Google Chrome Tools and Extensions to Make Software Testing More Efficient

While software development and testing processes involve various programs and solutions, there are additional tools and extensions that can streamline specific tasks and parts of quality assurance (QA). This can range from routine activities like managing cookies to enhancing testing processes. Though these solutions might seem like minor additions to a software tester’s toolbox, they can boost your efficiency in the long term.

The list below includes tools and extensions available on Google Chrome and recommended based on personal experience using them in software testing projects and getting satisfying results. While this article focuses on tools that will be useful from a tester’s perspective, software developers will also find extensions on this list that can improve their work.

Essential Google Chrome extensions for both software testers and developers

These tools help you streamline some routine activities. For example, when testing an application, you often need to take screenshots to illustrate what a specific bug or glitch looks like. Lightshot is a versatile, easy-to-use screen capture tool. It enables you to take, edit and share your screenshots online.

Testing web applications also means reloading the app and dealing with cookies. It’s a good idea to use a cookie manager so that you can seamlessly add, remove, block and edit cookies. Extensions like Edit This Cookie and Cookie Editor also give you the option to export cookies to JSON as well as import them in JSON or txt format. Additionally, you can improve cookie performance and skip cache when reloading a site. Removing browsing data is another routine element of testing functionalities or app updates. With Clear Cache, it takes less time to remove this data, which can make a difference in the long run.

Reporting issues in an easy-to-understand way, creating comprehensible documentation and communicating with team members and stakeholders are crucial elements of any software development project. A tool like Grammarly that checks your grammar and writing style can help you express yourself clearly, accurately and concisely.

Finally, with so many different tools and platforms involved in software development and testing, you mind find it hard to keep track of all your logging information. Password managers – for example, Last Pass or Bitwarden – safely store your data, generate strong passwords and streamline logging in by automatically filling in relevant information. Both tools mentioned here are also free.

Virtual private networks (VPNs)

VPNs are often utilized to establish a secure connection when using the Internet. For software testers, they’re also a tool for accessing applications as if you were connecting to them from a different country. This is useful when the app you’re verifying is only offered in certain regions or when you need to test a version of the app that is limited to some countries. It can also be applied the other way around – so that you can ensure that a solution can’t be accessed when opened in a country where it’s unavailable.

Recommended VPN tools include Touch VPN and VPNLY. They’re both free, unlimited and intuitive VPNs that use secure encryption to grant you secure access and privacy – specifically, Touch VPN applies Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and VPNLY uses Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) blocking.

UI & UX design extensions

When verifying the visual aspects of an app, it’s often the details that count. Page Ruler and Simple Ruler will help you ensure that a web app precisely reflects design prototypes. They give you tools to measure the distance between pixels and visual elements to check if all elements are placed correctly and have the right dimensions. Another extension that helps align and measure elements is Designer Tools. It comes with rulers, guides and grids and offers some customization options.

In many projects, teams also have to test if an app’s layout appropriately displays within various window sizes and if elements like pop-ups aren’t negatively impacted by changing the window size. To do that, you can use Window Resizer, which enables you to set a browser’s size and position on the screen. This tool includes a range of suggested sizes, but you can also save custom settings for more flexibility.

Finally, WhatFont is a great support when you need to verify fonts across an app. It identifies the fonts on a web page – including their type, style, color and so on – as well as services used to handle web fonts. It’s useful when you compare similar fonts and are unsure if the hue matches the design prototype.

Tools to streamline exploratory testing

The extensions discussed in this section enhance your exploratory tests by helping you first focus on exploring the app before you have to write down your feedback. They particularly come in handy when you’re going through an app for the first time or have just begun to learn how it works. For example, Bug Magnet makes it easy to save bugs you find during testing. Its simple context menu enables you to add cases and access them later when you need them.

Bird Eats Bug goes one step further and lets you record your tests and cases. After the recording is completed, this tool generates a report of your actions (e.g., the buttons you clicked, the data you typed in). It also performs network tracing if you find a bug, which makes it much easier to locate issues. Bird Eats Bug can be connected to programs like Jira or Zephyr, which streamlines bug reporting. The tool comes with console and network logs, unlimited replays and web Software Development Kit (SDK). This extension only offers a 14-day free trial, but the paid versions should be rather affordable for many projects. As an alternative, you can also check out Jam, which has similar functionalities and gives access to both free and paid versions.

If you’re running a testing session on Chrome, Exploratory Testing Chrome Extension is a simple tool to seamlessly report issues, take notes and make screenshots within the browser. You also get access to automated URL tracking and session reports, and the extension enables you to save and export your sessions to JSON, XLS or HTML.

Useful tools for API testing

The ability to alter elements of web app traffic is key to effectively testing application programming interface (API). Postman Interceptor enables you to send requests, which utilize browser cookies, from any website to the desktop Postman app without needing to install a special proxy. For example, you can capture and send headers, which are normally protected by Google Chrome but need to be tested from the API perspective. It’s a useful tool if you want to see how an element of the app will perform on the web.

JSON Formatter is an open-source extension that makes JSON files easier to read. It streamlines your work by formatting uploaded files to highlight syntax and change URLs into links, among other features. However, there’s one downside – it might interfere with your other extensions and require you to turn them off.

Finally, to mock and modify HTTP requests, there are two tools that you can use – tweak and RestMan –that are intuitive and don’t require you to know a lot about this type of extension. They offer similar features, though tweak’s paid premium version provides you with more functionalities including workspaces, collections and in-built mock data generators, as well as the ability to modify responses with custom JavaScript. However, for many projects, the free RestMan might have everything you need.

Both tweak and RestMan are valuable additions to your testing toolbox. You can use them, for example, to delay incoming requests or trigger errors and bad requests to check what an app will do. Often testers need to ask developers to temporarily switch off relevant services to force errors, but with these extensions you can manipulate app issues yourself.

The right tools streamline and enhance your software testing processes

When looking for new tools to add to your project, consider if you have the budget to use paid versions or only open-source software. Research tools and their functionalities – read information on a vendor’s website as well as user reviews to learn what to expect from a solution, both positive and negative. It’s also a good idea to first test new tools by implementing them in your personal or experimental projects before you apply them to a client’s product development.

With users prioritizing outstanding quality and performance, many companies turn to proven automation testing services to ensure their solutions deliver on – and exceed – user expectations. Reach out to us via this form and find out how our skilled test engineers can elevate your software.