One day Mickey was waiting for a train when Minnie came running to him
Mickey – Hey Minnie
Minnie – Hi Mickey, How are you?
Mickey – I am good, What happened?
Minnie – Do you know what is an Automation Framework
Mickey – Yes I know
Minnie – Can you teach me, I need to explain in my class tomorrow
Mickey – Sure Minnie, I have to catch this train you see. Will come to your place in the evening
Minnie – No, I would come with you and you can tell me the story in the train
Mickey – Well then, let’s Go
Minnie – It is so good here
Mickey – Yes, I like train journeys
Minnie – Okay shall we start
Mickey – Sure Minnie, Okay tell me if you go to a train station what all do you see
Minnie – Well first there is an Information counter where we can get all the information about trains, there is a ticket counter, there is a platform that helps to get in and out of trains.
Mickey – Yes great, what else you see on the train platform
Minnie – There are waiting rooms and seating arrangements, there are vendors who sell snacks, newspapers, magazines, etc.
Mickey – Great, so all the things necessary or everything that helps us to board a train is available at a single location called the train station
Minnie – Yes
Mickey – In the same way Automation Framework is like a platform where you will have all the things necessary to create and run automation scripts in a proper arranged, organized and efficient way
Minnie – Well I can relate that
Mickey – So all the libraries, tools, software, reporting systems etc. Information about the needs and usage are available and arranged in a structure in the automation framework
Minnie – So Automation framework helps to create and run automation
Mickey – Yes, and to manage, update, add scripts etc. It will also have result and reporting mechanism
Minnie – I am getting this
Mickey – So it is like a toolbox for automation testing that is portable. You can take it to any system and start automation
Minnie – Okay
Mickey – Or I can say Test Automation Framework is a structure that provides an environment to create, run and report test automation
Minnie – This is very easy. Can we go a little deep now
Mickey – Yes before that do you want some tea and snacks
Minnie – Yes, I need them
Mickey – Okay Minnie, here are the general components of an Automation Framework
Test Scripts
Object
Repository
LibrariesModules
Utilities
Reusable elements
Logging
Reporting
Command Line Tools
Minnie – Okay so this is how a standard Test Automation Framework looks like
Mickey – These are the general components of a Test Automation Framework. There can be some changes and customizations based on the type of application or platform we are testing
Minnie – Like what
Mickey – For example, if you are doing test automation for API, you may need request and response structure that may not be required in Web browser testing
Minnie – Oh I see
Mickey – And also there are different types of framework like
Data-Driven
Keyword Driven
Hybrid
Modular
BDD
Minnie – Oh so all these have different structures
Mickey – The basic elements remain the same, these types differ in implementation. I will tell you about these some other day
Minnie – Okay Mickey
Mickey – Do you still have more questions
Minnie – All this is good, but why exactly do we need the framework
Mickey – Great question. Why do we need a train platform
Minnie – So it is easy and convenient to board train. We have everything needed at a single location
Mickey – Exactly, now suppose if you have the information counter located at one place and ticket counter at some other distant place and other things as well scattered
Minnie – that will be a mess
Mickey – Yes, same way framework provides everything required for doing automation at a single place in a properly defined structure
Minnie – I see
Mickey – Also this helps in
Easy maintenance
Easier and efficient addition and updates
Reusability
Speed
Reliability
Portability
Minnie – I got this Mickey
Mickey – Great and here comes my station. I will be getting off here. You can take the next train back home
Minnie – No I will wait here and will go back in the evening together
Mickey – Okay so here is my tiffin, Do eat something
Minnie – Sure Mickey, You are my best friend
Mickey – I am always here for you 🙂
