Test frameworks and automation

Composal vs Detox

Detox is tailored to native React Native application tests and can coordinate with app internals. Composal verifies web apps from the browser and explores additional user-facing behavior.

See where each fits ↓

Two workflows, side by side

Composal

Composal sends AI browser agents to use your running web app and check the outcomes you care about. Define journeys as plain-English Scenarios, map existing flows with Discovery, or explore for bugs with Deep Scan. Runs keep recordings and reproduction steps so your team or coding agent can investigate a Finding.

Verify documentation →

Detox

React Native end-to-end testing

Detox is an open-source end-to-end testing framework for React Native apps. It uses a gray-box approach with access to application internals and provides synchronization for mobile test execution.

What each tool does

“With setup” means you supply code or configuration. “Not confirmed” means support for this workflow needs checking with the vendor.

Composal and Detox workflow capabilities
Workflow	Composal	Detox
Run browser journeys	Yes Run saved browser Scenarios and return recordings and reproducible Findings.	With setup Automates native mobile app journeys; confirm web coverage separately if your release also includes a web app.
Map application workflows	Yes Discovery maps key application areas and user journeys.	Not confirmed Check whether this product includes this workflow in your intended plan and setup.
Explore for unexpected issues	Yes Deep Scan explores the running application and reports reproducible issues.	Not confirmed Check whether this product includes this workflow in your intended plan and setup.
Describe checks in plain English	Yes Author Scenarios around the intended user outcome, then review the steps and expected results.	With setup Write executable tests, scripts, or structured keywords to define the steps and expected results.
Run or inspect from a terminal	Yes Use the CLI to start and inspect verification runs and their Findings.	With setup Run configured tests through the product’s supported developer tools or CI integration.

Where each fits

Choose Detox when your product’s critical surface is a React Native mobile application. Choose Composal when the release includes a web app journey that needs hosted browser Scenarios and exploratory Findings.

Try this evaluation

Take a cross-platform account journey with shared backend rules. Run Detox against the native flow and Composal against the web flow; compare coverage of the common requirement and how defects are reproduced.

Coverage: Which user outcomes must this release prove, and which specialist checks must stay in your existing stack?
Setup: Who prepares accounts, test data, permissions and access to the deployment being tested?
Evidence: Can the engineer reproduce a reported failure from the recording and steps, without asking the tester to investigate again?
Ownership: Who updates the checks when the product changes, and can the team review what a passing result actually proves?