Technical difference between Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Test Automation Tools?

[kosmik5]

Ki,
At Present I am working with test automation tools and know technically how it works, basically record (generate scripts) and replay (the generated scripts with data).
Now I heard of RPA, and people tell me its advantage is handling non-structured process, pattern, and data. I want to know how exactly RPA does the work, how much different from the record and replay?
Thank You
Hari

[Mod edit: Removed external link.]

[BoBo]

Suspicious. Smells definitely like SPAM ... ?

[tank]

@BoBo Nope. It's actually a super legit question.

Testing tools like UI Path and QTP do everything you will want from automation except for satisfying IT Governance. A separation between dev and prod, Credential vaulting, Audit trailing etc. RPA tools are in fact a bit limited in actual automation functionality by comparison.

[lisabrown]

Hi.
Robotic Process Automation and Test Automation are different as per aspect of business logic handling. In robotic process automation the decision of what automation will be executed at what value is decided by values entered in the application.

[tank]

Test automation doesnt produce work product

[vcube]

Except for IT Governance, testing solutions like UI Path and QTP accomplish all you could ever desire from automation. Dev/Prod separation, credential vaulting, audit tracing, etc. By comparison, the actual automation functionality of RPA technologies is quite constrained.

[tank]

Except for IT Governance, testing solutions like UI Path and QTP accomplish all you could ever desire from automation. Dev/Prod separation, credential vaulting, audit tracing, etc. By comparison, the actual automation functionality of RPA technologies is quite constrained.

what has that to do with the question

[guest3456]

what has that to do with the question

nothing, because this entire thread is spam, just so the OP could post a backlink to his personal website, and then get his minion bots to respond to his thread to pump up its relevance

[rapidor]

Hello everyone,

This is an excellent question! Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Test Automation Tools serve distinct purposes in the world of automation, and their technical differences are quite significant. Let's delve into the technical disparities between these two automation technologies:

1. Scope of Automation:

RPA: RPA is designed to automate a wide range of repetitive, rule-based tasks that humans perform in various business processes. These tasks can include data entry, form filling, and interacting with various software applications.
Test Automation Tools: Test automation tools, on the other hand, are specifically tailored for automating software testing processes. They simulate user interactions with a software application to validate its functionality and identify defects.

2. User Interface Interaction:

RPA: RPA bots interact with applications through their user interfaces, mimicking human actions like clicking buttons, entering data, and navigating through screens. They don't require access to the application's source code.
Test Automation Tools: Test automation tools also interact with applications through their user interfaces but focus on verifying software functionality by running test cases and comparing actual outcomes with expected results.

3. Scripting Languages:

RPA: RPA platforms often use scripting languages like Python, JavaScript, or proprietary scripting languages provided by the RPA vendor.
Test Automation Tools: Test automation tools primarily use scripting languages or test scripting frameworks tailored for testing, such as Selenium for web testing or Appium for mobile testing.

4. Data Handling:

RPA: RPA excels in data manipulation and extraction. Bots can move data between applications, perform calculations, and handle data in various formats.
Test Automation Tools: While test automation tools can interact with data within the application, their primary focus is on verifying functionality rather than data manipulation.

5. Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD):

RPA: RPA doesn't usually integrate as seamlessly into CI/CD pipelines because its main function is process automation rather than software development or testing.
Test Automation Tools: Test automation tools are often integrated into CI/CD pipelines to perform regression testing automatically as part of the development process.

6. Orchestration and Workflow:

RPA: RPA platforms typically provide workflow and orchestration capabilities to automate end-to-end business processes by chaining multiple automation tasks together.
Test Automation Tools: Test automation tools are primarily focused on individual test cases and may not have the same level of orchestration for complex business processes.

In summary, the key technical difference lies in their intended use cases and the way they interact with software applications. RPA is geared towards automating business processes, while Test Automation Tools are specialized for software testing purposes. Understanding these distinctions is crucial when selecting the right automation solution for your specific needs.

Please feel free to ask if you have any further questions or need more details on any of these differences.