QA: Robot framework in automation testing

 

Robot Framework in Automation Testing

Introduction

Robot Framework is an open-source, keyword-driven test automation framework that is widely used for acceptance testing, acceptance test-driven development (ATDD), and Robotic Process Automation (RPA). It is built on top of Python and provides an easy-to-use syntax for writing test cases.

It supports various test automation libraries such as Selenium for web automation, Appium for mobile automation, and RESTinstance for API testing. Robot Framework uses a tabular test data syntax, making it simple to understand and use.

---

Key Features

• Keyword-driven approach: Uses predefined and user-defined keywords.

• Easy integration: Can integrate with Selenium, Appium, REST APIs, etc.

• Extensible: Supports external libraries and custom Python scripts.

• Supports Parallel Execution: Can execute tests concurrently.

• Detailed Reports & Logs: Generates structured test reports.

• Platform Independent: Runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

---

Installation of Robot Framework

To install Robot Framework, use the following command:

pip install robotframework

For web automation using Selenium, install the Selenium library:

pip install robotframework-seleniumlibrary

---

Writing a Simple Test Case

A test case in Robot Framework consists of keywords that define test steps. The syntax is similar to natural language, making it easy to read.

Example: Automating a Login Page with Selenium

1. Install Required Libraries

Ensure you have the following installed:

pip install robotframework-seleniumlibrary

2. Create a Test Suite File (login_test.robot)

*** Settings ***
Library    SeleniumLibrary

*** Variables ***
${BROWSER}    Chrome
${URL}        https://example.com/login
${USERNAME}   testuser
${PASSWORD}   testpass

*** Test Cases ***
Valid Login Test
    Open Browser    ${URL}    ${BROWSER}
    Input Text    id=username    ${USERNAME}
    Input Text    id=password    ${PASSWORD}
    Click Button    id=loginButton
    Wait Until Page Contains    Welcome    5s
    Capture Page Screenshot
    Close Browser

3. Running the Test

Execute the test using the following command:

robot login_test.robot

4. Viewing the Reports

After execution, Robot Framework generates:

• log.html: Detailed execution logs.

• report.html: Summary of test results.

To view the reports, open report.html in a web browser.

---

Advanced Concepts

1. Creating Custom Keywords

You can define reusable keywords in a Resource file.

Example: keywords.resource

*** Settings ***
Library    SeleniumLibrary

*** Keywords ***
Login To Application
    [Arguments]    ${username}    ${password}
    Input Text    id=username    ${username}
    Input Text    id=password    ${password}
    Click Button    id=loginButton

Using the Custom Keyword in a Test Case

*** Settings ***
Resource    keywords.resource

*** Test Cases ***
Valid Login Test
    Open Browser    https://example.com/login    Chrome
    Login To Application    testuser    testpass
    Wait Until Page Contains    Welcome    5s
    Close Browser

---

Integrating Robot Framework with CI/CD

Robot Framework can be integrated into Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or other CI/CD tools for automated test execution.

Example: Running Tests in Jenkins

1. Install Robot Framework in the Jenkins environment.

2. Use a Jenkins pipeline script to execute tests:

pipeline {
    agent any
    stages {
        stage('Run Tests') {
            steps {
                sh 'robot -d results tests/'
            }
        }
    }
}

3. After execution, configure Jenkins to publish report.html as a test result.

---

Conclusion

Robot Framework is a powerful and flexible automation testing tool with a simple syntax. It is suitable for web testing, mobile testing, API testing, and more. With its keyword-driven approach and easy integration with other tools, Robot Framework is widely used in test automation.