Use of Libraries (APIs) in Your Test Automation Frameworks

Test automation frameworks as we know is a platform where we have automated test suite implemented with best practices and standards. At the core of the test automation framework we have the selected test automation API or the tool. The test automation framework is the bread and butter of an organization's test automation practice. The life of the test automation practice depends on the test automation framework and how best its implemented.

Open source libraries plays a crucial role in the design and development of test automation frameworks. They are the building blocks of a great test automation frameworks. Use of such libraries provides great advantages to everyone using code based test automation frameworks.

• Promotes code reusability - Use of open source libraries helps duplication of code everywhere within the test automation framework. The actual functionality is implemented within the classes of the library where we can use these methods within the framework by calling in the publicly accessible methods in the test code itself. For example if we want to validate the contents of a PDF file, we simply import the necessary classes of that library and use the publicly exposed methods and pass the relative parameters within that method code.
• Reduces code of the test framework - As the actual intended functionality is written in the library itself we just need to call the methods of that library, which will be one or two code lines, that promotes clean code and less code lines.
• Helps less technical automation engineers to kick start coding - As most of the complex code are written by the creators of such open source libraries, there is less need to have technically savvy test automation engineers in the organization as they only need to know the API documentation of the library and how to call the public methods of the library.
• Gives ample flexibility and extended functionality - Using open source libraries also promotes more extended functionality to your test automation framework. If we do need to validate a barcode or QR code in a test we simply can extent the functionality of the test framework by adding the relative functionality, rather than researching and implementing code from scratch.
• Helps to build a test automation framework in a less amount of time - Use of libraries like WebDriver, WebDriver Manager, Extent Reporting and Apache POI will help us to create more instant test automation frameworks and at a less stipulated time period, rather than creating code from scratch, which consumes a lot of time.
• Helps QA professionals to be more technical fluent - Use of libraries in test automation frameworks on one hand helps the test automation professionals to know and understand the latest libraries that are available in the test automation arena and get hands on experience how to use them.

Therefore use of opensource libraries is important in a test automation framework and it spices up your organization's test automation framework. So my advice to all the test automation people, try researching and implementing such libraries in your test automation framework which will create more technically fluent people.