Test execution tools execute test objects using automated test scripts. This type of tool often requires significant effort in order to achieve significant benefits.
Capturing test approach:
Capturing tests by recording the actions of a manual tester seems attractive, but this approach does not scale to large numbers of test scripts. A captured script is a linear representation with specific data and actions as part of each script. This type of script may be unstable when unexpected events occur, and require ongoing maintenance as the system’s user interface evolves over time.
Data-driven test approach:
This test approach separates out the test inputs and expected results, usually into a spreadsheet, and uses a more generic test script that can read the input data and execute the same test script with different data.
Keyword-driven test approach:
This test approach, a generic script processes keywords describing the actions to be taken (also called action words), which then calls keyword scripts to process the associated test data.