Automated GUI Testing – What , When , Approaches & Benefits

Mobile Accessibility Testing All That You Need to Know in Depth

Mobile Accessibility Testing: All That You Need to Know in Depth

Hello there, I hope you are doing well! Welcome back to another interesting blog.&nbsp;



I was watching one of the NAS daily videos with my five-year-old recently. It was about a few Japanese facts. People are incredibly humble and kind. They also appear to emphasize respect for others. This piqued my curiosity to study Japanese culture further. 



Then I got to know about a book called “<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/40534545" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life</a>&#8216;. Reading that book was one of the life-changing experiences of my life. Yes, I enjoyed reading that book and suggested to a few of my friends and family members to read this book too.&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/QhJcuOPd5KHlcaQkaCfPyUndgKOae7iTbvjq84_GZtq2TqlozlbBsMFtwWj_1Qlj-xW1ztHl6vjwFW1v5iZm8TgAinnVjq8mdOuDVsy3ElPZ5ehoWKzm_14JlgtS8kFFWEVS2dLNl4Bt1Zw-ruwL3O0" alt="" width="600" height="400"/></figure></div>



However, my research on Japanese concepts continued. I discovered a wealth of fascinating facts and knowledge about Japanese culture. Finally, it appears that they have much to teach us.



Let&#8217;s study some Japanese phrases and the thoughts behind them in this blog. Also, how is this beneficial to software testers, and why should we have a good understanding of it.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_Are_Japanese_Concepts">1 What Are Japanese Concepts?</a></li><li><a href="#Japanese_Concepts_for_Software_Testers">2 Japanese Concepts for Software Testers:</a></li><li><a href="#To_conclude">3 To conclude:</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-are-japanese-concepts">What Are Japanese Concepts?</h2>



Japanese culture has had a long history of emphasizing excellence and appreciation of detail. Japanese concepts are ideas, values, and beliefs that are important in Japanese culture. Some examples include respect for elders, the importance of hard work, and the idea of harmony between people and nature. 



These concepts help to shape the way people in Japan live their lives. Many of the concepts and philosophies developed in Japan, such as Kaizen and Kanban, have become popular in the software industry. But to my surprise, there are many more overlooked concepts that will enrich your life and help you be a better software tester.



<h2 id="japanese-concepts-for-software-testers">Japanese Concepts for Software Testers:</h2>



Software Testers play an essential role in ensuring the quality of software applications. Let’s see in detail the Japanese concepts which can help us to elevate the testing process:



<p id="kaizen-it-s-an-approach-to-continuously-improve-processes-products-and-services-on-small-incremental-levels-a-philosophy-of-continuous-improvement-focused-on-small-incremental-adjustments-over-time-to-improve-quality">1. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaizen" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kaizen</a>: It’s an approach to continuously improve processes, products, and services on small incremental levels. A philosophy of continuous improvement focused on small incremental adjustments over time to improve quality.&nbsp;



In the world of software testing, Kaizen is an important concept that testers should be familiar with. Kaizen, which literally translates to “change for the better”,&nbsp; emphasizes small incremental changes over drastic reform, which can help ensure that any changes made are manageable and effective. Kaizen requires that everyone involved in a project take responsibility for their actions and ensure that processes are continually improved.&nbsp;



It is a flexible system that allows for changes to be implemented quickly and efficiently, as problems are identified and solutions are put forward. This makes it the ideal methodology for software testing, as testers need to be able to quickly identify and debug any issues that arise during Test execution.



2. Kanban: Kanban is a popular method for managing tasks and processes. It is a system that utilizes visual cards to track progress and prioritize tasks. The cards are placed on a board and visually represent tasks to be done. A process commonly used among software testers, emphasizes doing only the necessary tasks in order to reach the goal. Using visual signals to identify and stimulate process improvement during software testing &#8211; a Kanban system describes, visualizes, and manages the production process.&nbsp;



Here’s an example of how kanban works: Say you’re working on a marketing project for a client. As part of the project, you need to arrange social media posts, develop content, design sales brochures, and book webinars. You use sticky notes and put them on a Kanban board. The labels on the notes will be: “To-Do”, “In Progress” and “Done”.&nbsp;



You start by labeling the first note “To-Do”. You need to arrange the social media posts so you write “Arrange Social Media Posts”. You then write the other tasks on other notes and label them “To-Do” as well. As you begin working on the tasks, you move them to the “In Progress” label. Once they are done, you move them to the “Done” label.&nbsp;



The Kanban board lets you easily see which tasks you have done, which tasks are in progress, and which tasks still need to be done. By visually tracking tasks, it allows you to focus on the tasks that still need to be done.&nbsp;



 In the world of software testing, there are a variety of concepts and principles that are essential to know in order to do one’s job effectively. Kanban is a powerful tool that can help software testers stay organized and efficient, leading to better results. Kanban works by breaking down tasks and resources into distinct stages, allowing software testers to easily identify bottlenecks and plan ahead for upcoming work.



3. Genchi Genbutsu: It’s a Japanese phrase meaning &#8220;go and see&#8221; that encourages software testers to observe and learn about the end-user experience. A notion that promotes traveling to the real location to obtain knowledge to make a more informed decision. Going to the source to gain a deeper understanding of a process, product, or anything related by directly observing and questioning.&nbsp;



 It is a core part of the Toyota Production System (TPS) and is a central principle of the company&#8217;s philosophy. The lean manufacturing philosophy behind Genchi Genbutsu is that management should be thorough in their investigations, always going to the source of any customer or production issue to not just physically observe but also learn the underlying causes. For example, a customer is complaining about the application&#8217;s slowness. They try to replicate the user scenario (location, OS/device, user profile) and try to understand more about the root cause. Armed with this data, the project team will then be in a much stronger position to diagnose the issue and prevent it from happening in the future.



4. Shikata Ga Nai:&nbsp; &#8220;Shikata ga nai,&#8221; or &#8220;Sho ga nai,&#8221; is a Japanese phrase that means “it cannot be helped” or “it is what it is” and nothing can be done about it, accepting that there are certain situations and circumstances that are out of our control. It’s the art of letting it go. Sometimes after strenuous effort, things won’t work the way we wanted them to. For example, if you have worked hard for a production release, and something goes wrong in production, there are multiple reasons for that &#8211; not just insufficient test coverage. So, start work on the bugs and test the fixes. Also, make sure to add those scenarios to the regression test case suite. In a nutshell, instead of thinking about it, work on the action items and just let it go.



5. Kata: Kata is a Japanese word that means &#8220;form&#8221; or &#8220;pattern&#8221;. It is often used to describe specific sequences of exercises used to teach martial arts techniques, such as Shotokan karate. A structured sequence of steps and actions used to practice and teach a skill. Every event will follow a specific pattern and we should implement this skill while studying the application behavior or debugging a defect. Getting to know the pattern can help you gain a deeper understanding of the application behavior.



6. Jidoka: Jidoka is an automated quality control technique pioneered by Sakichi Toyoda of the Toyota Corporation in the early 20th century. It is used to identify and correct defects in a process or product before it is sent to a customer. Jidoka teaches machines and people to detect problems and take appropriate action. Automation with a Human Touch that focuses on preventing defects versus a quick discovery and repair. For example, A manufacturer of widgets is using a jidoka system in their production process. Every time a widget is made, its form and function are assessed. If the widget fails these tests, the machine will shut down and alert a human operator. The operator can then investigate the issue and correct it before any further widgets are produced. This ensures that each widget meets quality standards and prevents bad widgets from being shipped to customers. Similarly, we develop the product prototype and then we develop in sprints, which can help us to ensure that we are on track with the product features.



7. Jishuken: A competitive method of testing in which two tester teams are pitted against one another to improve and refine ideas or processes. Jishuken is a Japanese management style focusing on self-improvement and small, steady improvements in the form of Kaizen. It utilizes a team-based approach to problem-solving, incorporating small incremental changes in improvement processes. Jishuken revolves around a process of continuous improvement and self-reflection, conducted within a team and supported by leaders, to identify areas of improvement and develop strategies to address the issues identified. The concept puts forth the idea that a team can accomplish more when each individual gives up his own opinion to reach a common goal.



8. Muda: Muda is a Japanese business term for “waste”. It is derived from the Lean manufacturing production system and refers to any activity that does not directly add value to the product or service. A concept used for process testing and efficiency; identifying and eliminating unnecessary steps in order to improve the overall process. Waste or any activity that doesn’t add value to the product or service. In the entire Software Testing life cycle, we have to identify the waste and try to eliminate it. This saves a lot of our time and effort.&nbsp;



9. Poka-Yoke: Poka-Yoke is an approach to mistake-proofing (inadvertent error prevention) processes, products, and services to ensure the end user gets the expected and correct outcome the first time. The purpose of Poka-Yoke is to develop processes to reduce defects by avoiding or correcting (designed to show alerts or warning messages to the user) mistakes in the early design and development phases.&nbsp;



 This technique is mostly used in manufacturing industries but now this effective technique is also adapted to software development processes as well. We focus more on <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/how-does-testsigma-support-the-shift-left-approach/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shift left</a> defects and back-end testing to reduce the effort, cost, and time. One simple example could include placing a sticky warning label right next to a hazard sign to draw attention to it, or having a different color key for each type of tool so an operator can easily identify the correct key. In Software Testing, we can implement this and focus more on error-prevention techniques in the early phases of testing.



10. Hansei: The Japanese concept of Hansei is a process of reflection and self-criticism used to improve one’s self. The term translates to “self-reflection” and refers to a reflective process that focuses on challenging one’s own beliefs and opening up to alternatives. Through Hansei, individuals can gain insight into how to solve their present challenges and identify areas of improvement. A concept of personal reflection after completing a task meant to improve future projects. Our retrospective meetings are a great example of the Hansei.



11. Ishikawa Diagram: An Ishikawa diagram, also known as a fishbone, cause-and-effect diagram, or Carter diagram, is a business tool used to identify, analyze, and prevent errors and defects in a process. The Ishikawa diagram is a graphical representation of various causes for an event that can help identify and categorize potential causes. It&#8217;s an organized way to look at an event, breaking down the individual components that cause it.



For example, a software project that is facing delays might look something like this:



Head of Fish (Problem Statement): Delays in Software Project



Bones:



&#8211; People: Unskilled staff, incompatible skills with the task, lack of coordination



&#8211; Process/Systems: Poor planning, resource mismanagement, lack of documentation



&#8211; Materials: Inadequate budget, poor quality



&#8211; Environment: Poor environment, External dependencies



Once the potential causes have been identified, the team can organize and prioritize potential solutions. This helps the team to quickly and efficiently identify the root cause of the problem and take the necessary steps to remedy it.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Rk_reaRBFcPAuSmQ6BAokY9fdzN-UxCABJTfLPjIF0mNRLyY6cDVzwv0yactfSOkfettedCr92mfOLCnqndXgLpGgNL5L0dFQKishX5iR3lQiSZSH3N7_ftpe3XHCner2Gktod0eYRjwZMZjIyjPJVk" alt="Fish bone diagram" width="800" height="400"/></figure></div>



 <h2 id="to-conclude">To conclude:</h2>



Isn’t it way too interesting? I enjoyed learning about these Japanese concepts and found that in a way we are already using many of them in our processes and daily work. Not only technical, but sometimes we need to rethink our whole way of doing things. It’s a holistic process of mind, body, and soul.&nbsp;



I strongly believe everyone has something to teach us and we can learn from everyone. Same way, we can learn from people with different cultural backgrounds and that’s why inclusive teams are the best-performing ones.&nbsp;



Hope you enjoyed reading this blog. The list is so big, so stay tuned for the next blog to know more about a few other interesting concepts. please let us know what your favorite Japanese concept is and what makes you feel so.&nbsp;



PC:<a href="http://Freepik.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Freepik.com</a>



Read more similar blogs by <a href="mailto:bpricilla@gmail.com">Pricilla Bilavendran</a>:



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<a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/software-test-engineer-stress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Is there a way for software test engineers to manage stress in this culture of hustle?</a>



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<a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/how-to-be-an-open-minded-tester/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How To Be An Open-Minded Tester?</a>&nbsp;

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As the software development industry continues to evolve and become increasingly complex, organizations must find new ways to streamline their testing processes. Low-code test automation comes into play here. These platforms provide an efficient and cost-effective solution to test automation, empowering engineering teams to create and execute test scripts without extensive programming knowledge. In this post, we will explore the low-code test automation landscape , including the latest trends and challenges.&nbsp;



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#The_State_of_Low_Code_Test_Automation">1 The State of Low Code Test Automation</a><ul><li><a href="#Trends_in_Low_Code_Test_Automation">1.1 Trends in Low Code Test Automation</a><ul><li><a href="#AI_and_Machine_Learning">1.1.1 AI and Machine Learning</a></li><li><a href="#Cloud_Based_Testing">1.1.2 Cloud Based Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Integration_with_CICD_Tools">1.1.3 Integration with CI/CD Tools</a></li><li><a href="#API_Testing">1.1.4 API Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Database_Testing">1.1.5 Database Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Non-Functional_Automation_Testingnbsp">1.1.6 Non-Functional Automation Testing&nbsp;</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Challenges_in_Low_Code_Test_Automation">1.2 Challenges in Low Code Test Automation</a><ul><li><a href="#Limited_Customization">1.2.1 Limited Customization</a></li><li><a href="#Integration_with_Legacy_Systems">1.2.2 Integration with Legacy Systems</a></li><li><a href="#Security_Concerns">1.2.3 Security Concerns</a></li><li><a href="#Performance_at_Scale">1.2.4 Performance at Scale</a></li></ul></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">2 Conclusion</a></li><li><a href="#Suggested_Readings">3 Suggested Readings</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-the-state-of-low-code-test-automation">The State of Low Code Test Automation</h2>



In a <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/customer-service-support/insights/modernizing-quality-assurance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">poll conducted</a> by Gartner, 88% of leaders say their quality assurance practices are ineffective. Bridging the gap, adopters of low-code/no-code test automation solutions have witnessed a 3X-7X reduction in development &amp; deployment time, a 3X-5X reduction in development costs, and a 30%-35% increase in ROI. Low-code test automation has come a long way in the past few years, with many platforms now offering advanced features and capabilities. These platforms enable quality teams to quickly build and execute <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automated tests</a> with minimal coding, helping improve the speed and accuracy of software testing.



One of the major advantages of low-code test automation is its ease of use. These platforms provide a user-friendly interface that allows even non-technical team members to create and execute tests. This means that teams can automate their testing processes without relying on dedicated automation engineers, freeing up valuable resources and reducing the time and cost associated with testing.



Low-code test automation also provides greater flexibility in testing scenarios, with teams able to create and execute tests across a range of devices, browsers, and operating systems. This makes it easier to identify and resolve issues before they impact end-users, ultimately improving the overall quality of the software.



<h3 id="trends-in-low-code-test-automation">Trends in Low Code Test Automation</h3>



As the low-code test automation landscape continues to evolve, several emerging trends are worth paying attention to. Here are some of the most significant trends to keep an eye on:



<h4 id="ai-and-machine-learning">AI and Machine Learning</h4>



According to<a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/conferences/apac/data-analytics-india/featured-topics/data-science-machine-learning-and-artificial-intelligence?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=EVT_IN_2023_BII11_CPC_SEM1_DSA&amp;utm_adgroup=141794023863&amp;utm_term=&amp;ad=632902336019&amp;matchtype=&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAgaGgBhC8ARIsAAAyLfHquZwu-erNa6Lb1z-vQwC-rwYERD6hHaRJ1TB2jlrI11IBbB5w1sMaApg2EALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> Gartner research</a>, companies that use AI engineering methods to create and manage flexible AI systems will perform better than their competitors in deploying AI models faster and more efficiently by at least 25%. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are increasingly being integrated into low-code test automation platforms, enabling teams to create more intelligent and sophisticated tests. AI and ML can help identify patterns and trends in testing data, allowing teams to make more informed decisions about where to focus their testing efforts.&nbsp;



AI and ML can also help identify missed opportunities in testing and uncover parts of your software that the automation suites have not touched. You will see tools get better at identifying incremental changes to your software and auto-transform test cases to reflect the new nature of your product&nbsp;



<h4 id="cloud-based-testing">Cloud Based Testing</h4>



With the rise of cloud computing, it is no surprise that <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/cloud-based-testing-a-testers-perspective/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cloud based testing</a> is becoming increasingly popular. By 2025, 70% of organisations will be running functional tests in the cloud. A majority of the low-code test automation platforms are increasingly offering cloud-based testing options, allowing teams to execute tests across a range of environments without the need for extensive infrastructure.



<h4 id="integration-with-ci-cd-tools">Integration with <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/ci-cd-tools/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CI/CD Tools</a></h4>



Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) have become essential for modern software development, and <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/the-era-of-low-code-no-code-platforms-what-you-should-know/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">low code test automation platforms</a> are starting to integrate with these tools. These integrations enable quality teams to automate their testing processes as part of the CI/CD pipeline, improving efficiency and reducing the risk of errors.



<h4 id="api-testing">API Testing</h4>



Testing needs will dictate functional testing flows are integrated with API Testing for each release cycle to increase test coverage for various use-case and scenarios. Low-code <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/automated-api-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automated API testing</a> will provide an accessible, efficient, and cost-effective testing solution for APIs, enabling a wider range of team members to participate in testing and providing a more comprehensive testing process and increasing the overall test coverage.



<h4 id="database-testing">Database Testing</h4>



Quality teams are increasingly being given ownership of the data quality of their systems. Teams will need to cover data validation, and accuracy and ensure no unknown changes to database systems are made over development and release cycles.



Low-code Database testing tools will enable a broader range of team members to participate in testing, including testers, business analysts, and product managers. This can result in faster testing and better test coverage, as more team members can provide feedback on the system.



<h4 id="non-functional-automation-testing">Non-Functional Automation Testing&nbsp;</h4>



As systems and software scale, non-functional tests like accessibility, performance, load, stress and security testing will take the centre stage. It will become mission-critical to ensure business continuity, handle spikes and increased traffic and repel security attacks using plug-and-play low code automation systems for every release cycle.



<h3 id="challenges-in-low-code-test-automation">Challenges in Low Code Test Automation</h3>



While low code test automation offers many benefits, there are also some challenges that organizations need to be aware of. Here are some of the key challenges to consider:



<h4 id="limited-customization">Limited Customization</h4>



Low-code test automation platforms may have limitations when it comes to customization, which could be an issue for teams with more complex testing needs. Organisations should carefully evaluate the capabilities of a low code test automation platform to ensure it meets their specific requirements.



Thankfully, Testsigma is open-source and available for anyone to customize. Testgima cloud allows customers to create and plug in their custom actions via add-ons.



<h4 id="integration-with-legacy-systems">Integration with Legacy Systems</h4>



Organizations with <a href="https://www.door3.com/modernizing-legacy-systems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">legacy systems</a> may find it difficult to integrate a low-code test automation platform, as these systems may need to be compatible with newer technologies. This could limit the effectiveness of the platform and make it more difficult to achieve the desired level of automation. Organizations will have to invest in kicking off small POCs to ensure they move with the world to a low-code setup very soon.



<h4 id="security-concerns">Security Concerns</h4>



As with any technology, there are always security concerns when it comes to low-code test automation. Organizations need to ensure that the platform they choose is secure and that any sensitive data is properly protected.



<h4 id="performance-at-scale">Performance at Scale</h4>



As larger enterprises start moving towards low and <a href="https://www.appypie.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">no-code platform</a> solutions, they will need large scalable and performant systems that support the speed and agility they need. Frameworks will have to compete with an organization&#8217;s internal frameworks and allow organizations to extend these solutions to their unique needs.



<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



According to Gartner,&nbsp; by 2025 70% of organizations will be adopting some form of low-code technologies; Low-code test automation offers a range of benefits for organizations looking to streamline their testing processes. With the latest trends in AI and machine learning, cloud-based testing, and integration with CI/CD tools, low-code test automation is becoming an attractive toolkit in the shift-Left arsenal



<h2 id="suggested-readings">Suggested Readings</h2>



<a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/why-automated-testing-advantages-of-automated-testing/">Benefits of Automation Testing</a>&nbsp;



<a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/roi-test-automation/">How to Calculate ROI Test Automation And What You Need?</a>&nbsp;



<a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/top-automated-testing-practices-to-follow/">Automated Testing Best Practices: 9 Ways to Ensure Efficient Testing</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;



<a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/scope-and-impact-of-ai-in-automation-testing/">Scope of Automation Testing: How AI Plays an Important Role?</a>&nbsp;

Low Code Test Automation Trends to Look Out for

In today&#8217;s world, mobile applications are essential for any business to thrive, and almost all developed products offer web and mobile support. This has made mobile application testing an integral part of the QA life cycle, and adding to it. The onus is on the test automation engineers to develop an E2E automation suite for <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/mobile-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mobile application testing</a>.



In this blog, I will explain how test automation engineers can start using Appium to automate mobile applications developed using Flutter.



&#8220;Appium is a well-known open-source <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/mobile-testing-tools" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mobile automation framework</a> through which we can automate Android and iOS mobile applications.&#8221;



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><ul><li><a href="#About_Flutternbsp">0.1 About Flutter:&nbsp;</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#How_can_we_Automate_Flutter_Apps">1 How can we Automate Flutter Apps?</a><ul><li><a href="#Appium_Flutter_Driver">1.1 Appium Flutter Driver:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Appium_Set_Up_and_Walkthrough">2 Appium Set Up and Walkthrough:</a><ul><li><a href="#Installing_Appium_Flutter_Driver">2.1 Installing Appium Flutter Driver:</a></li><li><a href="#nbspFlutter_Finder_Library">2.2 &nbsp;Flutter Finder Library:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#How_to_Generate_the_Jar_for_Flutter_Finder_Library">3 How to Generate the Jar for Flutter Finder Library:</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_Inspect_Elements_in_the_Flutter_App">4 How to Inspect Elements in the Flutter App?</a><ul><li><a href="#Sample_App">4.1 Sample App:</a></li><li><a href="#Pre-Requisites">4.2 Pre-Requisites:</a></li><li><a href="#IDE">4.3 IDE:</a></li><li><a href="#Mobile_Device">4.4 Mobile Device:</a></li><li><a href="#Have_added_the_following_dependencies_in_my_pomxml_file">4.5 Have added the following dependencies in my pom.xml file</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Can_we_launch_Flutter_App_in_Appium_Inspector">5 Can we launch Flutter App in Appium Inspector?</a></li><li><a href="#Switching_between_Native_App_and_Flutter_App_context">6 Switching between Native App and Flutter App context:</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">7 Conclusion:</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">8 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#What_is_Appium_Flutter_Driver">8.1 What is Appium Flutter Driver?</a></li><li><a href="#How_can_I_automate_my_Flutter_app_using_Appium_Flutter_Driver">8.2 How can I automate my Flutter app using Appium Flutter Driver?</a></li><li><a href="#Can_I_run_my_Appium_Flutter_Driver_tests_on_real_devices">8.3 Can I run my Appium Flutter Driver tests on real devices?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h3 id="h-about-flutter">About Flutter:&nbsp;</h3>



<ul><li>An open-source UI development framework created by Google</li><li>Using Flutter, it is now possible for developers to develop cross-platform applications for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, Google Fuchsia, and the web from a single codebase.</li><li>Flutter apps are written in Dart programming language and run on Dart virtual machines.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-how-can-we-automate-flutter-apps">How can we Automate Flutter Apps?</h2>



Flutter framework, by default, comes up with<a href="https://api.flutter.dev/flutter/flutter_driver/flutter_driver-library.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> flutter_driver</a>. But using flutter_driver for UI automation has its <a href="https://github.com/appium-userland/appium-flutter-driver#flutter-driver-vs-appium-flutter-driver" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">limitations</a>, and one of the main limitations is that we can write automation tests only in the Dart programming language. This can be quite tedious for test automation engineers without exposure to the Dart programming language.



<h3 id="h-appium-flutter-driver">Appium Flutter Driver:</h3>



The Appium developer community has created a new driver,<a href="https://github.com/appium-userland/appium-flutter-driver" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> appium_flutter_driver</a>.This has enabled test automation engineers to automate flutter-based apps just like how they would automate android and iOS mobile apps.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-appium-set-up-and-walkthrough">Appium Set Up and Walkthrough:</h2>



I assume you have already set up Appium on your machine.&nbsp;



<h3 id="h-installing-appium-flutter-driver">Installing Appium Flutter Driver:</h3>



<ul><li>If you are using Appium 2, use the command &#8220;appium driver install flutter&#8221; to install appium-flutter-driver.</li></ul>



<h3 id="h-flutter-finder-library">&nbsp;Flutter Finder Library:</h3>



The Appium developer community has also developed<a href="https://github.com/appium-userland/finder-kotlin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> a flutter finder library</a> through which we can interact with flutter-based elements. Below are the few locator strategies available in the flutter finder library.



<ul><li>bySemanticslabel</li><li>byValuekey</li><li>byType</li><li>ancestor</li><li>byTooltip</li><li>descendant</li><li>pageBack</li><li>getRenderTree</li><li>text</li></ul>



&#8220;You can also go through<a href="https://api.flutter.dev/flutter/flutter_test/CommonFinders-class.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> common finders class</a> documentation to understand more about the locator strategies&#8221;



<h2 id="h-how-to-generate-the-jar-for-flutter-finder-library">How to Generate the Jar for Flutter Finder Library:</h2>



<ul><li>Pull the latest from the repo: <a href="https://github.com/appium-userland/finder-kotlin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">here</a> to your system.</li><li>Go to the respective folder where the repo is placed and from the terminal, run the command: “gradle clean build&#8221;</li><li>Once the build is over, inside the build directory of the project, i.e., “build/libs/appium-flutter-finder-0.0.6.jar&#8221;, you can find the jar.</li><li>You can add this jar to your automation project.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-how-to-inspect-elements-in-the-flutter-app">How to Inspect Elements in the Flutter App?</h2>



&#8220;Before trying to identify/inspect elements in the flutter app, request you to quickly go through the<a href="https://docs.flutter.dev/development/ui/widgets-intro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> Introduction to widgets</a> section in the flutter documentation to get an idea of how the UI is basically built out of Widgets.&#8221;



Using Flutter Inspector, one can inspect the widgets and try to identify the elements, but it might not be as easy compared to inspecting elements using Appium Inspector. So here is what you can do: take help from the developers to get all the required locators.



Let&#8217;s now try to <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/automated-login/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automate the login</a> flow in a flutter app.&nbsp;



<h3 id="h-sample-app">Sample App:</h3>



<ul><li>Provider Shopper&nbsp;</li><li>You can also download more sample flutter apps from<a href="https://flutter.github.io/samples/#" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> here</a></li></ul>



<h3 id="h-pre-requisites">Pre-Requisites:</h3>



After downloading a sample flutter app, we need to do certain prerequisites so that the flutter app becomes feasible to automate.



Browserstack has elaborately mentioned the prerequisites <a href="https://www.browserstack.com/docs/app-automate/appium/test-hybrid-apps/test-flutter-apps#preprocess-flutter-app-for-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">here</a>. You can go through this to complete the pre-requisite and to build the app. 



<h3 id="h-ide">IDE:</h3>



<ul><li>IntelliJ IDEA</li></ul>



Programming Language:



<ul><li>Java: Open JDK 17.0.3v</li></ul>



<h3 id="h-mobile-device">Mobile Device:</h3>



<ul><li>Android Emulator</li></ul>



<h3 id="h-have-added-the-following-dependencies-in-my-pom-xml-file">Have added the following dependencies in my pom.xml file</h3>



<ul><li>Appium java client: 8.1.1</li><li>TestNG: 7.5</li><li>Kotlin standard library for JVM: 1.3.40</li><li>Kotlin multiplatform serialization runtime library: 0.14.0</li><li>And do not forget to add the flutter finder jar to your project.</li></ul>



public class FlutterAndroidShopper {

 private AndroidDriver driver;
 private FlutterFinder find;

 @BeforeTest
 public void setUp() throws Exception {
 DesiredCapabilities caps = new DesiredCapabilities();
 caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.PLATFORM_NAME, &#8220;android&#8221;);
 caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.AUTOMATION_NAME, &#8220;Flutter&#8221;);
 caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.NEW_COMMAND_TIMEOUT, &#8220;3000&#8221;);
 caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.DEVICE_NAME, &#8220;emulator-5554&#8221;);
 caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.APP, &#8220;&#8221;); //mention your app path here
 driver = new AndroidDriver(new URL(&#8220;http://localhost:4723/wd/hub&#8221;), caps);
 find = new FlutterFinder(driver);
 }
 @Test
 public void login(){
 find.bySemanticsLabel(&#8220;Username&#8221;).sendKeys(&#8220;username&#8221;);
 find.bySemanticsLabel(&#8220;Password&#8221;).sendKeys(&#8220;Password&#8221;);
 find.text(&#8220;ENTER&#8221;).click();
 Assert.assertEquals(find.text(&#8220;Catalog&#8221;).getText(),&#8221;Catalog&#8221;);
 }
 @AfterTest
 public void tearDown(){
 if(driver!=null){
 driver.quit();
 }
 }
}



As you can see from the above code, I have created a new object for FlutterFinder class, and with that, I can interact with the elements in the flutter app.



Similarly, you can also run automation on your iOS device as well.



An important point to be considered here is:



For running the <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/mobile-automation-testing-tools-appium-testsigma-testcomplete-and-more/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automation in Android</a> and <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/3-steps-automate-mobile-applications-using-testsigma/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iOS mobile applications</a>, AUTOMATION_NAME should be &#8220;Flutter&#8221;



<h2 id="h-can-we-launch-flutter-app-in-appium-inspector">Can we launch Flutter App in Appium Inspector?</h2>



We cannot launch the flutter app in Appium inspector with the automation name: &#8220;Flutter,&#8221;



But if the app has both native and flutter-based components:



<ul><li>We can launch the app in Appium inspector by mentioning the automation name &#8220;UIAutomator2&#8221; for android and &#8220;XCUITest&#8221; for iOS.</li><li>Only native elements can be found in the inspector; we will not be able to find flutter-based elements.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-switching-between-native-app-and-flutter-app-context">Switching between Native App and Flutter App context:</h2>



If the app has both native and flutter-based components, here is what you need to do:



<ul><li>Start the <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/mobile-automation-testing-tools-appium-testsigma-testcomplete-and-more/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Appium</a> session with automation_name as &#8220;Flutter&#8221;</li><li>driver.getContextHandles() =&gt; will give “NATIVE_APP” and “FLUTTER”</li><li>You can then set the context accordingly using driver.context(&#8220;NATIVE_APP”) and interact with the respective elements.</li></ul>



public class FlutterAndroidShopper {
 private AndroidDriver driver;
 private FlutterFinder find;

 @BeforeTest
 public void setUp() throws Exception {
 DesiredCapabilities caps = new DesiredCapabilities();
 caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.PLATFORM_NAME, &#8220;android&#8221;);
 caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.AUTOMATION_NAME, &#8220;Flutter&#8221;);
 caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.NEW_COMMAND_TIMEOUT, &#8220;3000&#8221;);
 caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.DEVICE_NAME, &#8220;emulator-5554&#8221;);
 caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.APP, &#8220;&#8221;); //mention your app path here
 driver = new AndroidDriver(new URL(&#8220;http://localhost:4723/wd/hub&#8221;), caps);
 find = new FlutterFinder(driver);
 }

 @Test
 public void login(){
 switchContext(&#8220;NATIVE_APP&#8221;);
 RemoteWebElement username = (RemoteWebElement) driver.findElement(By.xpath(&#8220;/hierarchy/android.widget.FrameLayout/android.widget.LinearLayout/android.widget.FrameLayout/android.widget.FrameLayout/android.view.View/android.view.View/android.view.View/android.view.View/android.widget.EditText[1]&#8221;));
 username.click();
 username.sendKeys(&#8220;Username&#8221;);
 switchContext(&#8220;FLUTTER&#8221;);
 find.bySemanticsLabel(&#8220;Password&#8221;).sendKeys(&#8220;Password&#8221;);
 find.text(&#8220;ENTER&#8221;).click();
 Assert.assertEquals(find.text(&#8220;Catalog&#8221;).getText(),&#8221;Catalog&#8221;);
 }

 public void switchContext(String context) {
 Set contexts = driver.getContextHandles();
 for (String appContext : contexts) {
 if (appContext.contains(context)) {
 driver.context(appContext);
 break;
 }
 }
 }

 @AfterTest
 public void tearDown(){
 if(driver!=null){
 driver.quit();
 }
 }
}



<h2 id="h-conclusion">Conclusion:</h2>



Thus, by using the Appium flutter driver and flutter finder library, you can now start writing <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/blog/8-top-test-automation-mistakes-and-tips-for-qa-teams-to-avoid-them/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automation tests</a> using the Appium Java client for flutter apps and also for flutter+native apps.&nbsp; Despite the support and the capabilities offered, the Appium flutter driver is still in the early stages of development and due to this, there might be <a href="https://github.com/appium-userland/appium-flutter-driver/issues" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">issues</a> and limitations in using the same for flutter <a href="https://website.testsigma.com/mobile-testing-tools" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">app automation</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



So before adopting the appium flutter driver, do thorough research, understand the pros and cons, and then make the call! Happy testing.



<h2 id="frequently-asked-questions">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



<h3 id="what-is-appium-flutter-driver">What is Appium Flutter Driver?</h3>



 Appium Flutter Driver is a testing tool that allows you to automate Flutter apps using Appium. It helps you interact with the UI elements of your Flutter app, such as buttons, text fields, and dropdowns, and perform various actions on them, such as clicking, typing, and selecting. With Appium Flutter Driver, you can write automated tests for your Flutter app and run them on real devices or emulators.



<h3 id="how-can-i-automate-my-flutter-app-using-appium-flutter-driver">How can I automate my Flutter app using Appium Flutter Driver?</h3>



 You need to follow a few steps to automate your Flutter app using Appium Flutter Driver. First, you need to set up your environment by installing the required software, such as Flutter, Android Studio, and Appium. Then, you need to create a Flutter project and add the necessary dependencies for Appium Flutter Driver. After that, you can write your automated tests using your favorite programming language and run them using Appium. To simplify this process, you can use a test automation platform like Testsigma that provides a user-friendly interface for creating and running automated tests.



<h3 id="can-i-run-my-appium-flutter-driver-tests-on-real-devices">Can I run my Appium Flutter Driver tests on real devices?</h3>



Yes, you can run your Appium Flutter Driver tests on real devices and emulators. Appium supports a wide range of devices and platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. To run your tests on real devices, you can just connect your device to your computer and configure the Appium settings accordingly. With Testsigma, you can easily set up your test environment and run your tests on real devices without hassle.