Appium Studio Tutorial for Mobile Automation (15+ Hands-on Tutorials)

Appium Studio Mobile Test Automation Tool Hands-on Review Tutorial:

This is a series of 15+ text and hands-on video tutorials. (Scroll down to get the complete list of tutorials)

Appium, the amazing open-source testing app, has now been made even better, thanks to Appium Studio.

With Appium Studios, you can cut both the cost as well as the effort of running your automated mobile tests on Appium. This will help you release high-quality apps even faster.

This FREE tool, Appium Studio community edition, allows users to enjoy improved service and community support through the forum.

Appium Studio

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Appium Studios – Getting Started

Tutorial #1 – Overview of this mobile automation tool
Tutorial #2 – Installation and Set up guide
Tutorial #3 – Connecting real iOS & Android Devices from the cloud to Appium Studio
Tutorial #4 – Connecting Emulators or Simulators to Appium Studio
Tutorial #5 – Installing applications and preparing them for testing
Tutorial #6 – Create Appium tests for an Android App
Tutorial #7 – Create an Appium test for an iOS App
Tutorial #8 – Create Appium tests using the Object Spy & XPath
Tutorial #9 – Integrate into your IDE in order to run your Appium tests
Tutorial #10 – How to run large-scale execution of Appium tests in parallel

Appium Studio for Eclipse – Getting Started

Tutorial #11 – Overview of Appium Studio for Eclipse
Tutorial #12 – Installation and device connection
Tutorial #13 – Create a new Project
Tutorial #14 – Install an Application
Tutorial #15 – Creating an Appium Test
Tutorial #16 – Run and verify your test code
Tutorial #17 – Run your Appium tests in parallel

Hope you will enjoy this series of Appium Tutorials and find them much useful & informative too. We would be glad to hear your thoughts, feel free to express your suggestions or queries in the comments section below.

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Let’s start.

Appium Studio is a plug-and-play version of Appium testing which is scalable to any size as per your needs. The Community Edition of Appium is absolutely free.

Appium Studio makes Appium testing much better and smoother than before. It enables faster delivery of high-quality mobile apps, as it cuts down the cost & effort of developing and executing an Appium based mobile test automation program.

Key Features

There are three key features that make up the Appium Studio test automation framework:

 #1) A development tool for visual testing, providing users with features like device reflection and object spy, to aid in the writing of quicker, more robust tests, etc.

#2) Simple, fast set-up and installation.

#3) The execution engine – this adds a robust, stable engine to Appium that is designed with the mobile testing environment in mind, allowing for out-of-application tests as well as parallel execution.

These three features together improve Appium greatly and address some of its drawbacks. The time spent on testing is reduced, and so is the cost & effort, thanks to iOS testing on Windows. Coverage has also been improved for out-of-app tests.

Tests and their execution are made more stable, and the reportage is clear and precise. OS version support is guaranteed, and this tool has built-in support for large-scale parallel execution.

Given below are the two versions of the tool available now:

#1) Appium Studio – Free Download Here

This tool is free and downloadable, and it will fully integrate with whatever your current testing environment is. Appium testing can be done on real, local devices that are connected via USB to your testing computer. Appium tests are compatible with any programming language (e.g., Java, C#, Python, JS, Ruby).

The studio also integrates with your IDE, thereby allowing for seamless transitions between programming and testing.

#2) Appium Studio for Eclipse – Free Download Here

This plugin is also free and downloadable, thereby allowing you to perform your Appium tests, from development to execution to debugging, directly through Eclipse. Experitest Data Centre has partnered with Appium to allow 600 min. of free access to their real mobile devices for testing with your download.

A step-by-step guide for the installation and use of these tools is given in this series.

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Let’s start with Appium Studio quick walkthrough.

This tutorial on will give you a complete overview of the tool along with its various features, benefits, download link etc., which in turn will act as a perfect guide to anyone who is new to the Appium tool.

Its Benefits & Key Capabilities

Experitest has developed this tool.

Given below is a quick walkthrough of all the major benefits & key capabilities of this tool:

#1) Quick & Easy setup

• Clicks installer & simplifies hardware requirements.
• This enables you to get started with automation projects very quickly (within minutes).
• No other environmental dependencies.
• No additional installation required.
• Supports both Windows and Mac machines.

#2) Easier iOS Testing

• iOS and Android devices can be connected to both Windows and Mac machines.
• Automated registration of Apple devices to developer accounts.

#3) Improved Test Coverage

• Performs Appium testing outside your app (both iOS & Windows).
• Test the integration of your app with third-party apps.
• Test fingerprint authentication, voice command, and Image Injection.
• Performance testing with the real-world.
• Supports testing for all the application types – native, web or hybrid.
• Allows testing customized UI elements.

#4) Great Reporting Capabilities

• Auto-generated HTML reports. PDF and XML Reporting is also supported.
• Audio & Video Recordings.
• Shortening the feedback cycle with detailed reports.

#5) High Re-usability

• Executes your existing Appium tests
• Runs tests developed with Appium Studio on any Appium tool.

#6) Saves time – Simple development & execution of robust tests

• Creating stable tests quickly and leveraging Object Spy and XPath.
• Intuitive UI.
• Automation project boilerplate.

#7) Seamless CI/CD integration and Parallel Execution

• Pre-configured out-of-the-box web and mobile device grids to support large-scale execution.
• Real-time view of test execution status and on-device reflection.
• Reports and insights into the issues.
• Hands-free automation directly from CI.
• Executes multiple CI projects in parallel.

#8) 24/7 Customer Support & Road-map visibility

• Get immediate support for new GA and beta versions.
• Committed SLA.
• Backward compatibility commitment.

Installation and Set up

Download, Install, and Set Up

Click here for a free download of Appium Studio.

Let’s delve more into the installation and functionalities of the tool.

This is as simple as 1-2-3.  This tool comes as a pre-packaged bundle with all the necessary tools.

Once downloaded, you can just run the installer (a single executable file) and you are ready to go now.

This tool comes in two editions – Community & Enterprise.

Also, check the installation guide for both the editions on Mac as well as Windows. The installation guide also enlists the system requirements to install the tool.

One of the main inconveniences of the traditional Appium tool as well as the other similar ones is that installation and staying updated with the latest versions is a complicated and much time-consuming process. However, with this tool, this is no longer an issue.

Another aspect of the installation and setup process that has been simplified is the user’s ability to write and carry out iOS tests from a Windows Machine. The opposite is also possible (writing android tests on an iOS machine).

Guidance and training comes from the Community Forum as well as the detailed Online Guide. Appium Studio Forum is a one-stop source where you can get answers to various tool related queries under multiple categories.

Below is a screenshot of the same:

These aides are not only used to staying informed about the tool but also to help the users in getting answers to their questions and keeping them updated about the new versions and functionalities of the tool.

We have observed that the questions are answered quickly either by the Experitest team or by the active and growing users who make up the community.

Using the Visual Interface of This Tool

The first thing that a new user will notice when starting the tool for the first time will be a visual interface with guides to help you set up your first test. This makes Appium Studio significantly different from traditional Appium open source offerings.

The guidance does not stop there though. The “Studio” which is Experitest’s own name for their visual interface, gives the users visual feedback as they work so that they can understand better and identify their errors.

Contained within the visual interface of this tool are the Management tools for Devices and Applications. There is an area where the commands are displayed. It also includes device reflection and Object Spy.

Object Spy provides a visual representation of the application object layout and supports the XPath queries to filter and select elements.

Connecting Devices to Appium Studio

It is easy to connect and work on devices that are locally connected. The additional capability of this tool gives users the ability to connect to remote mobile devices located in Experitest’s SaaS Digital Assurance Lab.

Both Android and iOS devices can be tested on Windows or Mac machines, and this tool also supports simulators and emulators. The guide provided with the tool includes a step-by-step tutorial to show users how to connect to local devices.

Adding a device to Studio:

Simple Apple Credential Provisioning:

Provisioning Apple credentials is also easier than ever in this tool. The online guide will walk the users through the process of gathering the necessary information and then it can be automatically provisioned whenever required.

Open the device once Provisioning is Completed:

Dynamic Device Reflection:

Once you select a device, be it locally or remotely connected, the device reflection will open automatically.

This reflection is interactive and fully controllable. Users can click on the screen, access third party applications, use any swipe or gesture and click on the home button. You can even test the device’s orientation. You can also employ the object spy here to analyze the objects currently present on the screen.

In total there are 14 reflective buttons which include Home, Menu, Back, Toggle Orientation, Object Spy, Always on Top, Scale/ scroll mode, Open Device view, Device Log, Device Vitals (CPU-MEM), Unlock, Network conditions, Recent Apps and Close Keyboard.

So, you can do a lot with these buttons!!!

For test development and validation purposes, the device reflection is considered to be extremely powerful. Once you have tests running in Appium Studio, you can watch them being executed on the device reflection to make sure the behavior is running as intended.

Install and Open Applications:

The above figure has 8 command icons which help to perform various actions including Install application, launch application, Close application, Clear application data, uninstall the application, delete an application, Import/sign application and Application Window.

So, with the application manager, you will be able to perform any application management action.

For more effective automation, this tool supports version management. This is also visible in the above figure where we have a Version column corresponding to every Application name. You can select the version from the drop-down. A drop-down will automatically appear in the application that has multiple versions.

One of the automatic processes that occurs while opening an application is that this tool will identify the required capabilities and populate the capabilities area then, once populated you can select or deselect the capabilities as per the scenario that you want to automate.

There are a few built-in applications and tests as well within this tool that will help new users get started.

Other than this, we also have 5 pop-up menu commands which appear when you right-click on the selected application name as shown in the image below:

Test Development

This tool allows you to create stable tests quickly.

Scripting tests on this tool are easy with the help of visual tools and device reflection. You can record tests or use the highly visual Object Spy to create them. It also has a XPath Feature to support advanced object identification methods.

Each of these testing methods can be used with native, web, and third-party apps.

Test Recording

To begin recording a test all you need to do is click the record button.

It can be found in the command area as shown in the figure below:

You can then use the device reflection to perform the use case. Once this is completed, you will see the relevant commands populating in the command area. For instant verification, the test can now be run.

You can also select and de-select steps to better manage your test capabilities. The recorded scripts can later be edited.

There are two modes of recording i.e., native and web.

For your convenience, test codes and log files will appear at the bottom of the screen once the recording is completed.

Creating and Editing Tests with Object Spy

Object Spy allows you to edit and create new tests. Object Spy is a tool that can identify and highlight the elements on any given page. Identification comes with unique identifiers for native and web apps.

The copy paste functionality is simple and allows the addition of unique identifiers to the command area. This helps create more robust tests.

To help in distinguishing between instrumented, non-instrumented, and web elements, the object spy uses a color-coded system. Red is for instrumented, yellow is for non-instrumented and blue is for web elements. Whatever your current selection is, that will always be in green.

Testing Outside an Application

Appium Studio has an incredible capability to perform tests on devices outside the app, even on iOS apps. This capability is not available with open source Appium.

With the recorder and Object Spy, you can test system apps on a device and even test 3^rd party integration to other apps. This is all carried out as easily as if we test a native app.

Performance Testing and Additional Testing Capabilities

Your coverage area will be extended with the ability to monitor your device’s behavior, battery and CPU consumption. You can also integrate this capability with Experitest’s Network Virtualization tool.

Test Execution

The tests that you execute from Appium Studio can be executed on local and remote devices. Tests can be executed with or without test capabilities, and run only specific commands.

Since the tests are being run on remote devices, you can view each device’s reflection and see the test being executed in real time on the device reflection.

You can also run only the specific test steps by making use of the checkbox present corresponding to each test step as shown in the above image. Only the checked steps will be executed. Another way to run the selected steps is by right-clicking on them and then selecting the “Run Steps” option from the menu.

Using an IDE to Run your Scripts

With this tool, testers can export their test cases as scripts that can then be run from an IDE like IntelliJ and Eclipse. When exported as scripts, test cases give testers control over any aspect of the test scenario. It also gives testers the flexibility to choose their preferred unit testing framework (JUnit, TestNG, NUnit for .NET).

Finally, testers will have the ability to expand test scripts by forking scenarios and being able to run them on multiple devices at once.

To use this feature and export your code from Appium Studio, simply create a test case by recording it or adding the steps manually. Once the test case is created, simply click on the “code” tab below the list of test steps. Once you do that, you will see the test caste as a script with all of the steps and capabilities built into the automatically generated code.

Code export with the Appium Studio can be done in many different programming languages like Java, C#, and Python. Simply choose your preferred language while running the tests as shown below.

Large-Scale Parallel Execution

When trying to create and execute a mobile test, the number of devices and OS you need to test upon will exponentially increase the number of tests you need to run. The good news is that this tool has a solution for this common problem.

Appium Studio is bundled with grid capabilities using either the SaaS or On-premise Digital Assurance lab to support large-scale executions.

(Note: Click on the image for an enlarged view)

Test Analytics

Every test that you execute will generate a test report with detailed results, screenshots, and videos. These reports can be easily accessed from the menu.

You can also have a detailed insight into the test step results. You can see it in the images below. The first image shows a detailed report of a particular Login step which was in “Passed” status. The second image shows a detailed report of another step which was in “Failed” status.

In addition, test results are consolidated in the Digital Assurance Lab to generate quality status and actionable insights.

Summary:

This is a free and simple tool to use. The setup is quick and easy to do. It simplifies the way in which traditional Appium tests are built. It makes mobile app automation testing even better than before (as compared to the standard Appium tool).

The major benefits include building & running iOS tests on Windows machines, enabling wider test coverage (when, for Example, you test outside of your app), power set tools like object spy, recorder and reporting to speed up your work, and support for the remote environment.

The tests that are created are stable and can be used with any Appium server.

Conclusion

Appium Studio, as with the standard Appium tool, requires creating projects in an IDE. But the good news about this tool is that the effort required is significantly lower and test stability is much higher. Also, the code is generated automatically and much quicker.

Even the most expert automation engineers have a simpler time writing tests on this tool with tools like object spy and device reflection. They can use these tools to create, verify and ultimately create an automation project in the IDE of their choice.

Speaking of IDEs – Experitest recently started rolling out a free trial of Appium Studio for Eclipse – a native Eclipse Plug-in that allows you to perform end-to-end mobile test automation directly from within the Eclipse.

=> Download Appium Studio tool from here. 

This is an in-depth training series with hands-on video and text tutorials. Let’s start this training with the first tutorial: Tutorial #1 – Overview of this tool