My Article Series

A list of my article series for convenient access

Table of Contents:
· Quick Guide
· How to do X in Selenium WebDriver?
· Courtney’s Appium Series
· Functional Test Refactoring
· Optimize Selenium WebDriver Automated Test Scripts
· Why Do Most UI Test Automation Fail?
· Benefits of Continuous Testing
· IT Terminology Clarified
· Software Design Pattern by Example
· Programming Language Advice
· Be aware of Fake Test Automation/DevOps Engineers
· IT Job Interviews
· Bad Test Automation Frameworks/Tools
· My Innovative Solution to …
· Chinese Idiom Stories for Software Professionals
· Web Test Automation Workbook
· Stories

Quick Guide

• 10-Minute Guide to Git Version Control for Testers
• 10-Minute Guide to Set up Test Automation using Selenium WebDriver with Ruby
• Step by Step showing how to learn to write raw Selenium WebDriver test scripts in minutes
• Set up, Develop Automated UI tests and Run them in a CT server on your First day at work
• Set Up a Continuous Testing Server to Run Selenium Tests in Minutes

How to do X in Selenium WebDriver?

• Test AJAX Properly and Efficiently with Selenium WebDriver, and Avoid ‘Automated Waiting’
• Automated Testing Charts in Selenium WebDriver
• Drive Chrome with Extensions using Selenium WebDriver
• Reloading a Chrome Extension using Selenium WebDriver
• Use Regular Expressions in Test Automation
• Automating Shadow DOM with Selenium WebDriver
• How to avoid hCaptcha with Selenium WebDriver?
• An Unsuccessful Attempt to use OCR to Pass text-based Captcha in Selenium Automated Tests
• Draw on a Canvas using Selenium WebDriver
• Automated Testing QR Codes in Selenium WebDriver
• Automated Testing Frames in Selenium WebDriver
• Testing Emails in Automated Test Scripts with Fake SMTP server: MailCatcher
• Practical DDT: Randomized data scenarios in one automated test script + Continuous Testing
• Automated Testing PDF Download in Selenium WebDriver
• Selenium 4 Chrome DevTools Examples
• Selenium 4 Relative Locator Examples
• Case Study: Simulate Two Users with Selenium Automation Scripts
• Case Study: User Login Tests in Selenium WebDriver
• Case Study: Automated Testing ‘Login with Remember Me’ in Selenium WebDriver
• Case Study: User Change Password Automated Test
• Case Study: User Sign up Automated Test in Selenium WebDriver
• Case Study: User Reset Password via Email in Selenium WebDriver
• Case Study: Locator Chaining in Selenium WebDriver
• Creative Web Automation: Generate Ad-Free Study Notes
• Advice on Self-Learning Test Automation with Selenium WebDriver
• Verify a Dynamic Chart in Selenium WebDriver
• Use Advanced User Interactions in Selenium WebDriver to drive keyboard and mouse
• Interacting with Databases in Automated Functional Test Scripts
• How to Fix “Element is not clickable” in Selenium WebDriver tests?
• Creative Web Automation: Generate User Guide with Automation Script
• Fake Your GeoLocation in Web Test Automation
• Print Style Sheets and Export a Webpage to PDF in Selenium WebDriver
• Automate Input Range Element in Selenium WebDriver
• Responsive Web Testing
• Automated Testing Elements on a Lazy Load Page with Selenium WebDriver
• Select a date in a DatePicker with Selenium WebDriver
• Case Study: Wait for File Download to Complete Safely in Selenium
• Case Study: Automation Script to Extract the Top 10 Authors featured in the Software Testing Newsletters
• Responsiveness Testing with Selenium WebDriver

Courtney’s Appium Series

• Set up Appium 2 to Run XCUITest (for iOS)
• Automate an iOS Tic Tac Toe app with Appium 2 (XCUITest) Part 1: Player vs Player
• Case Study: Image Manipulation in Automated End-to-End Tests
• Automate Windows Calculator (UWP) with Appium 2
• A Brief Introduction to Appium Inspector: Part 1 — Creating Sessions

Functional Test Refactoring

Automated test scripts are often poorly designed, inefficient, and hard to understand and maintain, i.e., the same issues we found in code. Functional Test Refactoring is a process of enhancing the quality of automated functional test scripts.

1. Functional Test Refactoring: Introduction
2. Functional Test Refactoring: Extract Function
3. Functional Test Refactoring: Move to Helper
4. Functional Test Refactoring: Move
5. Functional Test Refactoring: Extract to Page Function
6. Functional Test Refactoring: Introduce to Page Object
7. Functional Test Refactoring: Rename

Optimize Selenium WebDriver Automated Test Scripts

Working automated test scripts is only the first test step to successful test automation. As automated tests are executed often and the application changes frequently too, it is important that test scripts need to be fast, easy to maintain and read.

• Optimize Selenium WebDriver Automated Test Scripts: Speed
• Optimize Selenium WebDriver Automated Test Scripts: Maintainability
• Optimize Selenium WebDriver Automated Test Scripts: Readability

Why Do Most UI Test Automation Fail?

FACT: not many software engineers (in Test) received proper education or training in test automation, which is unfortunate. Considering this: 30–40% of staff in a software team are usually testers. Programmers and business analysts spend a lot of time performing functional testing as well. However, there are few dedicated Functional Testing courses offered at universities to my knowledge. Therefore, it is not surprising that many wrong decisions on test automation are made due to a lack of knowledge.

(Technical)

1. Wrong choice of automation framework
2. Wrong choice of test syntax framework
3. Wrong test scripting language
4. Wrong choice of test automation tool
5. Don’t know how to design easy-to-maintain test scripts
6. Lack of Efficiency
7. Lack of experience in executing a medium-size regression suite of automated UI tests

(Human)

1. Management under-estimate the effort, especially on test maintenance
2. Tech leads over-estimate their capability in test automation
3. Tech leads are fixated with a particular wrong technologies
4. No access to a real Test Automation Coach

Benefits of Continuous Testing

Continuous Testing (enables software teams to push software updates to production daily, not fake CI/CD talks. Check out “Continuous Integration at Facebook” and AgileWay Continuous Testing Grading) is the heart of the software development process. It benefits all stakeholders of a software project.

1. Part 1: to Wise Executives
2. Part 2: to Wise Managers
3. Part 3: to Wise Business Analysts
4. Part 4: to Wise Developers
5. Part 5: to Wise Testers
6. Part 6: to Happy Customers

IT Terminology Clarified

In software development, particularly in software testing, there are many terminologies that are used wrongly by IT professionals.

1. Unit Testing Clarified
2. User Story Card Clarified
3. Regression Testing Clarified
4. Cross Browser Testing Clarified
5. Headless Browser Testing Clarified
6. ‘Data-Driven Testing’ Clarified
7. ‘Shift Left Testing’ Clarified
8. Continuous Testing Clarified
9. Full-Stack Software Engineer Clarified
10. Testing Pyramid Clarified
11. BDD Clarified: BDD ≠ “Given-When-Then” (Gherkin)
12. Codeless Test Automation is Irrational
13. “Done, Done” in Agile
14. Fake End-to-End Test Automation Clarified
15. In-Sprint Test Automation Clarified
16. CI/CD (Pipeline) Clarified
17. DevOps Clarified
18. Test Automation Clarified
19. “Release Early, Release Often” Clarified
20. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Clarified
21. “Daily Production Releases” Clarified
22. Testing Center of Excellence Clarified
23. Code Commenting Clarified
24. Why I don’t use Test Management Tools at all?
25. Execution Speed of Automated End-to-End (via UI) Testing Clarified
26. Expose a Common Lie, “Selenium is Flaky”, Part 2: Clarify ‘automated waiting’
27. Record/Playback in Test Automation is Bad, mostly
28. Correct a Common Misconception: “Using the Coding Language for End-to-End Test Automation”
29. Correct two Common Misconceptions: End-to-End Test Automation is “Simple and Easy” or “Complex and Impossible”.
30. Correct a Common Misconception: “Setting up Selenium is Complex and Time-Consuming” with a benchmark test.
31. User Acceptance Testing Clarified

Software Design Pattern by Example

Design Patterns are good practices of Object-Oriented (OO) Software Design. Applying appropriate design patterns will help to design your software better. However, design patterns are not easy to master, it was the case for me, and my daughter as well when she started an IT degree at Uni. I wrote a series of articles to help her learn Design Patterns quickly. My approach is to use easy-to-understand exercises, which I believe is an easier way to master design patterns.

• Software Design Pattern By Example: Singleton
• Software Design Pattern By Example: Strategy
• Software Design Pattern By Example: Template Method

Programming Language Advice

• Programming Language Advice to My Daughter, Part 1: Ruby
• Programming Language Advice to My Daughter, Part 2: C++
• Programming Language Advice to My Daughter, Part 3: Java
• Programming Language Advice to My Daughter, Part 4: Shell Script
• Programming Language Advice to My Daughter, Part 5: Others

Be aware of Fake Test Automation/DevOps Engineers

• Be aware of the “fake it until you make it” mindset in Test Automation and CI/CD
• Fake End-to-End Test Automation Clarified
• Selenium vs X, Y, Z, …, all these years
• False ‘Selenium WebDriver Cons’
• Evil Mudslingings against Selenium WebDriver
• Crazy Web Test Automation: “Freedom Is Slavery”
• Estimating Test Automation Story Points is a Total Waste of Time
• Protractor, another Automation Framework I rightly avoided, is being Deprecated
• Why Recording Videos for Automated Test Execution in Test Scripts is Wrong?
• Why is Object Identification GUI Utility in Test Automation Unnecessary?
• Why Gherkin (Cucumber, SpecFlow,…) Always Failed with UI Test Automation?
• Why Cypress sucks for real test automation? (Part 1)
• Why JavaScript Is Not a Suitable Language for Real Web Test Automation?
• Fake Code Review with ‘LGTM’
• Four Screening Questions to Filter Out Fake Test Automation Engineers in Interviews
• One Test Automation Scenario Interview Question that Most Candidates Failed
• CIO’s Agile/DevOps: The Emperor’s New Clothes

IT Job Interviews

• Four Screening Questions to Filter Out Fake Test Automation Engineers in Interviews
• One Test Automation Scenario Interview Question that Most Candidates Failed
• Case Study: User Change Password Automated Test
• Agile Project Management: You Cannot Lower the Quality
  (filter out incompetent software managers, fake agile coaches/scrum masters)
• My secret of near 100% interview success on Test Automation Engineer roles

Bad Test Automation Frameworks/Tools

• Why Cypress sucks for real test automation? (Part 1)
• Why Cypress Sucks for Real Test Automation? (Part 2: Limitations)
• Why Gherkin (Cucumber, SpecFlow,…) Always Failed with UI Test Automation?
• Protractor, another Automation Framework I rightly avoided, is being Deprecated
• Cypress vs Selenium WebDriver Comparison by Example

My Innovative Solution to …

• Test Automation: Keep the Browser Open after Executing an Individual Test
• Test Automation: ‘The Simpsons’ Data Reset Pattern
• Test Automation: Run the same test against a different browser with a click of a button
• Test Automation: Run the same test against a different server with a click of a button
• Software Development: Versioned Database Migration
• Test Automation: TestWise IDE
• Load Testing: Run Selenium Tests (real browser) in a CT Server with Parallel Execution for better Load Testing
• Test Automation: Easy Wait in test scripts
• Test Automation: Functional Test Refactoring
• Test Automation: Attach test execution to the existing browser
• Continuous Cross Browser Testing
• Continuous Testing: Parallel Automated End-to-End Test Execution
• Continuous Testing: Dynamic Ordering
• Continuous Testing: Auto-Rerun
• Continuous Testing: Manual-Rerun
• Continuous Testing: BuildWise Server and Agents
• Continuous Testing: Delay Completion
• Continuous Testing: Invoke test execution from the browser, even with parameters
• Continuous Testing: Quick Navigation to failed test line (from CT to Testing IDE)
• Agile: User Story Printing
• Software Development: Generating Requirement Traceability
• Continuous Testing: Build notifications with Lava Lamps
• Agile: Automation-Assisted Showcase

Chinese Idiom Stories for Software Professionals

Using Chinese idioms to explain some of the problems I have witnessed in the software industry (in particular, test automation and continuous testing) ”. Chinese idioms are insightful and often with interesting stories. Human nature has changed little, and these Chinese idioms stand the test of time (over 1000 years).

• #1 Seven-Step Poem (七步詩)
• #2 Lord Ye Loves Dragon (葉公好龍)
• #3 Imitating Beauty (东施效颦)
• #4 To win a war with words (纸上谈兵)
• #5 Practice makes perfect (熟能生巧)
• #6 A quiet man of sincerity attracts admiration (桃李不言，下自成蹊)
• #7 Be There Just to Make Up the Number (滥竽充数)
• #8 Cutting a Mark on the Boat to Find the Sword (刻舟求剑)
• #9 Covering One’s Ears to Steal a Bell (掩耳盗铃)
• #10 Self-Contradictory (自相矛盾)
• #11 Pulling Up the Seedlings to Help Them Grow（拔苗助长）
• #12 Learning to Walk in Handan (邯郸学步)
• #13 Buying the Case but Returning the Pearl (买椟还珠)
• #14 Waiting for Hares by the Tree(守株待兔)
• #15 Those Who Flee 50 Steps Laugh at Those Who Flee 100 Steps（五十步笑百步)
• #16 Complementing Each Other (相辅相成)
• #17 It is never too late to mend (亡羊补牢)
• #18 The Measurements Are More Reliable! (愚人買鞋）
• #19 Paying a Handsome Price For A Swift Steed (千金買死馬）
• #20 Opposite effect to one’s intention (南辕北辙）
• #21 Prevention is Better (扁鹊三兄弟)
• #22 A Good Neighbour worths a Thousand Silver Coins(千金买邻)
• #23 Calling A Stag A Horse (指鹿为马)
• #24 To Draw a Snake with Feet 画蛇添足
• #25 Blind Men Feeling an Elephant盲人摸象
• #26 Skilled and Magical Craftsmanship (庖丁解牛)
• #27 Trim the Toes to Fit the Shoes 削足适履
• #28 Climb a tree to Catch fish (缘木求鱼)
• #29 Look for a Steed by Book (按图索骥)
• #30 To give up halfway (半途而废)
• #31 Carrying Firewood to Put Out a Fire (抱薪救火)
• #32 One is willing to punish; the other is willing to accept 周瑜打黄盖，一个愿打，一个愿挨
• #33 The More, The Better 多多益善
• #35 A bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring (惊弓之鸟)

Web Test Automation Workbook

Welcome to Learning Web Test Automation with short and purposeful exercises, no tech background is required at all. An exercise typically takes 15–20 minutes.
(Bold ones: published, italic and underlined: soon will be published)

• #01 Hello Web Test Automation
• #02: Web Test Automation Simplified
• #03: Introduction to Selenium WebDriver
• #04: User Sign in OK Test
• #05: Multi-Login Tests (RSpec Test Syntax Framework)
• #06: The second test: Failed to sign in (tips for productivity)
• #07: Running a test script file vs Running an individual test case
• #08: Select Oneway Flight
• #09: Select Return Flight
• #10 Enter Passenger Names
• #11: Execution Tests in Tools and from Command Line
• #12: AJAX Test: Agile Travel Payment
• #13: Sony Playstation Login Test
• #14 Testing Page with iFrames
• #15: Refactor AgileTravel User Login Test (extract function)
• #16: Refactor AgileTravel User Login Test (move to helper)
• #17: Refactor Move test steps into Rspec hooks
• #18: Software Environments and Cross-Browser Testing
• #19: Refactor WhenWise Login Tests (extract function and move helper)
• #20: Refactor AgileTravel Tests (extract to page Function)
• #21: Refactor Agile Travel Tests (introduce page object)
• #22: CRUD WhenWise Professional Tests
• #23: CRUD WhenWise Professional Tests Refinement
• #24 Dynamic Test data for WhenWise Create Professional Test
• #25 File Upload Test
• #26: WhenWise Create Client Test
• #27: WhenWise CRUD Client Tests
• #28: WhenWise CRUD Client Tests (Refactored)
• #29: WhenWise Find Client Test
• #30: WhenWise Client Sorting Tests
• #31: Review: WhenWise CRUD Service Tests
• #32: WhenWise Search Test
• #33: WhenWise Client Membership Test
• #34: WhenWise Create Non-Time-Based Service Test (Transformed Controls)
• #35: Verify Available Time Slots
• #36: Change Available Time Slots
• (haven’t converted one-on-one training to writing yet, if you are keen, leave a message here)
• #37: WhenWise Client Make Booking Test
• #38: WhenWise Business View Booking Test
• #39 Responsive Web Testing
• #41: Create an Appointment in Calendar
• #42: Create a Multi-Slot Appointment in Calendar
• #43: Business Create Booking in Calendar
• #44: Move Appointment & Assert Background Color in Calendar
• #45: Shopping Cart
• #46: Create Client Invoice (inline-edit testing)
• #47: Print Invoice (file download)
• #48: Verify PDF Content

Stories

• Story: An IT Graduate’s frustration with a Fake ‘Senior Test Automation Engineer’
• Story: A Former Mentee Failed Test Automation with Protractor
• Story: “What is the Most Challenging in E2E Test Automation?”
• An Unbelievable True Story: People’s Fixation on an Obviously Failed “Self-Created” Test Automation Framework
• A Good Software Testing Culture Can be Easily Broken