Keyword Driven Framework | Test Automation Frameworks

Introduction

The Keyword-Driven Framework is a popular approach in automated testing, particularly for functional testing. It allows for the separation of the test logic from the test data. This means that testers can create tests using keywords that represent actions or operations to be performed on the application under test. This framework is especially useful for non-technical users, as it enables them to write test cases without needing to understand programming languages.

Understanding the Components

A Keyword-Driven Framework is composed of several key components:

Keywords: These are the commands or actions that represent user interactions. For example, "Click", "Input", "Verify".
Test Data: The actual data that will be used during the test execution. This can be stored in various formats like Excel, CSV, or databases.
Action Libraries: These are the libraries that contain the methods associated with the keywords. Each keyword usually maps to a function in the action library.
Test Case Design: The structure in which the test cases will be defined, typically in a table format.

Creating a Simple Example

To illustrate how a Keyword-Driven Framework works, let's create a simple example for a login functionality. Below is a sample representation of how the keywords and test data might look.

Sample Test Case

Keyword	Test Data
OpenApplication	https://example.com
Input	userid, testuser
Input	password, testpassword
Click	loginButton
Verify	dashboardPage

Implementing the Framework

To implement a Keyword-Driven Framework, follow these steps:

Define Keywords: Identify the actions that will be used in your tests and define them clearly.
Create Action Libraries: Develop reusable functions for each keyword. For example, if the keyword is "Click", the corresponding function would interact with the UI to perform a click action.
Design Test Cases: Use a structured format (like a table) to define your test cases, where each row corresponds to a keyword and its associated test data.
Execute Tests: Use a test runner that reads the test cases and executes them according to the defined keywords.

Example Code Snippet

Below is a basic example of how you might define the "Click" action in a programming language like Python:

def click(element): driver.find_element_by_id(element).click()

In this example, the `click` function takes an element ID as an argument and performs a click action on it using Selenium WebDriver.

Benefits of Keyword-Driven Framework

The Keyword-Driven Framework offers several advantages:

Ease of Use: Non-technical users can easily create test cases using keywords without needing programming knowledge.
Reusability: Keywords can be reused across multiple test cases, reducing redundancy.
Maintainability: Changes to the application can be handled by updating the action library without modifying individual test cases.

Conclusion

The Keyword-Driven Framework provides a powerful approach to automate testing, making it accessible for both technical and non-technical team members. By separating the test logic from the test data and utilizing a structured approach, teams can enhance collaboration, reusability, and maintainability in their automated testing efforts.

Keyword-Driven Framework Tutorial