Test Automation Framework features

A Test Automation Framework commonly consists of the implementation of certain concepts and code that gives a jump-start or provides support to one or more test automation projects. Before you design or enhance your Test Automation Framework, you should identify the objectives that you want to achieve with it.

Test Automation Framework features

The desired features of your Automation Framework may include:

General features

1. Re-use of existing code by writing code once and invoking it elsewhere

2. Consistency of test automation implementation by defining standards

3. Tool independence by implementing your framework as separate software

4. Ease of framework installation

5. Ease of framework maintenance

6. Ease of upgrading the deployed framework

7. Types of testing supported by the framework

8. Supported operating systems

9. Supported browsers

Features related to test design

10. Simple to learn and use

11. Common operations already built-in the framework

12. Help documentation with examples

13. Minimal changes to the test automation in case the application changes :)

14. Integration with version control systems and test management systems

Features related to test execution

15. Ability of the framework to run on multiple systems

16. Support for test configuration e.g. application name, server name/ URL and test cases to be executed

17. Support for scheduled execution

18. Supported invocations of the framework e.g. by GUI or by command-line

19. Support for invoking and closing/ shutting down the application(s) under test

20. Ability to connect to myriad test data sources and collect test data

21. Fast performance

22. Robustness

23. Error recovery e.g. by dismissing unknown windows, retrying a failed operation with/ without configurable delays, proceeding to the next step/ test case and even resetting or re-starting the application(s) under test

24. Integration with defect tracking systems

25. Clean up test data in the application(s) under test after completing each test

Features related to test reporting

26. Logging states and results

27. Reporting test results (in one or multiple formats e.g. Excel or HTML) with metrics such as number of test cases in the test plan, test cases executed, test cases passed, test cases failed and the time taken to execute the test cases

28. Distributing test results e.g. by publishing to web or email

When you estimate the effort it is going to take to build the desired features in your Automation Framework, you may find that the time available is not sufficient. You should then prioritize the features and build the most important ones first. Start small. As your Automation Framework is used in test automation projects, you may learn about the problems faced while using your framework. You should then prioritize the fixes and enhancements and build upon your existing Automation Framework accordingly.