Visual Studio Boosts Test Tools

Visual Studio 2010 includes several major features designed to simplify software testing, take better advantage of lab hardware, and help development teams produce higher-quality software. The new release also focuses on improving cross-team communication and processes, while automating tasks that have previously required repetitive manual effort. However, some of the tools are compatible only with code that runs on the .NET Framework (managed code).

VS enables application life-cycle management: collaboration among architects, developers, testers, and project managers who are designing, coding, testing, deploying, and maintaining applications. VS supports source-code control, software project management, software build management, testing, and other group development tasks with a central collaboration server and database called Team Foundation Server (TFS). TFS also provides Office- and Web-based reporting and review of software projects for managers and other stakeholders.

Most of the test features of VS 2010 described in this chapter are not available in the Professional edition, but require the higher-priced Premium or Ultimate editions. A Test Professional product, which includes the stand-alone Test Manager tool and offers other test features, is available separately and does not require purchase of the VS integrated development environment (IDE).