by Anika Chakraborty | Nov 7, 2024 | Automation Testing, Blog, Recent, Latest Post |
In today’s world of finance, mobile applications for test trading software are essential tools for users who need quick access to real-time data and market analysis within a reliable Electronic trading platform, including algorithmic trading capabilities, alongside vast amounts of data for portfolio management tools. As more investors, traders, and researchers rely on these apps for making informed decisions, the demand for a smooth, reliable, and fast experience grows, reflecting a continuous increase in the volume of trades and user expectations. Testing these complex, data-heavy applications and their interfaces for stability and accuracy is a challenging task, especially given frequent updates and high user expectations.
To meet this demand, automated software testing is an ideal solution. This blog will walk you through the key types of automated testing for mobile applications, focusing on functional testing, parallel testing, regression testing, and release support testing. We’ll also discuss how we used Appium, Java, and TestNG to streamline the software testing process, with the help of Extent Reports for detailed and actionable test results, drawing upon our years of experience in the industry.
Why Automate Testing for Trading Software?
Testing a financial app manually is time-consuming and can be prone to human error, especially when dealing with frequent updates. Automation helps in achieving quicker and more consistent test results, making it possible to identify issues early and ensure a smooth user experience across various devices.
In our case, automation allowed us to achieve:
- Faster Testing Cycles: By automating repetitive test cases, we were able to execute tests more quickly, allowing for rapid feedback on app performance.
- Increased Test Coverage: Automation enabled us to test a wide range of scenarios and device types, ensuring comprehensive app functionality.
- Consistent and Reliable Results: Automated tests run the same way every time, eliminating variability and minimizing the risk of missed issues.
- Early Bug Detection: By running automated tests frequently, bugs and issues are caught earlier in the development cycle, reducing the time and cost of fixes.
Tools and Frameworks:
To create a robust automated testing suite, we chose:
- Appium: This open-source tool is widely used for mobile app testing and supports both Android and iOS, making it flexible for testing cross-platform apps. Appium also integrates well with many other tools, allowing for versatile test scenarios.
- Java: As a powerful programming language, Java is widely supported by Appium and TestNG, making it easy to write readable and maintainable test scripts.
- TestNG: This testing framework is ideal for organizing test cases, managing dependencies, and generating reports. It also supports parallel test execution, which greatly reduces testing time.
This combination of tools allowed us to run detailed, reliable tests on our app’s functionality across a variety of devices, ensuring stability and performance under various conditions.
Essential Automated Testing Strategies
Given the complexity of our financial app, we focused on four primary types of automated testing to ensure full coverage and high performance: functional testing, parallel testing, regression testing, and release support testing.
1. Functional Testing
Functional testing ensures that each feature within the app works as intended. Financial applications have many interactive modules, such as market movers, portfolio trackers, and economic calendars, all of which need to perform correctly for users to make informed decisions.
For functional testing:
- We designed test cases for every major feature, such as alerts, notifications, portfolio performance, and economic calendar updates.
- Each test case was crafted to simulate real-world usage—like adding stocks to a watchlist, setting price alerts, or viewing market data updates.
- Our tests validated both individual functions and integrations with other features to ensure smooth navigation and information accuracy.
Functional testing through automation made it easy to rerun these tests after updates, confirming that each feature continued to work seamlessly with others, and gave us peace of mind that core functionality was stable.
2. Parallel Testing
Parallel testing is the practice of running tests on multiple devices simultaneously, ensuring consistent user experience across different screen sizes, operating system versions, and hardware capabilities. This is especially important for financial apps, as users access them on a wide variety of devices, from high-end to budget models.
Using Appium’s parallel testing capability, we could:
- Execute the same tests on multiple devices to check for performance or layout differences.
- Ensure UI elements are scaled correctly across screen sizes and resolutions, so users have a similar experience no matter what device they use.
- Measure the app’s speed and stability on low-spec and high-spec devices, ensuring it worked well even with slower hardware.
Parallel testing allowed us to identify issues that might only occur on certain devices, providing a consistent experience for all users regardless of device type.
3. Regression Testing
Financial apps often require frequent updates to add new features, integrate new data sources, or improve user experience. With every update, there’s a risk of inadvertently disrupting existing functionality, making regression testing essential.
Regression testing confirms that new code does not interfere with previously working features. We used automated tests to:
- Run tests on all core functionalities after each update, ensuring that previously verified features continue to work.
- Include a comprehensive set of test cases for all major modules like watchlists, market alerts, and data feeds.
- Quickly identify and address any issues introduced by new code, reducing the need for lengthy manual testing.
By running automated regression tests with each update, we could confirm that the app retained its stability, functionality, and performance while incorporating new features.
4. Release Support Testing
As part of the release process, release support testing provides a final layer of validation before an app is published or updated in the app store. This testing phase involves a combination of smoke testing and integration testing to confirm that the application is ready for end-users.
In release support testing, we focused on:
- Testing critical functions to ensure there were no blocking issues that could impact user experience.
- Performing sanity checks on newly added or modified features, ensuring they integrate smoothly with the app’s existing modules.
This final step was essential for giving both the development team and stakeholders confidence that the app was ready for public release, free from critical bugs, and aligned with user expectations.
5. API Testing
APIs are the backbone of trading apps, connecting them with data feeds, analytics, and execution services. Testing APIs thoroughly ensures they’re fast, accurate, and secure.
- Data Accuracy Checks: Verifies that APIs return accurate and up-to-date information, especially for real-time data like prices and news.
- Response Time Validation: Tests the speed of APIs to ensure low latency, which is critical in time-sensitive trading environments.
- Security and Error Handling: Ensures APIs are secure and handle errors effectively to protect user data and maintain functionality.
6. Performance Testing
Performance testing is vital to ensure trading software performs reliably, even during high-volume periods like market openings or volatility spikes.
- Load Testing: Verifies that the app can handle a high number of simultaneous users without slowing down.
- Stress Testing: Pushes the app to its limits to identify any breaking points, ensuring stability under extreme conditions.
- Scalability Assessment: Ensures that the app can scale as the user base grows without impacting performance.
Reporting and Results with Extent Reports
A critical component of automated testing is reporting. Extent Reports, a rich and detailed reporting tool, provided us with insights into each test run, allowing us to easily identify areas that needed attention.
With Extent Reports, we were able to:
- View detailed reports for each test—including screenshots of any failures, test logs, and performance metrics.
- Share results with stakeholders, making it easy for them to understand test outcomes, even if they don’t have a technical background.
- Identify trends in test performance over time, allowing us to focus on areas where issues were frequently detected.
The reports were visually rich, actionable, and essential in helping us communicate testing progress and outcomes effectively with the wider team.
Key Benefits of Automated Testing for Financial Apps
Implementing automated testing for our financial app provided numerous advantages:
- Efficiency and Speed: Automated testing significantly reduced the time required for each test cycle, allowing us to perform more tests in less time.
- Expanded Test Coverage: Automated tests allowed us to test a wide range of scenarios and interactions, ensuring a reliable experience across multiple device types.
- Consistency and Accuracy: By removing human error, automation enabled us to run tests consistently and with high accuracy, yielding reliable results.
- Reduced Costs: By identifying bugs earlier in the development cycle, we saved time and resources that would have otherwise been spent on fixing issues post-release.
- Enhanced Stability and Quality: Automation gave us confidence that each release met high standards for stability and performance, enhancing user trust and satisfaction.
Conclusion
Automating mobile app testing is essential in today’s competitive market, especially for data-driven applications that users rely on to make critical decisions. By using Appium, Java, and TestNG, we could ensure that our app delivered a reliable, consistent experience across all devices, meeting the demands of a diverse user base.
Through functional testing, parallel testing, regression testing, and release support testing, automated testing enabled us to meet high standards for quality and performance. Extent Reports enhanced our process by providing comprehensive and understandable test results, making it easier to act on insights and improve the app with each update.
Beyond being a time-saver, automation elevates the quality and reliability of mobile app testing, making it an essential investment for teams developing complex, feature-rich applications. Codoid delivers unparalleled expertise in these testing methodologies explore our case study for an in-depth view of our approach and impact.
by Mollie Brown | Nov 5, 2024 | Automation Testing, Blog, Latest Post, Top Picks |
In today’s quick software development world, it is important to keep apps high quality. A key part of this is software testing. Tosca automation is a strong tool that helps with this task. This blog, titled “Tosca Automation Tutorial: Model-Based Approach,” will cover the main points about Tosca. We will look into its new model-based method to make your software testing better.
Key Highlights
- Learn how Tricentis Tosca can make your software testing process easier.
- This blog gives a simple look at Tosca, its features, and how it helps with test automation.
- Find out how Tosca’s model-based approach allows you to create tests quickly, reuse them often, and ease maintenance.
- We will explore real-world examples of how Tosca works well in different environments.
- If you are new to Tosca or want to enhance your automation skills, this guide has helpful tips for using Tosca in your testing tasks.
Exploring the Core of Tosca Automation
Tosca automation, from Tricentis, is a top test automation tool. It helps make software testing easier and faster. Its simple design and strong features let you create, manage, and run automated tests easily. This means less manual work and faster software delivery.
Tosca is special because it uses a model-based approach. This means it creates reusable test pieces for the application being tested. Tosca simplifies technical details. As a result, both technical and non-technical people can join in test automation.
Unveiling the Features of Tosca Automation
Tosca is a powerful tool that makes testing easy and quick. One great feature of Tosca is how simple it is to create test cases. Users can use a drag-and-drop design to build their test cases. They do not need to know a lot about coding to do this.
Tosca offers excellent test data management. The platform helps you handle test data easily. This way, tests are completed with the right inputs and checks. A straightforward method to manage data cuts down on mistakes and makes test results more reliable.
Tosca is not just about basic needs. It offers many advanced features. These features include risk-based testing and API testing. Also, it connects easily with CI/CD pipelines. This makes it a great choice for software development today.
How Tosca Stands Out in the Automation Landscape
Tosca test automation stands out from other automation tools. It has special features that fit the needs of software testing. It is easy to use. Even those with little technical skills can use it without any trouble.
Tosca is not only about running tests. It covers the whole testing process. It works well with popular development and testing tools. This makes it easy for teams to add Tosca to what they already do. They can then work better together and get feedback faster.
Tosca works with many platforms and technologies. It can do several testing tasks. You can test web applications, mobile apps, APIs, or desktop applications using it. Tosca offers the flexibility and power you need to cover all tests completely.
What is Model-Based Approach?
The model-based approach changes how we make and manage test cases. It is different from the old script-based method. The traditional way takes a lot of time and is hard to keep up to date. Model-based testing focuses on creating a model of the application we are testing. This model is important because it illustrates how the app works. It includes details about its features, buttons, and logic.
With this method, the design of tests is separate from the code. This makes it easy to reuse tests and manage them. When the application is updated, testers only need to change the main model. These changes will then automatically update all connected test cases. This is very useful for keeping test suites current with changing applications. Therefore, it works well for quick development, especially in the functional testing of web applications.
Uniqueness of model-based approach
Model-based testing is important because it can change with the application. Rather than depending on weak scripts that may fail with each update, the model serves as a guide. This flexible approach helps keep tests helpful and efficient, even as software keeps changing.
This method is easy to understand. Testers can clearly see how the application works and what the test scenarios look like with the model. This visual approach supports teamwork between testers and developers. Both sides can understand and help with the testing process.
Enhance Reusability
At the core of model-based testing is reusable test libraries. These libraries keep parts of tests that you can use again. They include common actions, checks, and business tasks. When testers create a library of these reusable pieces, they can save a lot of time and effort. This helps them make new test cases much easier.
This method helps keep practice steady. When teams use ready-made and tested modules, they make fewer mistakes. They also stick to software processes.
We enjoy many benefits. These include better test coverage, faster test execution, and improved software quality. When companies use reusable test libraries, they can enhance their testing process. This helps them create great software that meets high standards.
Responsive Object Recognition
Tosca automation uses smart object recognition. This feature makes it different from regular testing tools. It allows Tosca to interact with application interfaces the same way a person would.
Tosca’s object recognition is more than just spotting items based on their features. It uses smart algorithms to learn the context and connections between different parts of the user interface. This helps Tosca deal with challenging situations in a better way.
Tosca is a good choice for testing apps that change regularly or need updates often. This includes testing for web, mobile, and desktop applications.
Reusable Test Libraries and Steps
Reusable test libraries are key for Tosca’s model-based method. They help testers build test parts that are simple to join and use. This speeds up the test creation process. It also supports best practices in testing.
Testers can make and save test steps in these libraries. A test step means any action or engagement with the application they are testing. Some test steps can be simple, like clicking a button. Others can be more complicated, like filling out forms or moving through different screens.
By putting these common test steps in reusable libraries, Tosca helps teams create a strong test automation framework. This way, it cuts down on repeated tasks and makes maintenance simpler. It also ensures that tests remain consistent and trustworthy.
Streamlined Testing and Validation
Tosca’s method makes testing simpler and well-organized. It keeps the test logic apart from the code. This setup helps teams build and run tests more quickly. Because of this, they get feedback fast. It helps them spot and solve issues early in the software development process.
Finding problems early is key to keeping high quality in software development. With Tosca, testers can make test suites that look at many different scenarios. This way, applications can be tested thoroughly before they go live. It helps lower the number of costly bugs and problems in production.
When companies use Tosca’s easy testing and checking methods, they can make their software better. This saves them time when they launch their products. A better software position means they can provide great user experiences. It also helps them stay on top in today’s fast software world.
Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Model-Based Approach in Tosca
Step 1: Understand Model-Based Approach in Tosca
Learn about Tosca’s approach to model-based testing. It focuses on making and reusing models of the application. This way makes it easier to create and keep test cases.
Benefits:
Broad Scenario Testing: Model based testing allows testing a wide range of scenarios without embedding logic or data into the test cases directly.
Code-Free Models: Models are visual, code-free, and highly reusable, making MBT accessible to non-developers.
Ease of Maintenance: Updating a single model or data set propagates to all tests relying on it, reducing maintenance time.
Step 2: Set Up Your Tosca Environment
- Install Tosca: Ensure you have the latest version of Tricentis Tosca installed.
- Download and Install: Visit Tricentis to download Tosca. Run the installer, accept terms, select components (like Tosca Commander), and complete the setup.
- Chrome Extension: For web automation, add the “Tosca Automation Extension” from the Chrome Web Store.
- Initial Setup: Launch Tosca, activate your license, and set up a new project workspace. Create folders for Modules, Test Cases, and Execution Lists.
- Click > create new
- In the subsequent Tosca Commander: Create new workspace window, select Oracle, MS SQL Server, or DB2 from the Select type of Repository drop-down menu.
- Click OK to create a new workspace
- To view the project structure, click on the Project
- Configure Project Settings: Set up your workspace. Also, adjust any necessary settings for your project in Tosca, such as database or API connections.
Step 3: Create the Application Model
- Find and Scan Your Application (AUT):
1.Open the Scanner: Tosca has different scanning options based on the application type (web, desktop, or mobile). Launch the scanner through Tosca Commander > Scan Application. 2.Identify Controls: For a web app, for example, open the browser and navigate to the AUT. Select the web scanner, and Tosca will display elements (buttons, input fields, etc.) as you hover over them.
Right click on Modules > scan > Application
3.Select and Capture: Click to capture relevant elements for testing. Tosca will record these elements in a structured format, enabling them for reuse in different test cases.
- Create Modules: Organize these parts into modules. These modules are the foundation for your test cases.
- Modules: Reusable components in Tosca for parts of an application (e.g., login screen with fields and buttons).
- Sub-Modules: Smaller sections within a Module, used for complex screens with multiple sections (e.g., product details in an e-commerce app).
To create a sub-module (Right click on the module > create folder
Step 4: Design Test Cases Using the Model
- Define Test Steps: Drag and Drop Elements: In Tosca Commander, start a new test case and drag elements from modules to create test steps. Arrange these steps in the order users typically interact with the application (e.g., navigating to login, entering credentials, and submitting).
- Specify Actions and Values: For each step, specify actions (click, input text) and values (e.g., “username123” for a login field).
Input (Standard): Enters values into test objects (e.g., text fields, dropdowns).
Verify: Checks if test object values match expected results.
Buffer: Captures and stores data from test objects for later use.
WaitOn: Pauses execution until a specific condition is met on a test object.
Constraint: Defines conditions for filtering or selecting rows in tables.
Select: Selects items or rows in lists, grids, or tables based on criteria.
- Parameterize Test Steps: Include parameters to make tests flexible and based on data. This helps you run tests with various inputs.
Step 1: Create a Test Sheet in Test Case Design
- Go to the Test Case Design section in Tosca.
- Create a New Test Sheet: Right-click on the Test Case Design folder and select
- Create Test Sheet Name your test sheet, e.g., “Environment Test Data.”
-
- Add Test Cases/Parameters to the Test Sheet:
- Add rows for the different environments (QA, Prod, and Test) with their respective values.
1.Right click on the sheet > Create Instance 2.Create your own instance e.g., “QA, PROD”
3.Double-click on the sheet for a more detailed instance view.
4.Right click on the sheet > Create Attribute
5.Inside the attribute, add parameters (e.g., URL, Username, Password).
6.For single attributes, we can add multiple instance values [Right click on the attribute > click create instance]
7.We can create a multiple instance (Test data) for single attribute
8.And select user 1 or user 2 according to you test case from drop-down
Note: Newly added instance will be displayed under the attribute drop-down
Step 2: Create Buffers and Link to Test Case
- Create Test Case: Open Tosca, right-click the desired folder, choose Create Test Case, and name it has “Buffer”.
- Add Set Buffer Module: In Modules, locate Standard modules >TBox Automation Tools>Buffer Operations>TBox Set Buffer and drag it into the test case.
- Convert Test Case to Template: Right-click on the test case, select Convert to Template. This action makes the test case reusable with different data.
- Drag and drop, to map the test sheet from Test Case Design to the Test Case Template
- After mapping the test sheet to the template test case, you can assign the test sheet attributes to buffer values for reuse within the test steps
- Now, you can generate template instances for the created instance, Right-click on the Template Test Case and click > Create TemplateInstance.
- Tosca will create separate instances under the template test case, each instance populated with data from one row in the test sheet.
Step 3: Run the Test Case and View Buffer Values in Tosca
Run the test case and view buffer values in Tosca:
- Navigate to the Template Test Case Instances:
-Go to Test Cases in Tosca and locate the instances generated from your template test case. - Run the Test Case:
-Right-click on an instance (or the template test case itself) and select Run.
-Tosca will execute the test case using the data from the test sheet, which has been mapped to buffers.
- Check the Execution Log:
-After execution completes, right-click on the instance or test case and select Execution Log.
-In the Execution Log, you’ll see detailed results for each test step. This allows you to confirm that the correct buffer values were applied during each step.
- Open the Buffer Viewer:
-To further inspect the buffer values, open the Buffer Viewer:
-Go to Tools > Buffer (or click on the Buffer Viewer icon in the toolbar).
-The Buffer Viewer will display all buffer values currently stored for the test case, including the values populated from the test sheet.
- Verify Buffer Values in Buffer Viewer:
-In the Buffer Viewer, locate and confirm the buffer names (e.g., URL_Buffer, Username_Buffer) and their corresponding values. These should match the values from the test sheet for the executed instance.
-Verify that each buffer holds the correct data based on the test sheet row for the selected instance (e.g., QA, Prod, Test environment data). - Re-run as Needed:
-If needed, you can re-run other instances to verify that different buffer values are correctly populated for each environment or row.
Step 4: Using Buffers in Test Cases
- In any test step where you want to use a buffered value, type {B[BufferName]} (replace BufferName with the actual name of your buffer).
- For example, if you created a buffer called URL, use {B[URL]} in the relevant test step field to retrieve the buffered URL.
Step 5: Build Reusable Libraries and Test Step Blocks
- Create Libraries: Build libraries or testing steps that can be reused. This saves time and reduces work that needs to be done repeatedly.
- Divide and Organize: Arrange reusable sections so you can use them in various test cases and projects.
Step 6: Execute Test Cases
In Tosca, test cases can be executed in two main ways:
Feature | Scratchbook | Execution List |
Purpose | For ad-hoc or quick test runs during development and troubleshooting. | Designed for formal, repeatable test runs as part of a structured suite. |
Persistence of Results | Temporary results; they are discarded once you close Tosca or re-run the test case. | Persistent results; saved to Tosca’s repository for historical tracking, reporting, and analysis. |
Control Over Execution | Limited configuration; runs straightforwardly without detailed settings. | Detailed execution properties, including priorities, data-driven settings, and environment configurations. |
Suitability for CI/CD | Not intended for CI/CD pipelines or automated execution schedules. | Commonly used in CI/CD environments for systematic, automated testing as part of build pipelines. |
Scheduling & Reusability | Suitable for one-off runs; not reusable for scheduled or repeatable tests. | Can be scheduled and reused across test cycles, providing consistency and repeatability. |
Steps to Execute TestCases in Scratchbook
- Select TestCases/TestSteps in Tosca’s TestCases section.
- Right-click and choose Run in Scratchbook.
- View Results directly in Scratchbook (pass/fail status and logs).
Steps to Set Up an Execution List in Tosca
- Identify the TestCases: Determine the test cases that need to be included based on the testing scope (e.g., manual, automated, API, or UI tests).
- Organize Test Cases in the Test Case Folder: Ensure all required test cases are organized within appropriate folders in the Test Cases section.
- Create an Execution List:
-Go to the Execution section of Tosca.
-Right-click > Create Execution List. Name the list based on your testing context (e.g., “Smoke Suite” or “Regression Suite”).
- Drag and Drop Test Cases:
-Navigate back to the TestCases section.
-Drag and drop the test cases (or entire test case folders if you want to include multiple tests) into your execution list in the Execution section. –Save and Execute: Save the execution list, then execute it by right-clicking and selecting Run.
-The execution will start, and progress is shown in real-time.
– After execution, you can view the pass/fail status and logs in Execution Results
- Navigate to Execution Results:
-Navigate back to the TestCases section.
-You’ll see each TestCase with a pass (green) or fail (red) status.
Step 7: Review and Validate Test Results
- Generate Reports:
-After execution, go to Execution Results.
-Right-click to print reports in various formats (Excel, PDF, HTML, etc.) based on your requirements.
- Check Results: Use Tosca’s reporting tools to look at the test execution results. See if there are any issues.
- Record and Document Findings: Write down everything you find. This includes whether the tests pass or fail and any error details.
Step 8: Maintain and Update Models and Test Cases
- Get used to changes: Update your sections and test cases as your application grows. Make changes directly in the model.
- Make it easy to reuse: Keep improving your parts and libraries. This will help them remain usable and function well.
Benefits of using the Model-Based Approach in Tosca Automation
The benefits of using Tosca’s model-based approach are many. First, it greatly speeds up test automation. A major reason for this is reusability. When you create a module, you can use it for several test cases. This saves time and effort when making tests.
One big benefit is better software quality. A model-based approach helps teams build stronger and more complete Tosca test suites. The model provides a clear source of information. This allows the test cases to show how the application works correctly. It also helps find mistakes that may be missed otherwise.
Comparison of the Model-Based Approach with traditional methods of Tosca Automation
When you look at the model-based approach and compare it to the old Tosca automation methods, the benefits are clear. Traditional testing requires scripts. This means it takes a long time to create test suites. It is also hard to maintain them. As applications become more complex, this problem gets worse.
The model-based approach helps teams be flexible and quick. It allows them to adapt to changes smoothly. This is key for keeping up with the fast pace of software development. The back-and-forth process works well with modern development methods like Agile and DevOps.
Real-world examples of successful implementation of the Model-Based Approach in Tosca Automation
Many companies from different industries have had great success with Tosca’s model-based approach for automation. These real examples show the true benefits of this method in different environments and various applications.
Industry | Organization | Benefits |
Finance | Leading Investment Bank | Reduced testing time by 50%, Improved defect detection rates |
Healthcare | Global Healthcare Provider | Accelerated time-to-market for critical healthcare applications |
Retail | E-commerce Giant | Enhanced online shopping experience with improved application stability |
Conclusion
In conclusion, using the Model-Based Approach in Tosca Automation can really help with your testing. This method makes it easier to find objects and allows you to create reusable test libraries. With this approach, you will check your work and test more effectively. Following this method can lead to better efficiency and higher productivity in automation. Model-based testing with Tosca helps you design and run tests in a smart way. By trying this new approach, you can improve your automation skills and keep up in the fast-changing world of software testing. Companies like Codoid are continually innovating and delivering even better testing solutions, leveraging tools like Tosca to enhance automation efficiency and results. Check out the benefits and real examples to see what Tosca Automation offers with the Model-Based Approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What Makes Tosca’s Model-Based Approach Unique?
Tricentis Tosca uses a model-based way to work. This helps teams get results quicker. It offers simple visual modeling. Test setup is easy and does not need scripts. Its powerful object recognition makes test automation easy. Because of this, anyone, whether they are technical or not, can use Tosca without problems.
- How Does Tosca Automation Integrate with Agile and DevOps?
Tosca works well with agile and DevOps methods. It supports continuous testing and works nicely with popular CI/CD tools. This makes the software development process easier. It also helps teams get feedback faster.
- Can Tosca Automation Support Continuous Testing?
Tosca Automation is an excellent software testing tool. It is designed for continuous testing. This tool allows tests to run automatically. It works perfectly with CI/CD pipelines. Additionally, it provides fast feedback for continuous integration.
- What Resources Are Available for Tosca Automation Learners?
Tosca Automation learners can use many resources. These resources come from Tricentis Academy. You will find detailed documents, community forums, and webinars. This information supports Tosca test automation and shares best practices.
by Hannah Rivera | Oct 26, 2024 | Automation Testing, Blog, Latest Post, Top Picks |
In test automation, having clear and detailed reports is really important. A lot of teams that work with WebdriverIO pick Allure Report as their main tool. The Allure reporter connects your test results with helpful insights. This helps you understand the results of your test automation better. This blog will explain how to use Allure reporting in your WebdriverIO projects.
Key Highlights
- This blog tells you about Allure Report. It shows how it works with WebdriverIO to help make test reports better.
- You will learn how to set up Allure and make it run smoothly. It will also explain how to customize it.
- You can see the benefits of using Allure, such as detailed test reports, useful visuals, and improved teamwork.
- You will find handy tips to use Allure’s special reporting features to speed up your testing.
- This guide is meant for both new and experienced testers who want to enhance their reporting with WebdriverIO.
Understanding the Need for Enhanced Reporting in WebdriverIO
Imagine this: you created a group of automated tests with WebdriverIO and Selenium. Your tests run well, but the feedback you receive is not enough to understand how good your automation is. Regular test reports usually do not have the detail or clarity needed to fix problems, review results, and talk about your work with others.
Allure is the place to get help. It is a strong and flexible tool for reporting. It takes your WebdriverIO test results and makes fun and useful reports. Unlike other simple reporting tools, Allure does more than just tell you which tests passed or failed. It shows you a clear picture of your test results. This allows you to see trends, find problems, and make good choices based on the data.
Identifying Common Reporting Challenges
One common issue in test automation is the confusing console output when tests fail. Console logs can help, but they are often messy and hard to read, especially when there are many tests. Another problem is how to share results with the team. Just sharing console output or simple HTML reports often does not provide enough details or context for working together on fixing and analyzing problems.
Visual Studio Code is a popular tool for developers. But it doesn’t have good options for detailed test reporting. It is great for editing and fixing code. However, it does not show test results clearly. That’s where Allure comes in. Allure does a great job with test reporting.
Allure reports help solve these problems. They present information clearly and visually, which makes sharing easy. You can make Allure reports fast with simple commands. This helps everyone, whether they are technical or not, to use them easily.
The Importance of Detailed Test Reports
A test report is really important. It gives a clear view of what happened during a test run. The report should include more than just the test cases and their results. A good report will also explain why the results happened.
Allure results make things easier. You can group tests by features, user stories, or Gherkin tags. This detail helps you check and share information better. It allows you to track the progress and quality of different parts of your application.
You can add screenshots, videos, logs, and custom data to your test reports. For example, if a test fails, your report can include a screenshot of the app at the time of the failure. It can also display important log messages and network requests from the test. This extra information helps developers find problems faster and saves time when fixing issues.
Introducing Allure Report: A Solution to WebdriverIO Reporting Woes
Enter Allure Report. This is a free tool for reporting. It is easy to use and strong enough for your needs. Allure works well with WebdriverIO. It turns your raw test data into nice and engaging reports. You don’t have to read through long lines of console output anymore. Now, you can enjoy clear test reports.
Allure is different from other reporting tools. It does not just give you a simple list of tests that passed or failed. It shows a clear and organized view of your test run. This lets you see how your tests work together. You can spot patterns in errors and get helpful insights about your application’s performance.
Key Benefits of Integrating Allure with WebdriverIO
Integrating Allure with WebdriverIO is easy. You just need to use the Allure WebdriverIO adapter. First, install the npm packages. Next, add a few setup lines to your WebdriverIO project. With Allure, you can change its configuration without hassle. This means you can modify how your reports appear and control the level of detail in them.
Here are some key benefits:
- Clear and Organized Reports: Allure reports show your tests in a clear way. They have steps, attachments, timing, and info about the environment.
- Easy-to-Understand Visuals: Allure displays your results in a fun and simple manner. This helps you analyze data and spot trends fast.
- Better Teamwork: Allure gives tools like testing history and linking issues. This helps developers, testers, and stakeholders work together better.
These benefits speed up testing and make it better.
Overview of Allure’s Features and Capabilities
The Allure Report is great because it can fulfill many reporting needs. If you need a quick summary of your tests or a close look at one test case, Allure has it. It helps you keep your tests organized. You can sort them by features, stories, or any other way you like.
This organization is designed to be simple and user-friendly. For example, a team member can easily find tests that are failing for a certain feature. This allows them to choose which bugs to fix first. They can also understand how these fixes will impact the entire application.
Let’s look at the main features of Allure for WebdriverIO:
Feature | Description |
Detailed Test Results | Provides comprehensive details for each test case, including steps, attachments, logs, and timings. |
Hierarchical Organization | Enables grouping and categorizing tests based on features, stories, or other criteria for better organization. |
Screenshots & Attachments | Allows attaching screenshots, videos, logs, and other files to test cases for easier debugging and analysis. |
Customizable Reports | Offers flexibility in customizing the appearance and content of the report to meet specific needs. |
Integration with CI/CD Tools | Seamlessly integrates with popular CI/CD tools, allowing for automated report generation and distribution. |
Historical Data & Trends | Tracks historical test data, enabling the identification of trends and patterns in test results over time. |
Output Directory | After each test run, Allure generates a directory (customizable) containing all the report data, ready to be served by the Allure command-line tool. |
Step-by-Step Guide to Integrating Allure Report with WebdriverIO
Ready to improve your WebdriverIO reports using Allure? Let’s go through the simple setup process step by step. We will discuss the basic setup and how to customize it for your needs. The steps are easy, and the benefits are fantastic. By the end of this guide, you will know how to create helpful Allure reports for your WebdriverIO projects.
We will learn how to install packages. We will also examine configuration files. Get ready to discover the benefits of good test reporting.
Prerequisites
Make sure you have Node.js installed. Create a new WebdriverIO project if you don’t have one.
During this setup, WebdriverIO will generate a basic project structure for you.
Step 1: Install Dependencies
To integrate Allure with WebdriverIO, you need to install the wdio-allure-reporter plugin:
npm install @wdio/allure-reporter --save-dev
npm install allure-commandline --save-dev
Step 2: Update WebdriverIO Configuration
In your wdio.conf.js file, enable the Allure reporter. Add the reporter section or update the existing one:
js
Copy code
exports.config = {
// Other configurations...
reporters: [
['allure', {
outputDir: 'allure-results', // Directory where allure results will be saved
disableWebdriverStepsReporting: false, // Set to true if you don't want webdriver actions like clicks, inputs, etc.
disableWebdriverScreenshotsReporting: false, // Set to true if you don't want to capture screenshots
}]
],
// The path of the spec files will be resolved relative from the directory of
// of the config file unless it's absolute.
//
specs: [
'./test/specs/webdriverioTestScript.js'
],
// More configurations...
}
Step 3: Example Test with Allure Report
Here’s a sample WebdriverIO test that integrates with Allure:
const allureReporter = require('@wdio/allure-reporter').default;
describe('Launch_Application_URL', () => {
it('Given I launch "Practice Test Automation" Application', async () => {
allureReporter.addFeature('Smoke Suite :: Practice Test Automation Application'); // Adds a feature label to the report
allureReporter.addSeverity('Major'); // Marks the severity of the test
allureReporter.addDescription('Open Google and perform a search for WebdriverIO');
await browser.url('https://practicetestautomation.com/practice-test-login/');
allureReporter.addStep('Given I launch Practice Test Automation Application');
var result = await $('//h2[text()="Test login"]');
await expect(result).toBeDisplayed();
});
});
describe('Login_Functionality', () => {
it('When I login with valid Credential', async () => {
const txtUsername = await $('#username');
await txtUsername.setValue('student');
allureReporter.addStep('Enter Username : student');
const txtPassword = await $('#password');
await txtPassword.setValue('Password123');
allureReporter.addStep('Enter Password : Password123')
const btnLogin = await $('//button[@id="submit"]');
await btnLogin.click();
allureReporter.addStep('Click Login Button');
});
});
describe('Verify_Home_Page', () => {
it('Then I should see Logged In successfully Message', async () => {
const result = await $('//h1[text()="Logged In Successfully"]');
await expect(result).toBeDisplayed();
allureReporter.addStep('Then I should see Logged In successfully Message');
});
});
In this test:
- allureReporter.addFeature(‘Feature Name’) adds metadata to the report.
- addStep() documents individual actions during the test.
Step 4: Run Tests and Generate Allure Report
1.Run the tests with the command:
npx wdio run ./wdio.conf.js
This will generate test results in the allure-results folder.
2.Generate the Allure report:
npx allure generate allure-results --clean
3.Open the Allure report:
This will open the Allure report in your default web browser, displaying detailed test results.
Note : If you want to generate a allure report in a single html file, follow below steps
- Open cmd for framework location
- enter “allure generate –single–file D:\QATest\WebdriverIO-JS\allure-results”
It will generate single html file in “allure-report” folder as below.
Step 5: Adding Screenshots
You can configure screenshots to be captured on test failure. In the wdio.conf.js, ensure you have the afterTest hook set up:
afterTest: async function(test, context, { error, result, duration, passed, retries }) {
await browser.takeScreenshot();
},
Elevating Your Reporting Game with Allure
The best thing about Allure is how simple it is to customize. It is more than just a standard reporting tool. Allure lets you change your reports to fit your project’s needs. You can also change how Allure operates by editing your wdio.conf.js file. This will help it match your workflow just right.
You can make your reports better by adding key details about the environment. You can also make custom labels for easier organization and connect with other tools. Check out advanced features like adding test attachments. For example, if you want to take a screenshot during your test, you can use Allure’s addAttachment function. This function allows you to put useful visual info straight into your report.
Customizing Reports for Comprehensive Insights
You can do much more with Allure than just setting it up. You can change your reports by adding metadata right in your test code. With Allure’s API, you can add details like features, stories, and severity levels to your tests. This metadata gives useful information for your reports.
You might want to mark some tests as important or organize them by user stories. You can do this easily with Allure’s API. It makes your reports look better and feel better. Just think about being able to filter your Allure report to see only the tests related to a specific user story planned for the next release.
Adding metadata like severity helps your team concentrate on what is important. This change turns your reports from just summaries into useful tools for making decisions. You can explore Allure’s addLabel, addSeverity, and other API features to make the most of customized reporting.
Tips and Tricks for Advanced Allure Reporting Features
Let’s improve our Allure reporting with some helpful tips. Using Allure with WebdriverIO makes it even better. For example, you can use the takeScreenshot function from WebdriverIO along with Allure. By capturing screenshots at important times during your tests, like when there is a failure or during key steps, you can add pictures to your reports.
Allure’s addArgument function is really helpful. It helps you remember important details that can help with debugging. For example, when you test a function using different inputs, you can use addArgument to record those inputs and the results. This makes it easier to connect failures or strange behavior to specific inputs.
Remember to use Allure’s command-line interface (CLI) to create and view your reports on your computer. After running your tests and when your allure-results directory is full, go to your project root in your terminal. Then, type these commands:
allure generate allure-results –clean
allure open
This will make your report and open it in your default browser. It’s easy!
Conclusion
Using the Allure Report with WebdriverIO can make your testing better. You will receive clear test reports that provide useful information. There are many advantages to adding Allure. It lets you change how your reports look and use special tools. Connecting Allure with WebdriverIO is easy; just follow a simple guide. This strong tool can fix common reporting issues and improve your testing. With Allure, you will easily see all your test results. This helps you to make smart choices for your projects. Use Allure’s helpful features to improve your reports and make your testing a success.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How Can I Customize Allure Reports to Fit My Project Needs?
Customization is very important in Allure. You can change the settings in the Allure reporter by updating your wdio.conf.js file. This lets you choose where the allure-results folder will be located and how to arrange the results. You can also include metadata and attachments directly in your test code. This way, you can create reports that meet your needs perfectly.
- What Are the Common Issues Faced While Integrating Allure with WebdriverIO and How to Resolve Them?
To fix issues with Allure integration, start by checking if you have installed the Allure CLI and the WebdriverIO plugin (@wdio/allure-reporter) using npm. Next, ensure that your wdio.conf.js file has the right settings for the Allure reporter.
by Arthur Williams | Oct 21, 2024 | Automation Testing, Blog, Featured, Latest Post |
Automated testing plays a big role in software development today. GitHub Actions is a useful tool for continuous integration (CI). When developers use GitHub Actions for automated testing, it makes their testing processes easier. This leads to better code quality and helps speed up deployment.
Key Highlights
- Learn how to automate your testing processes with GitHub Actions. This will make your software development quicker and better.
- We will help you set up your first workflow. You will also learn key ideas and how to use advanced features.
- This complete guide is great for beginners and for people who want to enhance their test automation with GitHub Actions.
- You can see practical examples, get help with issues, and find the best ways to work. This will help you improve your testing workflow.
- Discover how simple it is to connect with test management tools. This can really boost your team’s testing and reporting skills.
Understanding GitHub Actions and Automated Testing
In software development, testing is very important. Test automation helps developers test their code fast and accurately. When you use test automation with good CI/CD tools, like GitHub Actions, it improves the development process a lot.
GitHub Actions helps teams work automatically. This includes test automation. You can begin automated tests when certain events happen. For example, tests can run when someone pushes code or makes a pull request. This ensures that every change is checked carefully.
The Importance of Automation in Software Development
Software development should happen quickly. This is why automation is so important. Testing everything by hand each time there is a change takes a long time. It can also lead to mistakes.
Test automation solves this issue by running test cases without help. This allows developers to focus on other important tasks. They can spend time adding new features or fixing bugs.
GitHub Actions is a powerful tool. It helps you to automate your testing processes. It works nicely with your GitHub repository. You can run automated tests each time you push changes to the code.
Overview of GitHub Actions as a CI/CD Tool
GitHub Actions is a strong tool for CI and CD. It connects well with GitHub. You can design custom workflows. These workflows are groups of steps that happen automatically when certain events take place.
In continuous integration, GitHub Actions is very helpful for improving test execution. It allows you to automate the steps of building, testing, and deploying your projects. When you make a change in the code and push it to your new repository’s main branch, it can kick off a workflow that will, by default, run tests, including any related to Pull Requests (PR), build your application, and deploy it either to a staging area or to production.
This automation makes sure your code is always checked and added. It helps to lower the chances of problems. This also makes the development process easier.
Preparing for Automated Testing with GitHub Actions
Before you start making your automated testing workflow, let’s make sure you have everything ready. This will help your setup run smoothly and be successful.
You need a GitHub account. You also need a repository for your code. It helps to know some basic Git commands while you go through this process.
What You Need to Get Started: Accounts and Tools
If you don’t have a repository, start by making a new one in your GitHub account. This repository will be the main place for your code, tests, and workflow setups.
Next, choose a test automation framework that suits your project’s technology. Some popular choices are Jest for JavaScript, pytest for Python, and JUnit for Java. Each option has a unique way of writing tests.
Make sure your project has the right dependencies. If you use npm as your package manager, run npm ci. This command will install all the necessary packages from your package.json file.
Configuring Your GitHub Repository for Actions
With your repository ready, click on the “Actions” tab. Here, you can manage and set up your workflows. You will organize the automated tasks right here.
GitHub Actions searches for files that organize workflows in your repository. You can locate these files in the .github/workflows directory. They use YAML format. This format explains how to carry out the steps and gives instructions for your automated tasks.
When you create a new YAML file in this directory, you add a new workflow to your repository. This workflow begins when certain events happen. These events might be code pushes or pull requests.
Creating Workflow on GitHub Actions
Pre-Requisites:
- Push the “Postman” collection and “Environment” file in repository.
- Install “Newman” in your system.
Create a new workflow:
- Open your GitHub repository.
- Click on the “Actions” tab on the top.
- Click on “New workflow” in the actions page.
- Click on “Configure” button within “Simple Workflow” in “New workflow” page.
- You can navigate to the “.github/workflow” directory , where we can configure the default “blank.yml” file.
- Based on the requirements we can configure the “.yml” file, for example if you want to triggers a particular branch whenever the deployment is done, we need to “configure” the branch name in the “.yml” file.
- We can configure the workflow to be triggered based on specific events, such as whenever a push or pull request occurs in the specified branch.
- Add steps to install NodeJS and Newman in the .yml file
- If you want to run the particular collection in your branch, configure the “.yml” file using the below command:
- To generate an HTML report, you must include steps to install the htmlextra dependency and establishing a folder to store the report.
The screenshot below demonstrates creating a folder to save the report:
The screenshot below illustrates copying the generated HTML report:
- Once the configuration setup is completed click on “Commit changes”
- Create a new branch and raise an “PR” to the appropriate branch where you want the workflow.
- Accept the “PR” from the respective branch.
- After the “Workflow” is added (or) merged in the respective branch, it will auto trigger the configured file (or) folder every time whenever the deployment is done.
Report Verification:
- Once the execution is completed, we can see the report in the “Actions” tab.
- The recent executions are displayed at the top (or) the recent workflows are displayed in the left side of the “Actions” panel.
- Click on the “Workflow”.
- Click on “build” where we can see the entire test report.
- The “html” report is generated under “Artifacts” at the bottom of the workflow run.
- When you click on the report, it will be getting download in your local system as a zip file.
Issues Faced:
- Sometimes the htmlextra report will not be generated if any of the previous steps or any of the tests getting failed in your postman collection, to handle this error we need to handle the issue.
- To fix the issue we need to handle it with the “if” condition.
Enhancing Your Workflow with Advanced Features
Now that you have a simple testing workflow set up, let’s look at how we can make it better. We can improve it by using advanced features from GitHub Actions.
These features let you run tests at the same time. They also help speed up build times. This can make your CI/CD pipeline easier and faster.
Incorporating Parallel Testing for Efficiency
As your test suite gets bigger, it takes more time to run UI tests. GitHub Actions can help make this easier. It allows you to run your new configuration tests in parallel, which is a great way to cut down the time needed for your tests. By breaking your test suite into smaller parts, you can use several runners to run these parts simultaneously and you can even use a test automation tool to subscribe to notifications about the test run ID and the progress.
This helps you receive feedback more quickly. You don’t need to wait for all the tests to end. You can gain insights into certain parts fast.
Here are some ways to use parallel testing:
- Split by Test Files: Divide your test suite into several files. You can set up GitHub Actions to run them all together.
- Split by Test Types: If you group your tests by type, like unit, integration, or end-to-end, run each group together.
- Use a Test Runner with Parallel Support: Some test runners can run tests at the same time. This makes it easier to set up.
Utilizing Cache to Speed Up Builds
Caching is important in GitHub Actions. It helps speed up your build processes. When you save dependencies, build artifacts, or other files that you use often, it can save you time. You won’t have to download or create them again.
Here are some tips for using caching:
- Find Cachable Dependencies: Look for dependencies that do not change. You can store them in cache. This means you will not need to download them again.
- Use Actions That Cache Automatically: Some actions, like actions/setup-node, have built-in caching features. This makes things easier.
- Handle Cache Well: Make sure to clear your cache regularly. This helps you save space and avoid problems from old files.
Monitoring and Managing Your Automated Tests
It is important to keep an eye on the health and success of automated tests. This is as important as creating them. When you understand the results of the workflow, you can repair any tests that fail. This practice helps to keep a strong CI pipeline.
By paying close attention and taking good care of things, you can make sure your tests give the right results. This helps find and fix any problems quickly.
Understanding Workflow Results and Logs
GitHub Actions helps you see each workflow run in a simple way. It shows you the status of every job and step in that workflow. You can easily find this information in the “Actions” tab of your repository.
When you click on a specific workflow run, you can see logs for each job and step. The logs show the commands that were used, the results they produced, and any error messages. This information is helpful if you need to solve problems.
You might want to connect to a test management tool. These tools can help you better report and analyze data. They can show trends in test results and keep track of test coverage. They can also create detailed reports. This makes your test management much simpler.
Debugging Failing Tests and Common Issues
Failing tests are common. They help you see where your code can get better. It is really important to fix these failures well.
Check the logs from GitHub Actions. Focus on the error messages and stack traces. They often provide helpful clues about what caused the issue.
Here is a table that lists some common problems and how to fix them:
Issue | Troubleshooting Steps |
Test environment misconfiguration | Verify environment variables, dependencies, and service configurations |
Flakiness in tests | Identify non-deterministic behavior, isolate dependencies, and implement retries or mocking |
Incorrect assertions or test data | Review test logic, data inputs, and expected outcomes |
Conclusion
In conclusion, using automated testing with GitHub Actions greatly enhances your software development process by improving speed, reliability, and efficiency. Embracing automation allows teams to streamline repetitive tasks and focus on innovation. Tools like parallel testing further optimize workflows, ensuring code consistency. Regularly monitoring your tests will continuously improve quality. If you require similar automation testing services to boost your development cycle, reach out to Codoid for expert solutions tailored to your needs. Codoid can help you implement cutting-edge testing frameworks and automation strategies to enhance your software’s performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How Do I Troubleshoot Failed GitHub Actions Tests?
To fix issues with failed GitHub Actions tests, look at the logs for every step of the job that failed. Focus on the error messages, stack traces, and console output. This will help you find the main problem in your code or setup.
by Hannah Rivera | Aug 12, 2024 | Automation Testing, Blog, Top Picks |
Playwright is an incredibly popular and powerful tool for end-to-end automation testing of modern web applications. It offers great advantages such as faster execution speed, great documentation, and a slew of built-in features for reporting, debugging, parallel execution, and so on. If you are thinking about building your test automation framework with Playwright or migrating from a different tool, our comprehensive Playwright Cheatsheet will help you get started with the tool quickly. As an experienced automation testing service provider, we have used Playwright in our projects for different needs and we have covered some of Playwright’s most unique and advanced methods, designed to make your testing and automation processes more efficient and effective.
Playwright Cheatsheet
We have structured our Playwright Cheatsheet in a way that it is easy for both beginners to learn and experts to quickly refer to some important snippets they might be looking for.
Basic Commands
Advanced Interactions
Browser, Context Management
First up in our Playwright Cheatsheet, we’re going to start with the basics to see how to launch a browser instance in regular mode, incognito mode, and so on.
1. Launching a Browser Instance
- chromium.launch(): Initiates a new instance of the Chromium browser.
- browser.newContext(): Establishes a fresh browser context, which represents an incognito mode profile.
- context.newPage(): Generates a new browser tab (page) within the context for interaction.
// Step 1: Initiate a new instance of the Chromium browser
const browser = await chromium.launch({ headless: false });
// Step 2: Establish a fresh browser context
const context = await browser.newContext();
// Step 3: Generate a new browser tab within the context
const page = await context.newPage();
2. Creating a Persistent Context
You can use persistent contexts to maintain session continuity and reuse authentication states across tests. It allows for testing scenarios where user sessions need to be preserved.
// Launch a persistent context using the specified user data dir
const context = await chromium.launchPersistentContext(userDataDir, {headless: false });
Selectors & Mouse Interactions
Once the browser instance has been launched, the next steps in the automation will involve keyboard and mouse interactions which we will be seeing now in our Playwright Cheatsheet.
1. Using Selectors for Element Interaction
- page.goto(): Directs the browser tab to a specified URL.
- page.click(): Locates and triggers a button with the identifier Example: ‘submit’.
- page.fill(): Finds an input field with the name ‘username’ and inputs the value.
- page.selectOption(): Identifies a dropdown menu and chooses the option.
await page.goto('https://example.com');
await page.click('button#submit');
await page.fill('input[name="username"]', 'example_user');
await page.selectOption('select[name="city"]', 'New York');
Checkboxes and Radio Buttons: Easily toggle checkboxes and radio buttons using locator.setChecked() in Playwright. This method simplifies the process of both selecting and deselecting options.
// Step 3: Locate a checkbox using its label
const checkbox = page.getByLabel('Terms and Conditions');
// Ensure the checkbox is checked
await checkbox.setChecked(true);
// Step 4: Assert that the checkbox is checked
await expect(checkbox).toBeChecked();
type() : The type method in Playwright is used to simulate keyboard input into a text input field, text area, or any other element that accepts text input.
await page.getByPlaceholder('Enter your name').type('John Doe');
press(): The press method in Playwright is used to simulate pressing a key on the keyboard. This method allows you to automate keyboard interactions with web pages.
await page.keyboard.press("Enter");
title(): The title method in Playwright is used to retrieve the title of the current web page. You can use this method to extract the title of the web page you are interacting with during your automation or testing scripts.
const pageTitle = await page.title();
console.log(`page title is : ${pageTitle});
check(): The check method in Playwright is used to interact with checkboxes and radio buttons on a web page.
await page.check('input#myCheckbox');
Or
await page.locator('input#myCheckbox').check();
unCheck(): The uncheck method in Playwright is used to uncheck (deselect) checkboxes or radio buttons on a web page.
await page.uncheck('input#myCheckbox');
Or
await page.locator('input#myCheckbox').uncheck();
focus(): This method can be particularly useful when you want to simulate user interactions like keyboard input or navigating through a web application using keyboard shortcuts.
await page.locator('input#username').focus();
hover(): The hover method in Playwright is used to simulate a mouse hover action over a web page element. When you hover over an element, it can trigger various interactions or reveal hidden content.
await page.locator('button#myButton').hover();
or
await page.hover('button#myButton');
textContent(): Although the textContent method is not a built-in method in Playwright, it is a standard JavaScript method used to retrieve the text content of a DOM element.
const element = await page.locator('div#myElement');
const textContent = await
element.textContent()console.log('Text Content:', textContent);
allTextContents(): In Playwright, the allTextContent method is used to find array of multiple elements in the DOM. which returns an array of textContent values for all matching nodes.
const element = page.locator('div#Element');
const textContents = await element.allTextContents();
console.log(`All Text Contents : ${textContents}`);
inputValue(): The inputValue method in Playwright is used to retrieve the current value of an input element, such as a text input, textarea, or password field.
// Using inputValue to retrieve the current value of the input field
const inputValue = await page.inputValue('input#username');
console.log('Current input value:', inputValue);
close(): The close method is the last selector we’re going to see in our Playwright cheatsheet and it is used to close a browser, browser context, or page. You can use this method to gracefully shut down browser instances or specific pages. Here’s how you can use the close method in Playwright.
// Close the page when done
await page.close();
// Close the browser context
await context.close();
// Close the browser instance
await browser.close();
2. Mouse Interactions
Clicks and Double Clicks: Playwright can simulate both single clicks and double clicks on elements.
// Single click
await page.click('selector');
// Double click
await page.dblclick('selector');
Hover and Tooltips: You can use Playwright to hover over elements and reveal tooltips or activate dropdown menus.
await page.hover('selector');
const tooltip = await page.waitForSelector('tooltip-selector');
const tooltipText = await tooltip.innerText(); // Get text from the tooltip
console.log(tooltipText);
Drag and Drop: Here are the Playwright techniques for simulating drag-and-drop interactions between elements on a webpage.
// Locate the source and target elements
const source = await page.$('source-selector');
const target = await page.$('target-selector');
// Perform drag-and-drop
await source.dragAndDrop(target);
move(): mouse.move(x, y) in Playwright is used to move the mouse to a specific position on the page. This can be useful for simulating mouse movements during automated testing. The x and y parameters represent the coordinates where you want the mouse to move, with (0, 0) being the top-left corner of the page.
await page.mouse.move(100, 100);
dragTo(): This method is useful for automating drag-and-drop interactions in your web application. Let’s see how to use the dragTo() method with a sample snippet in our Playwright cheatsheet.
//Locate the source and target elements you want to drag & drop
const sourceElement = await page.locator('source-element-selector')
const targetElement = await page.locator('target-element-selector')
// Perform the drag-and-drop action
await sourceElement.dragTo(targetElement)
Pressing and Releasing Mouse Buttons: In Playwright, you can simulate pressing and releasing mouse buttons using the mouse.down() and mouse.up() methods.
const myElement = page.locator('.my-element')
await myElement.mouse.down() // Press the left mouse button
await myElement.mouse.up() // Release the left mouse button
Context Menu: See how Playwright interacts with context menus by right-clicking elements and selecting options.
// Right-click on an element to open the context menu
await page.click('element-selector', { button: 'right' });
// Wait for the context menu to appear
await page.waitForSelector('context-menu-selector', { state: 'visible' });
// Click on an option within the context menu
await page.click('context-menu-option-selector');
Scrolling: Discover how to simulate scrolling actions in Playwright using mouse interactions. Demonstrate scrolling through a long webpage to ensure all content loads correctly or to capture elements that only appear when scrolled into view.
// Click on an option within the context menu
await page.click('context-menu-option-selector');
await page.evaluate((x, y) => { window.scrollBy(x, y); });
Note: Use stable selectors like IDs or data attributes to ensure robust tests; validate mouse interactions by asserting resulting UI changes.
Locators
As we all know, a locator is a tool for locating elements on a webpage and Playwright has a lot of available locators. Now in our Playwright cheatsheet, we’re going to see the several available methods for finding elements, and the chosen parameters are sent to the methods for finding elements.
1. getByRole(): getByRole is used to query and retrieve elements on a web page based on their accessibility roles, such as “button,” “link,” “textbox,” “menu,” and so on. This is particularly useful for writing tests that focus on the accessibility and user experience of a web application.
// Click on an option within the context menu
await page.getByRole('textbox', {name:'Username'}).fill(‘vijay’);
2. getByText(): Although getByText() is not a built-in method in Playwright, it is a method that is often used in testing libraries like Testing Library (e.g., React Testing Library or DOM Testing Library) to query and interact with elements based on their text content.
await page.getByText('Forgot your password? ').click();
3. getByPlaceholder(): The getByPlaceholderText method is used to select a DOM element based on its placeholder attribute in an input element.
await page.getByPlaceholder('Username').fill('vijay');
4. getByAltText(): getByAltText() is not a method associated with Playwright; it’s actually a method commonly used in testing libraries like React Testing Library and Testing Library (for various JavaScript frameworks) to select an element by its alt attribute. If you are writing tests using one of these testing libraries, here’s how you can use getByAltText().
await page.getByAltText('client brand banner').isVisible();
5. getByTitle() :getByTitle() method in Playwright is for interacting with an HTML element that has a specific title attribute.If you are writing tests using one of the testing libraries mentioned above, here’s how you can use it
await page.getByTitle('Become a Seller').click();
File and Frame Handling
As we have seen how to launch the browser instance, use selectors, and handle mouse interactions in our Playwright cheatsheet, the next step would be to see how we can handle files, frames, and windows. Let’s start with files and frames now.
1. Handling File Uploads
- Easily handle file uploads during testing to ensure the functionality works as expected in your application by referring to the below code.
// Navigate to the page with the file upload form
await page.goto('your-page-url');
// Trigger the file input dialog
const [fileChooser] = await Promise.all([page.waitForEvent('filechooser'),
page.click('button-to-trigger-file chooser')]);
// Set the files to upload
await fileChooser.setFiles('path/to/your/file.txt');
2. Interacting with Frames
- Playwright allows you to interact with frames on a web page using methods like frame(), frames(), and waitForLoadState(). Here’s how you can do it.
- Use the frame() method to access a specific frame by its name, URL, or element handle.
- Get Frame using Name FrameSelector :
const allFrames = page.frames();
- Get Frame using Name Option :
const myFrame = page.frame({name: "frame1"});
or
const myFrame = page.frame("frame1");
- Get Frame using URL option :
const
Myframe=page.frame({url:"http://autopract.com/playwright/form1/"});
- Get Frame using Selector :
const
myFrame = page.frameLocator("iframe[name='frame1']");
- Navigate within a specific frame using the goto() method.
await frame.goto('https://codoid.com');
- Go back and forward within a frame using the goBack() and goForward() methods
await frame.goBack();
await frame.goForward();
- Wait for a frame to load or reach a specific load state using the waitForLoadState() method.
await frame.waitForLoadState('domcontentloaded');
Best Practices:
Automate file uploads and downloads to streamline file-related workflows. You can switch between frames using IDs or names for seamless interaction.
Windows Handling
Windows handling is an important aspect of web automation and testing, especially when dealing with scenarios where you need to interact with multiple browser windows or tabs. And that is why we have covered it in our Playwright Cheatsheet.
Playwright provides methods for handling multiple browser windows and tabs within a single browser instance. Here’s how you can work with windows handling in Playwright.
const [newWindow] = await Promise.all([context.waitForEvent('page'),
await page.getByText('APPLE iPhone 14 (Blue, 128 GB)').first().click()]);
await newWindow.waitForLoadState();
expect(newWindow.url()).toContain('apple-iphone-14');
await secondPage.close();
Best Practices:
Manage multiple windows or tabs by tracking handles and switching context as necessary. Make sure to close windows or tabs after tests to maintain a clean testing environment.
Special Capabilities
As stated earlier in our Playwright Cheatsheet, we have also covered advanced interactions in addition to the basic commands. The first of the many advanced interactions we’re going to see special capabilities such as device emulation and record and playback capabilities.
1. Emulating Devices:
- You can emulate a device for responsive testing to ensure your app looks good on various devices. This is crucial for testing mobile responsiveness and user experience.
const { devices, chromium } = require('playwright');
// Define the device you want to emulate
const iPhone = devices['iPhone 11'];
// Launch a browser and create a new context with device emulation
const browser = await chromium.launch();
const context = await browser.newContext({...iPhone,});
2. Recording and Replaying Actions
- You can automatically generate Playwright scripts with ease by recording your actions within a browser. This speeds up the creation of test scripts by capturing real user interactions.
Network Interception and Manipulation
Testing is not just about validating the results with happy paths as users might face numerous challenges in real-world scenarios. One of the common challenges can be with the network and we can manipulate it based on our testing needs. Let’s see how in our Playwright Cheatsheet.
1. Mocking Responses
Intercept and mock network responses to evaluate your app’s handling of different API responses. This is useful for testing error scenarios and verifying API integrations.
// Intercept requests to a specific URL
await page.route('**/api/data', async (route) => {
// Respond with custom data
await route.fulfill({
contentType: 'application/json',
body: JSON.stringify({ key: 'mockedValue' }) }); });
2. Simulating Offline Mode
Test how your application behaves when offline by simulating network disconnections. This ensures that your app handles offline scenarios seamlessly.
// Set the page to offline mode
await page.setOffline(true);
// Navigate to a page and perform actions
await page.goto('https://example.com');
// Restore network connection (optional)
await page.setOffline(false);
Screenshots and Visual Comparisons
Screenshots play a vital role in terms of reporting and with Playwright, you have the provision of capturing full-page screenshots and also screenshots of a particular element if required.
1. Screenshots
Capturing a Full-Page Screenshot
- You can take a screenshot of the entire page to visually verify the UI. This is beneficial for visual regression testing to identify unexpected changes.
// Take a full-page screenshot
await page.screenshot({ path: 'fullpage-screenshot.png', fullPage: true});
- There is also a provision to capture a screenshot of a specific element to focus on individual UI components. It helps in verifying the appearance of particular elements.
// Locate the element
const element = await page.$('selector-for-element');
if (element) {
// Take a screenshot of the element
await element.screenshot({ path: 'element-screenshot.png' });
console.log('Element screenshot taken'); }
Debugging and Tracing
The next set of advanced interactions we’re going to see in our Playwright cheatsheet is the debugging and tracing features that enable easier debugging and failure analysis/
Enabling Debug Mode(SlowMo)
- Using Playwright, you can execute tests in a visible browser with slow motion enabled for easier debugging. This helps you see what’s happening in real time and diagnose the issues.
// Launch the browser with slowMo
const browser = await chromium.launch({
headless: false, // Run in headful mode to see the browser
slowMo: 1000 // Slow down actions by 1000 milliseconds (1 second)
});
Capturing Traces
- You can capture detailed traces to analyze test failures and performance issues. This offers insights into test execution for debugging purposes.
// Start tracing
await context.tracing.start({ screenshots: true, snapshots: true });
const page = await context.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');
// Perform actions
await page.click('selector-for-button');
await page.fill('selector-for-input', 'some text');
// Stop tracing and save it to a file
await context.tracing.stop({ path: 'trace.zip' });
Best Practices:
You can also use console logs and debug statements within tests to troubleshoot issues and enable tracing to capture detailed logs for performance analysis.
Additional Methods
In the final section of our Playwright cheatsheet, we are going to see a few additional methods such as retrying actions, using locator assertions, and forcing colors mode.
Retrying Actions
Retrying actions addresses intermittent issues by repeatedly attempting a failed action until it either succeeds or the maximum number of retries is exhausted.
const retryDelay = 1000; const maxRetries = 3; // 1 second delay between retries
await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, retryDelay)); // Delay before retrying
Using Locator Assertions
- You can add assertions to ensure elements are visible, improving test reliability. This verifies that critical elements are present on the page.
// Check if the element is visible
await expect(page.locator('selector-for-element')).toBeVisible();
- Enabled/Disabled State Assertions
await expect(page.locator('selector-for-element')).toBeEnabled();
await expect(page.locator('selector-for-element')).toBeDisabled();
- Text and Count Assertion
await expect(page.locator('selector-for-element')).toHaveText('Expected Text');
await expect(page.locator('selector-for-elements')).toHaveCount(expectedCount);
- Invisibility Assertion
await expect(page.locator('selector-for-element')).toBeHidden();
Forcing Colors Mode
- There is even an option to simulate the high contrast mode for accessibility testing, ensuring usability for all users. This is crucial for testing the accessibility features of your application.
// Force dark color scheme
await page.emulateMedia({ forcedColors: 'dark' });
await browser.close(); })();
Conclusion
Playwright offers an extensive set of features that go beyond basic browser automation. Whether you’re testing complex user interactions, simulating various devices and network conditions, or capturing detailed traces for debugging, Playwright equips you with the tools you need to create reliable and efficient tests. We hope our Playwright cheatsheet will be helpful for you to use all these features with ease.
by Mollie Brown | Aug 2, 2024 | Automation Testing, Blog |
Playwright is an automation testing tool that has been gaining a lot of traction in the QA community. Despite being the latest tool compared to Selenium and Cypress, Playwright has become a popular choice today. Being a QA manager, you might be in the position to choose an automation tool for your testing needs or might be considering migrating to a different technology to better suit your needs. During such a scenario, you’ll have a lot of questions in your mind that you will be searching for answers to. In this Playwright overview blog, we’re going to answer all those questions as our prospective clients ask similar questions during introductory or discovery calls for our test automation services.
Common Playwright Questions
Before we head over to the answers, let’s first list out all the commonly asked questions that we will be addressing.
1. What is the difference between Cypress and Playwright?
2. What programming language can I choose for Playwright?
3. Advantages of Playwright?
4. Can we automate Mobile Applications using Playwright?
5. What reports can I get from PlayWright?
6. Is it open-source or commercial?
7. Who is maintaining Playwright?
8. Can I convert Cypress scripts to Playwright?
9. Can I run Playwright from CI\CD tools?
If an automation tester is fond of a particular tool, they will likely promote it to their colleagues and acquaintances. Nonetheless, we must evaluate the pros and cons before suggesting an automation testing tool. Let us examine each question’s solutions individually in our Playwright overview blog.
1. What is the difference between Cypress and Playwright?
Cypress is a web application automation testing tool and it differs from Selenium in one fundamental aspect. Selenium sends a command to a browser via JSON wire protocol and calls the browser API to perform an action on the application. However, in Cypress, your test code can access all the application’s objects like your product code since it runs the tests inside of the browser.
Advantages of running tests inside the browser:
- You can alter web traffic on the fly
- You can modify everything coming in & out of the browser
- Faster execution
- No need to add additional wait commands
- Enable advanced debugging facilities
Now let’s take a look at Playwright. It is also a framework to automate web applications and it achieves all the features of Cypress without using in-process test runner. Currently, Playwright is a popular choice among testers due to its quick test execution and compatibility with all modern browsers. It also supports multiple languages such as JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, C#, and Java for writing the tests. On the other hand, Cypress only supports JavaScript as its scripting language.
2. What programming language can I choose for Playwright?
You can select the appropriate scripting language according to your team’s familiarity and proficiency. The core features and implementations of Playwright are consistent across all supported languages.
To assess the release information for each language, simply refer to the corresponding GitHub repository for that language’s implementation.
3. Advantages of Playwright?
Although we are viewing the advantages throughout the Playwright overview blog, we have listed the key aspects for you to get a quick understanding.
- Playwright is a reliable & e2e automation testing framework for modern web apps
- It works with Chromium, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, & WebKit
- Works on any platform
- You can execute the tests in full isolation
- Test Execution is super fast
- Supports Headless and Headful modes
- Playwright is much faster than Cypress, Selenium, WebDriverIO, & Puppeteer tools
- 500+ contributors around the world manage the Playwright codebase
- You can automate API tests as well
4. Can we automate Mobile Applications using Playwright?
Another major criterion while choosing the right automation tool for you is its capability to automate different types of applications. Especially the web and mobile applications combination is something that many are on the lookout for. Here is the overview of Playwright’s mobile application testing capabilities.
- You cannot automate Native mobile apps
- You can automate mobile web on Android emulators or real devices using ADB commands. However, it is still in the experimental stage
- There is no official confirmation of iOS support yet
5. What reports can I get from Playwright?
Reporting is the next part we’ll be covering in our Playwright overview as it is a crucial aspect when deciding the right test automation tool for you. Here is the list of reporting options available in Playwright.
- List Reporter – This is the default reporter of Playwright. It prints a line for each test being run
- Line Reporter – It reports the last executed test and prints error details if there is a failure. Line reporter is useful to monitor the execution progress instead of viewing the entire test results.
- Dot Reporter – It is a concise report that shows only a single character for each test execution.
- HTML Reporter – It generates reports as a webpage
- Blob Reporter – Use blob reporter when you run tests in parallel.
- JSON Reporter – Generates report as JSON file
- Junit Reporter -JUnit reporter produces a JUnit-style XML report.
6. Is Playwright open-source or commercial?
Playwright is an open-source tool.
7. Who is maintaining Playwright?
Microsoft released the first version of Playwright on Feb 1, 2020. As of writing this blog, 127 versions have been released and 500+ contributors around the world manage the Playwright codebase. That is a very good stat that can give you a lot of confidence in choosing Playwright.
8. Can I convert Cypress scripts to Playwright?
For those who have already used Cypress for your test automation and are in the thought of migrating, our Playwright overview blog also offers possible options to move to Playwright. There are multiple tools/plugins in the market to convert Cypress scripts to Playwright, and here’s the list.
- cy2pw – This experimental node package has the capability to transform standard Cypress structures into Playwright.
- cypress-to-playwright – It is a conversion tool that can parse the entire script directory of Cypress to Playwright structure. You can find the supported snippets by viewing the linked page.
- ChatGPT – You can also try ChatGPT to convert your scripts.
9. Can I run Playwright from CI\CD tools?
Ensuring that your changes do not disrupt the production code is a vital requirement when it comes to test automation. The great news is that you can run your Playwright tests on a Continuous Integration tool for every commit and pull request. It even supports all major CI tools – Github Actions, Azure Pipelines, CircleCI, Jenkins, Bitbucket Pipelines, Gitlab CI, & Google Cloud Build.
Playwright Overview
One of the standout benefits of using Playwright is its speed. With parallel execution capabilities, multiple tests can run simultaneously on different browsers, saving valuable time in the testing process. This not only increases efficiency but also allows for more thorough testing coverage. Although we have discussed all the key factors a QA manager should consider in our Playwright overview blog, one must always see how well the tool will fit their testing needs and make the final call. We hope you are now in a better position to make that decision.