Best Practices for Test Automation Framework
Published: 2023-01-29 15:07:43

**Introduction:**

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, the need for software to be delivered quickly and efficiently to end-users is more critical than ever. However, ensuring the application is bug-free before releasing it to the market is of utmost importance. Automation testing plays a vital role in achieving this goal by reducing the time and effort required for regression testing. This not only saves time and money but also increases confidence in the quality of the released application.

Regression testing is an important aspect of software development, as it helps to ensure that recent changes to the application have not introduced new bugs. Automated regression testing can significantly decrease the time required for this process, allowing for more efficient and thorough testing. For example, a manual tester might take 5–10 minutes to test a CRUD operation, while automated regression tests can perform the same task in just 20 seconds.

However, to achieve optimal results, automation testing requires the right tools, test automation frameworks, and technical expertise. In this blog, we will delve into the best practices for designing an automation testing framework.

Before we delve into the best practices, it is essential to understand what an automation framework is.

## **What is an Automation Framework?**
An automation framework is a set of guidelines for coding standards, test data management, configuration management, and more. It helps to increase code usage, reduce script maintenance, and eliminate duplicate codes. There are no strict rules for an automation framework, it is simply a guideline to simplify the scripting process and reduce complexity.

## **Best Practices for Automation Framework:**
The design of a test automation framework will vary depending on the specific needs of the organization. However, some best practices to consider include:

1. **Keep it Concise:** The framework should be as simple as possible while still providing the functionality required by the business. It is essential to consider the skill set of the team, as a complex framework can make it difficult for new team members to understand and contribute.

2. **Leverage reusable components:** Reusable components, such as libraries or functions, can help to reduce the amount of code that needs to be written and maintain. This makes the automation framework more efficient and easier to maintain over time.

3. **Make it Scalable:** The framework should be designed in such a way that it can easily be extended to support new types of tests or features as needed. This makes the framework more flexible and adaptable.

4. **Collaborate with the Team:** Before starting work on the automation framework, it is essential to discuss it internally with the team. This helps to evaluate the idea of framework creation and provides clarity on the direction of the project.

5. **Prioritize Test Data Management:** Properly managing test data is crucial for automation testing, as it ensures that the tests are repeatable and consistent. This can be achieved by storing test data in a central location, such as a database or spreadsheet.

6. **Implement a Reporting and Tracking System:** It is important to have a system in place for reporting and tracking defects and issues found during testing. This helps to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to resolve the issues and improve the quality of the application.

7. **Continuously Integrate and Test:** Continuous integration and testing of the automation code helps to ensure that it is always in a releasable state. This helps to prevent issues from arising due to outdated or untested code.

8. **Monitor and Measure Performance:** Monitoring and measuring the performance of the automation framework helps to identify areas for improvement. This can be achieved by using tools such as performance testing and load testing.

9. **Use the right tools:** Selecting the appropriate tools is crucial for automation testing. This includes selecting tools that are compatible with the technology stack, as well as tools that meet the specific needs of the organization.

10. **Implement a maintenance plan:** Automation frameworks require regular maintenance to ensure they continue to function correctly. This includes updating the framework as needed to support new features or changes in the application.

11. **Use a Modular Structure:** Modular structure is based on the popularly known OOPs concept — Abstraction. This approach helps to easily update different parts of the framework and increases code reusability.

12. **Consider accessibility:** Accessibility testing is an important aspect of automation testing, as it helps to ensure that the application is accessible to users with disabilities. This can be achieved by using tools such as accessibility testing frameworks.

13. **Embrace automation testing in the entire SDLC:** Automation testing should be integrated into the entire software development life cycle, from requirements gathering to deployment. This helps to ensure that the application is thoroughly tested at every stage of development.

14. **Keep your framework up-to-date:** Continuously improve the automation framework by keeping it up-to-date with new tools and technologies as they become available.

15. **Train your team:** Automation testing requires a certain level of technical expertise, it’s essential to train your team on the best practices and tools used in the automation process.

By following these best practices, organizations can design an automation testing framework that is efficient, effective, and easy to maintain. This not only improves the overall quality of the application but also saves time and resources in the long run.