AccelQ Getting Started Guide: AI-Native Test Automation Without Code

AccelQ is an AI-native, codeless test automation platform. No scripting, no framework setup, no Selenium boilerplate. You define tests in natural language, AccelQ's engine handles execution. This guide walks you through setup and your first test in plain, direct terms.

What AccelQ Actually Is

AccelQ is a cloud-based SaaS platform designed for teams who need test automation without a dedicated automation engineer. It covers web, mobile, API, desktop, and Salesforce testing from a single interface. The key differentiator is that business analysts and QA engineers without programming skills can build and maintain tests.

The platform runs on an AI engine that understands UI structure, adapts to application changes, and recovers tests that would otherwise break when developers modify layouts. This matters because brittle tests are the primary reason automation projects fail — teams spend more time fixing tests than writing them.

Account Setup

AccelQ is SaaS-only. There is no on-premise option for standard licenses. To get started:

1. Sign up at accelq.com — free trial is available
2. Create a workspace (one per organization)
3. Add project members and assign roles: Admin, Manager, Tester, Viewer

Roles matter. Admins configure integrations and manage environments. Testers create and run tests. Viewers can only read reports. Set this up correctly from day one rather than giving everyone admin access.

Installing the AccelQ Agent

AccelQ tests run through a local agent installed on the machine where the browser or app lives. Download the agent from the AccelQ portal.

For Windows:

• Run the installer, accept defaults
• The agent registers itself to your workspace automatically using a token from the portal
• Confirm it appears as "Connected" in the Agents section of your workspace

For macOS/Linux:

• Download the agent package
• Extract and run ./start-agent.sh
• Same token-based registration

You can also run agents on CI machines (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps). AccelQ has pre-built plugins for all three. For CI, use headless browser mode — AccelQ supports Chrome headless out of the box.

Creating Your First Test

AccelQ uses a concept called Test Scenarios organized inside Test Projects. The hierarchy is: Workspace → Project → Scenario → Steps.

Step 1: Create a Test Project Name it after your application or feature area. Set the target URL for web tests.

Step 2: Create a Scenario A scenario is a single test case. Name it descriptively: "User can log in with valid credentials" rather than "Login test 1".

Step 3: Add Steps AccelQ has two input modes:

• Natural Language Mode: Type "Click the Login button" or "Enter 'admin@example.com' in the Email field". AccelQ parses this and maps it to UI elements automatically.
• Record Mode: AccelQ records browser actions as you perform them. This is faster for initial capture but produces lower-quality steps that often need cleanup.

Natural language mode produces more maintainable tests. Use record mode as a draft, then refine with natural language.

Step 4: Add Assertions Steps without assertions are not tests — they're scripts. Add assertions explicitly: "Verify the Dashboard header is visible" or "Verify the URL contains '/dashboard'". AccelQ validates these during execution.

Running Your Test

Select the scenario, choose an agent (local or CI), pick a browser, and click Run. AccelQ streams execution in real time. Each step shows pass/fail status with a screenshot.

Failed steps include:

• Screenshot at point of failure
• The expected vs actual state
• The element AccelQ attempted to interact with

This is enough to diagnose most failures without re-running anything.

Organizing Tests for Scale

A few patterns that hold up when you have hundreds of tests:

Use reusable components. AccelQ supports shared step libraries. Login flows, navigation sequences, data setup — define these once, reference them from multiple scenarios. When the login page changes, you update one component, not 50 tests.

Use test data parameterization. AccelQ supports data-driven testing via CSV or Excel files. One scenario, multiple data rows, multiple test runs. Use this for anything where you want to verify behavior across multiple inputs without duplicating test logic.

Tag everything. AccelQ supports tags on scenarios. Tag by feature area, by sprint, by priority. This lets you run subsets: tag:smoke, tag:regression, tag:checkout. CI pipelines should run smoke tests on every commit and full regression on a schedule.

Integrations to Configure Early

Set up these integrations before you have a large test suite:

• Jira: Link failing tests directly to Jira issues. When a test fails, AccelQ can auto-create a bug with screenshot, step log, and environment info.
• CI/CD: Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or Azure DevOps plugins. AccelQ provides native plugins — use them instead of shell scripts.
• Slack or Teams: Alert channels for test run completions and failures. Teams need visibility into test results without logging into AccelQ.

Common First-Week Mistakes

Over-recording. Recording every test is tempting but produces fragile, brittle steps tied to exact pixel coordinates. Record as a starting point, then clean up with natural language steps.

Skipping the agent health check. If an agent is disconnected, tests queue silently. Always verify agent status before kicking off a run.

Not using components. Building the login flow into every test separately creates a maintenance nightmare. Extract shared flows into components from test 1.

AccelQ's learning curve is shallow compared to Selenium or Playwright. The main investment is understanding how to structure scenarios and components well — the platform handles the execution complexity.