Importance of UI Test Automation Framework – Everything You Should Know

In this digital-first age, your users expect nothing less than excellent apps with brilliant User Interfaces (UI). Without an impressive and distinctive UI, your users are likely to switch to your competitors’ platform, no matter the size of your business. To ensure a high-end and responsive UI that generates a great User Experience (UX), it is essential to invest in a high-quality, engaging UI that stands out from the competition. Doing so will give your users a positive and lasting impression, ensuring loyalty and long-term success.

Overall, a UI test automation framework helps to ensure the highest quality of testing, while significantly reducing time to market and costs. It offers a standardized, scalable and maintainable approach to UI testing, allowing teams to quickly and effectively create, execute and maintain automated tests. This leads to improved test coverage, more efficient use of resources, and ultimately a more successful product launch.

What is UI Test Automation Framework?

The UI Automation testing framework is made up of a collection of libraries that work together to support UI test automation. To ensure success, it is essential to use the right tools and techniques that can be combined into a unified framework. 

While there are numerous frameworks available in the market, it is often preferable to build a custom UI test automation framework that is tailored to the specific application. This will allow for maximum optimization and ensure the best possible results.

Four Main Blocks of UI Test Automation Framework:

• Package Manager
• Runner
• UI Driver
• Assertion Library 

To load any particular library for each block of the framework, the package manager is required. It also declares the version number and delivers references for plugins, shortcuts, scripts, and many other features.

It helps to run the automated checks by reading the tester-created files and dictates which check needs to run. The tester can create the shell of the automated check to execute everything inside the shell.

A UI driver interacts with an application’s user interface (UI) in real-time and programmatically sends requests to the browser to do actions like clicking links, completing forms, determining whether certain elements are present on a page, etc.

The assertion library reveals if something has changed in the system and evaluates whether the flow of UI test automation development strategy has been successful or not, resulting in a pass or failure. 

What are the major UI Testing Automation Frameworks?

There are several UI testing automation frameworks available in the market. Here are some of the major UI testing automation frameworks:

• Selenium: Selenium is an open-source UI testing automation framework that supports various programming languages, including Java, Python, C#, and JavaScript. It supports multiple browsers and operating systems, making it widely used for UI testing.
• Appium: Appium is an open-source UI testing automation framework that is used for testing mobile applications on both Android and iOS platforms. It supports various programming languages, including Java, Python, Ruby, and JavaScript, and provides extensive API support for mobile testing.
• TestComplete: TestComplete is a commercial UI testing automation framework that supports both desktop and mobile applications. It supports multiple scripting languages and provides extensive features for UI testing, including object recognition, image-based testing, and AI-assisted testing.
• Katalon Studio: Katalon Studio is a free and open-source UI testing automation framework that supports web, desktop, and mobile applications. It supports various scripting languages, including Groovy and JavaScript, and provides advanced features for UI testing, such as record and playback, object spy, and reporting.

Tips to Select the right UI Testing Automation Framework:

Do you want to choose the right UI testing automation framework for your project? Here are some tips to help you make the best decision: 

• Identify your testing requirements: What features and functionality do you need in your UI testing framework? 
• Evaluate available frameworks: Compare the different options to find one that meets your needs.
• Consider the programming language: Choose a framework that supports the language you are most comfortable with. 
• Check the framework’s flexibility: Consider if the framework can be easily adapted and customized to fit your specific testing needs.
• Look for reporting and analysis capabilities: Ensure that the framework provides the necessary reporting and analysis capabilities.
• Consider the cost: Evaluate the cost of the framework and make sure it fits within your budget.

Overall, UI testing is essential for any digital-based business looking to create a strong first impression. With SDET Tech’s next-gen QA testing services, you can ensure your app has a great UI that will provide an impressive user experience. SDET Tech will be your partner in creating a UI that will make a lasting impression with your customers.