Guide for a Smooth Transition - Upgrade Katalon Studio from 8.x to 9.x

Overview of Katalon Studio 9.x

In late 2023, we proudly introduced Katalon Studio 9.0, 9.1, and 9.2 release, the latest editions of Katalon's test authoring capabilities. This release boasts major upgrades in our core libraries, introduces the AI-powered coding assistant StudioAssist, and supports Appium 2.0 for more streamlined mobile testing. With these enhancements, you can now reduce coding time, resolve issues faster, enhance test coverage, and minimize risks associated with coding.

Katalon Studio 9.x: Enhanced test automation

Major Performance Improvement (9.0):

Studio 9 is Katalon's fastest test authoring release yet. This release provides a significant improvement in performance with up to 82% faster project opening/loading, 25% quicker execution times, and a remarkable 28% enhancement in artifact opening/loading. These enhancements stem from our core library upgrade, encompassing Eclipse, Java, Groovy, and EGit. We believe this can accelerate workflows and issue resolution for your testing experience. 

AI-Powered Coding Assistance (9.0):

Meet StudioAssist, your AI-powered co-author. Seamlessly generate Groovy code and Studio keywords with just a prompt, and also effortlessly explain a block of code with a single click. This feature boosts productivity, improves test accuracy, and mitigates risks associated with coding errors. Particularly beneficial for new testers and teams with diverse technical backgrounds.

Appium 2.0 Support (9.1, 9.2):

Official support for Appium 2.0, significantly advances mobile testing capabilities. Seamlessly integrated with Xcode 15, supporting the latest iOS versions (iOS 16,17). Enjoy streamlined mobile app test creation with Record and Spy utilities, run automated scripts on multiple mobile browsers, and leverage Appium 2.x in CI/CD pipelines using Katalon Runtime Engine. These upgrades promise to provide you with easier and more reliable test creation and execution, saving time and improving accuracy.

Streamlined iOS Setup and WebDriver Agent (9.1)

Mobile testing with Katalon Studio has never been better. Streamlined iOS setup with optimized dependencies ensures a smoother integration process. Improved device selection, provisioning profile options, and enhanced details for development identities provide greater control. The restructured WebDriver Agent enhances navigation and certificate selection for a more efficient mobile testing experience. 

Seamless registration with social logins (9.x)

Katalon is now equipped with social login options, simplifying the process of starting your testing journey. Register with us using your work email, Gmail, or GitHub Credentials. Whether you prefer registering via our website or logging in directly from Studio, creating an account has never been easier. This feature is available across all 9.x releases.

Migration from Katalon Studio 8.x to 9.x

Migrating from Studio 8.x to 9.x is done with ease. Depending on your testing projects, you can easily upgrade to 9.x without any required actions. However, let's address some specific scenarios where a bit more attention is needed.

Custom Plugins, Older JRE, or External Libraries:

If your setup involves custom plugins that are not published by Katalon, a JRE version lower than 17, or if you have imported any external libraries to your test project, then a few extra steps are required for the migration. Follow these detailed instructions in our documentation for a smooth transition for your unique configuration. Learn more

BDD Projects - Minimal Configuration

For users with BDD projects, a small configuration tweak is needed, by adding @BeforeTestCase listener to your project. Check out the step by step guide here

Windows, Mac and Linux users

If you are Windows or Mac users, you don't have to do any further actions to upgrade, simply go to our download page and install our latest versions. 
 

If you are a Linux user, in order to run Studio 9.x you need to install OpenJDK 17 on your device. Dive into the installation of Studio with Linux (GUI) in our technical documentation here. 

Points to consider before upgrading

In Katalon Studio 8.x, you have the flexibility to designate your preferred JRE package from version 8 to version 14, as the default choice for compiling and executing test projects. To learn more into configuring the desired JRE package for your test projects in Katalon Studio, refer to the documentation available here.
 

However, it's important to note that in version 9.x, we elevated the Eclipse framework to version 2023-03, requiring at least Java version 17. Therefore, you should not upgrade to 9.x until your projects are compatible with JRE 17. 

Wrapping up

It's clear that version 9.x isn't just an upgrade; it's a leap forward in test automation. From major performance improvements and AI-powered coding assistance in 9.0 to seamless Appium 2.0 support and enhanced iOS setups in 9.1 and 9.2, each release brings new efficiencies and capabilities. We trust these new features and enhancements will prove valuable in your testing efforts.

While the transition demands attention in certain scenarios, the benefits certainly outweigh any considerations. We're excited to see how these enhancements transform your testing workflows.Upgrade to Katalon Studio 9.x today!
 

Make sure to join our Katalon Community forum to get the latest updates on the Katalon Platform and to connect with and receive support from other Katalon users: Katalon Community – The Official Discussion Forum of Katalon. We love our community feedback.