Automation Framework Generations. – User friendly Tech help

Automation Frameworks in Testing?
nWe can divide automation frameworks into below major categories it is like different generations of evolvement of Computers, on the same track we can define various improvements in automation testing as generations of Automation frameworks. 
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nGenerations of Automation Frameworksn

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Human Evolution

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nFirst Generation:-

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•  This refers to Record/Replay (Capture/Playback) as publicized by different automation testing tools.

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•  Thus our 1st generation represents the basic selling point for sales team of automation product companies.

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•  In reality this mode is never used, in case it may be applied at beginner learning level, to check the coding generated by tools like UFT/Selenium or how tool works.

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•  In advance it can be applied as Low level or Analog recording modes in UFT or to find the identification properties in Selenium.

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•  Major flaws of this framework are non reusable code, difficult to maintain and application flow dependent.

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nSecond Generation:-

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• Also called as Data Driven Framework, as the name indicates it is basically used to run the same test cases with varying test data.

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• This data can be stored in Datatable( ONLY in UFT) or external databases like Excel, Access(Selenium or UFT).

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• The idea is to separate coding part from the data portion.

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• It provides flexibility to tester to modify data easily rather than going to the code part and changing the data at each point.

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nThird Generation:-

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• It refers to Keyword Driven /Hybrid frameworks .

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• As the name indicates Hybrid means mix of two or more frameworks.

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• It can be modular in approach, separate SET of  data and driven by keywords.

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• This framework summarizes all the above generations, it requires initial application effort but gives long term returns.

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• This is frequently implemented framework in the  testing world.We all know as there are no predefined set of guidelines for any framework and we as testers apply the most robust framework, mixed with our own flavors as per the project requirements.

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nFourth Generation: –
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• Known with the name MBT (Model Based Testing).

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• Key approach is focusing on building a model, with specified input test data, estimated output results, run the tests and after running compare actual with expected result to decide the future course of action. 

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Fifth Generation:-

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• This is the upcoming framework called as Script less/Codeless Framework.

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• Approach is to use UI interface to record the objects and build the tests.

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• The key to a 5th gen framework is building the pieces in memory at runtime.Like object building using Descriptive Programming in UFT(browser.page.object)

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