What is Robotium ?
Robotium is an Android test automation framework for testing native and hybrid android mobile applications against mobile devices or emulators. It makes easy to write powerful and robust automated tests for Android applications. With the help of Robotium, testers can write function, system and user acceptance test scenarios, spanning multiple Android activities.
Robotium Recorder:
Robotium earlier was available as open source android test automation framework however with the addition of Robotium Recorder it is now licensed tool. Robotium Recorder is available as a plugin for Android Studio and Eclipse. It helps in recording and creating professional android UI test cases.
Robotium Recorder has full support for native and hybrid Android applications and records all user interactions being performed.
Robotium Benefits:
- The main benefit of Robotium is the availability of its plugin for Android Studio and Eclipse, which are most widely used tools for Android application development and so easy for everyone to use.
- With the help of Robotium Recorder, you can actually record user actions on mobile devices and emulators for a given mobile AUT.
- Robotium provides full support for native and hybrid android application automation.
- Robotium can be used with source code of the application or even with APK files, for scripts automation.
- Robotium test execution is faster and can also be triggered from command line.
- Automation script developed using Robotium works on all android versions. Scripts are also independent of Mobile screen resolution and size.
Limitations:
With so many benefits, there are some limitations also of using Robotium for mobile application automation.
- Robotium does not support flash and web applications.
- Another point to note is that Robotium tests can only be run on one device at a time.
- Robotium is also unable to handle different Applications in one test. If mobile application calls another one (like Camera) – Robotium can’t “see” it and script fails in execution.
- Robotium is a framework that only allows you to test Android applications; doesn’t support cross platform testing.
Last Word:
Robotium is an extension of the Android test framework, created to make it easy to write user interface tests for Android applications. Robotium facilitates in creating powerful test cases, with minimal knowledge of the application under test.
