When you are developing a scenario for mobile test automation, it is not that complicated as it looks. As a developer, you need to use a variety of different commercial frameworks for test automation. Tool like Appium and Selenium are widely used for test automation.
Even if you have the best tools, you need to have a clear set of methodologies which will help you to achieve good results when it comes to mobile test automation. Here are the best practices that you can use to excel in your automation testing.
Best Methods for Mobile Test Automation
1. Identify Objects
When you go for mobile test automation, you need to identify the objects first. It is important to simulate the actions of users on a particular application. Also, if the test is not able to identify the objects, you cannot automate them. So, to identify objects, what you can do is add some of the unique properties into the object. For instance, you can add things like accessibility identifier, ID, etc.
2. Test Objective Must Be Business Driven
When you have identified tests, you need to keep the mindset that the tests must be business driven rather than UI driven. There are several benefits of using business driven tests. Firstly, the readability is easier because of the simple language used. Secondly, it saves your time due to a minimum number of code repetition, which also reduces errors.
3. Analyze Test Environment
As the environment impacts the analysis of test failures, there are some cases when test execution is not at all possible. And also, if some issue comes up, identification becomes problematic. So, you need to analyze the test environment so that these problems do not occur. You need to execute the UI test when all API tests successfully pass. In this way, it becomes easy to identify the issue in a test environment. It is also recommended that you must run tests against mockup environment.
4. Carry out Small Tests And Gradually Grow
It is an ideal procedure that you must start with small tests. You must test even the smallest functionality of the application. It requires too many tests to be generated. So, with the help of small tests, the process for analysis becomes easier. So, you need to create tests for analyzing the smallest functionality.
5. Break The Test Chains
It is essential that the test must be independent of each other. It is because you must be able to select a particular test and perform execution in an automation framework. This methodology is preferable over the test chain. These types of tests get executed in particular order, so, there could be some problems if you want to execute a single test.
6. Not Every Test Enters Continuous Integration
You need to understand that every test does not enter continuous integration. Therefore, you must execute the tests accordingly, keeping this in your mind.
Also Read: Top Tips to Master Your Way through Mobile Test Automation
7. Execute The Test Continuously
You need to execute your tests continuously. You must do it irrespective of the build cycle. It needs to be done periodically. You need to execute mobile test automation for various reasons.
The first reason is for validation for all the new changes in your application. Secondly, you need to do it for verification of stability. So, these two are the most important reasons why you should execute them. The benefit of continuous execution is that it stabilizes the test.
So, the question remains how you can do continuous execution effectively. You must create the test and then run on the current version. In case, when you encounter new codes, it must suit the functionality. Also, you need to fix the test suites for new applications quickly.
8. Quick Analysis
After you have executed the test, you need to analyze it. It will help you to take decisions. Test analysis becomes effective and easier with test analytics. All you need to do is clear all the sharable reports. You can also use dashboards for decisions about management.
9. Debug Across Different Platforms
Once you are done with testing and analysis, you need to check for errors and bugs. To make the application fully fledged, you need to debug across various platforms. It will enhance the quality of your application and increase its efficiency.
10. Reuse Script
It is also a good practice when you make such a script that can be reused. It will reduce your unnecessary time and effort to create the script again. You can reuse them all over again in your mobile automated testing.
Also Read: Tips To Improve ROI In Test Automation
11. Test Validation
You need to validate each time when new functionalities get added into your applications. You need to execute a test for each small function and the big ones to validate it.
12. Planning for Unexpected
Always be ready always to expect unexpected. It means that after rigorous calibers on your testing, you may still face problems. So, you need to prepare to counter that issue. Prepare a set of methodologies beforehand so that you can fix them.
