Difference between TestNG and
JUnit framework
TestNG vs. JUnit
Both TestNG and JUnit are popular Java testing frameworks, but they differ in several key areas:
| Feature | TestNG | JUnit |
|---|---|---|
| Inception | 2004 by Cédric Beust | 1997 by Kent Beck and Erich Gamma |
| Annotations | Rich set including @BeforeSuite, @DataProvider | Core annotations like @Before, @After, @Test |
| Test Configuration File | Uses testng.xml for suite and group definitions | No native XML configuration (JUnit 5 has junit-platform.xml for configuration only) |
| Dependency Management | Supports method/group dependencies (dependsOnMethods) | No built-in dependency features |
| Data-Driven Testing | Built-in @DataProvider support | Parameterized tests via JUnitParams or JUnit 5 @ParameterizedTest |
| Parallel Execution | Native support via parallel attribute in XML | Parallel execution added in JUnit 5 with @Execution annotations |
| Test Grouping | Flexible grouping using groups attribute | Tagging in JUnit 5 via @Tag |
| Exceptions and Timeouts | expectedExceptions, timeOut attributes | assertThrows, @Test(timeout) in JUnit 4 |
| Suite Reports | Generates detailed HTML and XML reports by default | Basic reports; enhanced with third-party tools |
| Extensibility | Listeners (ITestListener), reporters, custom hooks | Extensions API in JUnit 5 |
| IDE Integration | Excellent support in Eclipse and IntelliJ | Native support across most IDEs |
| Community and Ecosystem | Widely used in enterprise, strong Selenium integration | Strong open-source community, evolving ecosystem |
Choosing Between Them
Use TestNG when you need advanced configuration, dependency management, and data-driven testing out of the box.
Use JUnit (especially JUnit 5) for simplicity, lighter-weight tests, and when adhering to a more standardized industry framework is desired.
Both frameworks are under active development and can be extended with plugins and libraries to bridge feature gaps.
