Selendroid

1) Introduction

Selendroid is an open-source test automation framework designed specifically for testing Android applications. It is built on the Selenium framework, allowing testers to leverage the power of Selenium’s robust functionalities while addressing the unique challenges posed by mobile testing.

Initially developed to support Android 2.3 (API level 10) and up, Selendroid can interact with both native and hybrid applications. Its architecture enables testers to automate the interaction with the mobile UI, making it a vital tool for quality assurance teams seeking to enhance their testing processes for Android applications. This review will delve into the features, pros, cons, practical usage with an example and sample code, pricing structure, and recommendations for Selendroid.

2) Features

Selendroid boasts a variety of features tailored to meet the demands of mobile testing automation:

1. Cross-Platform Support: Selendroid allows testers to run tests on a variety of Android devices and emulators, ensuring compatibility across different screen sizes and configurations.
2. Integration with Selenium: As Selendroid is built on top of the Selenium WebDriver, testers can utilize existing Selenium scripts, which simplifies the transition for teams already familiar with Selenium.
3. Support for Native and Hybrid Apps: Selendroid supports testing both native Android applications and hybrid applications, giving teams the flexibility to test various app types.
4. Simultaneous Testing: The framework can run multiple tests simultaneously on different devices or emulators, significantly speeding up the testing process and increasing test coverage.
5. Automatic App Installation: Selendroid can automatically install applications on devices or emulators, which streamlines the testing setup process and allows for easy test execution.
6. User Interactions: The tool can simulate various user interactions, such as tapping, swiping, and typing, making it possible to automate complex user scenarios.
7. Appium Compatibility: Selendroid can work alongside Appium, another popular mobile automation tool, which allows teams to leverage both frameworks in their testing strategy.
8. Emulator and Real Device Testing: Selendroid supports both emulators and real devices, giving testers the ability to verify the performance of applications in different environments.
9. Rich Logging and Reporting: The framework provides detailed logs and reports, enabling teams to troubleshoot failures effectively and analyze test results comprehensively.
10. Easy Setup: Setting up Selendroid is relatively straightforward, requiring minimal configuration to get started with test automation.

3) Pros

Selendroid offers several advantages for mobile testing automation, making it a popular choice among developers and QA teams:

1. Open Source: As an open-source tool, Selendroid is free to use, making it accessible for organizations of all sizes, especially startups and small teams with limited budgets.
2. Selenium Familiarity: For teams already familiar with Selenium, Selendroid provides a seamless transition to mobile testing without requiring a steep learning curve.
3. Support for Various App Types: The ability to test both native and hybrid applications makes Selendroid versatile and applicable to a wide range of mobile projects.
4. Community Support: Being open-source, Selendroid has a supportive community that contributes to its development and provides valuable resources, documentation, and troubleshooting help.
5. Efficient Test Execution: The ability to run tests simultaneously on multiple devices can significantly reduce testing time and enhance productivity.
6. Integration with CI/CD Pipelines: Selendroid can be integrated into Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment pipelines, enabling teams to automate mobile testing as part of their development process.

4) Cons

Despite its strengths, Selendroid does have some limitations that users should be aware of:

1. Limited to Android: Selendroid is designed exclusively for Android applications, meaning teams that also develop for iOS will need to use other tools for comprehensive mobile testing.
2. Dependency on Selenium WebDriver: While the integration with Selenium provides advantages, it also means that users must be familiar with the WebDriver API, which can be a hurdle for those new to automation.
3. Older Android Support: Selendroid primarily supports Android versions 2.3 and higher, which may not be sufficient for projects targeting older devices or operating systems.
4. Performance Limitations: Some users have reported performance issues when running extensive test suites, particularly with complex applications that require significant resources.
5. Less Active Development: As newer tools and frameworks like Appium have gained popularity, the pace of development and updates for Selendroid has slowed down, potentially limiting its long-term viability.

5) Usage with One Example and Sample Code and Links

Getting Started with Selendroid

To illustrate how to use Selendroid for mobile testing automation, we’ll walk through the steps to set up a simple test case.

Step 1: Set Up the Environment

Before using Selendroid, ensure that you have the following installed on your machine:

• Java Development Kit (JDK): Download and install the JDK from the Oracle website.
• Apache Maven: Selendroid uses Maven for dependency management. Download Maven from the Apache Maven website and follow the installation instructions.

Step 2: Download Selendroid

You can download Selendroid from the official website. Extract the downloaded files to a directory of your choice.

Step 3: Create a Maven Project

Create a new Maven project and add the following dependencies to your pom.xml file:

<dependencies>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>io.selendroid</groupId>
        <artifactId>selendroid-standalone</artifactId>
        <version>0.17.0</version>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.seleniumhq.selenium</groupId>
        <artifactId>selenium-java</artifactId>
        <version>3.141.59</version>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

Step 4: Write a Simple Test Case

Create a new Java class for your test. Below is a simple example that demonstrates how to use Selendroid to test a login functionality on a sample application.

import io.selendroid.SelendroidDriver;
import io.selendroid.SelendroidCapabilities;
import org.openqa.selenium.By;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebElement;

import java.net.MalformedURLException;
import java.net.URL;

public class LoginTest {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws MalformedURLException {
        // Set up the Selendroid capabilities
        SelendroidCapabilities capabilities = new SelendroidCapabilities("com.example.app:0.1");
        WebDriver driver = new SelendroidDriver(capabilities);

        try {
            // Navigate to the login screen
            driver.get("http://localhost:4444/wd/hub");

            // Find the username and password fields
            WebElement usernameField = driver.findElement(By.id("username"));
            WebElement passwordField = driver.findElement(By.id("password"));
            WebElement loginButton = driver.findElement(By.id("loginButton"));

            // Enter credentials and log in
            usernameField.sendKeys("testuser");
            passwordField.sendKeys("testpassword");
            loginButton.click();

            // Verify successful login
            WebElement successMessage = driver.findElement(By.id("successMessage"));
            if (successMessage.isDisplayed()) {
                System.out.println("Login successful!");
            } else {
                System.out.println("Login failed.");
            }
        } finally {
            // Quit the driver
            driver.quit();
        }
    }
}

Step 5: Run the Test

Before running your test, ensure that the Selendroid server is started. You can do this by executing the following command in your terminal:

java -jar selendroid-standalone-0.17.0-with-dependencies.jar

Once the server is running, you can execute your test using Maven:

mvn test

Useful Links

• Selendroid Documentation: http://selendroid.io
• Selendroid GitHub Repository: https://github.com/selendroid/selendroid
• Getting Started with Selendroid: http://selendroid.io/#getting-started

6) Pricing

Selendroid is an open-source tool, which means it is completely free to use. This makes it a cost-effective choice for teams and organizations looking to automate mobile testing without incurring licensing fees. Additionally, being open-source allows developers to customize the framework to fit their specific needs.

7) Recommended for?

Selendroid is recommended for:

1. Android Developers: Developers building Android applications will find Selendroid valuable for automating testing processes, ensuring that their apps work as intended across various devices.
2. Quality Assurance Teams: QA teams focused on mobile applications can leverage Selendroid to automate regression testing, functionality testing, and performance testing of Android apps.
3. Startups and Small Teams: Given its open-source nature, Selendroid is an excellent choice for startups and smaller teams with limited budgets who require a robust testing solution.
4. Teams Familiar with Selenium: Organizations already using

Selenium for web testing can easily transition to mobile testing with Selendroid, as it utilizes a similar architecture and syntax.

1. Hybrid Application Developers: For developers working on hybrid applications, Selendroid’s support for hybrid app testing makes it a versatile tool for ensuring app quality.
2. Education and Training: Selendroid can be a useful tool for educational institutions teaching mobile development and testing, providing students with hands-on experience in automated testing.

In conclusion, Selendroid is a powerful and flexible tool for automating the testing of Android applications. Its integration with Selenium, open-source nature, and robust feature set make it a strong contender for teams looking to improve their mobile testing practices. While it does have some limitations, such as a focus solely on Android and potential performance issues with large test suites, Selendroid remains a valuable asset in the mobile testing toolkit.