Functional TestsAutomation

with Robot Framework

nov 2013

Laurent Bristiel

Target audience

testers over developers

products over projects

application/web over mobile

Agile over traditional

What tests?

Unit Tests

End 2 EndExploratory

Tests

Component Tests

Why automation?

lazy

cautious

wise

When to automate?

before development

during development

after development

What tool?

Robot Framework

Generic framework for tests automation

Open Source - Apache 2.0 licence

Sponsored by Nokia Siemens Networks

Written in Python

Current version 2.8.1 (june 2013)

Several approach of tests

Architecture

a test case is a file

a test case is a suite of keywords with arguments

Keywords are builtin, written in Python or in Java

Robot execute the keywords until it reaches an exception

If exception, test case is failed, otherwise it is passed

command line results and html report

log file

Architecture

Librairies

SUT

Keyword-driven

data-driven

behaviour-driven (BDD)

LIVE CODINGchecking files

checking through REST API

LIVE CODING

checking through web UI

LIVE CODING

Moody’s : 800 tests on 5 products Finance, C++, SQL, Windows

Robot used by technical and functional QA

XLS spreadsheets used as tests config

ForgeRock : 400 tests on 3 products Identity, Java, BD, JSON, REST, Linux, Mac, backbone.js

Heteregeous tests on multi-plateforms (OS, BD, Java...)

Performance optimization with multi-levels setup/teardown

Feedback

Good points

lightweight, simple, fast

easy to read tests

can be used by non-technical QA

unique entry point for heterogeneous tests

many Python libraries available

Limitations

Robot DSL can seem restricted

Custom IDE (RIDE) not working well on Mac

Tests are so easy to write they can be dirty code

!

Might be too optimistic to expect products and dev teams to write or maintain tests

QA might end up isolated on their own framework

Bonus

Jenkins Plugin

Maven Plugin

IDE Plugin (Eclipse, Vim, Textmate)

Active mailing list

laurent@bristiel.com

laurent.bristiel.com

Functional Tests Automation with Robot Framework

Thanks Questions?

http://robotframework.org