Since blockchain technology is a decentralized technology by design, it has been widely used, especially by a few well-known businesses. As a result, it eliminates the risks associated with data centralization. Testing for Blockchain becomes much more crucial when you are aware of its nature and how the application uses it. Blockchain testing tools provide more opportunities to comprehend the impact and opportunities of this new technology.
On a blockchain, no modifications or deletions are allowed as It is a distributed data structure that exists simultaneously at several locations. Due to its secure design, the technology has been adopted by the financial and automobile industries (apart from cryptocurrency). Continuous integration and deployment are nonetheless crucial for development teams as a result of this.
Numerous test types can be run at various stages of the software development process. Blockchain performance testing tools aim to achieve quality for blockchain apps while ensuring all tests are fully covered. Unit tests, integration tests, user interface testing, and API testing are a few of the well-known tests taken into account. Therefore, picking the appropriate tools for your Blockchain Testing requirements is crucial.
Testing Methods & Phases for Blockchain
The types of testing that can be done on a blockchain are listed in full below:
- Functional testing evaluates the performance of various blockchain system functional components.
- Node testing facilitates the independent testing of every node on the network to guarantee a connection devoid of issues.
- Performance testing finds system flow constraints and suggests the best fix.
- By ensuring that requests and answers between these applications are successfully run, API testing helps ensure that interactions between applications in the blockchain network are clear.
Phases of blockchain security testing tools
Initial Stage
The testing of a blockchain system begins with the startup phase. Here, the testers learn about the system’s lifetime by deciphering and analyzing its functioning, enabling them to have a deeper understanding of all the components involved. To give a clear picture of how the system functions as a whole, a thorough map is created that contains every system component, subcomponent, and interface.
Drafting Stage
During the design phase, the critical system components must be evaluated are defined, and a thorough test plan is created for the blockchain system. The test cases and test environment requirements are described in this blockchain testing framework test strategy.
Planning Stage
It is decided how each sort of test will be conducted during this phase, along with an estimation of the number and scope of tests to be conducted at each level. Alternative testing methods must be developed in the event that the system is unavailable. Alternative test methods include setting up a private blockchain. Examples of these tests include API testing, functional testing, performance testing, security testing, and others.
Final Stage
This is the last stage, and it includes a report on the system’s overall exam. The essential tasks that must be completed at this phase include system performance testing, low-level checks, and smart contract, block, and transaction validation.
Best Blockchain Performance Testing Tools You Must Know
# BitcoinJ
A library for interacting with the Bitcoin protocol is this amazing- BitcoinJ. You can interact with Bitcoin and establish a direct connection to the Bitcoin network using it. Additionally, we can transmit and receive Bitcoins instantly using this library’s functions. Along with many more sophisticated features, the BitcoinJ documentation claims that it can manage a wallet, send and receive transactions, and manage transactions without requiring a local copy of Bitcoin Core. Although it is implemented in Java, it can be used in any language that is JVM-compatible; examples in Python and JavaScript are provided. BitcoinJ has a TestUtils class that can create fictitious transaction objects and other things for testing.
# Ethereum Tester
This open-source blockchain testing library is another option, and it is also available as a Github repository. Ethereum Tester is a highly capable testing tool with a straightforward setup and manageable API support for various testing requirements. Being one of the renowned blockchain testing tools, the eth-tester project offers a collection of testing tools for Ethereum decentralized applications that are coded in Python and can be used programmatically as a project dependency via CLI. Ethereum Tester focuses on modularity, making it possible to utilize numerous backends for different test scenarios.
# Populus
This framework is nicely integrated as a set of attributes geared at testing contract deployment and has the testing practicality of Ethereum. Populus was primarily created to facilitate the relatively simple implementation of the py.test framework. The famous Populus blockchain testing framework offers powerful utilities for testing your contracts. It is powered by py.test and all the t-tests are run against an in-memory Ethereum blockchain. Populus supports writing contracts that are specifically for testing blockchain.
# Embark Framework
You can rely on this testing framework mostly related to creating decentralized applications (dApps) that run on many platforms. Embark’s efficiency is brought to light through its integration with IPFS, the Ethereum blockchain, and a decentralized communication platform like Orbit and Whisper. Testing is a crucial part of developing robust and high-quality software. That’s why Embark, one of the blockchain performance testing tools, focuses on testing Smart Contract as easily as possible. This platform enables easy development and deployment of decentralized applications while providing flexibility to configure, compile and deploy smart contracts.
# Truffle
Quickly build, test, debug, and deploy using Truffle! Among Ethereum developers, it is a name that is frequently referenced in connection with outstanding testing features, such as automated contract testing. This blockchain testing framework has features beyond testing functionality, like the ability to collaborate with well-known test runners like Chai and Mocha. You can automate common processes through scripts and plugins. You can interact directly with the blockchain using the Truffle console. It is one of the blockchain security testing tools that can write tests in Solidity, JavaScript, and TypeScript. Use console.log to get fast insights into your code and it will handle the workflow.
# Ganache
The main function of Ganache is to locally test Ethereum contracts. It creates a simulation of the blockchain that anyone may use to test various accounts. The blockchain framework can be used to run tests, execute commands and inspect operations. You can see the output of the Ganache blockchain and debug all the information easily. Configure advanced mining with a single click!
# Exonum TestKit
Exonum TestKit is an expert in testing the functionality of a blockchain application’s whole service. Without worrying about network operations or consensus techniques, we may utilize the tool to execute transactions and test APIs. The tool allows the testing of transactions and APIs in the synchronous environment. It can be executed in the same system process as the service code itself and easily debug with different logic.
# Corda Testing Tool
The blockchain-based distributed ledger platform Corda is open-source. The built-in testing tool facilitates contract, integration, flow, and load testing. Corda contracts are classes that dictate whether a transaction is valid or not. The blockchain testing framework allows you to test a contract by passing it a series of transactions, and asserting whether one is confirmed.
# Manticore
A symbolic execution tool for the examination of binaries and smart contracts is called Manticore. When testing blockchain apps, Manticore provides both human-assisted analysis and automatic vulnerability detection. This tool offers symbolic execution for the analysis of Ethereum smart contracts, WASM modules, and Linux binaries. It generates new inputs based on a state and detects crashes and failure cases as well. The tool is shipped with an API-reference guide that is essential to make full-use and custom-use of its interface.
# Hyperledger Composer
An open-source development tool called Hyperledger Composer has several features that can be used to create blockchain apps. Some of those characteristics are useful for testing as well. It offers interactive testing, automated unit testing, and automated system testing, to be more precise.
It features a command-line interface with instructions that make it simple to do interactive “smoke tests” to make sure the deployment went smoothly. This also makes running blockchain tests in a CI/D system simple. Your business network definition can be deployed and started at runtime, after which you can programmatically create assets, send transactions, and check the status of asset registries.
# Chainlink Keepers
A smart contract automation tool called Chainlink Keepers functions on a number of different blockchains, including Polygon, BNB chain, and Ethereum. With the help of such blockchain security testing tools, externally owned accounts can perform checks on predefined criteria in smart contracts, trigger transactions based on time intervals, and then complete those transactions. By keeping an eye on the circumstances on the Keepers network, for instance, developers can register smart contracts for autonomous maintenance. Nodes then carry out off-chain computations on the Keepers network up until the smart contract’s predetermined criteria are satisfied.
# OpenZeppelin
OpenZeppelin is a well-liked blockchain performance testing tool for creating safe decentralized applications. OpenZeppelin product supports Layer 1 blockchains, Layer 2 blockchains, and sidechains and is designed for secure smart contract automation. enables the transparent management of smart contract operations including access control (administrative rights over an asset), updates (fixing problems or adding new services), and halting (by employing the pause functionality).