Testing has become one of the most important processes in the application development lifecycle. This is because, with the help of properly planned test cases, the app developers can not only verify the functioning of the application but also improve its quality. Moreover, with the testing process, the app developers can coordinate the development and production process of the app development life cycle. Modern applications work on complex infrastructures that need the implementation of advanced testing processes and tools like Appium. The testing process is also vital when the app developers are working with mobile applications that need to be compatible with a wide range of devices that have unique differences from them.
So, with this article, we’ll introduce the application developers and testers to the concept of Appium testing on LambdaTest. We will also guide them through the setup and execution process. Finally, we’ll analyze the implication of multiple tools and platforms toward the proper execution of the advanced testing processes.
The Concept of Mobile App Development and Automation Testing
As modern mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches started to arrive in the market, people started utilizing the full benefit of these devices. They can provide a desktop-like experience while being able to fit in the pockets of the end users. However, the mobile market is very diverse compared to the desktop industry. In the mobile market, the three most popular platforms include iOS, Android, and Windows. All the devices are unique from each other in terms of hardware, display resolution, screen size, and other software parameters.
To properly utilize the full potential of mobile testing, app developers can integrate automation testing in the environment. This process will eliminate human involvement in the testing cycle. Instead, the system can utilize a text file consisting of all the required parameters, data sets, and statistics that will allow it to emulate human interactions.
Some of the major benefits of automation testing include the reusability of the existing text code in future app development projects and the modification of the test data to make customized test cases according to the app development project.
Understanding Appium
We can define Appium as an open-source tool for verifying the proper functioning of user interface elements present in a web application. With the help of Appium, application developers can also verify the proper functioning of native, hybrid, and mobile web-based applications. The JSON protocol used by Appium is similar to the Selenium JSON file which allows it to initiate and accomplish multiple test instances at the same time. While using this tool, it is possible to verify the performance of mobile applications on Android, iOS, and Windows platforms.
Introducing LambdaTest
The app developers must implement real device testing in the application development process. Real device testing also allows us to understand the influence of various physical parameters on the functioning of the application. However, the process to set up and configure such a test lab is not only expensive but also a hassle while updating. LambdaTest, an AI-powered test orchestration and test execution platform allows app developers to execute test cases on similar real devices through remote servers that can be accessed on the Internet.
LambdaTest also allows cloud-based automation testing platform. With this platform, the app developers can access Appium device cloud for testing native, hybrid, and mobile web apps. The LambdaTest Appium Device cloud provides access to more than 3000 real mobile Devices. It provides a reliable and secure Automation Testing cloud for both Android and iOS applications. The Test Analytic of LambdaTest provides visual representation of the test reports. It also has multiple logs and screenshots to keep track of the Appium Test cases.
Finally, the integration of LambdaTest reports from multiple real devices and thousands of emulation software helps to boost its dependability and accuracy.
Executing Appium Testing on LambdaTest
By implementing a few prerequisites and following some simple steps, the application developers can easily initiate and execute Appium testing on LambdaTest. So, for the ease of the new app developers and testers, we have listed all the steps below:
- For the prerequisites, the application developers have to create an account on the LambdaTest website in case they do not have one already. After this process, the app developers must remember to purchase the official LambdaTest license that will provide the access key in the dashboard.
- Next, it is time to set up the Appium project with the help of the preferred programming language. App developers need to ensure that this programming language is also supported by the native environment of LambdaTest. Some of the popular alternatives include Java, Python, and many others. During this step, the app developer should also install all the required dependencies.
- Now that the app developers have finished the prerequisites, it is time to develop the Appium test scripts. These scripts will allow the app developers to automate the testing process of mobile applications. It is also possible to implement the Selenium WebDriver API for interacting with the elements present in the mobile application.
- During the Appium test script creation process, the app developers must specify the desired capabilities in the test scripts. Some of the popular parameters include the target platform name, operating system version, device name, and also the app package or the file path. This will allow the system to automatically customize the test cases and provide accurate test reports.
- Now it is time to obtain all the required LambdaTest credentials that can be supplied from the LambdaTest account. The app developers simply have to navigate to the automated section and find the access key under the integration option. This key will allow the app developers to connect their automation test cases with the LambdaTest cloud. To handle waits, the app Developers have to implement the following code in LambdaTest:
import io.appium.java_client.MobileBy;
import org.openqa.selenium.support.ui.ExpectedConditions;
import org.openqa.selenium.support.ui.WebDriverWait;
// Wait for an element to be visible
WebDriverWait wait = new WebDriverWait(driver, 30);
MobileElement element = wait.until(ExpectedConditions.visibilityOfElementLocated(MobileBy.id(“com.example.app:id/someElement”)));
// Wait for an element to be clickable
MobileElement clickableElement = wait.until(ExpectedConditions.elementToBeClickable(MobileBy.id(“com.example.app:id/someClickableElement”)));
clickableElement.click();
- The application developers also have to set up a new remote connection using the desired capabilities of LambdaTest along with the access key. This connection will allow the execution of all the Appium test cases on the relevant real devices through the remote server. A sample test case that can help the LambdaTest-Based Appium Test Case interact with the web Elements:
import io.appium.java_client.MobileElement;
import io.appium.java_client.TouchAction;
import io.appium.java_client.android.AndroidDriver;
// Assuming you have already set up the driver
// Find elements by their IDs
MobileElement usernameField = driver.findElementById(“com.example.app:id/usernameField”);
MobileElement passwordField = driver.findElementById(“com.example.app:id/passwordField”);
MobileElement loginButton = driver.findElementById(“com.example.app:id/loginButton”);
// Input text into the fields
String username = “your_username”;
String password = “your_password”;
usernameField.sendKeys(username);
passwordField.sendKeys(password);
// Perform a tap on an element
loginButton.click();
// Perform a swipe action
int startX = 500; // starting x-coordinate
int startY = 1000; // starting y-coordinate
int endX = 500; // ending x-coordinate
int endY = 200; // ending y-coordinate
TouchAction action = new TouchAction(driver);
action.press(startX, startY).moveTo(endX, endY).release().perform();
- The final step in this process is to execute the Appium test scripts on the LambdaTest cloud. For this step, the app developers simply have to trigger the test case from the local environment. After the triggering process, LambdaTest will automatically perform the test cases on all the target operating systems and devices that the developers have specified in the test case.
- Now all that is left for the app developers is to wait for the system to execute the test cases and display the final result. Based on these results, the app developers can analyze all the bugs and errors that might be present in the core framework of the application. This is a very important parameter as it will help to pinpoint the location for the debugging process that will follow soon after. A simple tip is to name the test cases according to the target elements so that the app developers can keep track of the elements functioning in a complex application.
Now, the application developers have to move on to the debugging process to remove any bugs and errors that might have been detected in the code framework of the application. It is also important to use multiple screenshots and test logs that will be supplied by LambdaTest. The advantage of these data is that it will quickly help to locate and fix the problem. The developers and testers might need to re-run these test cases a couple of times until the application is completely devoid of all errors. We would also suggest the developers execute these test cases whenever they update the app or add even a minor change to the code framework of the application. This process will help to ensure that the new elements in the application will not hamper the functioning of the previously present elements.
These steps that we mentioned should be sufficient for running Appium testing on the LambdaTest environment for almost all modern applications. However, we would recommend the app developers go through the official documentation and sample test cases provided by both Appium and LambdaTest. This will allow them to find additional features that can be useful according to the customized requirements of their app. This process will in turn help improve the application for boosting its functionality across multiple browsers and mobile devices.
The Conclusion
With this article, we focused on some of the most important parameters that the developers must be aware of while implementing Appium testing on LambdaTest. It is also important to generally adopt automation testing practices for maintaining the company’s position in this comparative segment of the industry. Moreover, app developers should always integrate new revolutionary practices regarding automation testing. It is critical to conduct market surveys and collect critical information regarding the requirements of the target audience base. It will allow the app developers to prevent alienating any segment of the users based on device or software incompatibilities. It is also important to choose the correct automation testing tool that can complement not only the app developer’s preferences but also the requirements of the application undergoing the development process.
