Building And Executing Test Cases with Appium and Various Test Frameworks
Published: 2023-07-18 13:54:37

An application must go through several tiers of testing to guarantee its dependable operation. The product must go through thorough testing in order to accomplish this. When an application experiences rapid changes, we must verify that the current functionality or feature is functioning properly according to the agile testing process. If you want to manually test your constantly evolving production code, it is a very difficult and time-consuming operation that will also take up a lot of your effort.


Therefore, many businesses are implementing automated testing to run smoke and regression tests for their online and mobile apps in order to obtain reliable, rapid, and increased test coverage with the help of Appium integration. It would be imperative to create a test automation framework after making your test automation code reusable, reliable, and maintainable.


What is a Framework?

Whenever we consider automation, we almost always put money, time, and effort into it. Because any hasty decision may result in increased expenses, lost time, and subpar product quality, one should exercise extreme caution while creating an automated test framework. For promoting proper maintenance, high code reuse, and stability for getting the best outcomes and seamless execution.


In order to promote high code reuse, maintainability, and stability for seamless execution and promising outcomes, the automation framework should be carefully built to combine libraries, test data, and current open source tools.



The following are some advantages of a strong [automated testing](https://www.pcloudy.com/rapid-automation-testing/) framework:



Because the code is grouped into well-defined packages and is correctly structured, the entire team is aware of the need to build and maintain the code base in accordance with the established standards.

We may incorporate many components that support the goal of executing test cases, reporting results, recording logs, etc.

Enabling the reuse of parts or code will increase efficiency during the creation and implementation of automated test scripts.

By choosing the tests to run based on test scenarios and dynamically adjusting the test scope in response to changes, you may reduce the need for expertise.

It is simpler to create and maintain test cases since test scripts for other modules may be reused.

Test scripts might be created without reference to the AUT (application under test).

The framework may be applied to any comparable initiatives carried out internally by teams.



What is Appium?



A tool for automated testing of online, native, and hybrid apps is called Appium. It works with several mobile operating systems, including Android, iOS, and Windows.

Using the same API, you can build UI tests for several platforms including Android, iOS, and Windows using the [cross-platform tool](https://www.pcloudy.com/blogs/cross-platform-testing/) known as Appium. As a consequence, it permits code reuse between test scripts or suites for Android, iOS, and Windows.


For mobile automation testing, Appium supports a variety of programming languages and frameworks, including Java, JavaScript, Python, PHP, C#, etc.

The Appium framework allows you to execute automated app tests for,

• Native mobile apps: These apps are created using the Android, iOS, and Windows SDKs and installed directly on the device.

• Mobile web apps: Mobile web browsers like Chrome and Safari are used to access the web apps. Additionally, you may use the in-app browsers for Android and iOS to access mobile web apps.

• Hybrid applications: These programs use a “webview,” a native component that enables interaction with web material, as the core of their design. Both a physical device and a URL in a browser can be used to access hybrid apps.



Building Test Cases with Appium Framework

With the help of the open-source Appium framework, users may automate android app testing for the Android and iOS platforms using a variety of programming languages, including Java, Python, Ruby, and JavaScript.



The procedures listed below must be followed in order to create test cases using the Appium framework:



Step 1: Install Appium on your computer locally. Installing Appium on your local computer is the first step. From the official website, you may download and install Appium on your computer.

Step 2: Install the necessary dependencies. You must set up the Java Development Kit (JDK), Android SDK, and Appium client libraries in order to execute Appium tests. These requirements can be downloaded and installed on your computer.

Step 3: Create a new Java project. Utilize an integrated development environment (IDE), such as Eclipse or IntelliJ IDEA, to start a new Java project.

Step 4: Include the project’s Appium client library Using the Maven or Gradle build tools, include the Appium client library into the Java project.

Step 5: Write test scenarios Utilizing the [TestNG testing](https://www.pcloudy.com/integration-of-testng-framework-with-pcloudy-device-lab/) framework, create test scenarios. Appium supports TestNG, a well-liked testing framework for Java applications.

Step 6: Launch the Appium server. Using the Appium desktop application or the command line, start the Appium server.

Step 7: Execute test cases Run the test cases from the command line or the IDE.



Executing Test Cases with Appium Framework



You may run your test cases after writing them in the Appium framework using a variety of tools and techniques. Here is a broad overview of running test cases using the Appium framework in this response.



The following are some methods for running Appium test cases:



A command-line interface Using the command line, you may execute test cases using Appium’s command-line interface (CLI). You must have Appium installed on your computer and have access to the command-line interface in order to run tests using the CLI.

A majority of well-known IDEs, including Eclipse and IntelliJ IDEA, include built-in support for executing TestNG or JUnit test cases. By selecting the test runner and the settings of the Appium server, you may set up the IDE to execute your Appium test cases. You may right-click on the test case file and choose “Run As” -> “TestNG Test” to execute a test case using an IDE.

Tools for Continuous Integration (CI) Appium test case execution may be automated using continuous Appium integration (CI) systems like CircleCI, Travis CI, and Jenkins. With the help of these tools, you may set up the build pipeline so that the tests are run automatically or after each code revision. The build pipeline’s test runner and Appium server settings may be used to execute tests and produce test results.



Here is an example of how to execute an Appium test case using TestNG in Eclipse:



Right-click on the test case file and select “Run As” -> “TestNG Test”.

Eclipse launches the Appium server and the test case starts executing on the specified device or emulator.

After the test execution completes, Eclipse displays the test results in the TestNG view. You can view the details of the test execution, including the test case pass/fail status and any error messages associated with it.



Various Test Frameworks for Appium



There are several test frameworks that can be used with Appium to automate the testing of mobile applications. Here’s an overview of some of the popular test frameworks that can be used with Appium.



TestNG


TestNG is a popular testing framework used for Java applications that is widely used with Appium. It provides a wide range of features such as data-driven testing, parallel test execution, and the ability to define test dependencies.



JUnit


JUnit is another popular testing framework for Java applications that can be used with Appium. It provides features such as annotations for test cases, assertions, and the ability to run tests in parallel.



Appium Studio


Appium Studio is a comprehensive test automation framework for mobile applications that uses Appium as its underlying engine. It provides a [visual test](https://www.pcloudy.com/visual-testing/) creation environment, supports multiple languages such as Java, Python, Ruby, and JavaScript, and includes advanced features such as image recognition and test reports.



Robot Framework


Robot Framework is a generic test automation framework that can be used for both web and mobile applications. It provides a simple and easy-to-use syntax, supports multiple test libraries, and includes built-in keywords for Appium.



Espresso


Espresso is a testing framework provided by Google that is specifically designed for Android applications. It provides a simple and concise API, supports test synchronization, and includes built-in assertions and matchers.



XCTest


XCTest is a testing framework provided by Apple that is specifically designed for iOS applications. It provides features such as assertions, test expectation, and the ability to launch and control the application being tested.

These are just a few examples of the test frameworks that can be used with Appium. The choice of the framework depends on various factors such as the programming language, platform, and the specific requirements of the project. It is important to choose a framework that is well-suited for the project and can provide the required features and functionalities.



Final Takeaway


In conclusion, Appium is a popular open-source tool that can be used to automate the testing of mobile applications. It supports various programming languages and platforms and provides a range of features and functionalities that make it a preferred choice for mobile app testing.


When building and executing test cases with Appium, there are various test frameworks that can be used such as TestNG, JUnit, Appium Studio, Robot Framework, Espresso, and XCTest. The choice of the framework depends on various factors such as the programming language, platform, and specific requirements of the project.


It is important to choose the right test framework that is well-suited for the project and can provide the required features and functionalities. Once the test cases are written and the test framework is chosen, the test cases can be executed using various approaches such as the command-line interface, IDE, or continuous integration tools.


By leveraging the power of Appium and the right test framework, organizations can automate the testing of mobile applications, reduce manual testing efforts, and improve the quality of the application.