Explain Robot Framework?

The Robot Framework was developed as generic test automation framework for two major tasks namely:

1. Acceptance testing and
2. ATDD or acceptance test driven development

- It makes use of the keyword driven testing approach for achieving the above mentioned two tasks. 

- It has got a very simple and unique tabular test data syntax that is quite easy to follow and this is what that makes robot framework so easy to be used. 

- All this makes the robot framework popular among the testers.

- Test libraries that can be implemented through either java or python can be used for extending the capabilities of the frame work. 

- The users have the choice of creating new keywords from the existing ones. 

- This can be done using the same syntax that is available for the creation of the test cases. 

- Robot framework is actually an open source software. 

- The license it possesses is the Apache license 2.0.

- The Nokia Siemens Networks supports the development of this framework and also owns its copyrights. 

Features of Robot Framework

The robot test automation framework is abundant of features. Its features are:

1. Its tabular syntax is easy to use and can be used for the creation of the test cases in a way that is uniform.
2. Robot framework can work up on three approaches namely:

- Keyword driven testing approach

- Behavior driven development approach or BDD

- Data driven testing approach or DDT.

3. It provides the facility for the creation of higher level keywords that are reusable for the already existing keywords.
4. The reports and logs it generates are quite easy to follow and are based up on HTML.
5. This test automation framework does not depend up on any platform or application.
6. The architecture of the frame work is quite modular in nature that helps in supporting the creation of the tests for even the software systems and applications that possess a number of interfaces all different from one another.
7. It comes with a library API that is quite simple and can be further used for the creation of other test libraries that can be customized.
8. The XML based outputs that the framework provides allow for integrating itself in to the build infrastructure that already exists. These are called continuous integration systems.
9. It also provides a command line interface for the same purpose as that of the XML based outputs.
10. It supports selenium tool for the following things:

Ø  Web testing

Ø  Java GUI testing

Ø  telnet

Ø  running processes

Ø  SSH and so on.

11. The framework comes with a remote library interface, thus enabling the implementation of the test libraries in any desired programming language and distributed testing.
12. The tagging feature provides helps in categorizing the tests and selecting them accordingly for the execution.
13. For variables, it comes with a special built – in support for regulating testing in different environments.

- Test cases can be written either in HTML or in plain text.

- Also, any editor can be used for editing the test cases. 

- The robot test automation framework comes with a graphical development tool called the RIDE or robot IDE. 

- The tool has got a number of features specific to the framework such as syntax highlighting, code completion and so on. 

- Selenium library is an extension to the robot test automation frame work and similarly there are a number of others. 

- However, there are some other languages that can be used for implementing the libraries such as perl, PHP, java script and so on. 

- However, these languages can be used only through a remote library interface.

What is keyword driven testing framework and methodology?

Keyword driven testing is one of the testing methodologies which is gaining popularity in the area of the test automation. Well, in this article, we are going to discuss regarding the frame work and methodology of the keyword driven testing. 

What is Keyword Driven Testing?

- The key word driven testing methodology is actually dependent on frame work. 

- It depends on such a frame work that calls for the development of the key words and data tables.

- But there is one condition which is that it should be independent of the test automation tool which is to be used for their execution. 

- Another condition is that it should also be independent of the test script code which is used to drive the application under test or AUT as well as the data. 

- In this testing methodology, the functionality of the application under test or AUT need to be documented in a table. 

- Also, the functionality needs to be stated as in step by step instructions for each and every test. 

- This then actually becomes a frame work approach for creating automated regression tests. 

- The frame work approach thus obtained proves to be successful in achieving many benefits of the automated testing when compared to the traditional methodology for capture and playback of the custom scripts. 

- Whenever automated testing is required, two sets of requirements come in to existence namely:

1. Business Requirements: This category included the following requirements:

a) Maintainability: The maintenance of the tests should be easy as well as there should be a minimum need for updating scripts with changes made to the application and newer versions.

b) Selective testing: Less requirement of in depth testing. Also it should be easy to select test scenarios for a much targeted regression.

c) Recovery: It should be possible for the test suite to resume testing from the point where it failed or crashed at a later point of time. The need for re- testing the functionality should be eliminated.

d) Scalability: For gaining the time efficiency the execution of the tests from different machines at the same time should be possible.

e) Inter environment portability: All the environments must support the test scripts without making nay changes to them.

f)   Usability: Minimal amount of training must be required by employees to learn to execute the automated suite. There should be no manual intervention in the execution of the scripts.

g) Reporting: The status of each test script must be known easily.

2. Technical requirements: This category includes:

a) Data abstraction: There should complete isolation of the test data for the execution of the scripts from the actual script code.

b) Separation of concerns: Concerns at each layer must be addressed by the distinct layers of the architecture.

c)  Portability

Methodology of the keyword driven testing lies in two different phases namely:

1. Planning phase and
2. The implementation phase

The planning phase involves the analyzation of the application and determination of operations and objects to be used in the business processes. The requirement of customized keywords is determined for the following purpose:

1. Additional functionality
2. Business level clarity
3. Maximizing efficiency
4. Maintainability

The second phase i.e., the implementation phase operates around a collection of objects or references usually known as repository which saves the info for unique identification of the objects. This phase also involves the development and documentation of the keywords of the business level in function libraries. Development of customized functions is required for the creation of the functional libraries. This is all done for the application under test or AUT.

The methodology of the keyword driven testing calls for more advance planning and time investment.

What is Keyword driven testing? What are base requirements for keyword driven testing?

Table driven testing, action word testing or key word driven testing, whatever you may call it, it is one and the same thing – a software testing methodology that has been especially designed for automated testing.

However, the approach followed by this testing methodology is quite different and involves dividing the test creation process in to 2 distinct phases namely:

1. Planning phase and the
2. Implementation phase

What is Keyword Driven Testing?

- It has been specially designed for automated testing.

- It does not mean that it cannot be employed for carrying out manual testing. - It can be very well used for manual testing as well. 

- The biggest advantage provided by the automated tests is of re-usability and so all this has eased up the maintenance of the tests that were developed at an abstraction level that was too high. 

- To say in simple words, one or more atomic test steps together form a key word.

- The first phase i.e., the planning phase involves the preparation of the testing tools and test resources. 

- The second phase i.e., the implementation phase depends up on the frame work or tool and thus differs accordingly. 

- Often a frame work is implemented by the automation engineers which has key words like enter and check. 

- This makes it easy for the test designers who do not have any knowledge of programming, to design the test cases based on such key words, that have already been defined by the engineers in planning phase that has already been implemented. 

- Such designed test cases are executed via a driver. 

- The purpose of this driver is to read the key word and execute the corresponding code.

- There are other testing methodologies which put everything right in to the implementation phase instead of performing the test designing and engineering separately.

- In such a case, the test automation is only confined to the test design.

- There are some keywords that are created using the tools which had the necessary code already written for them such as edit and check. 

- This helps in cutting down the extra number of engineers in the process of test automation. 

- This makes the implementation of the keyword a part of the tool. 

Advantages of Key word Driven Testing

There are some advantages of key word driven testing as stated below:

1. Concise test cases.
2. Test cases are readable only by the stake holders.
3. Easily modifiable test cases.
4. Easy reuse of the existing keywords by the new test cases.
5. Keywords can be re used simultaneously across multiple test cases.
6. Independent of programming languages as well as specific tool.
7. Labor gets divided.
8. Less requirement of tool and programming skills.
9. Lower domain skills required for keyword implementation.
10. Layer abstraction.

Disadvantages of Keyword Driven Testing

1.   A longer time is required for marketing when compared to manual testing.

2.   Initially, high learning curve.

Base Requirements of Key word driven Testing

1. Full separation of test development and test automation processes: The separation of these two processes is very much required for test automation since both of them have very different skill requirements. The fundamental idea behind this is that the testers should not be programmers. Testers should have the ability of defining test cases which can be implemented without having to bother about the underlying technology.
2. The scope of the test cases must be clear and differentiated: The test cases must not deviate from their scope.
3. Right level of abstraction must be used for writing the tests: Tests must be written at levels such as lower user interface, higher business level etc. 

Keyword-driven Testing - Anatomy of a Successful Automated Testing Framework

Key-word driven test automation also commonly known as Table Driven test automation is typically an application-independent automation framework.
Keyword-driven testing is a technique that separates much of the programming work from the actual test steps so that the test steps can be developed earlier and can often be maintained with only minor updates, even when the application or testing needs change significantly. In key-word driven testing, keywords are actions which are nothing but the tasks to be executed in a test.
A keyword-driven test, the functionality of the application-under-test is documented in a table as well as in step-by-step instructions for each test.

Base requirements of Keyword Driven Testing are:
- Test development and automation must be fully separated.
- Test cases must have a clear and differentiated scope.
- The tests must be written at the right level of abstraction.

Test creation in keyword-driven testing is divided into two stages:
- Planning Stage which includes determining the objects and operations to test and to determine customized keywords.
- Implementation Stage includes building object repository and develop keywords in function libraries.

Concepts of Keyword-driven testing are:
- Keywords such as click, enter and select.
- Business templates such as login and enter transaction.
- Action Words, or short "Actions".

Benefits of keyword driven testing are:
- It is appropriate for non-technical staff.
- Re-usability.
- Maintainability.
- Data-driving capability.
- Eligible to test-first programming.

Keyword-driven testing should improve test management with easy test case writing, editing and sharing and with no programming required. Design test cases earlier in the development process so you can find and fix defects sooner and reduces the testing efforts and cost effective.