tl;dr version: WatiN Test Recorder looks dead, and I am unsure of the status of WatiN itself. I need to make them work or find alternatives that meet our requirements. Suggestions?
Longer version:
Our tester has a long list of manual regression tests for our internal, line-of-business web applications. I am trying to help with automating these tests so that they can be run on demand or at the end of each automated build.
We are a .NET shop for web applications, and the internal web applications are IE-only. I don't get to change either of those facts.
Given the above, it seems that our requirements for a testing framework are:
- Needs to record and run tests in IE
- Needs not to involve coding when recording the tests (the other .NET developer and I can and will need to do some minimal coding to create test suites, handle any dynamic data, etc.)
- Needs to handle some Javascript, AJAX, etc.
Strong preferences include:
- Code for running the tests can be written in .NET, and the tests can be integrated into Visual Studio and/or MSBuild projects. Java is a distant second choice, and anything else would be very disadvantageous. I know other languages, and I believe the other developer does also, but when we hire developers later, fewer language requirements would be a good thing.
- Open source tools that work are great. Commercial tools are certainly not out of the question, but we do need to limit the cost, and the tool definitely needs to be worth the cost. I don't know exactly where the line is drawn, but I've been told that the Rational suite is likely too expensive to be approved, for instance.
- An active community using the tool and good documentation would be nice. A tool that is continuing to be developed and improved is also a good thing.
Initially, it appeared to me that WatiN would meet our requirements nicely when combined with WatiN Test Recorder. That was before I tried them. I only tried the 2.0 beta for Test Recorder, but there seem to be several problems still (even once correcting the inability for the stock installation to run on 64-bit Win7).
I remember watin.org (down at the moment, though the problem seems to be under investigation) at least implying that there were multiple test recording solutions, though WatiN Test Recorder was considered best, but I have been unable to find them. Are there any?
Finally, if I cannot make these tools work for us, what are good alternatives that meet the requirements I have stated?