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Robot Framework is a powerful and versatile test automation framework that is widely used in the industry. With its easy-to-read syntax and extensible architecture, it enables testers and developers to create reliable and scalable test suites. However, as with any codebase, Robot Framework test suites can become hard to maintain over time. In this article, we'll discuss robot framework best practices and provide examples and code snippets to illustrate these practices.
Keep Test Cases Small and Focused
One of the most important best practices for writing maintainable Robot Framework code is to keep your test cases small and focused. A test case should ideally test a single feature or scenario, and should not be overly complex. This makes it easier to read and understand the test case, and also makes it easier to maintain over time. Analysis of failures also become easier with this approach.
Here is an example of a well-structured test case that is small and focused:
*** Settings *** Library SeleniumLibrary *** Test Cases *** Login with Valid Credentials [Documentation] Verify user log in with valid credentials Open Browser https://example.com/login Input Text id=username valid_username Input Text id=password valid_password Click Button id=submit Wait Until Page Contains Welcome, User!
This test case tests the functionality of logging in with valid credentials. It is small and focused, and uses clear and descriptive keywords that are easy to understand
Use Descriptive Names for Test Cases and Keywords
Another important best practice is to use descriptive names for your test cases and keywords. This makes it easier to understand what each test case and keyword does, and also makes it easier to find specific test cases and keywords in your codebase. In some cases, engineers tend to add the contact details of the test case and keyword maintainers and last date at which the test cases or keyword was modified. This helps in book keeping
Here is an example of a test case with a descriptive name:
*** Test Cases ***
Verify Error Message for Invalid Login
[Documentation] Test that an error message is displayed when the user enters invalid login credentials
Open Browser https://example.com/login
Input Text id=username invalid_username
Input Text id=password invalid_password
Click Button id=submit
Wait Until Page Contains Invalid login credentials. Please try again.
This test case has a clear and descriptive name that indicates what it tests.
Use Comments to Document Your Code
Comments are an important tool for documenting our code and making it easier to understand and maintain over time. We should use comments to explain what our test cases and keywords do, and to provide context for any complex or unusual code. If there is any scope of further improvement , we can add a #TODO comment as well
Here is an example of a test case with comments:
*** Test Cases *** Verify User Can Reset Password [Documentation] Verify user can reset their password Open Browser https://example.com/reset_password Input Text id=email [email protected] # Enter the user's email address Click Button id=submit Wait Until Page Contains An email has been sent to your email address with instructions on how to reset your password. # Verify that the correct message is displayed
In this example, we use comments to explain what each step of the test case does, and to provide additional context for the Wait Until Page Contains keyword
Use Variables to Make Your Code More Flexible
Variables are a powerful feature of Robot Framework that can make our code more flexible and easier to maintain. We can use variables to store values that are used multiple times in our test cases, such as URLs or usernames, and to make it easier to update these values in the future.
Here is an example of a test case that uses variables:
*** Variables *** ${BASE_URL} https://example.com ${VALID_USERNAME} test_user ${VALID_PASSWORD} test_password *** Test Cases *** Login with Valid Credentials [Documentation] Verify user log in with valid credentials Open Browser ${BASE_URL}/login Input Text id=username ${VALID_USERNAME} Input Text id=password ${VALID_PASSWORD} Click Button id=submit Wait Until Page Contains Welcome, User!
In this example, we define three variables at the top of our test suite: BASE_URL, VALID_USERNAME, and VALID_PASSWORD. We then use these variables in our Login with Valid Credentials test case to make the test more flexible and easier to maintain. If we need to update the URL or login credentials in the future, we can simply update the variable values at the top of our test suite, rather than updating each individual test case.
Use Keywords to Encapsulate Reusable Functionality
Another best practice for writing maintainable Robot Framework code is to use keywords to encapsulate reusable functionality. Keywords are reusable pieces of code that can be called from multiple test cases, making it easier to maintain your codebase and avoid duplication.
Here is an example of a keyword that encapsulates reusable functionality:
*** Keywords ***
Log In with Credentials
[Arguments] ${username} ${password}
Open Browser https://example.com/login
Input Text id=username ${username}
Input Text id=password ${password}
Click Button id=submit
Wait Until Page Contains Welcome, User!
In this example, we define a keyword called Log In with Credentials that takes two arguments: username and password. This keyword encapsulates the functionality of logging in with a given username and password, and can be called from multiple test cases. It is analogous to function declaration in scripts
Organize Test Suite Structure
Finally, organizing your test suite structure is an important best practice for writing maintainable Robot Framework code. You should group your test cases by functionality, and use test suite files to organize your test cases into logical groups. You should also use test case and keyword tags to further organize your test cases and make it easier to filter and run specific tests.
Here is an example of a well-organized test suite structure:
tests/ ├── login_tests/ │ ├── login_test_suite.robot │ ├── login_with_valid_credentials.robot │ ├── login_with_invalid_credentials.robot │ └── reset_password.robot ├── registration_tests/ │ ├── registration_test_suite.robot │ ├── register_with_valid_credentials.robot │ ├── register_with_invalid_credentials.robot │ └── resend_activation_email.robot └── utils/ ├── keywords.robot └── variables.robot
In this example, we have organized our test cases into logical groups, such as login_tests and registration_tests. Each group has a test suite file that includes all the test cases in that group. We also have a utils directory that contains keyword and variable files that are used across multiple test suites.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed some best practices for writing maintainable Robot Framework code. By keeping our test cases small and focused, using descriptive names and comments, using variables and keywords to make our code more flexible and reusable, and organizing our test suite structure, we can create test suites that are easier to maintain over time. These practices will help us to avoid code duplication, reduce the complexity of our test suites, and make it easier to debug and update our codebase.
Remember that writing maintainable Robot Framework code is an ongoing process. We should regularly review our test suites and look for opportunities to improve their structure and organization. By following these best practices, we can create test suites that are more maintainable and easier to work with, both for ourselves and for other members of your team.