The Automation Testing Framework has become an integral part of the modern application development lifecycle. This is because the increasing complexity of the modern application structure has made it impossible to verify the proper functioning of the individual elements without including automated testing framework cases. To meet the current requirements, the developers must create an application that can be a one-stop solution. For this purpose, the application must access multiple elements simultaneously.
With the help of automation testing, the developers can efficiently verify the proper functioning of all these processes. Various automation testing frameworks like Selenium can help developers conduct these testing processes efficiently. The developers can also integrate multiple tools and platforms to further improve the efficiency of the automation test cases.
The process of automation testing can be pretty complex for new developers. Moreover, building an automated testing framework can be complex and time-consuming if not properly implemented. So, with this article’s help, we will spread proper awareness regarding the best practices for building a solid automated testing framework.
Understanding Automated Testing
We can decipher the meaning of automation testing by properly analyzing the name. In simple terms, we can define automation testing as initiating and executing multiple test cases without the involvement of human developers and testers. This is because, for automation testing, the system will use a test file to extract all the test requirements and conditions. This test file will also consist of multiple sets of data parameters that will help verify a modern application’s user interaction capabilities. It is worth mentioning that the developers have the freedom to change the parameters and data according to the requirements of the development project. Test automation is efficient as it can run the test cases 24 hours around the clock. The developers can also reuse the test cases for future app development projects.
Selenium had a monopoly in this segment during the initial years of automation testing. However, with the advancement of technology, many new alternatives like Cypress and Playwright have arrived. While we’re on the topic of automation testing, it is worth mentioning that the process of initiating test automation can be expensive for new web development companies. This is because, during the initial stages of automation testing, the developers have to set up various configurations and install multiple test dependencies. Automation testing also comes with a learning curve when developers must adapt to all their new testing practices. So, companies need to analyze their investments and possible returns on investment before beginning the transition.
Benefits of Automated Testing
Before we begin discussing the process for setting up a solid automated testing framework, it is essential to have a good idea about the benefits of initiating automation testing. This is because, with this knowledge, the developers can utilize the full potential of the automation testing framework.
This knowledge will also help the developers to customize the test cases according to our requirements. Based on our analysis, the significant advantages of initiating test automation are as follows:
➪ Automation testing helps developers to integrate faster feedback cycles. This is because, with the inclusion of test automation, the developers can quickly detect the bugs and errors in the application and make the necessary changes.
➪ Since automation testing can cover almost all the different testing parameters that are almost impossible to implement with manual test cases, automated testing has the maximum test coverage. Increasing the test coverage has a massive impact on improving the dependability of the web application. A company would not want to release an application that would crash immediately.
➪ Automation testing helps developers to start and conduct the test cases in a parallel format. Parallel testing is an essential process as it can help the developers to complete various test cases in a short time. It is highly beneficial when developers work on complex applications consisting of thousands of elements. With parallel testing, initiating and conducting different test configurations are possible simultaneously.
➪ Data-driven testing is a necessary process to ensure that your web application is ready to be released to the end users. Automation testing helps developers to start and execute data-driven testing processes. In this process, the developers can analyze the application’s functioning based on different data inputs. Analyzing the proper functioning of applications involving many human interactions is very beneficial. Automation testing also helps developers store various data sets in the same file. It helps to easily access the data whenever required.
Step-by-Step Guide for Building a Solid Automated Testing Framework
It is quite simple to set up a dependable automation testing framework. The developers only have to follow a few simple steps for this process. So we have tried to note down all these important steps for setting up an automation testing framework so that the developers do not face any obstacles during the testing process. They are as follows:
1. Structure, Organize, and Setup Source Control
Source control is one of the most important processes for building an efficient automation testing framework. This is because, with the help of this folder structure, the developers can have full control over the testing assets. Moreover, it is also essential to separate the assets depending on their usability. This means the developers must have separate folders for test names, mapping criteria, scripts, and creating file structures.
Creating different script files depending on their actions, utilities, and verification processes is also important. The developers can also use multiple source control management systems like Git to store the required work. These tools will also help backtrack the testing processes if required.
2. Verify the Testing Information and Gather the Required data.
The developers must gather all the required data for the testing process and set up a relevant test environment. One of the most important practices in this segment is to ensure that you have configurations that can run more than one environment at the same time. The developers can also use event handlers. Event handlers are often defined as code functions that can act as a waiting component or listener or even be used to trigger a script. It is also imperative for the developers to store the test data separately from the test cases. This process will help to avoid any unnecessary confusion.
3. Get Yourselves Accustomed to the Application
The developers need to get themselves accustomed to the automation testing framework and the application undergoing the testing and development process. This is because by understanding the application, the developers can realize its use cases and target audience. This data is vital for creating the test cases and ensuring their test cases meet the project’s requirements. The developers can also gain additional knowledge regarding their target audience. This knowledge and data will help them gather information about the market and create a better product.
4. Set up A Smoke Test Project
Smoke test projects are some of the most important additions that will help the developers verify the utilities’ proper functioning. Smoke tests are also known as build verification tests. They are used to validate an application’s most vital functions and ensure that the application is functioning as intended. So, with the help of smoke testing, the developers can also analyze whether additional testing processes are required to ensure that the developing app is ready to be released to the real world.
Role of Tools and Platforms in Test Automation
As we already discussed earlier, it is possible to integrate different tools and platforms to further improve the efficiency and simplicity of automation testing processes. On further analysis, the developers will realize that hundreds of such tools are easily available in the market. Moreover, these tools and platforms also integrate additional features to improve the efficiency of the testing process. A great example to justify this claim is the inclusion of cloud testing platforms. With the help of cloud testing platforms like LambdaTest, developers can eliminate the need for in-house testing facilities. This is because, with these platforms, the developers can test real devices over the web. We can understand more about the benefits of cloud platforms by considering LambdaTest as an example.
To complete the introduction, we can say that LambdaTest is a cloud-based platform for executing secure cross-browser test cases on the latest web apps. Considering the standards of the latest app development market, we can easily say that cross-browser compatibility is a new standard for ensuring the best web app. This is because, with this process, the developers can ensure optimal end-user satisfaction irrespective of changes in integral device hardware, operating system, or browser version. LambdaTest also has various innovative features like parallel test execution to further improve the test cases’ efficiency by almost 15 times. A handy feature of this platform is that it helps the developers to import the automation test scripts from multiple popular frameworks like Selenium, Cypress, and Playwright.
We would like to mention that while using automation test cases from Selenium, the developers can execute them on more than 3000+ browser combinations. LambdaTest can also help the developers to verify the proper functioning of local web apps for internal operations. Lastly, it is worth mentioning that the integration of real devices with already existing simulators and emulators can massively increase the dependability of the test cases.
Final Verdict
All the factors that are discussed in this article will justify that building a solid automation testing framework is one of the primary objectives of a modern app development company. This is because the dependability of web application development on automation testing will continue to increase. So, companies must prepare themselves for the future. It is also important for automation testers to keep themselves informed about all the modern innovations regarding test automation.
The app development companies should also conduct frequent seminars to spread proper awareness regarding proper automation testing practices. Lastly, it is crucial to understand the role of various tools and platforms in properly implementing automation testing processes.
