Test Automation Without Breaking Roles: TestBench in Visual Studio Code

In many test projects, two worlds come together:
technical experts who design tests from a business perspective, and developers who automate those tests. Efficient collaboration often fails not because of missing expertise, but because both groups are forced to work in separate tools, with different views on the same subject and a high coordination effort.

This is exactly where the TestBench extension for Visual Studio Code comes in. It connects test management and test automation without changing established roles, responsibilities, or processes.

Test Design Remains in TestBench

One important point upfront:
Tests are still created in TestBench.

Technical experts use TestBench to model test cases in a structured way — using clear workflows, business-readable language, and reusable libraries. This business-oriented test design remains fully anchored in test management and does not require any programming skills.

Visual Studio Code is not intended to replace TestBench, but to complement it as a focused workspace for technical automation.

Visual Studio Code as the Developer Workspace

The Visual Studio Code extension connects TestBench and Robot Framework into a Developers work where they are already productive: in Visual Studio Code.
The TestBench extension brings the relevant context from test management directly into the IDE. TestBench projects, test object versions, and test cases are visible without switching tools.

This allows automation engineers to write, maintain, and execute test code, while business ownership of the tests remains with the domain experts.

Libraries as a Shared Language

The key to effective collaboration lies in TestBench libraries.

Technical experts define reusable business-level building blocks and combine them into test cases. These libraries are keyword-based and represent the business view of the system under test.

The VS Code extension links these keywords directly to the corresponding automation resources. Developers implement or extend the keywords in Visual Studio Code, while technical experts use them in TestBench to create new tests.

Both sides work on the same content — each using the tool best suited to their role.

Synchronized Keywords Instead of Duplicate Maintenance

To prevent business models and technical implementations from drifting apart, the extension supports bidirectional keyword synchronization. Changes can be selectively aligned between TestBench and Robot Framework.

New keywords created during development can be made available in TestBench directly. Libraries remain consistent and usable at all times — without manual rework or parallel documentation.

From Business Tests to Executable Automation

Once test cases are modeled in TestBench using the defined libraries, executable automated tests can be generated. These tests follow the structure defined in test management and are ready to run immediately.

After local execution, the results can be imported back into TestBench. Technical experts see the outcomes exactly where the tests were created — without having to deal with logs, files, or command-line tools.

Conclusion: Clear Roles, one Shared Workflow

The TestBench extension for Visual Studio Code improves collaboration without disrupting established ways of working:

• Technical experts design tests in TestBench
• Developers implement automation in Visual Studio Code
• Libraries connect business and technical perspectives
• Test results flow back into test management

The result is a continuous test process that clearly separates business intent and technical implementation — while tightly integrating both.

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