Types of Test Automation Framework

Test Automation Framework is the philosophy on which Automated Testing as well as Automated Testing tools are based on, in precise terms it is a set of assumptions, concepts, and practice that provide support for automation.

In real time projects, we use to call, Frame work as a folder. This folder contains the components such as, Object Repository, logs, test data, script, result...etc. so whatever files are created to develop a script are stored in a separate folder, which is nothing but a framework

Frame work means we can create a folder structure for reusable purpose. The folders like function folders, script folders, reusable folders, paramaterizing folders etc. we generate the script and save in the respective folders, in future we need we can paste and modify the script, we run another script

1-Test Script Modularity Framework-This framework is quite similar to what we have been using in our day to day programming i.e. dividing a large program in to modules. The test script modularity framework requires the creation of small, independent scripts that represent modules, sections, and functions of the application-under-test. These small scripts are then used in a hierarchical fashion to construct larger tests, realizing a particular test case.

2-Test Library Architecture Framework-The test library architecture framework is very similar to the test script modularity framework and offers the same advantages, but it divides the application-under-test into procedures and functions instead of scripts.

3-Keyword-Driven or Table-Driven Testing Framework-The Keyword-Driven or Table-Driven framework requires the development of data tables and keywords, independent of the test automation tool used to execute them and the test script code that "drives" the application-under-test and the data. In a keyword-driven test, the functionality of the application-under-test is documented in a table as well as in step-by-step instructions for each test.

 4-Data-Driven Testing Framework-In this framework we create data files (data pools, ODBC sources, cvs files, Excel files, ADO objects etc.) and use them in our test cases at run time  When we execute a test case we need to pass some parameters in the application under test, that’s were Data-Driven framework comes into the picture. In this framework, variables are used for both input values and output verification values. Navigation through the program, reading of the data files, and logging of test status and information are all coded in the test script.

Example: Filling a webpage with appropriate parameters using the data files (Excel in this case).

  

5-Hybrid Test Automation Framework-As the name suggests this frame is the combination of one or more frameworks discussed above pulling from their strengths and trying to mitigate their weaknesses. This hybrid test automation framework is what most frameworks evolve into over time and multiple projects.