1. Functional Automation Framework
Robot Framework
Functional Automation Framework

2. Why automation
Who wouldn’t want to go to the promised land. But, this is what it can feel like when you start investigating how to start

3. Which tool should I use Many many more TestComplete Selenium UFT Java
TestStudio
Ruby
EggPlant
JavaScript
Squish
Python
Ranorex C#
Test Studio
Node.js
ReadyAPI
Many many more

4. Requirements Budget Development background What’s Missing?
Automation Theory

5. When do I automate? I can’t automate until there is working code
I can’t automate until there is stable code

6. What is Robot Framework
“Generic test automation framework for acceptance testing and ATDD”
Technology libraries
Keyword-driven
Open-source
Want to see it?

7. RF – Strengths/Weaknesses
Short ramp-up period
No built in distributed execution (supports build- your-own)
Supported technologies
Built in Reporting
Quirky keyword syntax for logical operations
Extensible
Limited Test Run history
Built-in Gherkin support
No OOTB debugger
CI support
Obsession with “keywords”
Cross Platform

8. RF – Supported technologies
Operating System
FTP
Web (Selenium, watir)
Appium
API (Python requests lib)
AutoIT
SSH
(IMAP)
Android
More
iOS
Database

9. RF – Architecture Project Test Suite Settings Test Cases Keywords
Function Libraries
Keywords/Functions

10. RF – Keyword Syntax

11. RF – Data Driven Tests

12. RF – Gherkin Syntax

13. RF – Execution robot /path/to/root/level/of/test/suite
robot --variablefile /explicit/path/to/variables/file /path/to/root/level/of/test/suite
robot --include TAGNAME --variablefile /explicit/path/to/variables/file /path/to/root/level/of/test/suite
robot --exclude pq –variablefile /Users/kfitzger/Documents/GIT/QA/Project/Variable_Files/CustomerName.py /Users/kfitzger/Documents/SourceTree/QA_Automation/Customer/

14. RF – Results
XML

15. RF – Results
XML

16. RF –Maintenance Practice good coding conventions Object Library
Don’t Repeat Yourself
Function Libraries
Abstract Data conditions to variables
Object Library

17. RF – Object Library

18. RF – Case Studies – in the last week
One test suite that
initiates a process via a web UI (performing checks against web interface concurrently)
Validates via API requests that all data was created successfully against two systems.
Triggers immediate processing (normally scheduled every four hours) of data via API
Triggers import of data via API
Returns to Web UI to validate imported data
Validates notification directly via IMAP (no GUI)
Backward Migration of tests
170 RF Test Cases were migrated to work with a version a software that was 18 months old
Entire process took 2 days

19. Helpful Links RobotFramework Documentation Github Repo: QA3 Invite
Github Repo:
Includes a small sample project, documentation for installation and execution, and a few xslt samples.
QA3 Invite
Slack team for QA (or those interested in QA) professionals in the Ann Arbor Area. If you’d like an invite, send an to the address below. Don’t feel like you have to be local to join