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Test Automation - Scripting Essentials

Record and replay alone cannot solve test automation problems; also record/replay may not be always possible. The test script may need some kind of decision making at run time; script may need some intelligence in handling situations; the test may have to alter its path based on some values coming on screen at run time. The simple solution for all kinds of such issues is - Scripting. Every tool provides some scripting language such as VBScript, Java, JavaScript, C#, Ruby etc. So, if we mix record/replay and scripting, we increase the power of the tool by thousand times.

Rule 1: Never build application logic in the scripting language. Example. You recorded how to book one-way ticket for 1 person; for 2 people, if app needs the price to be multiplied by 2, do not build that multiplication logic in your script. Because, whenever the app logic changes, script needs to be modified and retested. You may make some bugs in coding in the scripting language, while modifying that logic. Always, see what is the input, manually determine what must be the expected output, feed that output as checkpoint values, go on. Your brain is the best tool, better than any automation tool.

Rule 2: Comment your script well. Maintenance of script is very important. Hence make sure another tester can easily understand your script.

Rule 3: Unit test your test script. Remember, developers make mistakes in their code. When you program, you will also do mistakes in your code. Being a tester, nothing guarantees that your test scripts will work without testing.

Rule 4: Ensure your test functions, work for a variety of parameters. A single function may feed 1000s of data thru data driven test. Hence test your script with multiple data.

Rule 5: Avoid nested if conditions. At the most you can do 2 levels. This itself will consume more time for you to unit test your test scripts.

Rule 6: Avoid nested loops. Nested loops may not be actually required in 95% of the cases. So be judicial when using nested loops.

Rule 7: Have a traceability matrix for your test scripts. You need to have a spreadsheet that documents the input params, output params, file details, function details, caller details for every test script/function. Else, when it grows to 1000 test scripts, changing one script may affect another, if you are not aware of the dependencies.

Rule 8: Always put all test scripts in a batch and run. This will eliminate the base state problems.

Rule 9: Always make another tester (other than the author of the test script) to run the test batch. This will eliminate human related issues and documentation issues.

Rule 10: Always run the test batch from another machine (bot used for building the test scripts). This will eliminate system related issues, hardcoding of drive/folder names etc. and documentation issues.

 
 
 
 
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