New tool: Capture
In the middle of 2022, we launched a Chrome extension called aqua Test Recorder. It was a pretty simple tool that could show test steps from an aqua test case over the page that you were testing. You could also take screenshots for each step or record a video. Pretty basic, but very promising already.
Fast-forward to December, and we are launching a closed beta of Capture. It is a much more powerful extension that makes testing truly visual. Capture creates a log of all actions by the tester and attaches them to the test case. Capture saves data about the resolution, browser, and OS used during test execution. Capture also enables you to make annotated screenshots and timestamped videos that you can store locally or send to aqua.
Another exciting change: Capture synergises well with aqua, but will not require it anymore. You will be able to use it for exploratory testing: start Capturing, get a log of all actions and video/screenshots, and share them anywhere else. We will also be adding integrations with other popular issue management tools such as JIRA and even messengers like Slack for bug reports alerts.
Next year, we will also unlock collaborative Capture spaces. You will be able to invite colleagues to share and download each other’s test execution with all the visual context. There will be more context as well, as Capture will save Chrome DevTools Console and Network information for smooth troubleshooting. Oh, and did we mention creating Selenium and Cypress automated tests straight from the log of actions that you saved in Capture?
Most of these exciting Capture features will be available in Q1 2023, but you can already try the beta version. Capture is available on Chrome Web Store and GitHub. We can’t wait to hear what you think about it — please, share your feedback at support@aqua-cloud.io.
Advanced test recording solution for visual bug reports
aqua improvements and 2023 sneak peek
In early 2022, we improved how Agile functionality looks and works in the web version of aqua. The revamped Backlog and Sprints board make testing truly Agile, as you can now align the QA timeline with development or even make separate testing-only boards. We still provide native support for working by the Waterfall methodology if that’s what you prefer.
We also introduced a lot of improvements that make it nicer to use aqua. Notifications are now less obtrusive and don’t linger on the screen so we don’t distract you. The preview functionality allows you to look into an aqua item while keeping a larger overview on your screen. You can now quickly hide test cases with specific statuses from the backlog.
This past year, we also improved our suite of traceability features. The Requirements tab of aqua can now display test cases and test scenarios that cover each requirement. This is not only essential for our clients in heavily regulated industries but also very useful to everyone that needs a quick QA overview.
Here is a quick overview of just some functionality and improvements that we introduced to aqua in 2022:
- Actionable tree view of Dependencies
- Extended report generation via REST API (in addition to classic Report Wizard)
- Advanced filtering for adding dependencies
- Option to generate backlog URL with full folder path and pre-applied filters
- Referencing fields from test cases in the test execution
- Discussion threads under defects
A keen eye (or avid reader of our feature guidelines) may have noticed that we updated the look of some icons and visuals. This is just the beginning of a full aqua redesign, which will be rolling out shortly. We’re very excited, and here are a couple of early screenshots to make you excited as well.
Improved Kanban board
Updated requirement overview
It’s not just visuals that we will improve in 2023. We’ve shortened our minimum release cycle to 1 day, and that resulted in 33 aqua updates in 2022 compared to just 4 in 2021. Expect to get even more updates that will make aqua more intuitive, improve the Agile functionality, and expand our suite of integrations.
Coming next: aqua AI
Artificial intelligence has reached a stage where it is genuinely useful for software development, and we are happy to prove it. We are launching a beta version of aqua AI assistant to help you save time on QA of any scale. Here is what you will be able to do:
- Auto-generate test cases based on requirements
- Get automated test case description based on the test steps
- Auto-create test steps based on the test case description
- Identify and remove duplicate items
- Auto-prioritise tests in your test suite
Even in the beta version, we have seen some incredible efficiency gains. About 40% of tests generated by aqua AI did not require any extra human input. It will only get better with more QA specialists helping our machine learning engineers connect the latest AI tech with the needs of the testing community.
Speaking of community, we’ve put some serious work in our online resources. The redesigned aqua website grew from 10 to over 50 pages that cover key aqua functionality. We’ve also published over 70 blog articles, from basic overviews to deep dives into Scrum testing, QA time estimation, and even expanding your QA team. You can find more articles in our blog section.
2022 was a very challenging year on a personal level for the aqua team. Your feedback (both positive and critical) inspired us to keep improving aqua, and we can’t wait to give you even more features. Happy New Year and see you in 2023!
Start your 2023 with an AI-powered and feature-rich ALM
