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How Keyword-Driven Frameworks are Shaping the Future of Test Automation
Software development companies need to test their software or application before releasing them to end-users. Defect testing is crucial for product success, as it validates an application's performance, functionality and quality. However, manual testing becomes laborious and time-consuming as functionality is added to an application. A switch to Test Automation improves efficiency and saves time.
Old Methodologies Give Rise to New
New software development paradigms have revolutionized the IT industry in the last decade or so. Enterprises have abandoned traditional software development methods and have started adopting new agile methodologies. These new paradigms are more responsive to the changing landscape. A fixture of old, the waterfall model, divides software development into distinct, consecutive phases. These are not well-suited for rapid changes in product requirements, and it is usually associated with a long product delivery time.
The Rise of Agile Methodologies
Agile development has been hailed as a saviour to rescue software development from the problem of slow development issues. In this context, scrum is a framework that emphasizes iterative and incremental software development across cross-functional teams. It addresses the volatility of requirements to enable consistent product delivery in increments. The longer release cycle in the waterfall model keeps testing as a separate phase after implementation. In scrum practices, continuous and iterative testing enables a shorter release cycle.
What is Keyword-Driven Testing?
Keyword-driven testing is a software testing methodology suitable for both automated and manual testing. A set of keywords or action words defines individual test cases/actions. Actions like login, click and enter name are pre-defined in the test code using keywords. These keywords may be used multiple times within the same test to maximize test coverage.
Benefits of Keyword-Based Testing
Keyword-based software testing provides a significant level of abstraction, and it enables both experienced and inexperienced testers to manage their work in a more compatible and versatile fashion. The testers use keywords to identify functionality, which is more accessible to less experienced testers since it uses keywords and does not need complex coding.
How Does Keyword-Driven Testing Work?
In practice, keyword-driven testing involves a sequence of operations recorded in a keyword format. The testers need to drag and drop the relevant keywords to an action to perform testing.
The keywords refer to specific actions defined and used to compose test cases, and these keywords lay the foundation for a test case specification. Testers do not essentially need programming or test tool expertise for keyword-driven testing.
High-level keywords are used to create an abstraction layer for individual actions. Composite keywords that combine several keywords are used to describe associated activities. The modularity of using keywords benefits test case maintainability and test case enhancement. When the actions to perform an operation change, a simple change in the keywords allows quick modification.
A keyword test case comprises one or more keywords and connects keywords with actions with a mutual 1:N relationship between the entities. Test automation is made possible by implementing each keyword into an executable code, which is used within a test automation framework. This framework generates automated test cases based on keyword test cases.
Layers
The testing keywords can be created representing actions at different levels of abstraction. Domain layer keywords are associated with end-user related or functional actions of the applications. The testing keywords are defined at an abstract level, so they become independent of the technology used in the testing code. It may make it easier for domain experts or business-side employees to create test cases.
Defining keywords on multiple layers makes it easier to manage hierarchical keywords. High-level domain layer keywords can be composed of several low-level keywords.
What is an Automated Keyword-Driven Testing Framework?
An automated keyword-driven software testing framework helps organize activities related to the design and implementation of testing. It includes concepts, documents and tools that facilitate test automation.
The keyword-driven editor can be a spreadsheet, stand-alone, or test management tool. The decomposer transforms high-level composite keywords into a sequence of low-level ones. In contrast, the data sequencer is used in data-driven testing to provide parameters in keyword test cases. The tool-bridge functions as the connection between the keywords and the test execution environment. This bridge receives keywords from the data sequencer, and it then calls the appropriate keyword execution code. The test execution environment and execution engine perform the actions associated with the keywords.
The keyword library functions as a repository for keyword definitions. It stores the name and description. If the keyword is composite, it lists the keywords the composite keyword is derived from. The data element represents the external storage of test data and can be a spreadsheet, a database or a test management tool. Finally, the script library helps store keyword execution code for each keyword that performs its actions.
Reduce Programmer Involvement & Cost with No-Code/Low-Code
A critical benefit of keyword-driven frameworks is that test automation does not rely on programmers. Test engineers traditionally develop test automation scripts in Javascript, Python and other languages. This means that most testers can now handle a good portion of test automation without programming knowledge. However, a programmer may need to be involved in a subset of test cases. This is often for setting up new keywords, which are then used by the testers.
The most significant benefit approach of reduced programmer involvement means reduced costs as programmers are usually expensive.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
Most enterprises have complex applications. No test automation framework can cover every scenario. The advantage of developing custom frameworks is that they will be tailored to specific product requirements. KDT automation frameworks can help enterprises build their own comprehensive test automation frameworks.
Behaviour-Driven Testing and Keyword-Driven Testing
Behaviour-driven testing (BDT) focuses on the system's behaviour rather than functionality. It helps define what to test and consider acceptance criteria or "done".
In BDT, the starting point is the story. It defines what behaviour and functionality the system must-have. The stories result from conversations between project stakeholders, business analysts, testers and developers. This methodology provides more traceability and visibility. In contrast, KDT is a way of achieving the BDT approach in testing. KDT frameworks can define the behaviour of a system using keywords. The open-source Robot Framework supports keyword abstractions, making it an excellent platform to implement this approach.
Benefits of Keyword-Driven Testing
Maximum Code Reuse – Allows one script to manage the entire implementation process with high reusability while saving time.
Data-Driven – Keyword test automation frameworks extend data-driven testing, allowing test scripts to read test data from any data source rather than hard-coding.
Extendability – New operations or modifications to the system can be made quickly. Enterprises can extend and customize these frameworks to their needs and build their own tailor-made KDT Automation Framework.
Easy – Creating keyword-driven tests is much easier and faster. Even an inexperienced tester can implement a test.
No-code/Low-code - Test engineers can automate tests independently with no need for specialized programming skills, which translates into cost savings in terms of programmer time.
Empower Testing Teams with Keyword-Driven Testing Frameworks
A keyword-driven testing framework can reduce the maintenance work for agile teams. Keyword reusability and test inputs through a framework editor shift the work from maintaining test cases to keywords.
Keyword-driven testing frameworks use a modular approach to composing test cases with the use of keywords, and this makes them suitable for automation using test automation tools.
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