16 July 2024 Leave a comment QA
For those who have been using Selenium for UI automation, the term “Page Objects” might have come up frequently. This guide aims to elucidate the advantages and disadvantages of using Page Objects compared to a mere collection of functions.
Advantages of Using Page Objects
- Separation of Concerns: Page Objects provide a clear separation between test code and navigation code. This separation makes it easier to maintain and understand the tests.
- Ease of Maintenance: When the UI changes, you only need to update the navigation code within the Page Object class. The test code remains unchanged, provided the application logic is the same.
- Improved Readability: Tests become more readable and succinct. For instance,
Homepage.testLogin(username, password);
is more comprehensible than a series of Selenium commands. - Contextual Clarity: Using methods like
LoginPage.clickNext()
vsItemDetails.clickNext()
immediately tells you which page you are interacting with, enhancing code readability. - DRY Principle: Page Object Model adheres to the “Do Not Repeat Yourself” principle, ensuring that code is reusable and centralized.
- Logical Grouping: Page Objects allow logical grouping of functions by page, making it easier to manage and update methods when a page changes.
Disadvantages of Using Page Objects
- Initial Setup Time: Designing and implementing Page Objects might take more time initially. However, the long-term benefits outweigh this initial investment.
- Programming Skills Required: Implementing Page Objects requires good programming skills to design the automation suite effectively.
Practical Example
Consider the following example to illustrate the difference:
// Without Page Objects
selenium.type(username);
selenium.type(password);
selenium.click(submit);
selenium.waitForPageToLoad(waitPeriod);
// With Page Objects
loginPage.typeUsername(username);
loginPage.typePassword(password);
loginPage.submit();
As seen above, the Page Object approach makes the test script more readable and easier to maintain.
Conclusion
In practice, Page Objects are an effective way of organizing your Selenium code. They provide a cleaner, more maintainable, and readable structure to your tests. Although the initial setup might require more effort, the benefits in terms of maintenance and scalability are substantial.
How Repeato Can Help
For those looking for a no-code solution to test automation, Repeato offers a robust alternative. Repeato allows you to create, run, and maintain automated tests for your iOS and Android applications with ease. Leveraging computer vision and AI, Repeato ensures that your tests are both fast to edit and run, making it an excellent tool for quality assurance without the need for extensive coding knowledge. To learn more about how Repeato can streamline your testing process, visit our documentation or check out our blog for more insights.
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