The Firebase Blog

Firebase App Distribution Introduces Automated Tester (Beta)

February 21, 2024

Supercharge Your Android App Quality

Releasing high-quality Android apps is a continuous challenge. Every new build carries the risk of introducing bugs that can frustrate users and tarnish your app’s reputation. That’s why we’re excited to announce a powerful new addition to Firebase App Distribution – automated smoke testing for Android apps. This new capability, called Automated Tester (Beta), empowers you to uncover critical issues within minutes, streamlining your release process and safeguarding your app’s quality.

What is Smoke Testing?

Smoke testing is a type of software testing that verifies the core functionalities of an application. It’s like a quick health check – ensuring that the ‘engine’ of your app is running without any major hiccups. Smoke tests are designed to be fast and lightweight, allowing you to quickly assess the overall stability of your build.

Why Automated Smoke Testing for Android Apps?

  • Early Bug Detection: Catch critical flaws before they reach a wider audience, saving you time, money, and headaches.
  • Faster Test Cycles: Automate those essential pre-release checks, freeing up your time for more strategic testing.
  • Confidence in Releases: Your app is tested across a variety of API levels and devices of your choice using the Firebase console or the Firebase CLI.

Gain peace of mind knowing that the fundamental aspects of your app are working as intended before each release.

A screenshot of the Firebase console displaying the "Automated Test Results" tab, which has screenshots of the app taken during the automated smoke tests.
A screenshot of the Firebase console displaying the "Automated Test Results" tab, which has screenshots of the app taken during the automated smoke tests.

How Firebase App Distribution’s Smoke Testing Works

  1. Upload Your Build: Distribute your Android app build (.APK or .AAB) to Firebase App Distribution as usual. The “Automated tester” can be kicked off on existing Android builds as well.
  2. Kick off Automatic Testing: Once your build is uploaded, the automated smoke tests can be kicked with a click of button on new and existing builds across a variety of devices of your choice.
  3. Quick Results: Within approximately 15 minutes, you’ll receive a comprehensive report that includes screenshots, video recordings and issues.

More on Pricing

  • Try out the Automated Tester for no extra cost! Right now, you can try out our powerful “Automated Tester” capability without any additional charges. Once the daily no-cost cap is reached, you can continue to use the feature and Test Lab rates will apply.
  • We’ll keep you updated on future pricing. We’re committed to transparent pricing for “Automated Tester” and will share all the details before it graduates to general availability.

Get Started Today

Upgrade your Android app development workflow with Firebase App Distribution’s automated smoke testing. This feature is easy to integrate and seamlessly fits into your testing process. To learn more and start using it, visit the Firebase documentation. You can also watch this video from Firebase Demo Day: