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‎src/assets/MobileTestAutomation/automationFrameworksComparison.md‎

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---
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title: Which Mobile Test Automation Framework Fits You?
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authorName: Prarup Gurung (प्रारुप गुरुङ्ग)
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authorAvatar: https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/8559121?v=4
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authorLink: https://github.com/grgprarup
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createdAt: June 27, 2024
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tags: test automation, mobile testing, Android testing, iOS testing, testing frameworks
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banner: https://blog.jankaritech.com/src/assets/MobileTestAutomation/images/banner.png
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---
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###### _Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are solely my own. I am not receiving any funding or sponsorship for this content. This post is intended for informational and educational purposes only._
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Mobile applications are now an essential part of our daily routines. From shopping and banking to social networking,
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there's an app for almost everything. As our reliance on these apps grows, ensuring their quality becomes increasingly
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important. This is where mobile test automation frameworks play a key role. They automate the testing process, making
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sure apps function correctly without needing manual checks. However, with
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numerous [options available](https://www.google.com/search?q=test+automation+frameworks+for+mobile+applications&oq=test+automation+frameworks+for+mobile+applications&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQABgWGB4yDQgCEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgDEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgEEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgFEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgGEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyCggHEAAYgAQYogQyCggIEAAYgAQYogTSAQkxMzQ3OWowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8),
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![frameworks-list.png](/src/assets/MobileTestAutomation/images/frameworks-list.png "Frameworks List")
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##### **_How do you choose the right one?_**
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Among the available frameworks, I've picked these five for comparison: Appium, Calabash, XCUITest, Espresso, and
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Selendroid. Let's break them down in straightforward.
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## [**Selendroid**](http://selendroid.io/)
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Selendroid, is a test automation framework for native or hybrid Android applications and the mobile web. It is an open
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source tool with 433 GitHub forks and 880 GitHub stars and [here](https://github.com/selendroid/selendroid) is the
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GitHub link.
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#### Pros and Cons:
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| **Pros 👍** | **Cons 👎** |
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|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| **Environment:** Can be installed and run on various OS such as Windows, Linux, and macOS | **No Regular Updates:** Development has slowed down, which may limit its ability to support new Android features and devices |
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| **Open-Source:** Free to use but very less community for support | **No Cross-Platform:** Limited to Android apps |
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| **Hot Plugging** Selendroid supports hot plugging of hardware devices | **Limited Language Support:** Primarily supports Java for writing tests |
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| **No App Modifications:** You don't need to recompile or modify your app | |
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| **Inspector Tools:** Selendroid includes its own [UI inspector](http://selendroid.io/inspector.html) tool | |
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#### When to use?
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- When automating tests for Android applications across devices with varying screen sizes and resolutions
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- For conducting cross-browser testing of Android apps, ensuring compatibility across a wide range of devices and
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Android versions
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- When you require simultaneous testing across multiple Android devices, enhancing overall test efficiency
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- When testing scenarios that require intricate gestures and interactions, benefiting from its strong capabilities in
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handling touch events
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- If seamless integration with continuous integration tools is needed, enabling automated testing within a CI/CD
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pipeline
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## [**Espresso**](https://developer.android.com/training/testing/espresso)
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Espresso is an open source Android applications test automation framework developed by Google. It's known for its
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simplicity and integration with Android Studio.
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#### Pros and Cons:
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| **Pros 👍** | **Cons 👎** |
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|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| **Test Execution:** Enables quicker test execution by automatically synchronizing with the UI | **No Cross-Platform:** Limited to Android apps |
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| **Easy to Setup:** Setting up Espresso is simple as works well within the Android Studio IDE | **Limited Language Support:** Primarily supports Java and Kotlin for writing tests |
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| **Regular Updates:** The tool is up-to-date with the latest Android OS features | **IDE Dependent:** Android Studio IDE needs to be installed |
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| **Community Support:** Owned by Google with large community | |
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#### When to use?
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- To validate each build after code changes
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- To streamline processes by avoiding dependencies on remote servers and other workstations for testing
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- To ensure unit and functional tests are easily executable from both IDEs and continuous integration setups
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- To test apps using the latest Android OS APIs to utilize new platform features and support new OS versions
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- To conduct testing on both emulators and real devices for comprehensive coverage
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## [**XCUITest**](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xctest)
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XCUITest is Apple's testing framework for iOS applications. Integrated with Xcode, it offers a straightforward way to
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write and run tests for iOS apps.
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#### Pros and Cons:
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| **Pros 👍** | **Cons 👎** |
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|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| **Test Execution:** Tests are stable, highly reliable, and performed faster | **No Cross-Platform:** Limited to iOS apps |
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| **Easy to Setup:** Setting up XCUITest is straightforward as works well XCode IDE | **Limited Language Support:** It supports Swift or Objective-C for writing tests |
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| **Community Support:** Built by Apple with large community | **Environment:** Only for macOS |
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| | **IDE Dependent:** XCode IDE needs to be installed |
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#### When to use?
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- When developing iOS applications with stable, reliable, and fast testing
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- When your team is focused on iOS development
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- When you need to test iOS apps across various devices and screen sizes
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## [**Calabash**](https://github.com/calabash)
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Calabash is an open-source framework that allows you to write and execute tests for Android and iOS apps. It uses
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Cucumber, a tool that lets you write tests in plain language.
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#### Pros and Cons:
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| **Pros 👍** | **Cons 👎** |
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|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| **Environment:** Can be installed and run on various OS such as Windows, Linux, and macOS. | **Lack of documentation:** Can be slower compared to other tools because it uses a client-server architecture. |
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| **Cross-Platform:** It supports writing tests for both iOS and Android. | **Limited Language Support:** It supports only Ruby | |
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| **User-Friendly:** Write tests in plain English, making it accessible for non-programmers. | **No Regular Updates:** Active development has ceased, which might affect future compatibility |
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| **Open-Source:** Free to use | **Low Community Support:** Very low community support as it is not used by many |
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#### When to use?
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- When your team includes non-technical members who need to write tests
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- For projects that would benefit from behavior-driven development (BDD)
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## [**Appium**](https://appium.io/docs/en/latest/)
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Appium is a widely-used mobile test automation framework that supports UI automation of multiple platforms, including
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mobile (Android, iOS, Tizen), web, desktop, TV. both iOS and Android platforms. The popularity of this tool may stem
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from its support for multiple programming languages for writing tests. Also, it is an open-source tool with 18.2k GitHub
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stars and 6k forks and [here](https://github.com/appium/appium) is the GitHub link.
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#### Pros and Cons:
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| **Pros 👍** | **Cons 👎** |
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|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| **Environment:** Can be installed and run on various OS such as Windows, Linux, and macOS | **Performance:** Can be slower compared to other tools because it uses a client-server architecture |
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| **Cross-Platform:** You can use the same tests for both iOS and Android | **Setup Complexity:** Setting up Appium can be complex, especially when configuring it for both iOS and Android platforms |
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| **Language Support:** Write tests in Java, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, C# and more | |
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| **Open-Source:** Free to use with a large community for support | |
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| **Regular Updates:** The tool is up-to-date with the latest mobile operating systems and features | |
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| **No App Modifications:** You don't need to recompile or modify your app | |
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| **Inspector Tools:** Appium includes its own [UI inspector](https://github.com/appium/appium-inspector) tool | |
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#### When to use?
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- When developing mobile applications across multiple platforms (iOS and Android) to guarantee seamless
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cross-platform compatibility
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- To automate tests for mobile apps, ensuring consistent and efficient testing across a variety of devices
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and operating systems
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- When you need a flexible and community-supported open-source framework for mobile automation
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- When you can utilize a single codebase for both Android and iOS, minimizing development effort and
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maximizing code reusability
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- For mobile application testing that involves interacting with native, hybrid, or mobile web
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applications, providing a versatile solution for various testing requirements
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## Conclusion
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In conclusion, the choice of a mobile test automation framework should align with your project requirements, team
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expertise, and the specific needs of your application. Whether you need cross-platform compatibility, ease of use,
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native integration, or community support, understanding the strengths of each framework will help you make an informed
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decision and ensure the success of your mobile testing strategy.
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**_Keep Learning and Keep Practicing_** 👍
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**Stay tuned!!!**
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## References
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- [Selendroid](http://selendroid.io/ "Selendroid")
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- [Espresso](https://developer.android.com/training/testing/espresso "Espresso")
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- [XCUITest](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xctest "XCUITest")
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- [Calabash](https://github.com/calabash "Calabash")
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- [Appium](https://appium.io/docs/en/latest/ "Appium")

‎src/assets/MobileTestAutomation/images/banner.png‎

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‎src/assets/MobileTestAutomation/images/frameworks-list.png‎

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