A guide to developing and running automation with Robot Framework.
If you are looking to make the jump from beginner to pro, or just trying to sharpen your skills, you'll find Robot Framework Best Practices chock full of knowledge ...
... Okay, I admit that this is just a draft doc writing by myself by now. it still need to be improved continuously by you.
So, If you see a problem, or disagree with something, Please don't hesitation to contact me via emial or file an issue.
I'd love to hear your feedback, and I believe that it will become worthy of it's name soon later.
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Tabs or Spaces?
Spaces are the preferred indentation method.
If use tab, you'd better set your editor as "Convert Indentation Spaces". -
Maximum Line Length
Since Robot Framework is a Domain Specific Language, and sometime the sentance may a little long, we don't need limit the maximum line length.
But we should try to keep the test name and keyword concise. Once the name or keyword is a little long, you'd better use "..." as Line break. Example is as follows,
Open StartProcess SimpleDemoProcess Page
[Documentation] Open Simple demo process page
... for creating a new Simple demo process
${result status} = Run Keyword And Return Status
... Verify Sub-menu Show Up
Run Keyword If ${result status}
... Click Element
... ${MENU-SIMPLE-DEMO-PROCESS LOCATOR}
Verify SimpleDemo Page Is Opened
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Blank Lines Separate tables with two blank lines.
Separate tests and keywords with a single blank line. -
Documatations Better add documentation for every suite, test, keyword and library.
For writing good documentation strings, refer to Robot Framework Documente String.
Use at least 4 spaces between columns, If use non HTML format as your tests and resources file.
- Suite Names: use the "lower_case_with_underscores".
- Test Steps: use the "Given/When/Then".
- Keyword Names: use the "Cap Words" style.
- Global General Variable Names: use the "${CapWords}".
- Page Elements Variable Names: use the "${CapWords Locator}".
NOTE: the "Locator" includes "Locator", "ID", "Name", "Text", "Class", etc.
- Test and Resource Format We use Plain Text format. Example is as follows,
Test suite file:
*** Settings ***
Documentation A test suite with a single test for try page objects
...
... against the Wikipedia Site
Resource ../../resources/common_res.txt
Test Teardown Close All Browsers
*** Test Cases ***
Case 317459 demo show 1
[Documentation] This Test Case uses a higher level wikipedia resource
... for showing Page Resource.
[Tags] ID_317459 tag1
Given open browser to wiki home page
When search for robot framework on wikipedia
Then from Robot framework wiki page goto RIDE page
Case 317460 demo show 2
[Documentation] This Test Case uses a higher level wikipedia resource
... for showing Page Resource.
[Tags] ID_317460 tag2
Then search a string
Resource file:
*** Settings ***
Documentation A resource file containing WiKi home page specific keywords.
...
... domain specific language. They utilize keywords provided
... by the imported Selenium2Library.
Library Selenium2Library
Resource common_res.txt
*** Variables ***
#************************** Common Variables ******************************
${HomePage URL} http://${Server}
${HomePage Title} Wikipedia
${Search Text} Robot Framework
#************************** Page Elements *********************************
${SearchInput ID} searchInput
${SearchSubmitButton ID} go
*** Keywords ***
Open Browser To Wiki Home Page
[Documentation] For Open WiKi Home Page.
Open Browser ${HomePage URL} ${Browser}
Maximize Browser Window
Set Selenium Speed ${Delay}
Title Should Be ${HomePage Title}
Search For Robot Framework
[Documentation] do search operation
Input Text ${SearchInput ID} ${Search Text}
Click Button ${SearchSubmitButton ID}
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project directory structure
Assume the project name is "Demo". |-- Demo | |-- cases | | |-- 01__webui | | | `-- 01__wiki_test.txt | | |-- 02__cmd | | | |-- 01__gherkin.txt | | | |-- ... | | `-- ... | |-- doc | | |-- demo_cases_doc.html | | `-- resource_docs | | |-- cmd_res.html | | |-- common_res.html | | |-- ... | |-- others | | `-- ... | |-- resources | | |-- CalculatorLibrary.py | | |-- cmd_res.txt | | |-- common_res.txt | | |-- home_page.txt | | |-- ride_page.txt | | |-- search_page.txt | | `-- wiki_robot_page.txt | |-- results | | `-- ... | `-- scripts | `-- ... -
Page Resources with UI Mapping in web automation
As we know, in web system automation developing, for reducing the amount of duplicated code and means that if the UI changes, the fix need only be applied in one place, we commonly use Page Objects with UI Mapping.
But Robot Framework (or simply RF) is a not an Object Oriented Framework. So in the spirit of Page Objects and RF, we should call it Page Resources.
Use Page Resources for structure scalable and maintainable acceptance test suite. Following picture illustrates the architecture of automation project with Page Resources.
About UI Mapping, it can be easily implemented by Variables table in Robot Framework.
For example,
*** Variables ***
#************************ Common Variables ****************************
${HOME PAGE TITLE} Maitai - Business Process Engine
#************************* Page Elements ******************************
${LOGO LOCATOR} css = a.logo strong
#******MENU
${MENU-MY-TASKS LOCATOR} css = a[href="#task"]
${MENU-PROCESSES LOCATOR} css = a[href="#process/instance"]
${MENU-ADMIN LOCATOR} css = a[href="#process/definitions"]
${MENU-START-PROCESS LOCATOR} css = a[href="#process"]
This document has been placed in the public domain.