Top Testing Programming Languages for 2022
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Top Testing Programming Languages for 2022
As a software testing engineer, you might always wonder which programming languages you should invest your time in learning ⌚ There are numerous programming languages out there, and most of the popular ones have a framework for writing both unit and integration tests.
With an excessive number of options, it can get difficult to decide which language you should learn next. Moreover, learning a new language takes some amount of time and effort, and you would want to do your research beforehand.
Table of Contents
1. Python
Python is an open-source programming language 🐍 In the last few years, its popularity has increased immensely. According to statistics, it is one of the top programming languages choices for automation testing because of its user-readable syntax and ease of use. Unlike Java, you can write a small amount of code to write a test script.
Moreover, since Python is a language of choice for machine learning, network servers, video tools, and backend systems, it is quite popular amongst developers. Its popularity translates into a good amount of library and community support. Around 2.5 million websites use Python for their backend or template rendering.
Here are a few benefits of choosing it for your testing:
- Strong community support.
- Language portability with a minimal amount of effort.
- Easy to learn and human-readable syntax.
- A large number of support libraries are available for Python.
- Multiple automation testing frameworks such as Selenium or Appium support it.
- TestProject’s OpenSDK, an open-source cross-platform for web & mobile testing supports Python.
Here are a few points to keep in mind while choosing Python:
- Choose Python if you are planning to write lots of single-use scripts which don’t need to be maintained. Python lets you write scripts quite quickly and it’s ideal for single-use scripts.
- There might be breaking changes between different versions of Python. If you are working on a critical application, be mindful of it since some libraries might support only specific versions of it.
2. JavaScript
JavaScript is a popular programming language widely used for building front-end applications. A large majority of consumer-facing websites use JavaScript and it is estimated that over 7 billion devices worldwide run it. Moreover, it is a popular choice as a testing programming language since it is easy to learn and needs very little setup 💪
Here are a few benefits of choosing it for your testing:
- Around 72% of developers prefer to use JavaScript for development and automation testing.
- Several testing frameworks support JavaScript, including TestProject’s OpenSDK.
Here are a few points to keep in mind while choosing JavaScript:
- JavaScript is not purely object-oriented, so if your background is OOP, you might find it difficult to adjust.
- The syntax and clarity of JavaScript are not as elegant as other languages such as Ruby or Java. Moreover, Javascript is not as concise as Ruby or Python. These might be finer details but if you are very particular about these things then it’s good to know beforehand.
3. C#
C# usage has been declining in the past few years, but it still remains one of the popular programming languages, which translates into it being popular with testing too 👩💻 Based on statistics of popular testing frameworks, it still features in the list of top test automation languages.
Here is a good benefit of choosing it for your testing:
- C# is supported by multiple testing frameworks, such as TestProject’s OpenSDK.
But also keep in mind:
- C# usage has been declining over time so it would make sense to use this language only if you are constrained by your stack’s compatibility with other languages or if your team’s skill set is best suited for C#.
4. Ruby
Ruby is gaining popularity in usage for test automation and for browser testing. Ruby is an open-source programming language that focuses on simplicity and productivity. It has a human-friendly syntax and is quite easy to learn even for beginners ✅
Here are a few benefits of choosing it for your testing:
- Ruby’s usage has been gaining momentum over the past few years and it is a popular amongst developers.
- Based on the statistics of popular testing frameworks, a lot of test engineers prefer to use Ruby for testing.
- Ruby has a strong community on StackOverflow which makes it easier to get help when you get stuck.
But also keep in mind:
- Some testing tools have reported a decrease in Ruby’s usage as a preferred language for automation testing.
5. Java
Java is a popular object-oriented programming language owned by the Oracle corporation, which follows the write once, run anywhere principle. Over 3 billion devices worldwide run applications built using Java and a majority of corporations use it for their backend systems 💻
Here are a few benefits of choosing it for your testing:
- Since a large number of backend systems use Java, it is supported by most of the popular testing frameworks. For example, the JUnit framework can be used for testing in Java. Moreover, Selenium WebDriver supports Java so that test scripts can send commands to browser applications.
- Java enjoys strong community support, so it’s easy to find solutions to even complex or rare issues.
- TestProject’s OpenSDK, an open-source cross-platform for web & mobile testing supports Java.
Here are a few points to keep in mind while choosing Java:
- Java has a slower runtime as compared to other languages such as C or C++ but is still faster than Python.
- Java usually has a larger memory footprint than Python or JavaScript.
6. Kotlin
Kotlin is the newest language on this list 🆕 It is a cross-platform language maintained by JetBrains and was first introduced in 2011.
Here are a few benefits of choosing it for your testing:
- Kotlin is supported by Selenium and Appium so you can use it for your automation testing use cases.
- It focuses on conciseness, clarity, and code safety which makes it a good choice for programming.
- Google adopted Kotlin as an official language for Android applications in 2017 which immensely drove adoption. With over 2.5 billion Android devices in use, there is huge potential for its growth.
- Since it’s a cross-platform language, it’s easier to share testing code across front-end and backend stacks.
Here are a few points to keep in mind while choosing Kotlin:
- Since it is still relatively new, you might not find adequate support for complex issues.
- The language is still maturing so you might come across a use case that is still not supported by the library.
Conclusion
The language you choose for testing depends on a lot of factors. These include the type of project, the familiarity of the team with the chosen language, the library support, and the overall community support.
You can potentially choose any language from the above list, but if you are completely new to automation testing and just want to get started, I would suggest that you start with either Python or JavaScript. Both of these languages are quite easy to learn and have a huge community support.
I hope this article provided some clarity! Happy testing ✨
About the author
Vivek MaskaraVivek Maskara recently completed his Masters in Computer Science from Arizona State University. He loves writing code, developing apps, creating websites, and writing technical blogs about his experiences. Prior to joining ASU, he worked as an SDE at Zeta, India, and volunteered for the Wikimedia Foundation in his free time.
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