The rapidly growing field of mobile technology requires useful, efficient, and platform- and device-compatible mobile apps. Mobile test automation is scalable, efficient, repeatable, and validates apps against multiple standards without manual labor, making it essential. Bug fixes are faster with automation testing, improving mobile app reliability.
Appium is a top open-source mobile test automation tool. You can test iOS and Android native, hybrid, and mobile web apps with one framework. The “write once, run anywhere” Appium model simplifies testing by letting you write test scripts that use the same API across platforms. It simplifies and speeds up testing in different environments.
What is Appium Desktop Inspector?
The Appium desktop application comes with a graphical user interface (GUI) tool called the Appium Desktop Inspector to help testers automate the testing of mobile applications. This useful tool lets you inspect, debug, and interact with mobile app UIs on Windows, iOS, and Android. Because of its graphical representation of the application’s UI hierarchy, the Inspector makes it easier to identify UI elements that need automation.
The following are the main attributes and capabilities of the Appium Desktop Inspector:
- Visual UI Inspector: It helps testers quickly identify and choose which UI elements to automate by visually representing the mobile application’s user interface. Targeting the right elements helps create more accurate and reliable automated tests.
- Element Locator Strategies: The Inspector supports class name, accessibility ID, XPath, and ID elements within the application’s user interface, which simplifies and reduces the likelihood of errors when creating scripts. Testers can use these strategies to find elements within the app’s UI, making script creation more straightforward and less prone to errors.
- Live Interaction: In real-time, users can click, swipe, and make other gestures directly through the Inspector to interact with their mobile application. This feature helps manually verify UI elements’ behavior and generate the corresponding automation commands.
- Code Generation: After identifying the UI elements, the Appium Desktop Inspector can produce boilerplate code snippets in various programming languages. Using these snippets as a jumping-off point for test script writing can save time and lower the amount of work needed to bootstrap test automation projects.
- Configuring and Managing Sessions: Users can easily start, manage, and end Appium sessions using the Inspector. By setting the features they wish to use for each session, testers can tailor the testing environment to the specific requirements of their mobile application.
- Cross-Platform Support: Compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows apps, the Appium Desktop Inspector allows cross-platform mobile test automation. It abstracts platform differences to test various mobile apps with a single interface.
Getting Started With Appium Desktop Inspector
Here is what you need to do to get started with Appium desktop inspector –
Installation Prerequisites
Before installing the Appium Desktop Inspector, make sure your system complies with the following requirements:
- Node.js and NPM: You must have the latest LTS version of Node.js installed on your system because Appium is a Node.js server. Appium server installation is done with NPM in Node.js.
- Java Development Kit (JDK): JDK must be installed on your computer to automate Android. Make sure the version is the one that Android recommends for compatibility.
- Android Studio or Xcode: Android Studio is required for Android app automation, providing tools like the Android SDK and emulators. Xcode is necessary for iOS app automation, available from the Mac App Store for macOS systems.
- Carthage: Required for iOS automation to build WebDriverAgent.
- Environment Variables: Set up JAVA_HOME, ANDROID_HOME, and add the tools and platform-tools directories of the Android SDK, as well as the bin directory of JDK, to the PATH environment variable.
- Operating Systems: Appium Desktop is compatible with macOS, Windows, and Linux. Each platform has specific requirements, particularly for mobile platform SDKs (Android SDK for Android apps and Xcode for iOS apps).
Easy Step-by-Step Installation Guide For Appium Desktop
Installing Appium Desktop is a straightforward process that lets you start testing mobile applications automatically. With Appium Desktop, you can interact with your application’s user interface by combining the Appium server’s features with an inspector. The following steps will walk you through installing Appium Desktop on your computer:
Step 1: Verify the Needs
Make sure your computer satisfies the following requirements before installing Appium Desktop:
- Node.js: A Node.js server is called Appium. Install Node.js to use Appium. Installing the most recent LTS version of Node.js is advised.
- Java Development Kit (JDK): Required for Android automation. Verify that JDK is correctly installed and configured on the most recent version.
- Android Studio: Offers emulators and the Android SDK for Android testing. If you are testing Android applications, this is a must.
- Xcode (for iOS Testing): Necessary for iOS application testing. Available on macOS only.
Step 2: Download Appium Desktop
- Visit http://appium.io/, the official Appium website.
- Click the “Download Appium” button or navigate to the “Downloads” section.
- Locate the most recent Appium Desktop version that works with your operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux).
- Get the installer file (AppImage for Linux, DMG for macOS, or.exe for Windows) by downloading it.
Step 3. Install Appium Desktop.
For Windows:
- Run the downloaded .exe installer file.
- Follow the installation prompts. You can choose the installation directory or use the default one.
- Complete the installation. You should grant permissions if prompted by Windows Defender or your antivirus software.
For macOS:
- Open the downloaded .dmg file.
- Drag the Appium icon to your Applications folder.
- You might need to right-click and select “Open” the first time you run Appium Desktop to bypass macOS restrictions for unidentified developers.
For Linux:
- Make the downloaded AppImage file executable: Right-click > Properties > Permissions > Allow executing file as a program, or use the terminal: chmod +x [AppImage file name].
- Double-click or run the AppImage file in the terminal.
Step 4: Launch Appium Desktop
- Open Appium Desktop from your applications list or search for it in your system.
- The first launch will open a window where you can start the Appium server. This interface allows you to set server options, though the default settings are sufficient to get started.
Step 5: Verify Installation
- Click on the “Start Server” button to launch the Appium server. If it starts without errors and displays logs in the console, your installation is successful.
- You can start an inspector session or configure your Appium client in your development environment to connect to the Appium server.
Step 6: Configure Environment Variables (Optional)
For Android automation, it’s helpful to set environment variables for JAVA_HOME and ANDROID_HOME, pointing to your JDK installation and Android SDK location, respectively. This step ensures tools like Appium can easily locate the necessary binaries.
Overview of the Appium Desktop Interface
Let us take a quick look at the Appium desktop interface –
- Main Window: Displays the Appium server log and controls to start/stop the server.
- Inspector Window: Opens after starting an Inspector session, showing:
- Desired Capabilities: Where you input your session configurations, such as device name, platform version, app path, etc.
- Session Button: To start the session with the specified capabilities.
- App Source and Screenshot: Displays the app’s current state with a hierarchical view of the UI elements and a screenshot of the app’s current view.
- Element Interaction Panel: Allows you to select, inspect, and interact with UI elements. You can locate elements, send keys, and tap/swipe.
- Because of its intuitive interface for examining and interacting with mobile applications, the Appium Desktop Inspector can streamline your mobile test automation workflow.
Also, Check – Creating Custom HTML Reports In Playwright Tests
Appium Desktop Inspector Test Creation and Execution
Writing and running test scripts is the last step in creating and running tests with the Appium Desktop Inspector. The process begins with configuring your testing environment.
The Appium Desktop Inspector’s simple interface for engaging with the application under test (AUT), creating locator strategies, and debugging makes it useful for mobile app automation. This detailed Appium Desktop Inspector guide covers test creation and execution:
1. Setting Up a Test Environment
a) Install Appium Desktop
Ensure you have Appium Desktop installed on your machine. This includes having Node.js installed since Appium is a Node.js server.
b) Configure Development Tools
For Android, install Android Studio and set up the Android SDK. Ensure you have created an emulator or have a real device connected. For iOS, install Xcode and ensure you have access to an iOS simulator or a real device.
c) Start Appium Server
Open Appium Desktop and start the server. This will be the backbone of your test automation, handling commands and controlling your AUT.
2. Configuring Devices and Emulators
- Android: Enable Developer Options and USB Debugging. To create and manage emulators, use the AVD Manager in Android Studio.
- iOS: Use Xcode to manage simulators. Ensure real devices are registered and trusted on your development machine.
3. Application Under Test (AUT) Setup
- In the Appium Desktop Inspector, you’ll need to specify the path to your application (.apk for Android or .app/.ipa for iOS) in the desired capabilities.
- This tells Appium which application to launch during the test.
4. Writing Test Scripts Using the Inspector
a) Launch the Inspector
Start a new session in Appium Desktop by entering the desired capabilities for your AUT. This includes details like device name, platform version, app path, and any other necessary configurations.
b) Explore and Interact with Your AUT
Use the Inspector to navigate through your application. You can click on elements within the app’s screenshot or the UI hierarchy to view their properties and actions.
c) Generate Locator Strategies
Selecting elements in the Inspector will display their locator strategies (e.g., ID, XPath, accessibility ID). These are crucial for identifying elements in your test scripts.
5. Utilizing the Generated Code Snippets
- The Inspector can generate code snippets based on your interactions.
- These snippets can be copied and used as a starting point in your test scripts, saving time and ensuring accuracy in element identification.
6. Running Tests from the Appium Desktop
- While Appium Desktop doesn’t run tests, it starts the Appium server and inspects elements.
- You’ll run your tests from a command line or IDE, targeting the Appium server you started with Appium Desktop.
7. Step-by-Step Execution
- Execute your test script using your preferred development environment. The script will communicate with the Appium server, which interacts with your AUT.
- Monitor the actions on the device/emulator and the output from your test script for success or failure of test cases.
8. Analyzing Test Results
- After running your tests, analyze the output and logs for failures or errors.
- To debug and enhance your tests, use the data from the Appium Desktop Inspector and the logs from your test scripts.
Exploring the Appium Desktop Inspector for mobile test automation involves understanding how this tool can inspect, record, and debug tests for mobile applications. When integrated with cloud-based platforms, the capabilities of Appium, particularly for mobile test automation, are significantly enhanced.
LambdaTest complements Appium by providing cloud-based access to many real devices and browsers. This integration greatly increases productivity and test coverage while expanding the testing landscape.
The cutting-edge platform LambdaTest lets users manually and automatically test web and mobile apps on multiple operating systems and browsers. It provides extensive testing environments to help developers and QA specialists ensure their apps work on multiple platforms and devices.
Teams can test their web applications on over 3000 real browser and operating system combinations, ensuring cross-platform compatibility.
You get many mobile devices for testing mobile applications and support Android and iOS platforms. This is important to detect device-specific problems that emulators might miss.
Testing can be a smooth and seamless part of the development process because of its integration with various CI/CD tools. Early in the development cycle, this integration aids in detecting and resolving problems.
Team members can collaborate more easily by sharing screenshots, logs, and test results thanks to LambdaTest. It also integrates with communication and project management tools, simplifying the reporting and tracking of bugs.
Conclusion
The study of Appium Desktop Inspector revealed its crucial role in mobile test automation, providing a user-friendly interface for examining, troubleshooting, and engaging with mobile apps. When paired with LambdaTest, the capabilities for ensuring application quality are significantly enhanced.