Launch HN: Rainforest QA (YC S12) – No-Code UI Test Automation

The workflow for creating tests in Reflect is pretty similar to Rainforest: we both expose a "cloud browser" that loads up your webapp and you interact with that to create your tests. The biggest difference workflow-wise is that Reflect records all your actions automatically, whereas with Rainforest you often need to both specify what step you're going to take, and then actually perform that action in the browser itself. Recording everything automatically is technically harder to pull off since it's forced us to ensure we accurately record every step you take, but we think it makes for a better workflow since you can create tests faster, and there's less chance of inaccuracies that cause tests to not be repeatable.

I would quibble with the statement that you need to be far more technical to use Reflect - we're a no-code product after all. :) We have plenty of folks who aren't developers using our product. But the good thing is that both products have free tiers, so users can always give us both a try for free and decide for themselves.

Edit: Also their statement about Reflect running in headless mode is incorrect. Our test grid is a cluster of VMs: we spin up a Docker container for each test run, and each Docker container is running the test steps using a normal non-headless browser.

Depending on what you mean; assuming it's the security angle:

TLDR; carefully

At a high level, most of our customers are testing in QA - not production - so usually the only proprietary information (outside of credentials to access it) we'd see is something they'd be releasing shortly anyway. However, we take security seriously;

Our infrastructure and code is heavily tested + reviewed before shipping, as well as externally audited yearly. Currently we're checked yearly for HIPAA, and from this have strong internal controls / processes, documentation and guidelines around access controls, how-things-are-done, and audited. Everything is encrypted at rest and transit (db, logs, images, etc). All the testing is done through our infra, recorded (video, kvm) and logged (http, https, dns, etc). Obviously we never re-use a VM, they're destroyed post use.

From the crowd side, they test using the same machines as automation uses (i.e. all the same logging levels as above). Additionally, each individual is KYC'd and signs an NDA with us before they can work. Enterprise, or folks needing BAAs have a sub-crowd with extra levels of KYC / other requirements.

We're currently early in starting being formally SOC 2, but it's not complete. More details here - https://go.rainforestqa.com/rs/601-CFF-493/images/Rainforest...