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To get started with Katalon Studio, install and activate Studio, create a project for the kind of application you want to test, record or write a small test, run it locally, and review its log and report. This guide follows Katalon’s official beginner workflow for a web test; mobile, desktop, API, and BDD testing use their own guidance.
Before you begin
Katalon’s Quick guide for testers lists a Katalon account and downloaded, activated Studio as prerequisites. Katalon’s installation guide covers macOS, Windows, and Linux; it specifies a valid email address and internet connection for downloading. Its Linux instructions specify OpenJDK 21, a platform-specific detail rather than a universal Studio requirement. Check the current installation guidance for supported operating systems and version-specific requirements before installing: Install Katalon Studio.
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Choose a project type
In Studio, select File > New > Project. Choose a project name, type, starting point, location, and description. Katalon distinguishes the standard project types—Generic, Web, Mobile, and Desktop—from the dedicated API/Web Service project type. Pick the one matching what you intend to test: a web test project is the appropriate starting point for the browser workflow below. The available choices are described in Create a project.
You can start with a blank project or a sample project. When creating a blank project, Studio can optionally generate a .gitignore file or a build.gradle file. A sample project may help you explore an existing setup; a blank one keeps the first exercise focused on your own test.
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Record your first web test
Katalon’s quick guide demonstrates a browser test against the CURA Healthcare Service demo. The recorder captures browser interactions and the objects involved; you can then inspect and edit the resulting test case in Studio.
- Open your web project in Katalon Studio and choose Record Web.
- Enter the CURA Healthcare Service demo URL shown in Katalon’s quick guide, then choose a browser.
- Use the browser to perform a short scenario on the demo site, following the guide’s example.
- Stop recording and save the generated script and captured objects to the Object Repository when prompted.
- Review the recorded actions and objects in the test case editor. The quick-guide example verifies that the Make appointment heading is present after login.
For the recorder’s workflow and the example sequence, see Katalon’s Quick guide for testers. The recording is a starting point, not a substitute for reviewing what the test actually does: check its steps, expected result, and saved objects before relying on it.
Run the test and inspect the result
Run the test locally from Studio in a browser. After execution, inspect the execution log to see which steps passed or failed and use the generated report to review the run. Katalon’s execution guide lists report formats including JUnit, HTML, PDF, and CSV: Run tests.
If a test fails, use the log to identify the failing step before changing the test. A failure can reflect a test expectation or locator that needs attention, a changed page, or a problem loading or interacting with the site. The log and report document what happened in that execution; they do not by themselves establish the cause.
Pick a next execution path
- Local browser execution: best for learning the test and debugging it in Studio.
- Runtime Engine command line: a next step when you want to execute tests through Katalon’s command-line tooling. The quick guide identifies Runtime Engine as an option.
- Test Execution – Cloud: a cloud execution option named in the quick guide. Access depends on the applicable subscription. Because plan and trial terms can change, check Katalon’s current product information before choosing it; the guide describes a 30-day trial, but that duration should not be assumed to remain current.
Katalon’s documentation explains the available routes, but does not establish a comparative price or performance ranking among them. Choose based on whether you need a local debugging loop, command-line execution, or cloud environments and access.
Troubleshoot browser recording
Recorder does not work with Chrome
Katalon’s Recorder documentation warns of a compatibility issue involving Chrome 142 with Studio versions 8.x and 9.x. The documented workarounds are Edge Chromium, Firefox, or Active Browser mode. This warning is limited to those Studio versions; check the current support page and your installed Studio version before applying it: Web Recorder and Spy utility.
Recorded test does not pass
Open the execution log and locate the first failed step. Confirm that the page loaded, the expected element is present, and the saved object or expected text still matches the page. If the issue is specific to recording rather than test execution, try a documented compatible browser or mode for your Studio version.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep learning
After the first test, Katalon Help lists onboarding tours, video demos, and online courses from beginner to advanced. Browse its getting-started resources to continue with the project type and execution approach you need. For project types beyond web, use the relevant Mobile, Desktop, API, or BDD guidance rather than assuming the web-recording steps apply.
Or skip the browser setup
If your goal is a screenshot rather than an automated Katalon test, ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server for developers. One GET request can return a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF, without setting up a browser recorder. Its clean-shot flow accepts cookie or consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each step can be turned off. Bot checks and CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and response headers indicate the page verdict and billing status. An MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for AI agents.
Example cURL request (replace the URL with the page you want):
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options and response details. ScreenshotNeo’s Free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Sign up for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Katalon Studio for API testing?
Yes. When creating a project, choose the dedicated API/Web Service project type and follow Katalon’s API-specific guidance rather than the web recorder steps.
Does a recorded test need editing?
Review the generated steps, saved objects, and expected result in the test case editor before treating the test as ready to use.
Quick Recap
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