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Let’s explore modern tools for automated testing of applications supported on one of the most widespread mobile operating system – Android.

#1. Robotium Android Testing Tool

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Robotium is one the first and frequently utilized automated testing tools for software supported on Android.

Robotium is a free Android UI testing tool. It is suitable for tests automation for different Android versions and sub-versions. Software developers often describe it as Selenium for Android. Tests created by Robotium are written in Java. In fact, Robotium is a library for unit tests.

But it takes much time and efforts to create tests by means of Robotium, as one must work with the program source code in order to automate tests. The tool is also unsuitable for interaction with system software; it cannot lock and unlock a smartphone or a tablet. There is no Record and Play function in Robotium, and it does not provide screenshots.

#2. MonkeyRunner Android App Testing

MonkeyRunner is one of popular Android Testing tools used for automating of functional tests for Android software.

This tool is more low-level than Robotium is. One does not have to deal with the source code in order to automate tests. The tests are written in Python, one may use a recording tool for creating tests.

MonkeyRunner can run tests on real devices connected to a PC or emulators. The tool has an API what allows it to control a smartphone, a tablet or an emulator from outside of Android code.

Significant disadvantage of the mobile app testing tool is that it is necessary to write scripts for each device. Another problem of MonkeyRunner is that the tests require adjustments each time when user interface of the tested program is changed.

#3. Ranorex Android Application Testing Tool

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Ranorex is a good tool for tests automation not only for the latest, but also for early versions and sub-versions of Android, beginning from Android 2.2.

One of Ranorex advantages is its detailed reports with screenshots. It can connect a smartphone or a tablet to Internet via WiFi.

An automated test engineer can elaborate data-driven tests, excluding XML data format, by means of this Android tool. Ranorex Studio enables an automated test engineer to create tests easily, just clicking the mouse. It allows elaborating additional program modules. The modules may be utilized during late development cycles for more complex test scenarios.

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It is a commercial mobile application tool; its license price is 1990 EUR. Ranorex searches elements rather slowly; it takes up to 30 seconds to perform such an operation. One must instrument APK files for Ranorex. Otherwise it is impossible to automate tests by means of this tool, as it works only with instrumented APK files.

#4. Appium Android Automation Framework

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It’s a framework for creation automated tests for iOS and Android. It is a free tool. It supports Android versions from 2.3 and later. Appium utilizes WebDriver interface for tests running. It supports many programming languages, such as Java, C#, Ruby and other which are in the WebDriver library.

It can control Safari and Chrome on mobile devices. This allows to test mobile web sites using Appium and these browsers.

But some automated test engineers complain that it provides poor, insufficient reports. Also its weakness is reduced XPath support on mobile devices.

#5. UI Automator for Android Test Automation

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This tool has been recently elaborated by Google. It supports Android versions beginning from 4.1. One should select another Android app testing tool in order to automate tests for earlier versions. UI Automator is able to interact with all kinds of software products for Android, including system applications. This enables UI Automator to lock and unlock a smartphone or a tablet.

Scripts created by means of this tool can be executed on many different Android platforms. It allows reproducing complex sequences of user actions.

UI Automator also can utilize external buttons of a device, such as buttons for going back, volume regulation, turning on and off the device.

It can be integrated with testing framework TestNG. In this case UI Automator can generate informative and detailed reports, similar to reports generated by Ranorex. This tool also searches elements very fast.

Software testing experts find UI Automator good for quality mobile application testing on many Android platforms. It is one of the best tools for Android applications, as it is elaborated by Google specially for this operating system.

Usually about 80% of new software bugs reproduce on all the supported platforms. So, one may perform mobile testing on one of widely used platforms and discover up to 80% of defects. The rest 20% will be found on all the other platforms. That means that in most cases it is better to test software product thoroughly on fewer platforms than hastily on numerous.

At present Android 4.1 is installed on about 66% of all devices using Android operating system. That is why many automated test engineers often decide that UI Automator is the most suitable solution.

Ranorex is frequently utilized for creation tests for early Android versions.

source from http://www.softwaretestinghelp.com