Silktest Interview Question 78 - How many programming languages can QA Engineer use in Micro Focus SilkTest?

Micro Focus SilkTest 2010 allows QA Testers to develop test cases scripts using different programing language such as 4Test, VB.Net, C#, or Java and various work environments SilkTest Classic, Microsoft Visual Studio or Eclipse, while SilkTest Workbench allows automation testing on recording and playback level for less skilled QA Testers. In the same time SilkTest test cases written in different languages share architecture through a common engine SilkTest Open Agent, which exposes UI object recognition, synchronization and test interfaces.

SilkTest jobs for QA Testers.

The table below compares the demand for SilkTest 2010, HP QTP 11 and Selenium skills in QA Tester jobs advertised across US and India in October of 2010. I compared the job postings for QA Engineer position with automated testing tool experience on the following job search engines: dice.com, sfbay.craigslist.org/sof/ (only for San Francisco Bay Area) and naukri.com

	dice.com	craigslist.org	naukri.com
SilkTest	35	6	15
QTP	560	9	302
Selenium	299	57	97

As you could see, Silktest is lagging behind of QTP or Selenium on all job markets, but I think I have an explanation why this is happening. There are plenty of QA Tester job postings like

Required skills - Test automation, SaaS, SQL, performance testing, Load Runner and QuickTest Professional, Silk Test, Java, Visual Basic.

Perhaps I should look for Silk not SilkTest, even it would include results for Silk Performer. Unfortunately as you can see below the change is not as big as I expected. I could explain why Selenium is so popular in Silicon Valley. As an open source project, Selenium is available for free and has been used for testing at many Silicon Valley companies like Google, Yahoo, and eBay. There are also a lot of startup companies not willing to spend money of SilkTest license or QTP license. That's why there are a lot of job postings for QA Testers with Selenium testing skills in Silicon Valley. In the same time I am still not sure why SilkTest lags behind of HP QTP on national markets. Does anyone have any ideas?

	dice.com	craigslist.org	naukri.com
Silk	69	6	87
QTP	560	9	302
Selenium	299	57	97

MicroFocus SilkTest 2010

The curious QA Tester should already notice availability of SilkTest 2010 trial download on MicroFocus web site.The first thing you will notice is the size of download SilkTest 2010 package - 694 MB, the previous version SilkTest 2009 R2 download size was just around 200 MB. The reason is that now SilkTest 2010 product suite includes the following components:

• SilkTest Workbench is the completely new, native quality testing environment that offers .NET
scripting for power users and innovative storyboard-based visual tests to make testing more accessible.
• Silk4NET is plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio that allows QA Testers to efficiently create and manage functional, regression, and localization tests directly in the Visual Studio using Visual Basic or C#.
• Silk4J is plug-in for Eclipse enables QA Testers to create Java-based test scripts.
• SilkTest Recorder – enables QA Testers to record and replay tests using a GUI and then export
those tests to SilkTest Classic, Silk4J, or Silk4NET.
• SilkTest Classic is the traditional, 4Test SilkTest product.
• SilkTest Agents is the software process that translates the commands in tests into GUI-specific commands.

SilkTest 2010 supports applications that use the following browsers or are developed in Adobe Flex, Firefox, Internet Explorer, SAP, Win 32, WinForms and WPF. Micro Focus Silk Test 2010 supports the following databases SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2005, Oracle 11.1 and Oracle 11.2. SilkTest 2010 license policy didn’t change and requires installation SilkMeter 2008 or later with proper SilkTest license policy.