“Actions beat arguments” in End-to-End (via UI) Test Automation

Talk is cheap; Show them executions of real automated tests.

2023–03–08, DHH, a software legend (creator of Ruby on Rails, co-founder of 37Signals and co-author of the best-selling ‘Rework’ book series), posted a short article titled “Actions beat arguments”. A very good read.

This article will detail my reflections on the concept of “Actions beat arguments,” drawing from my 17 years of experience in end-to-end test automation.

Table of Contents:
· Some Typical Wrong Statements in End-to-End Test Automation.
∘ 1. 😱 “Selenium has a steep learning curve.”
∘ 2. 😱 “It takes considerable effort to create automated tests.”
∘ 3. 😱 “We shall use the coding language for scripting automated tests.”
∘ 4. 😱 “Ruby is a slow language.”
∘ 5. 😱 “Selenium WebDriver is complex to set up”.
∘ 6. 😱 “End-to-End (via UI) test automation is impossible, so we should do API testing instead”.
· Debating usually ends with no good
· Beat ≠ Win

Some Typical Wrong Statements in End-to-End Test Automation.

Over the past decade, I have seen/heard so many wrong statements that people will argue endlessly. Here are some:

1. 😱 “Selenium has a steep learning curve.”

Wrong. I showed the work by a manual tester I trained for just a few hours, with testimony, “Selenium is so easy to learn.” Or take them to the newly-trained automated tester’s desk to witness.

Check out my article, “Why Selenium WebDriver is So Easy to Learn?” and my daughter’s “Set up, Develop Automated UI tests and Run them in a CT server on your First day at work”.

2. 😱 “It takes considerable effort to create automated tests.”