The Selenium design pattern is known as the Page Object Model, or POM, which involves building an object repository to house and arrange the page elements and objects. In the field of web/mobile automation, it is a highly used design pattern. Efficient Selenium automation testing can help you a lot in using Page Object Model effectively.
By serving as an interface for the page being tested, POM minimizes complexity and redundancy in the code while also improving its extensibility and test script maintenance. For every web page, we build a class file in order to simplify the POM concept. Web elements that are available on the webpage and can be used by test scripts to do various tasks are contained in the class file.
Benefits of using Page Object Model
The suggested method for resolving issues that may arise during the implementation of a test automation framework is the Page Object Model. The list of benefits it provides is as follows:
- POM makes it possible to create object repositories that facilitate the simple addition, modification, and reuse of web elements. The name of the web element and locators to locate it at the same location each time the code is reviewed are contained in this object repository.
- Every web page is represented as a distinct class in POM. If a web page has any additional web elements, adding them is as simple as going to a class that shares the same name as the webpage. For instance: You may search for and add a new web element to the customerClass.java file in order to add it to the customer page object repository. The same applies to changing the locators whenever a web page’s web element changes.
- Also, there are no test scripts included in the object repository. Call any objects from that specific object repository that are required to create test scripts. Until an element is used, it won’t locate web elements. In order to maximize efficiency, lazy initialization allows us to postpone creating objects until right before we need them. The main justification for doing this is that, if you don’t require the object, you can usually avoid creating it.
- Page-by-page field segmentation allows you to create an Object Repository. As a result, the application has a Page Repository with each page described as a Java class. An interface defines the page’s fields as members, and the class then implements the interface.
- The process of creating and encapsulating every action or feature that may be carried out on a page into a single class made specifically for that page is known as functional encapsulation. This makes it simpler to specify and comprehend the range of functions available on each page.
- Any essential changes can be easily implemented without requiring considerable maintenance because both the interface and the class can be updated fast. Because of its object-oriented nature, the framework may produce more readable and reliable code, making it more programmer-friendly.
- The Low Redundancy feature can help reduce the amount of code repetition. The POM may achieve more with less code when the architecture is thorough and well-defined. Effective and expandable: Beats alternative techniques that depend on interpreting or creating Excel documents for data- or keyword-driven testing.
Drawbacks of using Page Object Model
Developing the Automation Framework will require a significant initial effort commitment in order to build the page object model (POM) for web applications with multiple pages. Although this can be a big task, it is advised to carry it out in tandem with the application development process.
It is a grave error to hire inexperienced testers with the expectation that they will be trained during deployment. To prevent such nightmares, it is imperative to have technically proficient testers that understand best practices in programming. Unskilled testers must attend a Training Boot Camp in order to get ready for this task.
Furthermore, in order to avoid any gaps in later phases of development, it is imperative to thoroughly and precisely define the framework’s architecture before beginning development. Since every application is different, considerable customization of the automation framework may be necessary to meet its needs.
Instead of being a general model, the Automation Framework developed via the use of the POM technique is tailored specifically for the application. It is not the same as data-driven or keyword-driven frameworks that are application-specific.
POM is commonly considered the most efficient approach for creating web apps, despite its disadvantages. As the framework develops, utilizing POM instead of other data-driven or keyword-driven techniques could make the shift to a hybrid framework easier.
From a maintenance perspective, for instance, changes that developers make to the Login page can affect the tests that are directly associated with the functioning of the login. Since the remaining tests only use Login to test different functionalities, they are unaffected by these changes. In order to guarantee that the remaining tests are unaffected, it is imperative to make sure that the Login feature functions properly even in the event that other page elements are changed.
The main goal of the testing process is to improve product quality, and automation testing is essential to attaining this goal by finding and reporting issues to the development team. Test automation coverage is a crucial Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to evaluate the efficacy of the test code, regardless of whether a software development methodology is being followed.
Common Pitfalls of POM
Here are some of the common problems with POM:
- The construction of an automation framework will require a significant amount of time and effort if the application has hundreds or thousands of web pages.
- Because maintaining huge classes violates the design principle, costs rise in tandem with maintenance overhead.
- Testers should be extremely aware about programming best practices because the construction of a POM framework for numerous pages is equivalent to the labor of developers.
- The page object model is application-specific and not generic in nature.
How may the disadvantages of POM be overcome?
Refactoring the POM notion to a Screenplay Pattern is the most effective way to get around the aforementioned problems. The Single Responsibility Principle and the Open-Closed Principle, the first two SOLID design principles, serve as the foundation for the Screenplay Pattern, a method for creating excellent automated acceptance tests. Prior to understanding the screenplay pattern, let’s review the first two “SOLID” principles.
- The single responsibility principle states that a class should have just one duty and shouldn’t have multiples because changing one could have an impact on multiples.
- A new class should be developed whenever a need is added or modified rather than updating an old one in an existing one. This is because alterations to one component could trigger other modifications in the process. The entire procedure is known as Open- Closed Principle,
A well-liked design pattern for QA automation, Page Object Model (POM) assists you in writing reusable and maintainable code for your web tests.
● POM optimal procedures
There are recommended practices and rules that you must adhere to in order to guarantee successful QA automation with POM. Page objects that strike a balance between size and shape can be produced by following the idea of single responsibility. The names of methods, locators, and page objects should also follow a naming convention and be descriptive. Additionally, web elements must be hidden from public view and only accessible via the page object’s functions. Using frameworks like Selenium or TestNG to implement the Page Factory design helps streamline code and enhance test efficiency.
● POM advice and methods
You can utilize a few strategies to improve your POM implementation and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of your QA automation. For example, page objects can have their functionality extended and re-used through inheritance and composition. Fluent interfaces are another tool for improving the readability, expressiveness, and concision of code. In addition, synchronization problems between the web application and the test can be resolved by utilizing wait techniques like implicit, explicit, or fluent waits. Custom wait techniques can also be used to manage unique or complicated situations.
It is not only a luxury for any agile software development team to write automated tests but also a requirement. During the development process of a new feature, developers can use automated tests to observe how the changes impact other areas of the system. Here’s when automation testing can play a vital role.
Automated testing platforms like LambdaTest are very crucial for promptly identifying defects in the first stages of software development cycles. LambdaTest will not only cut down your test execution time by running tests in parallel but in addition to this, it will also enhance your browser coverage giving you access to 3000+ test environments such as Chrome and Safari browsers online.
Software Quality Assurance (QA) can be enhanced and problem solutions can be made less expensive via test automation. When tests are done properly, developers can identify and fix errors before QA sees them. We can also automate regressing features and test cases with the use of test automation. QA engineers will have extra time as a result to test other areas of the application. Additionally, this guarantees the product’s quality for production releases. As a result, we obtain more effectively stable products and more efficient quality assurance methods.
For developers and engineers, developing automated tests might seem like a simple operation, but there’s still a chance that the results will be badly constructed tests and poorly maintainable code. In any agile development project, trying to ship features or modifications all the time can get expensive when testing is involved. If one element on a web page is changed and 20 tests depend on it, all 20 test routines must be updated to reflect the new element. This takes a lot of time, which deters developers from putting automated tests in place as soon as possible.
Final Words
One of the most prominent design patterns in Selenium Webdriver is the Page Object Model (POM). The script maintenance and code duplication problems that arise from automating numerous pages on websites and eCommerce sites are best addressed by this model. POM is used by test-automation to automate eCommerce sites because its scripts are scriptable.
When combined with Cucumber, POM can be used for eCommerce sites not only for functional testing but also for acceptability testing. POM aids in improving the readability, reusability, and maintainability of the code, but it also presents some difficulties.
POM is a helpful tool for QA automation, however, it has several shortcomings and issues that need to be resolved. Finding the web parts can be challenging and time-consuming, and maintaining the page objects is imperative when the web application evolves. Moreover, since page objects may rely on other elements like the browser or environment, it’s critical to manage their dependencies. Circular references or strong coupling between page objects must be avoided.