with critical CI/CD pipelines to further streamline your development process.
I was thoroughly impressed by what BugBug had to offer. It is an excellent end-to-end automation tool that I have no qualms recommending to QA testers, product managers, and developers.
Learn more about the tool by visiting BugBug’s official website.