5 Popular Tools for Testing Blockchain Applications

Blockchain applications have been popularly adopted especially by some prominent industries, as by design, it is a decentralized technology. Hence, it eliminates the risks that could occur with centralization of data. Knowing the nature of Blockchain and the way the application supports the technology, testing for Blockchain becomes all the more important. While testing Blockchain applications, it gives further scope to understand this emerging technology and its impact, including the opportunities.

Deletions or updates are not permitted on a Blockchain. It is a decentralized data structure that exists at many locations at a time. The technology has been implemented across financial and automotive industries (apart from Cryptocurrencies), as it is a secure structure. Nevertheless, this makes continuous integration and deployment absolutely critical for development teams.

Different types of tests can be performed at various stages in the software development process. The objective is to ensure complete test coverage and achieve quality for blockchain applications. Some of the prominent tests considered are Unit Tests, Integration Tests, User Interface testing, and API Testing. Hence, it is important to choose the right tools for your Blockchain Testing needs.

Popular tools for Testing Blockchain Applications

Testing a Blockchain application not only ensures its quality and maximizes the test coverage, it also minimizes the risks that are associated with inadequate knowledge that could impact the software development process.

Here are 5 popular tools for testing your blockchain applications:

1. Ethereum Tester: It is an open-source testing library available as a Github repo. Its setup is pretty easy with a manageable API support for various Testing requirements.
2. BitcoinJ: It is a Java-based framework built for Bitcoin-based apps that enables you to interact with the real BTC network and various testing activities. In order to use it, you don’t have to download the standard BTC Core files from Bitcoin.com. You can even approach a user forum in case you need clarification or are facing hiccups in the testing process. It is an open network available for assistance.
3. Populus: This framework has the testing functionality of Ethereum embedded in the form of a set of features for test contract deployment. It’s developed around the py.test framework. Hence, it is relatively easy to implement.
4. Truffle: It’s a commonly referred name for Ethereum developers, which brings in good testing features, such as automated contract testing. The framework holds capabilities beyond just testing functionality within the Blockchain application.
5. Embark: It is a testing framework that focuses on developing decentralized applications (dApps) that run on various systems or nodes. It has integrations with Ethereum blockchain, IPFS, and a decentralized communication platforms such as Whisper and Orbit.

While Blockchain promises a great future and multiple opportunities, there is still a major debate regarding its adoption in the real business scenario. A recent survey by Gartner reveals the Scarcity of Current Blockchain Deployments. It states, ‘Only 1 percent of CIOs indicated any kind of blockchain adoption within their organizations, and only 8 percent of CIOs were in short-term planning or active experimentation with blockchain. 77 percent of CIOs surveyed said their organization has no interest in the technology and/or no action planned to investigate or develop it.’

This general industry feedback and deployment scenario further reinforces the importance of Software Testing and Quality Assurance for Blockchain applications. Organizations across the globe today are looking for a secure platform using which they can transparently share information and build absolute trust. Blockchain is the answer to the challenge.

Understanding the current application and implementation of Blockchain is important, as it will help determine the growth path and probable challenges with the technology. At Cigniti, we are well in sync with the key trends that will add up to the need for adopting Blockchain technology.

While there are multiple platform vendors that offer recommendations for Blockchain implementation, you need to understand and decide what really suits your business needs, and syncs well with your objectives. At Cigniti, we firmly believe in blending technology and business objectives, and work with you to achieve success using an agile environment focused on quality@high-speed.

Connect with us to get interesting insights for your business in terms of Blockchain implementation and testing.