Your QA platform, explained simply.
Testnova is one platform to test your web apps, mobile apps, and APIs. Tell it what your app should do, and it writes the tests, runs them on real browsers and phones, finds the bugs, and ships the passing ones to your code. This guide walks through every service and every menu the same friendly way: what it is, why it helps, every field it asks for, and the exact steps to use it. No jargon, no coding needed to begin.
How would you like to work?
There are two ways to reach the same result, and neither is more correct than the other. Go Full Auto when you want Testnova to do the whole job at once, or take it Step by Step when you want to shape and approve each stage yourself. You can switch between them anytime, and both use the same project underneath.
One click, whole job
Fill in one short form, press a button, and Testnova does every step for you in order: set up the project, write the test cases, save them, write the scripts, and if you want, push them to GitHub and email you the report. You watch the progress tick along live.
Full control, one stage at a time
Walk the pipeline yourself, one screen at a time. Review and edit at every stage: confirm the rules the feature must meet, tidy the test cases, read the generated code, run and watch, then merge. Nothing moves forward until you are happy with it.
How Testnova learns your app first
Before it writes a single test, Testnova looks at your real screens. This is the quiet secret behind why its tests are reliable. It never guesses what a button is called. It reads the real thing.
What happens
When you add your app, Testnova opens each page and takes a snapshot of every interactive element on it, so every button, text box, link and dropdown. For each one it works out the most stable way to find it again, trying its ID first, then its label, then a precise location. For a mobile app it walks the app screen by screen and builds the same kind of map.
Why it matters
Because every test points at a real element instead of a guessed name, tests rarely break for no reason. Testnova keeps the map fresh as it explores logins, pop-up forms and multi page journeys. It only ever reads your app and never changes your data. When your screen later changes, Testnova Self-Heal re-reads it and repairs the affected tests for you.
The pipeline, from idea to shipped test
Seven calm steps take a plain description of a feature all the way to tested, trustworthy code in your repo. In Step by Step mode each one is its own screen. In Full Auto mode Testnova runs them for you. Here is the whole journey.
What it is
The starting line. You tell Testnova what kind of app you have and how to reach it. This is the only screen most people fill in by hand. Everything after it can be automatic.
Every field, and how to fill it
WhatWhether your app is a Web app in a browser, a Mobile Android app, or a Mobile iOS app.
WhyIt changes which fields you see and how tests run, on a browser or on a phone.
HowPick from the dropdown at the top. You can switch later and nothing you entered is lost.
WhatYour app's web address, for example https://staging.yourapp.com.
WhyThis is the front door. Testnova opens it to see and test your app.
HowPaste the address of a test or staging site if you have one, so tests never touch live customer data.
WhatThe path to the one feature you want to focus on, like /users or a full link.
WhyIt tells Testnova to zoom into a specific page rather than testing the home screen. You get sharper, more relevant tests.
HowLeave it blank to test the landing page, or type the path of the feature you care about right now.
WhatA named tab or area on that page, such as Email settings or the Test tab.
WhyIt narrows the focus even further, down to one part of a busy screen.
HowType the name of the section as it appears to a user. Leave blank if not needed.
WhatYour app's install file, an .apk or .aab for Android, or an .ipa for iPhone.
WhyTestnova installs it on a phone in the cloud to test the real app.
HowClick Upload and choose the file, or paste a link to it in the App URL field instead. Use one or the other.
WhatThe phone model your tests run on, for example a Pixel or an iPhone.
WhyDifferent phones have different screens. This sets a sensible default.
HowLeave it on Auto unless you must test a specific model, then pick it from the list.
WhatA username and password Testnova can use to sign in, plus room for extra fields like a Company ID.
WhyMost of an app sits behind a login. Without this, tests only reach public pages.
HowEnter a test account, never a real customer's. It is stored encrypted and is never shown to the AI. Add extra rows if your login needs more than email and password.
WhatThe secret key behind a six digit login code, if your app uses two step sign-in.
WhyIt lets Testnova generate the rolling code itself and sign in like a real person.
HowPaste the setup key your app shows when you turn on authenticator app login. Leave blank if you do not use it.
How to do it
- Open Project Setup from the menu.
- Choose your project type, then fill in the URL or upload your app.
- Add a test login so Testnova can reach signed-in pages.
- Click Save and Continue. Testnova moves you to Acceptance Criteria and quietly captures a snapshot of your screens.
What it is
A short, human list of what "working correctly" means for this feature. Testnova reads your real screen and drafts these rules for you in everyday language, for example "a user can sign in with a correct email and password" or "an empty password shows an error". You confirm the ones that are right and fix any that are not.
Why it matters
These agreed rules become the recipe for your test cases. When you approve them, every case that follows traces back to a rule you signed off, so nothing important is missed and nothing random is invented. It keeps you in charge of what gets tested.
How to do it
- Land here automatically after Setup. Testnova drafts the rules from your screen.
- Read each rule. Edit the wording, delete ones that do not apply, or add your own.
- Click Approve to lock them in and move to Test Cases.
What it is
A test case is one plain scenario written as steps and an expected result, like "enter a wrong password, expect an error message". Testnova generates a batch of these from your feature and shows them as a tidy list of rows, each with an ID and a title.
Every field, and how to fill it
WhatA sentence or two about what you want tested.
WhyIt gives Testnova the context to write relevant cases.
HowWrite it the way you would explain it to a colleague. Example: "Login with email and password, lock the account after five wrong tries."
WhatA place to drop a requirements PDF, a screenshot, a spreadsheet or notes.
WhyTestnova reads them and writes cases that match your real spec.
HowDrag files in or click to browse. Documents and images are both fine.
WhatThe number of test cases to generate: 10, 30, 50, or a custom amount.
WhyMore cases mean wider coverage. Fewer means a quicker, focused set.
HowStart with 30 for a balanced first pass. Raise it for critical features.
WhatChips for the kinds of case: happy path, boundary, negative, edge, and security.
WhyThey let you show or hide categories so you can review one kind at a time.
HowTestnova covers all types by default. Use the chips just to filter the view.
What you can do here
- Edit any case with the pencil, then confirm with the tick.
- See each case's priority, from P0 (most critical, tested first) to P3.
- Remove a case. Its history is kept, so nothing is truly lost.
- Download the whole set as CSV, Excel, or JSON once saved.
- Push the cases straight into Test Scripts when you are happy.
How to do it
- Open Test Cases. Describe the feature or drop in your files.
- Choose how many cases, then click Generate.
- Review the list, edit anything that needs a tweak, and click Save.
- Click Push to Test Scripts to carry them forward.
What it is
This is where your plain test cases become working code that a computer can run against your app. You do not have to write or even read the code, but it is right there if you want to. One script is created per feature.
Every field, and how to fill it
WhatThe testing tool the code is written for: Playwright, Selenium, Cypress, plus REST Assured, Newman and k6 for APIs.
WhyTeams standardise on a tool. Testnova matches whatever yours uses.
HowPick your team's tool. If you have none, Playwright is a great, modern default.
WhatThe programming language for the code: TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, or Java.
WhyThe code should match the language your developers work in.
HowChoose your team's language. The available choices adjust to the framework you picked.
WhatNamed targets like Staging and Production, each with its own URL and login.
WhySo the same tests can run against different copies of your app.
HowAdd an environment in the side panel, then choose it when you run. Handy but not required.
What you can do here
- Generate a runnable script for each case in one click.
- Read the code before you run it, no surprises.
- Regenerate a script whenever the feature changes.
- Export a standalone project as a zip that runs anywhere, with no lock-in.
How to do it
- Open Test Scripts. Pick your framework and language.
- Click Generate to produce one script per feature.
- Review the code if you wish, or go straight to running it.
- Click Run next, or Export project to take the tests with you.
What it is
The moment of truth. Testnova drives your app exactly like a person would, clicking and typing through each test, and tells you what passed and what broke. You can watch it happen in a live window.
What you can do here
- Run one feature, a few, or your whole suite at once.
- Watch a Live View as the test drives your app in real time.
- For mobile, run on a real cloud phone or a faster emulator.
- See a running pass and fail tally, plus how long each took.
- Heal and re-run a failing test on the spot when your app has changed.
- Browse the full run history to compare against past runs.
How to do it
- Open Run Tests. Choose the scripts and the target, so a browser or a device.
- Click Run and watch it live.
- Green means passed. Red shows exactly what broke, with a screenshot.
- If something red is just an app change, click Heal and re-run.
What it is
Every run produces a report that is detailed enough for a developer and plain enough for a manager. It shows what passed, what broke, and which bugs were found, each with a screenshot from the exact moment it failed.
What you can do here
- See the full pass and fail picture for any run.
- Open the screenshot captured the instant a test failed.
- Download the report as a PDF to share, or as JUnit for your CI system.
- Add report recipients so your team gets each run by email, no login needed.
- Turn any bug into a Jira or GitLab issue in one click.
How to do it
- Open Test Reports and pick a run to view its summary.
- Add email recipients in the recipients panel so the team is kept in the loop.
- Download a PDF or JUnit file whenever you need one.
- From any bug, click to file it as an issue in your tracker.
What it is
The finish line. The tests that passed get sent into your real code repository as a pull request on GitHub, or a merge request on GitLab, ready for your team to accept. Your test suite grows cleanly over time.
What you can do here
- Pick the features that passed in Run Tests.
- Push them to your repo as one pull or merge request.
- Re-merge an updated feature. It replaces the same file, so no duplicates pile up.
- Run the full project on the cloud Runner after merging.
How to do it
- Connect your repo once in Integrations.
- Open Merge to Repo and tick the passing features.
- Click Merge to open the request, then accept it in your repo.
- Optionally click Run with Runner to run everything together.
Your extended QA toolkit
Beyond the core pipeline, these services handle the harder and more specialised jobs. Use them whenever you need them. Each one is explained the same way: what it is, why it helps, and how to run it.
What it is
Set the AI loose and it clicks through your app like a curious, experienced tester, following proven techniques and probing where bugs like to hide: odd inputs, edge cases, and unusual navigation. It finds problems you would never think to write a test for.
What you can do here
- Give it a goal, or leave it open ended to roam freely.
- Watch it explore your app live.
- Get a findings report ranked by severity.
- Turn any finding into a Jira or GitLab issue.
How to do it
- Open Testnova Explorer.
- Set a goal like "try to break the checkout", or leave it open.
- Click Launch and watch it go.
- Read the findings, then file the ones that matter.
What it is
An API is the engine behind your app, the part that sends and receives data without a screen. This service tests that engine directly, checking that each request returns the correct response and status. It shows up when your project type is API.
What you can do here
- Generate API test cases from your endpoints.
- Run request plans against your API.
- Check status codes and the data that comes back.
- Catch a breaking change before your users ever see it.
How to do it
- Open Testnova API and add your API base address and details.
- Generate the cases, then click Run.
- Review the results and file any issues you find.
What it is
A test can pass while your page looks broken, with overlapping buttons, unreadable text, or a shifted layout. Lens looks at your app the way your users do. It reviews the design across phone, tablet and desktop sizes, checks that everyone can use it, and flags anything that changed since you last approved the look.
What you can do here
- Audit your pages across phone, tablet and desktop widths.
- Spot layout, spacing and colour-contrast problems.
- Check accessibility so people using assistive tools are not left out.
- Compare against a saved baseline to catch unexpected visual changes.
- Approve a new look so future runs measure against it.
How to do it
- Open Testnova Lens and run a UI audit on your pages.
- Review the findings, ranked by how serious they are.
- Approve the current look as your baseline.
- Future runs flag any pixel or accessibility changes for you.
What it is
Apps change constantly. A button moves, a field is renamed, and normally that breaks your tests. Testnova Self-Heal notices the change, re-reads your new screen, and mends the test automatically, so your suite stays green without anyone editing code by hand.
What you can do here
- Auto-fix tests when buttons or fields move.
- Re-ground a script to your latest screens.
- Heal one test right where it failed, then re-run it.
- Heal a whole batch at once from the Testnova Self-Heal service.
How to do it
- Run your tests as usual in Run Tests.
- When one fails because the app changed, click Heal and re-run.
- Testnova re-reads the screen, repairs the test, and tries again.
- For many at once, open the Testnova Self-Heal service.
What it is
If your team already wrote test scripts, you do not have to start over. The Runner takes your existing project, from a repo or a zip, and runs it in the cloud on the browser or phone you choose. It is also where you run the full project after merging.
What you can do here
- Run tests from your GitHub or GitLab repo, or upload a zip.
- Choose the framework and the browser or device.
- Run on a real cloud phone or a faster emulator for mobile.
- Watch live, review in history, and schedule runs to repeat.
How to do it
- Open the Testnova Runner and connect a repo or upload your project.
- Pick the framework and the target, so a browser, real device, or emulator.
- Click Run and watch it go.
- Set a schedule if you want it to run every day on its own.
What it is
Most security scanners meet your app as a stranger: signed out, at the front door, seeing little more than the login screen. The bugs that actually hurt live behind the login, where one customer can reach another customer's records. Testnova Security is already signed in, because it uses the same project and saved login as the rest of your testing, so it can test the part of your app where real breaches happen.
What you can do here
- Run a scan with one button: it crawls your real pages and checks them while signed in.
- Check access control between accounts, so whether one signed-in user can reach another user's data.
- Probe your inputs for injection, and check how sessions and cookies are handled.
- Look for secrets or debug detail leaking into responses.
- Read each finding with its severity and how confident we are: confirmed, observed, or potential.
- Turn on the deeper, more aggressive checks only when you want them.
How to run it
- Open Testnova Security and pick the project you want scanned.
- Make sure the project has a saved login, the same one your other tests use.
- Leave it on the safe default, or switch on the aggressive checks if you have a window for them.
- Click Run and watch the scan live.
- Work through the findings, highest severity and highest confidence first.
What it is
Your audit trail. It links every requirement to the test cases that check it, the runs that tested it, and any bugs that turned up. When someone asks "is this actually tested, and does it pass?", you can answer in one click.
What you can do here
- Trace a requirement through to its cases, runs and bugs.
- Prove which requirements are genuinely covered.
- Find the gaps where coverage is missing.
- Show stakeholders a clear, honest coverage story.
How to do it
- Open Traceability and view the map for your project.
- Follow any item to its linked cases, runs and bugs.
- Export the map when you need it for a review or sign-off.
Account and workspace menus
These menus sit around the testing work. They are where you keep an eye on things, connect other tools, invite people, and manage your plan. Most people set them up once and rarely return.
What it is
The first thing you see when you sign in. It gives you the big picture at a glance: how your projects are doing, what you have used this month against your plan's limits, and quick links to jump back into your work.
What you can do here
- Create your first project, or open an existing one.
- See your usage and limits so there are no billing surprises.
- Check the overall health of your testing at a glance.
What it is
A project is a container for everything about one app: its URL, its login, its test cases, scripts, runs and reports. Keeping each app in its own project keeps your work tidy and separate.
What you can do here
- Create a new project for a new app.
- Open a project to enter its pipeline and services.
- Switch between projects with the project picker.
How to do it
- Open Projects and click New project.
- Give it a name, then you land in Project Setup.
- Use the picker at the top of the menu to hop between projects.
What it is
The bridge between Testnova and the rest of your toolkit. Connect your code repository and your issue tracker once, and merging tests or filing bugs becomes a single click.
What you can do here
- Connect a GitHub or GitLab repo for one-click merges.
- Connect Jira or GitLab issues to file bugs straight into your tracker.
- Keep tokens safe, they are stored encrypted, never in plain text.
- Switch or disconnect tools anytime without losing your work.
How to do it
- Open Integrations and choose GitHub, GitLab or Jira.
- Connect and authorise access when prompted.
- You are now ready to merge tests and file tickets.
What it is
A single place that gathers what happened while you were away: which runs finished, what broke, and which bugs were fixed. If you have wired up email or Slack, the same alerts reach you there too.
What you can do here
- See every run completion, regression and fixed bug from the last two weeks.
- Jump straight to the project or report behind any alert.
- Stay in the loop on scheduled nightly runs without checking manually.
What it is
Where you bring colleagues into your workspace and set their level of access. Everyone can do the day-to-day testing. Sensitive actions like billing, connecting tools, and merging code are reserved for admins.
What you can do here
- Invite a teammate by email.
- Set their role, from full admin to a read-only viewer.
- Change a role or remove someone later.
How to do it
- Open Team and click Invite.
- Enter their email and choose a role.
- They get an email and can join right away.
What it is
For teams who want Testnova to run automatically as part of their own build pipeline. A key is a long secret password that proves a request is really from you, so you can trigger runs from your CI without signing in through the browser.
What you can do here
- Create a new key, shown once, so copy it right away.
- See when each key was last used.
- Revoke a key instantly if it is no longer needed.
How to do it
- Open API Keys and click Create key.
- Copy the key and store it somewhere safe. You will not see it again.
- Use it in your CI to trigger runs. Revoke it here if it ever leaks.
What it is
Where you see which plan you are on, what you have used this month, and where you can upgrade, add capacity, or manage your payment details. Each plan comes with a monthly allowance for runs and audits.
What you can do here
- See your current plan and monthly allowances.
- Upgrade for more capacity, or top up when you need extra.
- Open the secure payment portal to update your card or view invoices.
- Cancel or change your plan whenever you like.
What it is
The controls for how your workspace and each project behave. This is also where the test logins you saved during Setup are kept, encrypted and out of sight.
What you can do here
- Review and update a project's saved login and details.
- Adjust workspace preferences like appearance and defaults.
- Switch between light and dark mode to suit your eyes.
The golden rules
A few simple habits that keep everything running smoothly. Follow these and Testnova stays effortless.
Merge only after a test passes
Always send tests to your repo after they pass in Run Tests. Testnova only lets passing features through, so what lands in your code is always green and trustworthy. If a feature is failing, fix it first with a Heal and re-run, then merge.
Use a test site and a test login
Point Testnova at a staging or test copy of your app whenever you can, and use a test account, never a real customer's. Testnova only ever reads your app and never changes your data, and this keeps things safe by default.
Focus each project with a Feature URL
The single biggest lever for good tests is telling Testnova exactly which page you care about. A Feature URL turns a broad, generic pass into sharp, relevant tests for the feature in front of you.
Common questions
Quick answers to the things people ask most.