TestCafe now available in Free/Open Source & Commercial Studio Versions

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Today, I am excited to announce two new TestCafe projects:

1. TestCafe - An open-source project that is now hosted on GitHub with an MIT license. It's a free and lite version of TestCafe that exposes the core functionality of TestCafe!
2. TestCafe Studio - Our commercial product that includes the open-source (core) TestCafe framework with the added benefits such as a powerful user interface, a visual test recorder, and full DevExpress support.

Therefore, starting today, we have split TestCafe into a lite (and free) open-source version and the new TestCafe Studio. The current commercial version will officially become TestCafe Studio in early 2017 when we introduce a new desktop-based IDE (more on this below).

And this move has benefits for both the open-source developers and the paid TestCafe customers. Read on to learn more.

Open-source, Free, MIT, FTW!

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By open-sourcing TestCafe, it allows more developers and testers to use the excellent functional testing framework in their projects. A free framework with an MIT license will encourage an active open-source community. And an active open-source community of TestCafe users will help contribute code, share and discuss ideas.

TestCafe Studio, which uses the open-source TestCafe framework internally, will be developed faster, be more robust, and gain the features users need the most. TestCafe Studio also comes with full support from DevExpress support engineers.

We will monitor TestCafe on GitHub and our developers will interact with the community. Of course, we'll provide framework updates, take pull requests, and address issues. However, if you need full guaranteed support within a business day, then you will need a TestCafe Studio license.

Node.js

The new open-source TestCafe framework is a native node.js solution. This is great for Nodejs based web applications because you can simply npm install testcafe and get a complete functional testing framework.

And it allows you to run tests from the command line or via the JavaScript API. And you can output Reports to the console or directly to a file.

The framework also has a new test API and syntax, which is compatible with current tests.

TestCafe Studio UI vs Test Cafe CLI

The key difference between the TestCafe Studio and TestCafe open-source framework is the Visual tools. Only TestCafe Studio includes:

• Visual test recording
• UI for
  • Launching tests
  • Analyzing test results
  • Managing test base
  • Controlling the remote browsers
  • Settings and configurations
• Full Support

The free open-source TestCafe framework includes a great CLI (command line interface). Therefore, you can still write the same powerful tests and get the resulting reports. However, they will be through the CLI.

Get started now!

Try the open-source TestCafe:

• GitHub page
• Website

If you'd like to try the current visual-based TestCafe, then download a free 30 day trial. This TestCafe will soon be renamed as TestCafe Studio and existing customers will be upgraded automatically.

Cross-platform (Desktop) Studio

We're working on a new Commercial version of TestCafe! We expect to release it in the first quarter of 2017.

While the current TestCafe UI is cross-platform, it only runs in the browser. We're working on a new cross-platform desktop application! Yes, a native desktop application for multiple operating systems. And it will have some major features, including:

• Newly designed IDE-style interface where you can:
  • record
  • write
  • edit and run tests
  • analyze test results
  • manage the test base
  • access all the settings
  • and do everything you can do in the current version and more

Feedback

I would love to hear your feedback about this big TestCafe announcement. Leave me a comment below or email me directly: mharry@devexpress.com

Thanks!

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