QTP - Test Automation Framework

In the context of successful implementation of QTP for a software testing project we often come across the concept of frameworks. Framework is nothing but the approach that we consistently follow during the automation process – a set of guidelines.

Personally, I don’t like to give names and say that one works better than the other. The selection of a certain framework is not the beginning of a project. It is the reverse that is true. In the process of devising a testing strategy you build the rules that are applicable to the tester’s current situation and that right there is your framework.

Having said that, the following are some of the important points we need to consider:

1. Reusability
2. Script’s easy maintenance
3. Readability of scripts
4. Good workable folder structure for all the test assets
5. No hard coding values
6. No cascade of failures. (i.e. if one test fails, it should not cause the failure or stopping of the others)

This is the basic list and more can be added based on the requirement.

Any testing strategy that tries to incorporate some or all of these above points is your Test Automation Framework.

There are various names and types of frameworks. The following is the list of frameworks according to me:

Types of Automation Frameworks: (applies for QTP Framework)

1. Linear – Simplest form of creating a test. Just write a one single program without modularity in sequential steps
2. Keyword driven – Create different keywords for different set of operations and in the main script we can just refer to these keywords.
3. Data driven – To run same set of operations on multiple sets of data that are kept in separate files, mostly excel sheets.
4. Hybrid – A combination framework that can be partly data driven and partly keyword driven
5. BPT – This just means that programs are broken down into business components and are used with one or the other of the above types of frameworks