Building a scalable test automation framework for your project

Suppose you are relatively new to test automation and want to get involved in building a framework. In that case, it’s important to be aware of components that are necessary for the framework and how they fit together. It can be helpful to think about your project’s specific needs and goals, as well as any constraints or limitations you may be working within.

For example, if you’re a test architect, ask yourself these questions

And there could be some more.

In few cases, there are frameworks that never really does its job like the ones that does not make any difference even when you turned it off.

An automation framework is more than just the tools. It’s people and processes put together to set up a framework from the ground up and allow teams to deliver better software quality faster.

We’ll talk more about it in the sections below.

Test automation framework types

Some common types of automation testing frameworks include:

Linear Testing Framework: This is the most basic type of automation testing framework, where test cases are executed in a linear sequence, one after the other.

Linear testing frameworks can be useful for testing applications with a relatively simple or straightforward architecture. However, they may not be as effective for testing more complex or interconnected applications, as they may not consider the interactions and dependencies between different parts of the application.

Modular Testing Framework: In this type of framework, the application is divided into smaller modules, and each module is tested separately before integrating them to test the complete application.

The advantage of using a modular testing framework is that it allows testers to focus on smaller, more specific areas of the software, which can make the testing process more efficient and effective. It also allows for greater flexibility, as modules can be tested in any order and reused in different contexts.

However, a modular testing framework may not be as effective at identifying issues that arise when different modules are integrated, as these issues may not be apparent until the full system is tested. As such, it is often used in conjunction with other testing frameworks to provide a more comprehensive testing approach.

Data-Driven Testing Framework: In this type of framework, test cases are executed by reading the test data from external sources, such as an Excel sheet or a database.

Here is a simplified example of a data-driven testing framework:

• The test script contains the steps for the test case, such as opening a web page, entering login credentials, and clicking a button.
• The test data is stored in a separate file or database and contains the login credentials that will be used as input to the test script.
• The test runner is the component that executes the test script and passes the test data to it.
• The test script uses the test data as input and performs the steps in the test case. The output of the test script is compared to the expected results to determine if the test has passed or failed. The test results are usually stored in a separate file or database.

Using a data-driven testing framework allows you to create a single test script that can be executed multiple times with different data sets, improving the efficiency and flexibility of your testing process.

However, data-driven testing frameworks can be more complex to set up and maintain, as they require creating and maintaining a separate data file for test cases. They may also be less effective at identifying issues unrelated to data input and output, such as UI or performance issues.

Keyword-Driven Testing Framework: This type of framework uses a table of predefined keywords to represent the actions to be performed in the test cases.

In this approach, keywords must be connected to the objects or user interface elements they correspond to. This is typically done by creating a shared object repository that maps objects to their required actions. It’s worth noting that these keywords can then be reused across multiple test scripts.

As the test suite grows, the keyword library can become large and difficult to maintain. It is important to have a system in place to keep track of the keywords and ensure that they are up to date.

Hybrid Testing Framework: As the name suggests, this type of framework combines elements of multiple automation testing frameworks.

A hybrid test automation framework combines the features and benefits of multiple types of test frameworks in order to increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of quality assurance testing. By addressing the limitations and utilizing the strengths of various test frameworks, hybrid frameworks offer a comprehensive solution for meeting the growing demand for test automation.

The appropriate framework should be chosen based on the nature of the project, the size of the project, the type of application being tested, and the skills and experience of the testing team.

Which automation framework is best?

Businesses have made a switch to Hybrid framework for a long time now as it encompasses the benefits of all other types of frameworks. Most popular hybrid frameworks are:

• TestNG
• Behaviour-driven development (BDD)

Test NG:

TestNG is a Java-based testing framework that is designed to cover a wider range of test categories: unit, functional, end-to-end, integration, etc. It is an open-source tool that can be used to write and execute test cases, and it is particularly useful for testing in a team environment, as it provides support for parallel test execution and the generation of test reports.

To use TestNG, you will first need to install it in your Java project. This can typically be done using a build tool such as Maven or Gradle. Once TestNG is installed, you can write test cases using the TestNG annotations and API. These test cases can then be executed by running the TestNG test runner, which will discover and run the tests according to the configuration specified in a TestNG XML file or via the command line.

In this example, the @Test annotation marks methods as test cases. When the TestNG test runner is executed, it will discover and run these test methods.

TestNG also provides a number of other annotations that you can use to control the execution of your test cases, such as @BeforeMethod and @AfterMethod, which can be used to set up and tear down test data before and after each test method is run.

To run your TestNG tests, you can use the TestNG Eclipse plug-in, or you can run the TestNG test runner from the command line using the following command:

java org.testng.TestNG testng.xml

The testng.xml file is an XML configuration file that specifies the test suite to be run and any additional configuration options.

BDD:

BDD (Behavior-Driven Development) is a software development methodology that aims to bring together developers, testers, and non-technical stakeholders by encouraging collaboration and communication throughout the development process.

A BDD framework is a tool or set of tools that support the BDD process. These frameworks typically provide tools for writing and executing human-readable acceptance tests, which define the system’s behavior under test from the end user’s perspective.

One of the most popular BDD frameworks is Cucumber, a tool for writing and executing acceptance tests in a language called Gherkin. Gherkin tests are written in plain English (or the language of your choice) and use a simple syntax to describe the steps of a test scenario.

In this example, the “Feature” and “Scenario” lines define the high-level behaviour being tested, and the subsequent lines describe the individual steps of the test in plain English.

To use the Cucumber framework, you will need to install it in your project and write your acceptance tests in Gherkin. You will also need to write code to implement the steps defined in your acceptance tests, which can be done using a variety of programming languages.

Once your tests and step definitions are written, you can execute your acceptance tests by running the Cucumber test runner. The test runner will parse your Gherkin tests, execute the step definitions, and report on the results.