Assertions
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Userlevel 3
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When I was working on Selenium, I have used below Assert categories.
- Assert Equals
- Assert Boolean
I don’t use assertions, as such.
Instead, I usually write code that generates data for use in an automated assay of the product.
Then I write code that applies that data to the product. When I’m doing GUI-level work, I sometimes use a page-object design. I collect data about how the product behaves and save it. I don’t find it helpful to put a lot of asserts into that code because I’m usually working with a stable GUI for which I’m creating regression checks (thus low-level asserts would almost never fail, and all that same checking I can do on a higher level anyway). Also, asserts are testing logic, and I like to separate testing logic from logic that operates the product.
As a separate process, I write code to analyze that data and flag interesting things about it. When this takes the form of pass and fail, I call the whole process “checking.” When it takes the form of alerts and visualizations, I call it “flagging.” I like to focus on complex oracles rather than simple assertions.
One problem I have with the strategy of peppering code with asserts is that everyone who does that seems to lose track of what they are or are not checking. You have a zillion asserts… what does it amount to? By writing dedicated programs to serve as oracles, I find I can keep better track of that.
Another thing to note is that I write my own frameworks, instead of using PyTest or that sort of thing.
Always in the test cases or test steps. This places it squarely at the individual project’s requirement responsibility & enables maximum reuse, shared understanding + clarity (ways of working of where to expect the assertions) then ease of maintenance.
- POM level:
- projectA adds a method to Application123’s LoginPage POM, which asserts that submitted credentials result in a successful login and the dashboard page then showing with “welcome, UserName” shown.
- projectA then needs to add negative test cases, either the POM method now needs a conditional branch or a duplicated method reversing the assertion
- ProjectB with another team wants to interact with the same Application123 from their project. Their validation criteria is to check the look & feel of the page - the dashboard page displays the company logo in the right place, the font style & background colours are as expected (they don’t care about the welcome, UserName” text)
- Test Automation Framework: can be the same
- Helper methods: depend on where they’re located - are they test case, test data, POM, reporting or other? In my view test case & test step helper methods work to have assertions, other places not
In the above example, designing a LoginPage POM with methods such as isIncorrectLoginMessageShown(), getTextofIncorrectLoginMessage(), isUserNameEmpty(), isSubmitDisplayed(), then a DashboardPage POM with methods such as isPageDisplayedAndLoaded(), getWelcomeText() etc. will support more projects & give them each the responsibility of deciding what is a pass or failure criteria depending upon their own requirements.
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