Writing Robust Android UI Tests

Mobile apps are growing. They are becoming more complex and require more testing. This means that it is the perfect time to integrate automated tests in your project to efficiently make them fast and stable.

During this talk, we will explore how to create a lot of test cases efficiently. We will start with a fast introduction to Espresso and UiAutomator, Kakao frameworks. Afterwards, we will move to write different types of UI tests, and finally, we create a DSL which helps us to write stable test cases with minimum noise.

Transcript

1. Writing Robust
   Android UI Tests
   @Alex_Zhukovich
   

   View Slide

2. View Slide

3. Non-UI testing UI testing Stress testing View Comparison
   testing
   

   View Slide

4. Android tests
   Local Instrumentation
   

   View Slide

5. Android tests
   Local Instrumentation
   Non-UI UI* UI Non-UI
   

   View Slide

6. adb shell
   am instrument
   Instrumentation
   >_
   Test app
   Dev app
   

   View Slide

7. https://github.com/AlexZhukovich/ImBarista-App
   

   View Slide

8. View Slide

9. public class SampleTest {
   private AndroidDriver driver;
   @Before
   public void setUp() throws MalformedURLException {
   DesiredCapabilities desiredCapabilities = new DesiredCapabilities();
   desiredCapabilities.setCapability("platformName", "Android");
   desiredCapabilities.setCapability("ensureWebviewsHavePages", true);
   URL remoteUrl = new URL("http://localhost:4723/wd/hub");
   driver = new AndroidDriver(remoteUrl, desiredCapabilities);
   }
   @Test
   public void sampleTest() {
   MobileElement el7 = (MobileElement) driver.findElementById("com.alexzh.imbarista:id/emailEditText");
   el7.sendKeys("test@alexzh.com");
   MobileElement el8 = (MobileElement) driver.findElementById("com.alexzh.imbarista:id/passwordEditText");
   el8.sendKeys("test");
   MobileElement el9 = (MobileElement) driver.findElementById("com.alexzh.imbarista:id/loginButton");
   el9.click();
   MobileElement el10 = (MobileElement) driver.findElementByAccessibilityId("Profile");
   el10.click();
   MobileElement el11 = (MobileElement) driver.findElementByAccessibilityId("More options");
   el11.click();
   MobileElement el12 = (MobileElement)
   driver.findElementByXPath("/hierarchy/android.widget.FrameLayout/android.widget.FrameLayout/android.widget.ListView/android.widget.LinearLayout[2]
   /android.widget.LinearLayout/android.widget.RelativeLayout/android.widget.TextView");
   el12.click();
   }
   @After
   public void tearDown() { driver.quit(); }
   }
   Appium Recorder
   

   View Slide

10. @RunWith(AndroidJUnit4.class)
    public class RecorderActivityTest {
    @Rule
    public ActivityTestRule mActivityTestRule = new ActivityTestRule<>(SplashActivity.class);
    @Test
    public void recorderActivityTest() {
    ViewInteraction textInputEditText = onView(
    allOf(withId(R.id.emailEditText), childAtPosition(childAtPosition(withId(R.id.emailInputLayout),0),0)));
    textInputEditText.perform(scrollTo(), replaceText("test@alexzh.com"), closeSoftKeyboard());
    ViewInteraction textInputEditText2 = onView(
    allOf(withId(R.id.passwordEditText),childAtPosition(childAtPosition(withId(R.id.passwordInputLayout), 0), 0)));
    textInputEditText2.perform(scrollTo(), replaceText("test"), closeSoftKeyboard());
    ViewInteraction materialButton = onView(
    allOf(withId(R.id.loginButton), withText("Login"), childAtPosition(childAtPosition(withId(R.id.scrollView2), 0), 4)));
    materialButton.perform(scrollTo(), click());
    ViewInteraction bottomNavigationItemView = onView(
    allOf(
    withId(R.id.navigation_profile),
    withContentDescription("Profile"),
    childAtPosition(childAtPosition(withId(R.id.navigation), 0), 2),
    isDisplayed()
    ));
    bottomNavigationItemView.perform(click());
    ViewInteraction overflowMenuButton = onView(
    allOf(withContentDescription("More options"), childAtPosition(childAtPosition(withId(R.id.toolbar), 1), 0), isDisplayed()));
    overflowMenuButton.perform(click());
    ViewInteraction appCompatTextView = onView(
    allOf(withId(R.id.title), withText("Log Out"), childAtPosition(childAtPosition(withId(R.id.content), 0), 0), isDisplayed()));
    appCompatTextView.perform(click());
    }
    ...
    }
    Espresso Test Recorder
    

    View Slide

11. val textInputEditText = onView(
    allOf(
    withId(R.id.emailEditText),
    childAtPosition(
    childAtPosition(
    withId(R.id.emailInputLayout),
    0
    ),
    0
    )
    )
    )
    textInputEditText.perform(scrollTo(), replaceText("test@alexzh.com"),
    closeSoftKeyboard())
    val textInputEditText2 = onView(
    allOf(
    withId(R.id.passwordEditText),
    childAtPosition(
    childAtPosition(
    withId(R.id.passwordInputLayout),
    0
    ),
    0
    )
    )
    )
    textInputEditText2.perform(scrollTo(), replaceText("test"), closeSoftKeyboard())
    val materialButton = onView(
    allOf(
    withId(R.id.loginButton), withText("Login"),
    childAtPosition(
    childAtPosition(
    withId(R.id.scrollView2),
    0
    ),
    4
    )
    )
    )
    materialButton.perform(scrollTo(), click())
    onView(withId(R.id.emailEditText))
    .perform(replaceText("test@alexzh.com"))
    onView(withId(R.id.passwordEditText))
    .perform(replaceText("test"))
    onView(withId(R.id.loginButton))
    .perform(click())
    

    View Slide

12. Changes in app Network speed Unreadability Test data
    

    View Slide

13. Layout Inspector
    UI Automator Viewer
    

    View Slide

14. @Test
    fun shouldDisplayErrorWhenPasswordIsBlank() {
    val email = "test-account@alexzh.com"
    val password = ""
    onView(withId(R.id.emailEditText))
    .perform(replaceText(email))
    onView(withId(R.id.passwordEditText))
    .perform(replaceText(password))
    onView(withId(R.id.loginButton))
    .perform(click())
    onView(withText(R.string.password_is_blank))
    .check(matches(isDisplayed()))
    }
    

    View Slide

15. onView(withId(R.id.emailEditText))
    .perform(replaceText(email))
    onView(withId(R.id.passwordEditText))
    .perform(replaceText(password), closeSoftKeyboard())
    onView(withId(R.id.loginButton))
    .perform(click())
    val progressBarIR = ViewVisibilityIdlingResource(...)
    IdlingRegistry.getInstance().register(progressBarIR)
    onView(withId(R.id.recyclerView))
    .check(matches(withItemCount(13)))
    IdlingRegistry.getInstance().unregister(progressBarIR)
    onView(withId(R.id.navigation_profile))
    .perform(click())
    ...
    

    View Slide

16. // -- LOGIN --
    onView(withId(R.id.emailEditText))
    .perform(replaceText(email))
    onView(withId(R.id.passwordEditText))
    .perform(replaceText(password), closeSoftKeyboard())
    onView(withId(R.id.loginButton))
    .perform(click())
    // -- HOME SCREEN --
    val progressBarIR = ViewVisibilityIdlingResource(...)
    IdlingRegistry.getInstance().register(progressBarIR)
    onView(withId(R.id.recyclerView))
    .check(matches(withItemCount(13)))
    IdlingRegistry.getInstance().unregister(progressBarIR)
    onView(withId(R.id.navigation_profile))
    .perform(click())
    ...
    

    View Slide

17. Domain Specific
    Language
    

    View Slide

18. Scenario:
    1. Login to application
    

    View Slide

19. Scenario:
    1. Login to application
    2. Open Profile screen
    3. Check name and email
    

    View Slide

20. Scenario:
    1. Login to application
    2. Open Profile screen
    3. Check name and email
    4. Open menu
    5. Logout from application
    

    View Slide

21. // LOGIN
    onView(withId(R.id.email))
    .perform(replaceText(EMAIL))
    onView(withId(R.id.password))
    .perform(replaceText(PASSWORD))
    onView(withId(R.id.login))
    .perform(click())
    

    View Slide

22. // LOGIN
    onView(withId(R.id.email))
    .perform(replaceText(EMAIL))
    onView(withId(R.id.password))
    .perform(replaceText(PASSWORD))
    onView(withId(R.id.login))
    .perform(click())
    open class BaseTestRobot {
    fun enterText(viewId: Int, text: String) {
    onView(withId(viewId))
    .perform(replaceText(text))
    }
    fun clickOnView(viewId: Int) {
    onView(withId(viewId))
    .perform(click())
    }
    }
    

    View Slide

23. // LOGIN
    onView(withId(R.id.email))
    .perform(replaceText(EMAIL))
    onView(withId(R.id.password))
    .perform(replaceText(PASSWORD))
    onView(withId(R.id.login))
    .perform(click())
    open class BaseTestRobot {
    fun enterText(viewId: Int, text: String) {
    onView(withId(viewId))
    .perform(replaceText(text))
    }
    fun clickOnView(viewId: Int) {
    onView(withId(viewId))
    .perform(click())
    }
    }
    class LoginScreenRobot : BaseTestRobot() {
    fun login(email: String, password: String) {
    enterText(R.id.email, email)
    enterText(R.id.password, password)
    clickOnView(R.id.loginButton)
    }
    }
    

    View Slide

24. // LOGIN
    onView(withId(R.id.email))
    .perform(replaceText(EMAIL))
    onView(withId(R.id.password))
    .perform(replaceText(PASSWORD))
    onView(withId(R.id.login))
    .perform(click())
    loginScreen {
    login(EMAIL, PASSWORD)
    }
    open class BaseTestRobot {
    fun enterText(viewId: Int, text: String) {
    onView(withId(viewId))
    .perform(replaceText(text))
    }
    fun clickOnView(viewId: Int) {
    onView(withId(viewId))
    .perform(click())
    }
    }
    class LoginScreenRobot : BaseTestRobot() {
    fun login(email: String, password: String) {
    enterText(R.id.email, email)
    enterText(R.id.password, password)
    clickOnView(R.id.loginButton)
    }
    }
    fun loginScreen(func: LoginScreenRobot.() -> Unit) =
    LoginScreenRobot().apply { func() }
    

    View Slide

25. loginScreen {
    enterEmail(EMAIL)
    enterPassword(PASSWORD)
    pressLogin()
    }
    homeScreen {
    waitCoffeeDrinks()
    pressProfile()
    }
    profileScreen {
    waitUserData()
    hasEmail(EMAIL)
    hasUserName(USER_NAME)
    openMenu()
    pressLogout()
    }
    loginScreen {
    isOpen()
    }
    loginScreen {
    login(EMAIL, PASSWORD)
    }
    homeScreen {
    navigateToProfile()
    }
    profileScreen {
    hasEmail(EMAIL)
    hasUserName(USER_NAME)
    logout()
    }
    loginScreen {
    isOpen()
    }
    

    View Slide

26. Test case
    Screen Robot
    Basic operations
    

    View Slide

27. Readability Reusability Building
    complexity
    Framework
    independant
    

    View Slide

28. Approaches and tools
    

    View Slide

29. View Slide

30. Clear data
    

    View Slide

31. View Slide

32. Mock
    Fake
    

    View Slide

33. End to End tests Functional tests
    1 1
    Entry point
    Start test from the main screen
    2
    Interaction with server
    Verification interaction with server
    3
    Navigation
    Verification navigation between screens
    Entry point
    Start application from any screen
    2 Interaction with server
    Usually no interaction with prod server
    3 Navigation
    Usually no navigation between screen
    Navigation between neighbor screens
    4 UI verification
    Fast verification of UI components
    4
    App verification
    Slow verification of entire product
    

    View Slide

34. Espresso
    UiAutomator
    Appium
    onView(withId(R.id.email))
    .perform(replaceText(EMAIL)
    onView(withId(R.id.password))
    .perform(replaceText(PASSWORD)
    onView(withId(R.id.login))
    .check(matchers(isDisplayed()))
    Synchronization
    IdlingResources
    Run any Activity
    

    View Slide

35. Espresso
    UiAutomator
    Appium
    val email =
    device.findObject(By.res(PACKAGE, "email"))
    email.text = EMAIL
    val password =
    device.findObject(By.res(PACKAGE, "password"))
    email.text = PASSWORD
    val login =
    device.findObject(By.res(PACKAGE, "login"))
    if (login != null) { ... }
    Interact with OS
    Interact with any application
    

    View Slide

36. Espresso
    UiAutomator
    Appium
    val email = driver.findElement(By.id("email"))
    email.value = EMAIL
    val password =
    driver.findElement(By.id("password"))
    password.value = PASSWORD
    val login = driver.findElement(By.id("login"))
    login.isDisplayed()
    Interact with OS
    Interact with any application
    Support many languages
    

    View Slide

37. Espresso UiAutomator Appium
    Support of Android resources
    Yes No No
    

    View Slide

38. Espresso UiAutomator Appium
    Support of Android resources
    Yes No No
    Test cases type
    GrayBox BlackBox BlackBox
    

    View Slide

39. Espresso UiAutomator Appium
    Support of Android resources
    Yes No No
    Test cases type
    GrayBox BlackBox BlackBox
    Execution time
    0.976 s 8.743 s 12.154 s
    

    View Slide

40. writeTo(R.id.email, EMAIL)
    writeTo(R.id.password, PASSWORD)
    clickOn(R.id.login)
    assertDisplayed(R.id.name, USER_NAME)
    assertDisplayed(R.id.email, EMAIL)
    Kakao
    Barista
    Kaspresso
    

    View Slide

41. writeTo(R.id.email, EMAIL)
    writeTo(R.id.password, PASSWORD)
    clickOn(R.id.login)
    assertDisplayed(R.id.name, USER_NAME)
    assertDisplayed(R.id.email, EMAIL)
    @Rule ClearPreferencesRule
    @Rule ClearDatabaseRule
    @Rule ClearFilesRule
    Kakao
    Barista
    Kaspresso
    

    View Slide

42. writeTo(R.id.email, EMAIL)
    writeTo(R.id.password, PASSWORD)
    clickOn(R.id.login)
    assertDisplayed(R.id.name, USER_NAME)
    assertDisplayed(R.id.email, EMAIL)
    @Rule ClearPreferencesRule
    @Rule ClearDatabaseRule
    @Rule ClearFilesRule
    @Test
    @AllowFlaky(attempts = 5)
    @Repeat(times = 5)
    fun flaky_test() {
    ...
    }
    Kakao
    Barista
    Kaspresso
    

    View Slide

43. @Test
    fun should_verify_account_information() {
    val toolbarVisibilityIR = ViewVisibilityIdlingResource(R.id.toolbar, View.VISIBLE)
    IdlingRegistry.getInstance().register(toolbarVisibilityIR)
    assertDisplayed(R.id.toolbar)
    IdlingRegistry.getInstance().unregister(toolbarVisibilityIR)
    // LOGIN
    writeTo(R.id.emailEditText, EMAIL)
    writeTo(R.id.passwordEditText, PASSWORD)
    closeKeyboard()
    clickOn(R.id.loginButton)
    // NAVIGATE TO PROFILE
    val progressBarIR = ViewVisibilityIdlingResource(R.id.progressBar, View.GONE)
    IdlingRegistry.getInstance().register(progressBarIR)
    assertDisplayed(R.id.recyclerView)
    IdlingRegistry.getInstance().unregister(progressBarIR)
    clickOn(R.id.navigation_profile)
    // VERIFY PROFILE INFO
    val progressProfileIR = ViewVisibilityIdlingResource(R.id.progressBar, View.GONE)
    IdlingRegistry.getInstance().register(progressProfileIR)
    assertDisplayed(R.id.nameTextView, USER_NAME)
    assertDisplayed(R.id.emailTextView, EMAIL)
    IdlingRegistry.getInstance().unregister(progressProfileIR)
    // LOGOUT
    clickMenu(R.id.logout_action)
    // LOGIN SCREEN
    intended(hasComponent(LoginActivity::class.java.name))
    }
    Kakao
    Barista
    Kaspresso
    

    View Slide

44. Kakao
    Barista
    Kaspresso
    onScreen {
    email.replaceText(EMAIL)
    password {
    replaceText(PASSWORD)
    closeSoftKeyboard()
    }
    login.click()
    }
    

    View Slide

45. onScreen {
    email.replaceText(EMAIL)
    password {
    replaceText(PASSWORD)
    closeSoftKeyboard()
    }
    login.click()
    }
    Interceptors
    Kakao
    Barista
    Kaspresso
    

    View Slide

46. @Test
    fun should_verify_account_information() {
    onScreen {
    email.replaceText(EMAIL)
    password {
    replaceText(PASSWORD)
    closeSoftKeyboard()
    }
    login.click()
    }
    onScreen {
    waitCoffeeDrinkList()
    profileMenuItem.click()
    }
    onScreen {
    waitForProfileInfo()
    name.hasText(USER_NAME)
    email.hasText(EMAIL)
    openMenu()
    logout.click()
    }
    onScreen {
    loginScreenIntent.intended()
    }
    }
    Kakao
    Barista
    Kaspresso
    

    View Slide

47. onScreen {
    email.replaceText(EMAIL)
    password {
    replaceText(PASSWORD)
    closeSoftKeyboard()
    }
    login.click()
    }
    Include KAutomator
    Injecting data DSL
    Interaction with Device
    Advanced reporting system
    Handling flaky tests
    Kakao
    Barista
    Kaspresso
    

    View Slide

48. Kakao
    @Test
    fun should_verify_account_information() =
    beforeTest {
    activityTestRule.launchActivity(intent)
    }.afterTest {
    ...
    }.run {
    onScreen {
    email.replaceText(EMAIL)
    password {
    replaceText(PASSWORD)
    closeSoftKeyboard()
    }
    login.click()
    }
    onScreen {
    waitCoffeeDrinkList()
    profileMenuItem.click()
    }
    onScreen {
    waitForProfileInfo()
    name.hasText(USER_NAME)
    email.hasText(EMAIL)
    openMenu()
    logout.click()
    }
    onScreen {
    loginScreenIntent.intended()
    }
    }
    Barista
    Kaspresso
    

    View Slide

49. Pre-populating WireMock
    RestMock
    MockWebServer
    Fake
    Mock
    

    View Slide

50. Activity Fragment
    

    View Slide

51. Activity
    @RunWith(AndroidJUnit4::class)
    class LoginActivityTest {
    @Test
    fun superImportantTest() {
    ...
    ActivityScenario.launch(
    LoginFragment::class.java
    )
    ...
    }
    }
    Fragment
    @RunWith(AndroidJUnit4::class)
    class LoginActivityTest {
    @Test
    fun superImportantTest() {
    ...
    launchFragmentInContainer()
    ...
    }
    }
    

    View Slide

52. End To End tests Functional tests
    

    View Slide

53. Shared tests
    

    View Slide

54. Local tests Instrumentation tests
    Shared tests
    

    View Slide

55. android {
    ...
    sourceSets {
    androidTest {
    java.srcDirs += "src/sharedTest/java"
    }
    test {
    java.srcDirs += "src/sharedTest/java"
    }
    }
    }
    androidTest
    sharedTest
    test
    

    View Slide

56. How to start
    

    View Slide

57. App flow
    Priorities
    Analytical data
    

    View Slide

58. App flow
    Priorities
    Analytical data
    

    View Slide

59. App flow
    Priorities
    Analytical data
    

    View Slide

60. Flaky tests
    

    View Slide

61. Testing
    approaches
    Tools Parallel execution Test data
    

    View Slide

62. FAILED TESTS
    FLAKY TESTS
    

    View Slide

63. Android Test
    Orchestrator
    @Rule
    ClearPreferencesRule
    ClearDatabaseRule
    ClearFilesRule
    Interceptors @AllowFlaky
    @
    

    View Slide

64. #ExploreMore
    Android UI testing
    alexzh.com @AlexZhukovich
    

    View Slide