AET
A system that detects visual changes on websites and performs basic page health checks like accessibility and W3C compliance.
What is AET?
AET is a system that detects visual changes on websites and performs basic page health checks, such as W3C compliance, accessibility validation, HTTP status code verification, and JavaScript error detection. It is designed to aid front-end client-side layout regression testing, helping teams assess the impact of changes across web platforms.
Front-end developers, QA teams, and digital platform managers who need to monitor visual regressions and page health across large websites or portfolios, especially in CI/CD pipelines.
Developers choose AET for its flexibility in adapting to project-specific regression requirements, comprehensive health checks beyond visual comparison, and seamless integration with CI tools via its Maven plugin.
Overview
AET - a system that detects visual changes on web sites and performs basic page health checks
Use Cases
Best For
- Monitoring visual regressions across large digital web platforms
- Managing visual changes after updating common components like footers or headers
- Running regression tests at the end of hourly, daily, or sprint cycles
- Performing client-side performance tests using Lighthouse integration
- Validating W3C compliance and accessibility during website upgrades
- Integrating visual and health checks into CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins or Bamboo
Not Ideal For
- Projects requiring functional or cross-browser testing, as AET explicitly excludes these areas
- Small teams or startups with limited infrastructure, due to its complex setup involving multiple components
- Environments where quick, ad-hoc visual testing is needed, as AET is designed for scheduled regression in CI/CD pipelines
Pros & Cons
Pros
AET validates W3C compliance, accessibility, HTTP status codes, and JavaScript errors using tools like nu.validator and HTML_CodeSniffer, as specified in the README.
Supports full-page screenshot comparison with options to hide items via CSS/XPath and change screen resolutions, leveraging Selenium and Chrome for rendering.
The AET Maven Plugin enables easy integration with CI tools like Jenkins or Bamboo, automating regression testing in build pipelines.
With seven units including Runner and Worker clusters, AET is designed for scalability in large digital platforms, allowing distributed testing.
Cons
Installation requires Vagrant, Docker, or Helm charts, which can be daunting and time-consuming for new users, as detailed in the 'How to start' section.
AET does not support functional, cross-browser, usability, or security testing, necessitating additional tools for comprehensive coverage, as admitted in the 'AET is NOT about' section.
The modular architecture with multiple clusters and a database may demand significant infrastructure resources, making it less suitable for lightweight or budget-constrained environments.
Frequently Asked Questions
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