Appium mobile testing is an open-source tool and system for automating mobile web, native, and hybrid applications on both iOS and Android platforms. It runs great on native apps – the ones that are written utilizing the iOS or Android SDKs, mobile web applications that are reached utilizing a mobile browser and hybrid apps that are using the webview and are covered within your app.
It has NO reliance on Mobile device OS. Since APPIUM has wrapper or framework that makes the translation of Selenium Webdriver commands into UIAutomator (Android) or UIAutomation (iOS) commands relying upon the type of device, no OS type.
All languages that have Selenium client libraries are supported by the Appium such as – Objective-C, Java, JavaScript with node.js, Ruby, PHP, Python, C#, and so on.
But today, we’ll try to propose the fresh look at this system. There are several diverse blogs out there that concentrate on Appium and give tips and tricks for different topics. In this blog series, we will disclose to you the possible errors one might encounter using Appium.
Let’s begin.
Error #1. Could not connect to Lockdownd (on iOS)
Exiting
sudochmod -R 777 /var/db/lockdown/
In case that you still face the problem then use below steps to solve the issue-
try to uninstall the ios-webkit-debug-proxy and install once more.
brew uninstall — force libimobiledeviceios-webkit-debug-proxy
brew install — HEAD libimobiledeviceios-webkit-debug-proxy
OR
brew update
brew reinstall — HEAD libimobiledevice
brew reinstall -s ios-webkit-debug-proxy
Error #2. Misusing XPath
Misusing XPath locators is a mutual mistake with Selenium, in spite of the fact that it’s more unfortunate error in the Appium environment.
Appium XPath is a great method to discover elements, yet it accompanies a really enormous execution cost. This is because of XML-and XPath-type questions, that are not locally given by Apple and Google – in any event in the form that we’d prefer them to be.
This drives Appium to make a ton of costly calls in the engine to help to discover elements assuredly when utilizing XPath.
So, you can utilize XPath, however, there are far superior locator methods you can apply – such as the accessibility IDs.
Error #3. Script taking longer to Load (on iOS)
The script will be taking forever to load and launch on a real device.
Try these ways to solve the error –
If before installed, then uninstall or delete the WebDriverAgent app from your real test simulator or device.
In case that uninstalling doesn’t fix the issue, restart the mobile and attempt running your tests.
Error #4. The Issue during swiping down action on the iOS Device
When the configuration is done and the execution is triggered, strangely there are issues simply for the scripts in which there was a swipe down action to perform for opening the spotlight search on the phone.
There is a potential suspect for this unknown server error. This is –
driver.manage().window().getSize();
The reason behind the error was WDA. So, clean it and build it over.
1. Open the WebDriverAgent.xcodeproj in Xcode and choose WebDriverAgentRunner in the scheme prior to developing, ensure that it is signed.
2. Start the runner by running the tests.
3. In case all is fine, the screen on the device will become black and afterward revert to the application screen. The newly installed WebDriverAgentRunner. on the phone is seen.
4. The server is working while the tests run.
Error #5. Found Internal Error while running the Command. (on iOS)
Error: Could not initialize ios-deploy make sure it is installed (npm install -g ios-deploy) and works on your system.
You have to ensure that you have enabled turned ON the UI Automation toggle running Appium scripts for the device.
Settings > Developer > Enable UI Automation
Additionally, note that while working with native safari, make sure you begin the iOS debug proxy, also that the connection to your device is set prior to starting of the appium server either through app UI or the command line.
In the terminal, run these commands –
ios_webkit_debug_proxy -c <device udid>:27753
Start appium
Now try running your test scripts.
Error #6. Could not find adb. Please set the ANDROID_HOME environment variable with the Android SDK root directory path.
You apparently need to configure the SDK root directory path in system ‘Environment Variables’ under ‘Path’ column. Error- The following desired capabilities are needed but were not provided: platformName, device Name
Add needed capabilities: platformName, device Name in APPIUM script.
Error #7. Error on connecting the real iOS device with Appium server
When you open an app through Appium server though get the following error – An unknown server-side error occurred while processing the command. Original error: Unknown device or simulator UDID: ‘046e4469d6cb14ff57e378599bd4b1d09390472b’
{
“platformName”: “iOS”,
“deviceName”: “iPad”,
“automationName”: “XCUITest”,
“udid”: “046e4469d6cb14ff57e378599bd4b1d09390472b”,
“bundleId”: “com.***”,
“platformVersion”: “11.2.6”,
“app”: “/Users/***/***.ipa”
}
To solve the issue, use the below-given configuration –
{
“platformName”: “iOS”,
“platformVersion”: “10.2.1″,
“deviceName”: “——”,
“udid”: “fdbe0d55ced1fd6fa842681b6a058438573fb762″,
“app”: “/Users/—-/—/—/—.ipa”,
“automationName”: “XCUITest”
}
Depending upon app path, it will detect the app that needs to be loaded, further, you have to implement the iOS version (device OS version for the device or XCode ios simulator version for simulator/).
Error #8. Xcode9.1+IOS 11.1.2+APPIUM1.2.7 runtime throws exceptions,’11.1.2’does not exist in the list of simctl SDKs. (on iOS)
Run with the accessible version of the simulator.
Error #9. Running iOS test.
Error message – [INST STDERR] posix spawn failure; aborting launch
Your app is not assembled precisely for the device or simulator.
Error #10. Issue while running mobile safari test.
Error message – Could not prepare mobile safari with version ‘7.1’
You apparently have to run the authorize script newly to make the iOS SDK files writeable.
Error #11. Appium Java JUnit test package unzip failed (on Linux x86_64 or Mac)
You will see the following error message – Warning We could not open your test ZIP file. Please verify that the file is valid and try again.
You have to ensure that you can unzip the test package with no errors. In the following case, the name of the package is zip-with-dependencies.zip.
Copy your test package in your working directory. Then run the given command –
$ unzip zip-with-dependencies.zip
When you have successfully unzipped the package, you can see the operating directory tree structure by running the below-given command –
$ tree .
A valid Appium Java JUnit package must provide an output as following –
|— acme-android-appium-1.0-SNAPSHOT.jar (this is the JAR containing everything built from the ./src/main directory)
|— acme-android-appium-1.0-SNAPSHOT-tests.jar (this is the JAR containing everything built from the ./src/test directory)
|— zip-with-dependencies.zip (this .zip file contains all of the items)
`— dependency-jars (this is the directory that contains all of your dependencies, built as JAR files)
|— com.some-dependency.bar-4.1.jar
|— com.another-dependency.thing-1.0.jar
|— joda-time-2.7.jar
`— log4j-1.2.14.jar
With the advent of new technologies and strategies for web applications, the time taken to write and deploy programs reduced tremendously. In such scenarios, nowadays most of the testing is also done by the developers themselves. As a result there were many code based test automation platforms that were brought into the market.
Test automation framework is a common platform for developers to provide an execution environment for test scripts. Every framework has its unique guidelines, procedures and rules for test creation and implementation. There is hundreds of automation frameworks developed over the years by various automation communities. But developers and organizations find it difficult to understand and decide which framework to choose and why.
Not to forget, automation framework is not a tool to perform your tests, but rather its an infrastructure that defines what different systems can do their tasks and how efficiently. Test Framework Designing
Any proposed test automation platform should provide rules and guidelines that help you to create test cases. The framework should be user friendly and allow the team to get desired results for the tests. Such automated frameworks should improve the quality life of QA professionals by making their testing activities more fun and efficient.
For examples, the following guidelines can be followed in your framework.
Standards for coding
Repositories of objects
Test data methodologies
saving and storing results
Any other external assistance
Benefits of Employing Automated Frameworks
So how will you known that automated frameworks is working for you? Well, if your framework provides the following benefits, then b rest assured that you’ve got your framework right on the track.
Low cost of maintenance
Consistency in testing
Creating reusable code
minimizing manual intervention
Distinctive Programmability and Shelf Life
Automated frameworks can bring a lot of benefits to your testing life cycle. Many organizations still prefer and run manual tests because they are unaware about properly integrating automated tests in their development process.
Below are test automation frameworks approaches that are widely used in industries. Data Driven Framework
Data Driven framework is the most used test automation software in the market today. The method follows a process where test cases are built in an excel sheet and then it is imported into the automation testing tool. Data driven framework allows building positive, as well as negative test cases in one go.
Many a times there might seem a need to have a number of data sets for the same single functionality and running different data manually is very time consuming. In such cases, data driven framework comes as a saver. For e.g. when we want to test multiple fields of forms like login/register/signup etc. we don’t create separate data sets. Linear Automation Framework
Also known as ‘Record and Playback’, this is one of the simplest frameworks of all. In this framework, the manual tester manually records all the steps including navigation and user inputs, and inserts checkpoints. He can then play back the recorded script in subsequent rounds.
Linear automation framework is the fastest way to generate scripts. You do not require automations experts to perform the tests. The testing tools are very easy to use and understand. Table Driven Framework
Table driven testing, also known as keyword driven testing, is a framework famous for its use to both manual as well as automation testing. The framework is based on the idea of using data files that contain keywords related to the application that is being tested. These keywords define a set of actions required to carry out a particular function.
Keywords are of 2 types, high-level and low-level keywords. Hence before you opt for this framework, you first define the set of keywords and then associate them to a set of actions or functions. Modular Based Testing Framework
The most basic type of automation framework that is used today is the modular based testing framework. In this framework, each business module and functionality is separated out and taken care of separately. Hence it is also called the ‘Test Script Modularity Framework.
The testing framework requires creating of small, independent scripts that depict the working of the modules, functions and sections under test. This small tests are then clubbed together to create a larger test to construct a bigger module. Library Architecture Testing Framework
Library Architecture Testing Framework initially works by Linear automation framework, which follows the ‘Record and Playback’ system. At a later stage, the results and identified and grouped together into various functions. These functions are then called from the main script and used in different cases.
Similar to the modular framework, this framework will provide higher level of modularization, which makes maintenance and scalability easier and more cost effective. The only drawback includes that this framework requires a higher level of expertise to analyse the common functions of the test cases. Hybrid Testing Framework
As the name suggests, hybrid framework inculcates 2 or more testing frameworks from the above list. The best thing about this framework is that it offers you all the benefits provided by different testing frameworks.
Hybrid framework is a component based architecture that will give you reusable components that are designed to be re-used in different aspects. However, some components are designed only for a specific task. Conclusion
The best approach for implementing a framework is to find the right tool which quickly adapts to your processes. While selecting an automation framework, look for the one that is flexible and supports a wide range of languages and third party applications. This will allow your team to save a lot of time and contribute to their testing efforts.
When you think about implementing the hybrid framework, remember, there are times when there is a requirement of a standard framework for tests. During a situation when there are multiple modules of an application and there are more number of developers involved who encompass their own idea of implementing automation,a single framework is your life saver.
Mobile apps have become the ultimate solution for every organization to conduct their businesses. Thus, the usage of mobile apps has been soaring heights in these recent years. While many of the apps perform the function of storing and displaying data, other apps are involved in transmitting some of the sensitive data. However, with higher power come great responsibilities. Thus, it is essential that the organizations safeguard their apps alongside enjoying the tremendous benefits that these apps provide.
Mobile app security works in an entirely different way than any of the traditional applications. Time is of the essence when it comes to the latest mobile universe. Developers are always in a rush when putting together a mobile app that they sometimes forget to implement the most critical security measures that should be performed.
Thus we have come up with a quick checklist that you could refer to when building your mobile apps.
Penetration Tests
One of the best ways to avoid security risks is by running pen tests on your mobile applications against the various vulnerabilities. Penetration testing includes hacking into the mobile apps and imitating both general and mobile-specific attacks. It also provides replication of the attacker’s action to extract confidential information.
Every device tremendously varies with regards to the features and operating systems. Thus, there are unique challenges that appear when running penetration tests. However, this method shouldn’t be avoided because it is an absolute necessity when it comes to detecting loopholes in a system. If left unseen, these loopholes could grow to become potential threats that give access to the mobile’s data and features.
Source Code Encryption
Almost all the codes in a native mobile app are left on the client’s side. Mobile malware often targets vulnerabilities in the code and design to pose a threat to the mobile applications. Before the attack, the attackers can extract a public copy of the application. They reverse-engineer the application so that the codes could be plundered and malicious codes could be inserted. After which they are further posted on third-party app stores to trick the people who install them.
Furthermore, be extra careful when using codes from third-party libraries. Check the code thoroughly to make sure that it doesn’t have any security flaw. Third-party libraries can be a lifesaver when working on time-consuming projects; however, they can sometimes be extremely insecure for your apps.
Threats like these can take an organization’s reputation downhill. Developers should thus put extreme care when building an app and include tools to detect and close security vulnerabilities. Developers should even make their applications robust against any tampering and reverse-engineering too. Minimisation would make the code harder to interpret; however, they won’t necessarily ensure secrecy. Keeping the codes a secret is of utmost importance, and encryption provides the most efficient and highest security making the code unreadable.
Security of the Device
A mobile application can only remain secure if the phone is secure. Otherwise, when a mobile is ‘rooted’ or ‘jailbroken’, it points at the authentic software restrictions that have been compromised. By making an application ‘risk-aware’, enterprises are given the ability to put a limitation on particular functionalities, sensitive data, and enterprise resources. Moreover, enterprises are asked to not wholly depend on native app development platforms, as these platforms are not always resistant to mobile security threats.
Thus, it is wise to choose intelligent sources and quality application services to keep track of the apps and their associated risks.
Protecting Data in the Transit
Data is always transmitted from clients to servers, and it needs to be protected to keep away from privacy leaks. It might seem like an unimportant task to most of the developers, but it is never a better option to be ignorant when the security of an app is at stake. Using either an SSL or VPN tunnel is highly advisable when you are trying to safeguard the data that is being sent from a client to the server.
A risk-aware transaction should be embraced by the entire organization to restrict risk factors regarding the mobile applications.
File-Level and Database Encryption
The bandwidth and varying connection quality imply the importance of more client-side code and the vast amount of data stored on a device. Unlike desktop applications, mobile applications are required to stay on the device itself. Moreover, this very fact has a significant impact on the security. Most developers design the mobile app in a way that the data is stored in the local file system. However, by default, these can’t encrypt the data and thus leave a major loophole for potential vulnerabilities.
To overcome this, modules that can encrypt the data should be put to use. They can provide file-level encryption and can be very helpful when it comes to amplifying security.
High-Level Authentication
Security breaches usually happen due to the lack of high-level authentication. Authentication refers to passwords and other personal identifiers that are put to act as a hindrance to entry. Only the users with the right identifier can access the information, whereas the others are left out. However, when working as a developer, this mainly depends on the end users. Thus, encouraging the users to grow more sensitive towards authentication would be the best way to avoid security breaches.
Developers should design the apps in such a way that it only accepts strong alphanumerical passwords. Additionally, makes sure that the app makes the user change these passwords in every three or six months. In case of extremely sensitive apps, biometric authentication should be employed such as fingerprints and retina scan.
Now that you have the complete checklist of security measures that you should take when developing an app, you would prove to be a sinecure. However, it is advisable that every developer become extra careful, and put all the safety measures to use to make the application as strong as an ox.
Today, we use mobile phones practically for everything from shopping for clothes to performing business activities, so mobile security has prominence than ever.
There are so many apps available in the market that you are confused which is the right one for your needs and also the most secure. Before going to that, you must know about the three basic types of mobile applications:
Native Applications – mobile applications that run on a specific platform. For example, iOS apps like Health, Voice Memos, and Find iPhone that works on an iPhone.
Web Applications – these are websites that you can access using any smartphone.
Hybrid Applications – mobile apps that can be used on different operating systems. Some of the classic examples are Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Here are seven important activities that developers and businesses should perform to check the security of their mobile applications:
Hack Proof Code
It is common for mobile apps to be attacked with malware and data breaches. It means that developers need to be extra attentive while writing code, which is reliable and free from any backdoors. Robust code is the secret to error-free and hack-proof mobile application, which forms an integral part of its mobile security. One way to test the application’s security is by checking if it doesn’t store, use, or transmit a lot of data.
Security Features
A mobile app is made for functioning on different systems including Android, iOS, platforms, and devices. While making a hybrid application, the software developer should be careful about features, capabilities, and limitations of different operating systems. It will help the developer to optimize mobile security and make the mobile application hack proof.
User Permissions
Another way to secure your apps is by putting security measures at the application layer. It helps the app users to stay away from malicious applications by giving them the choice to select the mobile security setting level.
Third-party Libraries
Many application developers use third-party libraries, but there’s a lot of risk attached to them. They are vulnerable to malicious content, which means developers need to be extra careful from where they source the third-party library. Make sure you test the code before using it for your mobile application.
Features like social network connectivity are essential for proper functioning of a mobile app; therefore developers should pay particular attention to them while including it in the application. They should be managed in such a way that they don’t slow down the application.
Backend
A reliable and secure backend system is essential for developing an application. You must know that hackers get into an application mostly through its backend systems, so give it as much as importance you give to the frontend system. It is these little things that when you ignore makes your applications hacker-friendly.
Strict Testing
Security testing the application might be your least favorite part of the whole development process but it is the most critical one. To reduce the pile of work in the end, perform security testing after completion of each stage of the process, so that testing work is over soon after the development process is. Make sure you develop the mobile application according to national and international security regulations.
Steps involved in security testing of mobile applications:
1. Threat Modelling
In the first step of the process, you identify the threats to your mobile app. 2. Analysis of Vulnerability
In this step, you identify aspects of the mobile application that are vulnerable to be hacked, which are found by tests including Dynamic methods, forensic methods, and Runtime analysis.
3. Information about the Mobile Application
Make sure you gather as much information you can about the mobile app that you’ve developed. Reasons why Mobile Application Security Testing is an essential part of the Development Process for Companies: 1. Reputation of the Business
No one is going to download apps from a business that is continuously hacked or was hacked in the past. Downtime due to these security breaches could lead to huge amount of loss to any business and thus damaging their reputation in the market. Companies can’t be stubborn and cut costs on application security because it might lead to intangible expenses.
2. Business Mergers
Companies merge all the time because they bring in more business. If you plan to combine your app development company with another, you need to have clear records. It isn’t easy to find vulnerabilities but companies should have a holistic approach to app security.
3. Customer Safety
Mobile application market is expected to grow year-on-year. Customers have a big appetite, so it goes without saying that you need to pay close attention to safety measures taken while developing an app. Application security is as important as quality user interfaces and it’s also a healthy way to attract potential customers. 4. Time is Money
What do you prefer more? Going back to the same application because it gets hacked again and again or develop an app so perfect that is the most hack-proof? With the demand for mobile apps being more than ever, developers are in a race against time to meet deadlines, which only makes it right to make the application that is perfect in all sense.
5. Everything Counts
Let’s say you use a simple application to enter data or calculate interest, which you didn’t test well enough. Hackers get in it and cause a security breach and you might end up losing all your data, some of which will be confidential and might end your business. Hackers will give you a run for money if they crack into many such applications.
The first step to avoiding unnecessary risks is realising the importance of mobile application security. A new way to reduce cybercrimes is by preventing security mistakes in the development stage, which helps in the company’s success and safety of app users.
Have you ever considered how games are tested and released? The compelling mobile game testing system prompts a problem free and responsive gaming force to the end users.
The gaming business is evolving exponentially because of increment in applications utilization in mobiles. It is difficult to characterize a standard procedure for games testing techniques that should be custom-made as each game varies from each other. To begin with, aspects of Functionality and Usability must be analyzed.
Usability and Functionality testing are normal to a wide range of application testing. With the merging of the gaming and mobile technology, an exceptional and concentrated testing attempt is required.
Here we will specify how both the aspects work for mobile game testing.
Usability Tests
Humans are flawed. They may have bad eyesight or big fingers and tap the wrong key, misunderstand a command or pick the wrong interaction. All types of glitches will be found by your consistent application user thus you need to discover them before they do.
The usability test is performed for testing ease of use, navigation flow, and in the end, to check what sort of user experience your game has to offer. So, make sure that emulators and genuine mobiles are only used for testing. For instance, performance slowdowns are not at all difficult to uncover utilizing genuine devices. During the test, it checks interferences, how charger impacts to general performance and use, and battery consumption.
Also, to get the most ideal comprehension of how awesome usability and fun your game is offering ,it is vital to test the game for its execution as this will make either the positive or negative user encounter. These all significantly affect user experience – and greatly the user’s enjoyment level.
Apart from these fundamental purpose of Usability test is to
The buttons are set in a similar area of the screen to evade confusion to the end users.
The logical menus are not over-loaded since it must be utilized rapidly.
The app prompts the users whenever they begin downloading a lot of data which might be not favorable for the application execution.
The approval for the tapping zoom-in and zoom-out features ought to be equipped.
The app gives a strategy for undoing an action or going back, on touching the wrong thing, in an adequate time.
The rationale behind playing a game is only for fun reasons. Consequently, your games are relied upon to give entertainment along extraordinary user experience.Evaluating fun-factor demands some aesthetic imagination and critical thinking. Fun is conveyed just if every other part of the game cooperates accurately and it requires a great effort to achieve.
Thus, usability testing validates the effort and time needed so as to accomplish a specified activity and recognizes easily neglected mistakes. It includes user viewpoint testing, end-user interface testing, and user documentation testing.
Functional Tests
Functionality Testing is the most well-known type of game testing. Functional testing implies playing games to discover bugs.If done manually, it requires playing the game while the testing procedure is going on.It decides if the application is working as per the determinations.
Additionally, in some cases, automation is a reasonable choice in a few domains of functional testing.In the event that you comprehend your mobile application’s code, you can set up test automation system. Automated functional testing for mobile games can reveal issues identified with UI and graphics, game mechanism, integration of graphics resources, and resistance.
It’s a mind-boggling testing strategy under the classification of black box testing procedure. Sets aside more time to execute as analyzers search for graphics issues, game play problems, audio-visual issues, and so on. You have to get validations whether installation goes easily, the application works in limited mode, the application permits social media choices, supports payment portals, and much more.
The most crucial test situations in the functional testing can be considered to approve that
All the required obligatory fields are functioning as required.
The app goes into the minimized form if a user gets an incoming call.
The mobile can perform required multitasking prerequisites whenever it is important to do as such.
The installed app empowers different apps to perform thoroughly, and it does not feed into the memory of alternate apps.
The navigation between significant modules in the app is according to the prerequisite.
Perform Regression Testing to reveal new programming bugs in existing zones of a framework after changes have been made to them. Additionally, rerun earlier performed tests to confirm that the program manner hasn’t changed because of the changes.
While functional testing is dependably a fundamental action in mobile game testing strategy, the actual contrast between a successful mobile game and an average mobile game is realized by the significance given to the one of a kind characteristics and requirements of a mobile environment. Basically, end to end functional testing comprising of linear and non-linear action for your game is done to guarantee the executed functionality is free of bugs and uniform with your planned design.
Attributes:
Remembering the above goals, the game ought to have the accompanying attributes:
A complex or intriguing plot
Realistic graphics (including backgrounds, characters, and hardware) and sounds
Random plays to keep the player intrigued
Lesser known actualities to instruct the player
Facilitate players to manage as a team if it’s a multi-player game
Conclusion
Right from the starting phase, your prototype mobile game is out after generation, the testing steps start. The game designer’s part becomes dependent upon the prerequisites and proposals provided by the game tester. The project duties of a game tester are mostly divided into two parts: Firstly, identification and reporting of the game deformities.Secondly, assisting with its analyzing and verifying.
Once the game is made after passing these types of tests, it is sent to entertainment organizations like Electronic Arts, Sony, and Microsoft for their review and production. Lastly, on the permission of respective Censor sheets of the game, it is prepared to be commercially launched.
Since mobile testing involves testing the applications across different devices and platforms such as Android and iOS, the task can become quite hectic. Thankfully, there is way out of this, and that is to use the mobile automation tools. Though there are many mobile automation tools available at present, Appium proves to be the most effective and accessible.
Appium is flexible, feature-rich, scalable, and hugely helpful. And learning it would ease the job of every mobile tester. Well, if you are curious to know about Appium and its features, we can help you with that by providing necessary details.
Appium – The Open Source Mobile Application
Appium is just an open source mobile application for mobile automation. Appium supports native, hybrid, and web application automation test across physical devices including both an emulator and stimulator. It even enables cross-platform app testing where its real beauty lies.
Appium let the user write tests for multiple platforms including iOS, Android, and Windows Phone using the same API. It means that you could write a test for iOS and use the same test for Windows Phone and Android. It saves time and aids the software tester to reuse a large number of codes between different test suites.
Another great feature of Appium is that it has no dependency on Mobile device OS. It is because Appium has a framework or wrapper that could translate Selenium Webdriver commands to UIAutomation or UIAutomator commands based on the type of device. Furthermore, Appium supports almost all languages which have Selenium client libraries.
Appium even showcases a neat feature that can automate without recompiling the app. It means that the user doesn’t need to have access to the application code to work with Appium. Whereas, other mobile automation tools like Frank and Calabash demands the user to be aware of the app code to be able to work with it. Thus, you could test the same app which you will be going to submit to the app store.
A bonus comes along with the philosophy on which Appium is built. The theory follows four tenets which will be discussed below.
Appium Philosophy and the Four Tenets
No automation or recompiling your app – As we have read earlier, Appium doesn’t require an extra agent or an app code to work. Therefore, the user doesn’t have to recompile or modify the app to automate it.
No requirement of a specific language or framework – Appium supports all languages when it comes to writing tests. Ruby, Python, Java, Node.js, Objective, PHP and you name it. Users wouldn’t have to learn a new language to work with the tool.
No reinventing the wheel – A better tool for mobile application shouldn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to automation APIs. Appium uses WebDriver API, and so there is no hassle of reinventing the wheel by introducing an entirely new API.
A framework should be open source and practical – Appium is freely available to all the users and can be easily modified as per the user’s requirements. Furthermore, Appium is completely practical and real in spirit.
Appium and the Way It Works
Appium is an HTTP server written using a Node.js platform. It drives iOS and Android session using WebDriver JSON wire protocol. Once Appium is downloaded and installed on your device, a server is set up on the machine that gives REST API the required exposure. Later, it receives connection and command request from clients and takes necessary actions to execute the command.
Appium responds back using HTTP responses and uses mobile test automation frameworks to execute the request.
Prerequisites When Using Appium
Before you get started with Appium, you are required to install a few of the below-listed applications to work efficiently with Appium.
Android SDK
Java Development Kit
Eclipse
TestNG for Eclipse
Selenium Server
Appium Client Library
APK App Info on Google Play
Appium Desktop
Limitations of Using Appium
The most significant limiting factor of using Appium would be its inability to synchronise with AUT accurately. To put it simple words, while the automation tests are running, it may take some time for the action to complete. It may be waiting for some element to load or get ready so that the user can move forward to the next step. However, Appium doesn’t handle this situation diligently. One could put a “wait command” to overcome this delay. Nonetheless, this cannot act as a permanent solution and can turn your automation test to run slowly. Tools like Espresso and EarlyGrey could efficiently take care of situations like this.
Again, Appium is quite a tough tool to handle when you are a complete beginner in the process. You will also require a Mac system to run iOS tests, and iOS apps cannot be automated on Windows or Linux systems. This is due to the reason that Appium requires Xcode for iOS automation which is Mac-only at present.
Appium can again be a tough nut to crack when users look at it from the scalability perspective. Due to the technical limitations, users can only execute one test at a time Mac. This can be a great set back when buying Mac and buying multiple Macs to solve the situation can prove to be costly. Nonetheless, the only way to address this issue is to take aid from mobile cloud services such as SauceLabs.
Click on the below link to watch the tutorial for testing iOS apps with Appium. The video includes tutorials for setting up Appium on your device to writing the first test on OS X
Automating mobile application using Appium Selenium
Manual testing has become obsolete these days because it leads to more number of resources per task and increases cost per project. Automating regression and functional suites and tests with the help of Selenium and the WebDriver API is a good choice to reduce manual intervention and the cost associated. Selenium supports multiple programming languages like Java, Python, and Ruby and C #
Selenium has support of some of the largest browser vendors like Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Safari. Thus, Selenium is considered as one of the most preferred open source tools for automation testing. Now, let us delve into more detail how the website and web apps can be automated using Selenium.
How To Start With Selenium
First, you need to analyze the application you want to automate. Next, you should know whether you want to do it with record and play or writing robust, browser-based regression automation suites and tests.
If you don’t need a full-fledged framework and if the tests which you want to automate are quite simple then you can go for record and play feature of Selenium IDE. It is implemented as Chrome and Firefox Extension. It has intelligent field selection which can identify an element using ID, Class and Xpath.
You can even debug and set breakpoints. You can put all test cases in single project file which contains all test cases and suites. It is very easy to learn as selenese commands are quite simple and the best thing is that you can do it easily without having any programming knowledge.
Selenium RC can also be used for writing automated web application tests. You can write test in any programming language against any HTTP website using any JavaScript enabled browser. It comes in two parts. One is the server which automatically launches the browser and kills them. It also acts as a HTTP Proxy for web request from them.
Second are the client libraries. It can be used for AJAX based web user interfaces and for some new browser which gets launched in market. It is getting deprecated with the advent of selenium Web driver which eliminated the need of the server which acts as an intermediate between Browser and Java Client.
Selenium Web Driver is the most powerful tool of Selenium. It is extended version of Selenium RC. Web driver has given its support to many browsers like Opera, Safari, Chrome and Internet Explorer. Unlike Selenium RC, it don’t need server to be started prior to the execution. Selenium RC + Web driver API is combined known as Selenium 2.0. It can handle dynamic Web Pages and Ajax calls. Web driver makes direct calls to the Browser and the entire test script is executed using browser’s support and capabilities. Its speed of executing test cases against any browser is very fast as compared to Selenium RC and IDE.
With Web Driver you can deal with complex type of web elements like check boxes, drop downs and alerts. It can handle ajax calls and can switch between windows.
Now we will see how we can get started with seven basic steps of automating one application or web app. Before that you should have downloaded selenium jars and add them into your project’s build path.
Creating WebDriver Instance:
You need to create Webdriver instance. You can make a reference of WebDriver and you can have child object of its implementation classes like GoogleChrome, Internet Explorer or others.
WebDriver driver= new FirefoxDriver();
WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
WebDriver driver = new InternetExplorerDriver();
Also, keep in mind that if you are using ChromeDriver and InternetExplorerDriver then you need to set path for their executable file with the help of System.setproperty.
After making instance of webdriver now it is time to actually open the web application which you want to test. You can navigate to webdriver using get or navigate.to.URL() function.
driver. get(“URL”); // This will land you to our webpage which you want to test.
Locate an HTML Element on Webpage:
After you have landed on the webpage you can now interact with the webpage using HTML elements. There are many locators which you can use to find out the elements. They are name, class name, Xpath, CSS and ID. You can take help of firebug or developer tools to find out your desired element.
WebElement login = driver.findElement(By.id(“”)); // one example of locator
Perform an Action on WebElement :
When you have found web element, now comes turn to do some action on it. For example if it is username you can enter words from keyboard and if it is login button, you simply have to click on that.
username.sendKeys(“”); // for sending input from keyboard to username textbox
login.click(); // for clicking on login button
Anticipate The Browser Response to the Action:
Browser takes some time to actually load the page. You should have some default time wait for all the web elements till the life time of driver instance. This can be done by implicit wait in Selenium.
This time would be applicable for all web elements. But sometimes there is a situation when only one element takes longer time to load then in such cases you can use explicit wait.
You can have N number of conditions with wait object.
Close Browser Session
You can close the browser the required test is performed.
driver.close(); // will close the current session
Run Tests and Record Test Results Using a Test Framework
Whatever I have explained till now will help you to run a single test. You can even maintain a framework to run test suites with beautiful report generation. You can take help of Maven, POM and Test NG to make such a robust framework.
In this way, you will be able to run your test against any web application and web apps. Web Driver is very powerful amongst all selenium tools so, go for it. Learn some programming language and dwindle your manual efforts!!
Testing is critical to every business function, but testing is a huge umbrella. One needs to understand the different types of testing available and then decide what is best suited for their application. One of the broadest classifications of testing is functional and non-functional testing. In this section, we will discuss more of these two types of testing and how they are different from one another. Context of the blog
1. what is functional testing?
Just as the name suggests, functional testing is done to verify the functionality of the Application Under Test (AUT). At the beginning of any software project, there is a stakeholder meeting to discuss the requirements of the application. These requirements are discussed, brainstormed, documented, and then signed off. This document then serves as a guideline for application development.
The main aim of any functional testing is to ensure, everything documented in the specifications document is implemented as expected. Quality in terms of functional testing is getting the expected result after every transaction. The accuracy of the result or output is the checkpoint for every functional test case. A detailed functional testing plan is driven by a testing matrix wherein each requirement is mapped to one or more functional test cases and verification points. 2. What is non-functional testing?
Non-functional testing concentrates on the aspects of testing that are not directly related to the functionality of the application. Some of the most points that are tested under non-functional testing are the usability of the application, the ease of navigation, time is taken to move between screens or pages, the performance of the application under load or stress.
Many people make the mistake of ignoring non-functional requirements, this can sometimes lead to the failure of the application or product as well. Instead, they should make it a point to capture and document these requirements as well. These are popularly known as the NFR’s (Non-Functional Requirements). Both functional and non-functional requirements are equally important and need to be thoroughly tested for the success of the application. 3. Types of Functional Testing White Box Testing: Includes testing the internal structure of the system code
Unit Testing: Identify bugs and errors right from the start of the development life cycle.
Smoke Testing and Sanity Testing: Compare the system with specifications to make sure it’s functioning accordingly
Integration Testing: Test individual software components to verify the interaction between various interfaces
Non-Functional Testing Involves Following Sub-Types of Testing’:
Compatibility Testing: Performed to ensure compatibility of a system, application, or website
Configuration Testing: Testing an application with multiple combinations of software and hardware to find out the optimal configurations
Load Testing: Determine a system’s behavior under both normal and anticipated peak load conditions.
Performance Testing: Evaluating the quality or capability of a product.
Recovery Testing: Determine how quickly the system can recover after it has gone through a system crash or hardware failure
Security Testing: Determine if an information system protects data and maintains functionality
Scalability Testing: Measure its capability to scale up or scale out in terms of any of its non-functional capability.
Stress Testing: Stretches software to its limits and checks its durability.
4. Functional Testing Strategies
For functional testing, the test strategies are attained using automated and manual tools. The widely used functional testing method includes black-box testing, where the tester isn’t required to test the internal source code, but validates the system using valid and invalid inputs.
All functional tests like, API testing, unit testing, Boundary value analysis, etc., have a specific output that has an expected output. After entering valid data, the system should work as intended. Functional tests are scripted with pass and fail criteria.
The tests conducted under this require more creativity and technical expertise compared to the functional ones. This is because you are developing a product keeping the end-user workflow in mind, rather than what input gives what output.
While some non-functional tests can be defined through fail and pass criteria, many tests are more objective and require the opinion of the testing team.
Therefore non-functional tests are written in measurable and quantifiable ways wherever needed. Having good communication and requirement gathering from the client is essential when you perform testing.
5. Difference Between Functional and non-functional Testing
S No.
Criterion
Functional Testing
Non Functional Testing
1
What is tested?
The functionality of the application is tested by verifying each of the functional requirements as documented in the SRS (Software Requirement Specification)
The NFR or the Non-Functional Requirements are tested here with more weightage on usability and ease of use for the customers.
2
How is it performed?
It can be done both manually and using automation tools
In most cases, we need a tool to simulate the scenarios for this type of testing
3
What is validated?
The functionality of the application is verified against the set guidelines
The performance of the application is validated under different situations.
4
Example
On the login screen, once the user enters his username and password, he should be able to successfully navigate to the next screen in the application
On the login screen, once the user enters his username and password, he should be able to successfully navigate to the next screen in the application within “X” seconds. This “X” should be documented in the NFR document. So, if X is 6 sec, the user being able to log in at the 7th second would be considered as a failure.
5
Sequence
Once the application development is completed, the functional testing can be module by module or even with respect to functionalities.
It is normally done after the functional testing is completed for the entire application. It can be done along with the integration testing also.
6
Types of testing
1. Unit Testing
2. Smoke Testing
3. Regression Testing
4. Integration Testing
5. User Acceptance Testing
It is done to validate the application and how it behaves
It is done to validate the performance of the application under different sets of conditions and scenarios
8
Source of the requirements
The functional requirements are provided by the app owners and signed off before the start of the development activity
Voice of Customer and the surveys related to how similar applications perform in the market are taken as the ballpark measure for the non-functional requirements
9
Ease of defining checkpoints
Functional testing checkpoints are easy to define. For example, if you have a login screen, you enter the correct credentials and hit the login button, it should take you to the next page.
The NFR checkpoints are difficult to describe. For example, in different instances login may take 4 sec, 6 sec, 8 sec, or 10 sec. It is difficult to decide which is the failure case in this.
10
Ease of execution
Functional tests are very straightforward and easy to execute. If there are well-defined test cases available, then in most cases even a non-tester would be able to perform the functional testing by following the test case document
Running the non-functional tests needs a deep understanding of the scenarios and how to set them up. It requires special skills and cannot be performed by non-testers
6. Conclusion
Both functional and non-functional testing is very important for rolling out a quality product or application to the market. It is the responsibility of the stakeholders to ensure both these types of testing are done exhaustively before the product or application reaches the customers.
The success of the application or software product is directly related to its quality. And the best quality can be achieved only by conducting both functional and non-functional testing.
Developers require load testing tools to promptly hunt down bugs and performance problems to make things operate easily. The tools guarantee an application performance is optimized and maximized during peak traffic and severe stress situations.
The Free and Commercial Top 23 Load Testing Tools are as follows:
1. Apache JMeter
A pure Java, open source application utilized to test performance on both dynamic and static resources.
Simulates heavy loads on groups of servers, individual servers, networks, or objects to examine the strength and analyze execution under various load types.
Applied to test web apps, FTP, SOAP & REST web services, databases etc.
Several commercial tools support JMeter
2. WebLOAD
The tool of choice for enterprises with heavy user load and complex testing requirements.
It’s flexible and easyto use.
Enable you to instantlyspecify the tests you require with features such as automatic correlation, DOM-based recording/playback, and JavaScript scripting language.
Supports technologies – from enterprise applications to web protocols.
Has built-in integration with Selenium, Jenkins, and many more.
3. Tsung
A free open source software launched under GPLv2 licensefor performance testing that works on multiple protocols.
Utilized to accentuate HTTP, WebDAV, LDAP, MySQL and various other servers.
Many IP addresses are opened on one device employing their OS IP Aliasing.
Response time can be estimated while loading by producing HTML reports.
4. NeoLoad
An innovative load testing tool created to 10X times faster automate test design, analysis, and maintenance for DevOps and Agile teams.
Integration with CI servers for motorized test runtime.
Analyses user paths to detect newer path versions to evade flaws.
5. Rational Performance Tester
Developed by IBM Corporation which is performance test production, and analysis tool.
Supports development team to approve the reliability and scalability of web-based platforms before deployment into the formulation.
Event and scheduled based testing.
No coding needed.
Real-time reporting for instant execution problem identification.
6. Loadster
A desktop-based high-level HTTP load testing tool.
The web browser can be utilized to record the easy to use scripts.
Using the GUI you can even transform the basic script with powerful variables to verify the response.
HTML report is created to analyze the performance of your application.
Best to detect the execution bottlenecks in the application.
7. Appvance
The first consolidated software test automation tool which reduces the redundancies built by old siloed QA tools that hinder DevOps teams.
Detects bugs the user would notice on their browsers and mobile applications.
Incorporates a different level of regularity in their record and perform script production.
Data-driven is possible for whatever language you use.
8. Cloud Test
A cloud-based load testing tool which fast-tracks load testing scenario and works with speed that is affordable and scalable.
Analyze and control the performance of mobile apps, web applications, and APIs.
Extricate the report in your preferred format to locate the system’s performance loopholes.
9. Load Impact
An on-demand and automatic performance testing tool for DevOps.
Fairly efficient for testing any protocol- a web app or API or mobile app or website.
Offers a powerful Lua scripting setting permitting you to generate complex or simple API scenarios.
Correlates you with performance trending analytics and reports via webhook
10. Grinder
A load testing system accessible under the BSD-style open-source license that too for free, operating on Java platform.
Simple to operate a distributed test which can be done by utilizing multiple load injector machines.
Pre-built Java libraries with a wide range of protocols and frameworks are possible.
Test scripts can be written in Jython and Clojure.
11. Load UI Pro
LoadUI Pro by Smartbear lets you instantly generate script-less complicated load tests, publish them on the cloud utilizing load agents and control server’s performance on increasing the load on them.
Enables reuse of subsisting SoapUI Pro functional tests.
Preconfigured test templates such as baseline, spike, stress, and smoke.
12. Httperf
An open Source HTTP load generator for regulating web server performance promoting the construction of both micro and macro- level benchmarks.
Creates and maintains server overloads.
Tests standard HTTP payload of the application.
13. Gatling
Open-source framework created using Scala, Akka&Netty.
Creates precise results that can be observed progressively and can be exported later for review.
Drastically diminishes the debugging time period.
14. WAPT
An affordable, simple-to-use stress and load testing tool.
Can test any website comprising of mobile sites, web portals, and business applications.
15. HPE Load Runner
An end-to-end framework performance to recognize and resolve problems before application launch.
Sustains wide array of applications to reduce skill and time.
Consolidates with development tools like jUnit, IDE etc.
16. Testing Anywhere
An automated testing tool with built-in intelligence to test the execution of any web application, website, or other objects.
Yes, three of them do not tag along most of the time. But in the case of automation they do and that too in the finest form.
The prime reason why the world is behind the technology
The story is exactly the same when it comes to software testing. The astounding factor about automation testing is that it can be a continuous process making the process as efficient and fast as it can get.
But, automation doesn’t mean that it all we have to do is turn on the switch. There are certain factors that need to be met and considered before performing it.
Let’s see
Length
The project is required to traverse over numerous months. For a two-month venture, the cost to put the time in automation testing isn’t supported. Putting resources into automation forthright can guarantee that as features are created, tested, and the team proceeds onward, new functionality can be completely relapsing tested.
Cost and Budget
A committed financial plan must be designated, which incorporates costs identified with the testing tool, improvement, deployment, source, and preparing. Furthermore, the cost of maintenance for automated tests and devices must be incorporated.
Ascertaining the ROI of your automation testing project can be tricky. Here is a common calculation some people utilize to get a rough assessment of their automation testing costs.
Automation Cost = tools cost + labor costs + costs of the automated tests maintenance
This can also assist you to determine if a test case is still worth automating as compared to testing it manually.
Focus
Project teams who select to robotize break up tests into more edible pieces maintaining the attention on small combinations or individual functions. That way, when the code is updated, just the automation test with a related application should be updated.
When you realize that it is the right time to put your money and time in a suitable automation tool you can begin searching for the best automation tool that matches your necessities.
Choose What Test Cases to Automate
It is difficult to automate all testing. So, it is essential to figure out what test cases ought to be automated first.
The advantage of automated testing is connected to how often a particular test can be rehashed. Tests that are played out just a couple of times are better left for manual testing.
Successful test automation requires careful arranging and configuration work. Begin by making an automation design. This enables you to recognize the underlying arrangement of tests to automate and fill in as a guide for future tests.
In the first place, you ought to characterize your objective for automation testing and choose which kinds of tests to automize. There are various kinds of testing, and everyone has its position in the testing procedure.
You can get the most advantage out of your automated testing endeavors on automating following cases:
Repeated tests that keep running for multiple forms.
Often utilized application that presents high-risk conditions.
Tests that need various data collections.
Tests that tend to cause a human mistake.
Tests that are difficult to operate manually.
Tests that require a ton of exertion and time when manual testing.
Tests that run on a few diverse software or hardware platforms and setups.
How to Select Automation Tool for Software Test?
Automation testing achievement to a great extent relies upon the determination of right testing tool. It requires a great deal of time to assess pertinent tools for automation accessible in the market. Yet, this is an unquestionable requirement that will profit your undertaking in a long run.
The criteria you have to consider before choosing any testing tool:
What is your financial plan?
Do you have the essential skilled asset to enforce with automation assignments?
Does the automation tool fulfill your testing obligations?
Is it appropriate for the undertaking environment and technology you are utilizing?
Does it incorporate well with your other testing devices like test administration tools and project planning?
Automation Frameworks Are Important
The titans of IT industry like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon do programming at a quick pace to take care of the demand for their services and product. For these organizations—and the IT business everywhere—to receive the rewards of test automation, they depend on automation frameworks to manage their endeavors.
Test automation is a necessary component of Agile. Different center practices of Agile, for example, Test-Driven Development (TDD), Continuous Integration (CI), Continuous Delivery, and Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) depend on the effectiveness and dependability of test automation. The automation frameworks give the establishment that helps an assortment of the automated program tests.
Here is a speedy rundown of the standard kinds of test automation frameworks being used.
Linear Scripting Framework: Recording and repeating test scripts in successive (“linear”) design with practically least or no adjustment.
Keyword driven Framework: Tables on a spreadsheet decide the activity of a test script relied on a function library for a specified keyword.
Data-driven Framework: A steady source of test criteria (external or internal data) indicates the test scripts to command.
Modular Testing Framework: Modules of cases under test are broke down and tested with singular test scripts that can be consolidated to make bigger test scripts.
Hybrid Testing Framework: A blend of frameworks to use the features of each.
Thus, an automation framework is a typical arrangement of guidelines, tools, and standards for your tests. Having an automation framework limits test script management.
Elements of a good test automation framework
Remember that not all of the elements specified below might be present in all frameworks. The most basic elements of a test automation framework are:
Unit testing library
The unit testing libraries make up a basic element of any test automation system.
They can be utilized to:
Define test methods
Perform assertions
Run the tests
Libraries for conducting integration and end-to-end testing
When you’re hoping to make integration, end-to-end automated tests, or API-level it’s regularly a smart thought to make utilization of the features given by existing libraries.
These libraries make interfacing with your apps under test substantially simpler by abstracting endlessly all the coding required.
Libraries enabling the BDD- behavior-driven development
These don’t test tools themselves, nor do they cooperate with your application under test. Rather, they are particularly used to help the BDD procedure and are frequently mistreated to make living documentation in the range and expectation of automated tests.
Benefits of implementing test automation framework
Presently, one of the most well-known elements of an automation testing is automation framework.Having the rules set up to understand the advantages of automated tests is the fundamental target of a test automation system.
Reusable Tests:
Properly planned test automation frameworks convey routinely stable robotized tests that are simpler to reuse and keep up.
No Manual Invasion:
There are exemptions where the brief manual invasion is worthy. However, this ought not to be the standard when you have the suitable system set up. Continuously work towards unattended. Regardless of whether you’re just running your automated tests once per month, they ought to have the capacity to run unattended. Else, you’ll experience considerable difficulties later on when you endeavor to accelerate the improvement and delivery process and your automated tests don’t sustain Continuous Testing.
Direct Reporting:
Use the clearand focused reporting strategy towards the correct audience. This can be an automated build up device, chief, or an engineer, every one of which requires an alternate sort of reporting, with various data and level of detail.
Lower Cost of Support:
Reusable automated tests have a lower cost of support. More reusable and viable automated tests support to meet financial plan and accomplish the quick product launch time of modern programming advancement.
Break Your Automated Testing Efforts
Normally, the production of various tests depends on the QA designers’ ability levels. It is vital to distinguish the level of skills and involvement of your every member of the project team and break your automated testing endeavors in like manner. For example, writing automated test scripts requires master learning of scripting languages. Along these lines, to achieve these errands, you ought to have QA engineers that know the script language offered by the automated testing tool.
Some members may not be versed in writing these scripts. It is better meanwhile an automated testing device has an approach to make automated tests that don’t need a profound learning of scripting languages.
Keyword tests are regularly observed as an option to automated test scripts. Not at all like scripts, they can be effortlessly utilized by both technical and non-technical users and enable all levels of users to make intense and robust automated tests.
You ought to likewise team up on your automated testing venture with other QA engineers in the department. Testing performed by an association is more powerful to find bugs and the proper automated testing tool enables you to impart your ventures to many testers.
When you make a few simplistic automated tests, you can arrange your tests into one, bigger automated test. You can sort out automated tests by the minor or major division in the application, application’s utilitarian region, regular functions or a base collection of test data. In the event that an automated test alludes to different tests, you may need to make a test tree, where you can run tests in a particular manner.
Test Automation Process Has the Following Phases:
Atomic Test
An atomic test is a methodology for guaranteeing that each test is completely independent. That is, it ought not to rely upon the result of other tests to set up its state, and another test ought not to influence its error or success in any capacity.
Likewise, when a robotized test comes up short, you have to know why. Having a very prepared atomic test that tests just a single thing will help you rapidly distinguish what broke if your test crashes.
Moreover, you should try to get reviews from your engineers as fast as could be feasible, and an ideal approach to do that is with a quick, properly named test.
Test Sizing
Test size is important since tests need to run rapidly.
Now, numerous individuals imagine a customary test pyramid, which has unit tests as its base, integration tests in the center, and graphical UI tests at the top.
By test size, allude to tests that are speedier than others.
Readability
A brisk point on test code readability—did you realize that engineers invest more time perusing code than really writing it?
It is uncommon that the individual who composed code will likewise be the one that requires to alter it. Much more dreadful, how often have you written code just to return to it months after and have no clue what it is doing?
Since, as we said, automation code is program development, you ought to make your test code on account of the reader of the code—not the PC.
This will encourage to make your test more viable, as well as will help guarantee that you don’t copy code since you didn’t comprehend what a current portion of code was doing.
This may appear like a minor issue, yet disregard readability of your automation test at your risk.
Testability
Testability should be prepared into our applications relevantly from the beginning. As a standard piece of planning, engineers ought to consider how they can influence their application to code more testable. They can achieve this by giving things like unique component IDs for their application fields and APIs to help make guides into their application(s) that can be utilized as a part of their automated tests.
They ought to likewise be pondering how any code transforms they advance to the application will affect existing automated tests and plan as per the needs.
When you don’t do this, you’re not going to be victorious with automation for a longer time.
Keep in mind, you can’t automate that isn’t testable.
Stable Environment
This one is an extremely basic obstacle for some project teams with their automation endeavors.
Without a steady test condition that is dependable in a known state, it will be hard for your team members to advance their automation endeavors.
Tests failing because of environmental problems instead of real application problems will make your project team members lose trust in your test review rapidly.
When teams begin disregarding automation outcomes, your test efforts end up pointless.
Define test strategies, regularly through particular technique annotations, for example, [Test] (in .NET) and @Test (in Java).
Maximum unit testing libraries offer strategies that will play out the genuine assertions that decide the final product of your automated tests. So, you’d do properly to make utilization of these, rather than writing yourself.
By and large, unit testing libraries provide a test runner that makes running the tests you made extremely direct, regardless of whether you’re running them from inside your IDE, or through a build tool or continuous integration (CI) framework or from the command line.
Plan Data Input Store
Kinds of input data files approved by the tools should be distinguished. In view of the necessities, input files can be determined as:
Objects Identifier – Object identification syntax particular to the tool, mapped to the legitimate name of the object.
Workflows/Scenarios/Transactions based input -Complete arrangement of data for various workflows/scenarios/transactions. Every one of them means “n” number of experiments. This experiment-based user input serves the project team amid future upgrades, in a manner that different input information can be included utilizing the Test Case ID.
Custom Message – This can include custom messages to be shown for known and obscure mistakes.
Driver – File can consist a list of file/workflow/transaction ID’s to be alluded to, for a chosen batch performance.
Create framework
Framework constructions are encouraged utilizing a similar arrangement of recognized tools. Scripting language reinforced by the test automation tool is employed to make the elements. Tool extensibility or utility or element can be produced utilizing an alternate language.
Notwithstanding the re-usable segments, worker scripts and driver scripts should be made.
Populate Input Data Store
Information can be populated either in an automated design or manually from various data sources. Test data would be populated in view of parent-child hierarchy.
Design Schedulers
Scheduler prerequisite should be distinguished. Schedulers can be regulated to run a worker script on a particular schedule. This strategy profits in a form that even a business user can direct the scheduler and influence the test execution to proceed.
A reliable test data strategy
A standout amongst the most troublesome issues with regards to making automated tests is the manner by which to administer the issue of test data.
The higher you go in the test automation pyramid, the more troublesome it gets to guarantee that the test data needed to execute a given test is available or made when tests are running.
There is no single way to take care of all the test data issues. However, having a strong strategy concerning test data administration is basic to the accomplishment of your test automation attempts.
Test Automation Scripts
The real undertaking and the significant task begins from here.
A test is regarded as a solitary activity or a series of activities (written using a scripting/programming language), that characterizes whether a particular component meets functional necessities.It is implemented on a system under test to validate that the system works as expected.
The user needs the logical reasoning and writes a cryptic test or program scripts which will be executed.
We must be capable to instruct the tool to execute the test samples in a really simple way and the code should be clearly understandable to other users who see it.
Valid Data Test Sample –
public class ManageUsers{ { @Test public void Add_User_With_Valid_Data() { /* Pre conditions *1 Check login *2 Check logged in user has access to manage users * */ /* Adding a user *1. Navigate to Manage Users Grid *2. Check for “Add Users” button. if exists, *2.1 Click on Add user button in Manage users grid *3. Check for Fields and Enter required fields if exists *3. Click on Submit button *4. Success message should be displayed *5. Compare for the Success message *5. 1 if message check is not enough to validate, *6. Check for the record in Database and Validate */ } }
In the above test sample of Add Users With Valid Data: To execute the test, you have to login to the application. You additionally need to check whether the user is signed in or not. Also, the other thing you have to check is whether the signed in user has access to “Add Users” or Not. In the event that those Two Conditions have passed then you ought to execute the rest otherwise you should restore the test as failed.
Invalid Data Test Sample –
@Test
public void Add_User_With_Invalid_Data()
{
/* Pre conditions
*1 Check login
*2 Check logged in user has access to manage users
* */
/* Adding a user
*1. Navigate to Manage Users Grid
*2. Check for “Add Users” button. if exists,
*2.1 Click on Add user button in Manage users grid
*3. Check for Fields and Enter required fields if exists
*3. Click on Submit button
*4. Error message should be displayed
*5. Compare for the Error message based on the input provided
* */
}
Pitfalls In Automation Testing
Project teams frequently insist that automation testing “doesn’t work.” Though this demeanor is normally caused by inadequately composed test automation more than whatever else.
In the event that you put the issues recorded in your mind as you make your test automation framework, you can bypass from a lot of these automation traps early.
Numerous issues are caused by inserting farfetched objectives, as, for instance, having an objective of achieving 100% UI automated testing scope. Project teams regularly trust that automation tests will discover all the new bugs, so they have an incorrect feeling that all is well with the automated world. Your automation is just in the same class as your tests.
Project teams likewise think that it takes little time to look after automation test. They’ll frequently make vast, end-to-end tests.However, tests ought to be minute with the goal that when they crash, you know why.
A few other regular issues that project team encounters are:
Concentrating only on UI automation
Not having a controlled test environment
Not having a test data methodology set up
Overlooking failing tests
Not reusing automation code
Not utilizing appropriate synchronization in your tests
Not making readable automation tests
Hard coding test data
Some Technical Aspects to Recognize
Object Recognition strategies
There ought to be a wide range of choosing a similar object with various strategies. A few objects are hard to perceive. So, the assortment of determination strategies is constantly useful.
Object Mapping Support
Likely, there ought to be an alternative to appropriately Map these objects in the object storehouse. This store ought to effectively be updatable and overseen.
Diverse Assertion Support
The test case is passed or aborted in view of assertions or checkpoints. In the event that the tool has an assortment of strategies to check your anticipated outcomes, it is useful.
Recovery Scenarios Approach
When experiment crashes and you need to proceed with the execution, what to do? In the event that recovery situations are not difficult to operate in a tool, it will enable you to perform test cases with no glitch. You can run the experiments during the evening and early in the day, you get the outcomes expressing which test cases have passed and which test cases have failed. This will happen just if recovery from crashed test cases can be effectively overseen by the tool.
Automation Testing Tools
Tool distinguishing process is a pivotal one, as it includes basic variables to be considered. Make a standard tool assessment agenda which should be done by considering teams included, sorts of testing, licensing price of the tool, upkeep cost, support and training, device’s extensibility, device’s execution and resistance and so on. Recognized testing types and prerequisites, serve as a base rule for test automation tool assessment.
Here are a few best automation tools available. This isn’t a thorough list, but instead a snappy outline of a portion of the more popular test tools.
Web automation tools
Selenium IDE
This Firefox module gives the capacity to record test cases. Best utilized for testing web applications, functionality is restricted and unacceptable for complex web apps. The device does not enable team members to write tests for music, flash computer games, file uploads or UI/UX tests.
Sikuli
What’s great about SikuliX is that it enables you to automate anything you see on your monitor utilizing picture-based testing.
Mobile automation tools
Robotium
This free tool enables users to record hybrid and local Android tests. It is backed by Google, can be written in Java and coordinated with Cucumber.
Appium
Appium is automation for applications. It is by all accounts the champ in the mobile testing space until now. The open source tool supportsAndroid and iOS applications, alongside hybrid and native apps. The experiments can be written in a wide assortment of software languages including (Java, C#, Python, Ruby and so forth.).
Appium is a cross-platform that implies tests can be written on different platforms utilizing similar API.
Desktop automation tools
Cucumber
An automation code tool created to help the behavior-driven development process. Cucumber is an open source tool which consolidates documentation and test specification within a sole source.
SpecFlow
SpecFlow is a free tool that gives behavior-driven testing functionalities to languages in the .NET family.
TestStack.White
TestStack.White is a free tool used to help Win32, WPF, WinForms, Silverlight, and SWT (Java) applications. Experiments are written in C# and can be incorporated with SpecFlow/Cucumber.
This is the leading in a world as an open-source functional testing instrument for API testing. It supports different protocols, for example, SOAP, HTTP, REST, AMF, and JMS.
HttpWebRequest
The HttpWebRequest can be integrated with Cucumber and SpecFlow. It is a .NET library which influences the REST API to request specifically.
Few tips for successful testing
Here are some essential tips which you must follow to make your tests maximally valuable and negligibly excruciating.
Don’t Race to automation
While beginning with product automation process or tool, companies should delay and do more planning in advance before hopping into the profound end. Companies select an automation tool according to an extremely constrained engineer group, yet at last, the appraisal wasn’t sufficiently wide to perceive how it affected their regular exercises or how it helped their agile activities.
Many project team members get into obstacles with their testing techniques since they hasten into utilizing an automation tool to rapidly take care of one issue, which implies they do not have the “master plan,” or what program automation can do meanwhile for their organization.
Organizations are not testing sufficiently. They race to market their product with blinders trusting they won’t become involved with an awful deformity. The danger of not testing can be as hindering as harming the organization’s brand or market notoriety.
When the activities back off and they get direction from individuals who have mastery in agile advancement and Continuous Testing. And also, have studied the tool extensively to perceive how it supports the developers, the managers, the testers, and the officials, a majority of the people will know there is a benefit in preparing a solution that satisfies all of those multiple roles and purposes.
Make it simple to include new tests
It ought to be evident to someone altering your code how to test their changes. Make assistant functions in your test file to create set up and cut down basic. Most testing systems give “before each” and “after each” helpers. When including another test case is amazingly simple then you can be surer that your library will have high test scope after some time.
However, in case that the creator needs to invest a considerable amount of time examining precisely how to make the fitting data sources, etc., then in case they’re in a period crunch they may choose to ignore a test altogether. You ought to dependably make it simple for individuals to make the best decision.
Code or tests first?
The Test-Driven Development that manages writing tests before a feature code. This can be difficult to do as you truly don’t know precisely what your interface should seem like until the point that you begin writing it and understand some of your opinions should be changed.
On the contrary, in case you’re not centered around testing amid development, it’s obvious to wind up with code that is difficult to utilize and difficult to test.
The solution is to write code and test in parallel. It’s an imperative procedure. Hopping forward and backward between your point of view and an outsider’s in a test helps ensure your code’s interface is useful.
Test the interface
If you’re testing, it may appear to be simplest to dive into your interface and test that private variables have the correct value at the perfect time. While this appears to be advantageous, it has a few issues.
A tree ought to have a similar conduct whether it’s executed with pointers or as a flat array. Your tests should be revised if the inside execution is changed.
Likewise, altering with the internals of the interface removes the concentration from what truly matters.
It’s smarter to concentrate on your time on the rightness of genuine use-cases.
Know whether devices reinforce innovations and outsider controls
You must know first that what approaches are being utilized as a part of your application. Counsel your engineers and developers.
For instance, if they are utilizing SilverLight or HTML 5 in web applications, be careful, there are very few automation devices to help them. In case that the tool commands support for these advances, download the trial version of it and endeavor to distinguish diverse objects in yourproject. When the tool neglects to distinguish them, thus, their claim is false. This action will spare you from a later despair.
Next, you ought to assess the cost, comprising maintenance. In the event that you anticipate having your entire project team assist with the automation exertion, make a point to utilize a tool that uses similar languages and tools your developers utilize.
Stopping new bugs after some time
For vast codebases avoiding bugs after some time is extremely a crucial element of tests. In codebases with numerous developers, testers, engineers contributing, you don’t really have control over changes to your code and particularly changes to the code that your code relies upon.
Automation is only one of the several sorts of test practices that can be utilized by testers.
In case that you haven’t written tests, at that point there’s no steadfast path for different coders to realize that their dedication has affected yours. When your code is still in the codebase a year or so after you’ve submitted it and there are no tests for it, bugs will sneak in and no one will see them for quite a while.
Tests are your best weapon against the many-sided quality of vast codebases. In spite of the fact that you endeavor to keep your code perfect and clear, something will dependably break.
Learn the guideline: If it makes a difference that the code works, you ought to write a test for it.
Attempt it yourself
Regardless of all the tips and learning, you’ll have to manufacture your own instinct and discern from your own particular oversights. As you develop as an engineer, you understand increasingly that testing is an extraordinary instrument, not an irritating overhead. It’s a method for helping you write your code quicker, commit fewer errors, and keep away from bug crawl.
You’ll see that writing the tests as you go improves your interfaces and prompt your code to be more testable.
Conclusion
Manual testing demands vital resources, comprising time, and system support such as servers, network bandwidth, and database storage. In fast-paced evolving environments, there may really not enough time possible for full manual testing, giving teams with the choice of launching the product without enough testing. Automated testing gives inherent solutions to the disadvantages of manual testing.
An automation testing is perfect for the test cases which will be running multiple times, such as tests that require being repeated for multiple mobile devices or web browsers.
Quality isapplied into the product via automation from the earliest starting point, not sometime later. The best way to do this is to have everybody moving in the direction of making the application under evolution as testable. This takes the entire team cooperating to produce a quality product.
Also, numerous disappointments with automation are not due to the technical issues, but instead of an organization’s issues.
Keep in mind—automation is a tedious test venture. You need to utilize it just when it bodes well. When you have the entire project team energetic about automation, and your supervisor’s desires have been accurately set, it’s an ideal opportunity to write your automation tests.