What is a testing framework? What are different unit testing frameworks?

What is a testing framework?

- Testing framework is considered to be an object oriented approach to testing since it helps in providing suitable environment and language for testing the software system or application. 

- A testing framework can be defined as a set of concepts, assumptions and tools that are the means for providing support for testing the software systems or application. 

- The testing frameworks are generally used in the automated testing and such testing frameworks are called the test automation frameworks. 

- The main advantage here for which the testing frame works are used is that they reduce the overall testing and development cost by a large amount. 

- If any change or modification is made to the test cases, then all the tester needs to do is to update the test case file since the start-up script and the driver script will remain the same.

- This reduces the hectic task of updating the scripts when the changes have to be made to the software system or application. 

- The testing framework if chosen properly can help in reducing the development costs by a big margin and the lower cost can be maintained throughout the development process. 

- These costs are basically due to the maintenance efforts, test scripting and development processes.

- Using any approach with testing frame work has a great impact on the costs. 

Types of Testing Frameworks

1. Linear testing framework: This is commonly used for the code that is procedure oriented and is generated by the tools using techniques such as recording and playback.
2. Structured testing framework: This testing frame work is composed of the control structures and hence got the name. It is constituted by control structures such as switch, while, for, if-else condition statement etc.
3. Data driven testing framework: This testing frame work involves persisting of the data outside a test in either a spreadsheet or a database.
4. Key word driven testing framework
5. Hybrid testing framework: This type of frame work is the resultant of the combination of two or more types of above mentioned testing frame works.

What does testing framework account for?

- A testing frame work is said to account for the following things:

1. Definition of the format so that the expectations can be expressed.
2. Creation of a mechanism for driving or hooking an application that is under test.
3. Execution of the tests.
4. Reporting of the results.

- The execution of the powerful and complex tests eats up a lot of time and it also requires quite large budget when only capture tool is used. 

- Since the tests are created ad hoc, it becomes very difficult to track these functionalities and reproduce them.

- A test automation framework serves as a better support option when it comes to the automated testing. 

- The testing frameworks and other tools are incorporated in to a test automation interface for carrying out the integration as well as system testing. 

- The test automation interface is employed for the mapping of the tests without putting them in to the way of the development process.

- Test automation frameworks are known for improving flexibility and efficiency of the test scripts. 

- There are 3 main core modules of any test automation interface:

1. Interface engine: The engine lies on the top of the environment and consists of a test runner and parser.

2. Interface environment: It consists of project library and frame work library.

3. Object repository: It consists of object application data recorded by the testing tool.