Keyword-driven testing: Why you should use it?

Every software company tests its software or application before delivering it to the end-users. Testing for errors is very important for a product’s success. This is one such activity that verifies a software or application’s performance, functionality, quality, and other relevant aspects. But, as the code base and functionalities appended to software/applications increase, manual testing alone may become a difficult and time-consuming activity. This is where organizations have switched to Test Automation, to enhance the performance of their product and save time.

Automation testing has got a long way in the prior few years. Many software companies have devised their test automation efforts through data-driven strategy/testing, also called keyword-driven test automation.

What is Keyword-Driven Testing?

Keyword-driven testing is a software testing methodology, fit for both automated or manual testing. It employs a set of keywords or action words to describe individual test cases or test actions. For example, actions like login, click, enter the client name and more are pre-defined within the test code utilizing keywords – “commands”. These keywords can be employed various times within the same test case to maximize test coverage.

Keyword-based testing presents a great level of abstraction that enables testers both experienced and inexperienced to handle testing in more compatible and varied ways. The testers use keywords to recognize objects and parts of their test scripts.

The purpose of this type of testing is to get even the less-savvy users to test using keywords without having to write instructions in traditional coding languages.

How to perform Keyword Driven Testing

Keyword-based testing can be performed in both ways, manually as well as automated. But usually, it is done with automated testing.

The purpose behind automating Keyword-based testing is

• It helps to decrease maintenance cost
• Avoids duplicated specifications
• Greater reuse of function scripting
• Better testing support and portability
• Accomplish more testing with less or the same effort

With keyword-driven testing, you can design a simple functional test in the earlier stages of development, testing the application piece-by-piece. The easiest way to compose keyword-driven tests is to record them. After recording, the test can be altered and customized as per the demand.

Each keyword requires to be linked with at least one command, test script, or function, which executes the actions associated with that keyword.

When test cases are executed, keywords are defined by a test library, which is called a test automation framework.

The major activities included in keyword-driven testing are

Step 1. Recognizing low level as well as high-level keywords

Step 2. Completing the keywords as executable

Step 3. Creating test cases

Step 4. Building the driver scripts

Step 5. Achieving the automation test scripts

Benefits of Keyword-Driven Testing

Maximum Code Reuse – Keyword-driven testing enables one script to handle the entire implementation process, presenting a high level of re-usability and saves time.

Added Benefit of Data-Driven Approach – Since keyword test automation framework is an addition of data keyword-driven testing, it involves the application of data-driven methods, i.e., enables its test scripts to gather test data from data sources such as CSV files, ADO objects, ODBC sources, etc. rather than hard-coding.

Testing Framework Extension – Any addition of new operations or alteration of existing operations into the system can be easily done.

Effortless Tool Switching – If it is important to shift from one automation tool to another, you will have to converse with a minimum of code as the keyword-driven testing framework comes with test cases that will endure almost in the same form.

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Simplistic View of Tests – This testing registers all the operations in the form of a spreadsheet or other approved format, hence, enabling users to take a glimpse of operations at once with an easy view choice.

Easy Implementation – Designing keyword-driven tests is much easier and faster than writing test scripts. Unlike scripts, this testing doesn’t need testers to have a detailed knowledge of scripting languages. Therefore, even an inexperienced tester can perform tests using keyword-driven testing.

Early Stage Testing – With keyword-driven testing, you can test an application or system at each step and run functional tests throughout the early stages of development. This will enhance the overall automated testing success rate as well as decrease testing costs.

Also Read: Parallel Testing: What It Is And Why You Should Adopt It

Conclusion

Leverage TestUnity’s years of experience in developing keyword-driven frameworks for client projects over various domains and presenting test automation solutions through keyword-driven testing. Contact us today to explore our QA and keyword-driven testing solutions that help you accelerate your application testing.

TestUnity

Testunity is a SaaS-based technology platform driven by a vast community of testers & QAs spread around the world, powered by technology & testing experts to create the dedicated testing hub. Which is capable of providing almost all kind of testing services for almost all the platforms exists in software word.