Yes, the Structured Data Testing Tool is sunsetting.
One of my absolute favorite tools, Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool, is being replaced by the Rich Snippets Results Test.
Google is definitely known for keeping us on our toes with product updates. Always putting out new features, replacements and updating guidelines to help us make the web a better place.
The Rich Results Test has the look and feel of the new Search Console and the mobile testing tool. Hopefully that familiarity will calm the anxiety of something new and forgien.
If you are feeling anxiety, fear not! This tool comes with the same great points of the Structured Data Testing tool.
First, it highlights Structured Data! It may be strange at first but the Structured Data is still broken down into nodes that you can expand to look into further detail. Instead of the left/right layout though, the mobile-first/single-column, is where the data is displayed. When in doubt, just keep scrolling.
Second, Rendered HTML. You can still see where the schema code is being rendered in your website. The highlighting feature has definitely been improved. Each attribute can be highlighted and displayed in a very clean manner.
Third, the tool links to learning resources. A great improvement to the tool is adding links to learning resources about each Rich Snippet, Search console and other Rich Snippets including how to best leverage them.
Plus as a bonus, the tool delivers some functionality of The Mobile Friendly Testing tool by showing partially loaded resources, Rendered HTML Search Functionality, and previews.
As a lifelong learner I welcome seeing new products and tools that are developed to improve upon the previous iteration instead of just updating the user interface.