Open source test management tools are held in high esteem by almost any software development company in Dubai, particularly the growing ones. The reasons why enterprises use open source test automation tools for their testing operations are many. However, the adoption does come with its own fair share of cons. 

Though open source testing has garnered a good reputation in the software testing Dubai sector over the years, the choice to adopt them depends on whether their pros outweigh the cons for the organization, and whether they meet all business requirements. 

That said, let’s go through a few major merits and demerits of open source testing.

Merits

• Free or modest price tags: Organizations consider it a good deal if they can find a free or low-priced open source alternative for a restrictive, proprietary tool they have been paying for. They won’t have to pay for costly licenses as well. 
  
• Always updated: The benefits of open source testing tools get updated over time, thanks to the huge open source community support. Testers and developers from all parts of the globe contribute to enhancing the tools and let others benefit from them. 
  
• Easy integration for automation: For private organizations particularly, setting up open source automation tools without being concerned about licensing costs is quite easy. They can find plenty of support online should they encounter technical setbacks. Open source tools are not only easy to integrate so as to implement automation, but also can be modified and configured depending on the company’s goals and requirements.
  
• No vendor lock-in: Unlike closed source testing tools, open source tools generally aren’t restricted for specific use-case scenarios. In the case of the former, the organization may have to wait for the vendor to add the functionality they require which necessarily may not be the priority for the vendor. Open source tools are generally independent, and so there won’t be a vendor lock-in. 
  

Demerits

Hidden costs

Though not necessarily huge compared to closed source tools, open source testing tools may come with hidden costs which may drive away organizations from using them further. There will be costs associated with the implementation of the tools, their maintenance and support. 

Not easy to master

Open source tools are made by ‘geeks’ and the code would again be augmented by tech-savvy people. For someone not well versed with the software, using open source tools could be challenging. This is why they are not used regularly by testers but only on specific occasions in many companies. 

To master free open source automation tools, they may have to rely on online technical support forums or hire an open source technologies expert to help them learn the technology. 

Benefits may not be there always

If an organization requires a good open source tool for their testing operations, they might as well go for a tool that is quite popular for its functionality and has a large user base. 

There are different open source tools offering almost all kinds of functionalities, and some of them could be having a dwindling user base because a better one is available. Such ‘dying’ tools may eventually lose the community support thus taking away the benefits it provides organizations that had adopted it. 

Security concerns

The fact that the source code of open source tools are open to all also forces organizations to consider the security aspects of open source solutions. Because the code is made open, anyone can exploit the potential vulnerabilities in it. 

However, to be fair, good security policies and an effort from the in-house team can along with support from the community can eliminate risks and vulnerabilities before they can be a threat to the organization.