Testautomation with Robot Framework

The generic open source framework Robot Framework is used for the automation, execution and evaluation of software tests as well as for Robotic Process Automation (RPA).

The goal of Robot Framework is to serve as a holistic test automation framework. During development, it was important to ensure easy manageability, fully automated test execution and also easy maintainability, both of the tests and of the framework itself.

Since the beginning of the development of Robot Framework in 2005 for Nokia, the framework has become an open source project with a large supporter base. Well-known companies support the project, as does imbus. Due to the increasingly broad support of the Robot Framework Foundation, the development team has grown and the release cycles for new versions have been shortened considerably. New functions and bug fixes thus find their way into the framework more quickly.

Robot Framework is a Python-based application-, platform- and technology-independent generic test automation framework that can be used for almost all use cases with its highly modular architecture. It offers a strict separation between test data, test execution including reporting, test libraries, test tools and the "System under Test" (SUT/DUT).

The framework can be easily extended by integrating suitable libraries. By means of the libraries, application interfaces can be directly controlled or test tools on lower levels (e.g. drivers) can be controlled. The use of Python makes it easy to create new libraries for additional use cases. For many use cases the existing libraries can be used directly.

The use of keywords in test case creation is another strength of the framework. The different abstraction levels make it possible to separate test design from test automation. In a short time, a set of high-level keywords can thus be created, with which even people who do not have much programming experience can create test cases. The actual implementation or programming of the automation is then done on deeper keyword layers created by appropriate test engineers. Data Driven, Acceptance Driven, Behavior Driven Testing (Gherkin Syntax) is also possible with Robot Framework.

The integration of Robot Framework into your change management systems, existing test and version management tools, continuous integration environments (e.g. Jenkins), i.e. into your development landscape, is just as easy using the libraries. The test results can thus be automatically made available in Jenkins after test execution and are directly accessible to all persons.

Robot Framework has a very active community with currently around 12,000 users and 46 supporting companies from a wide range of sectors, and the trend is rising.

Robot Framework and imbus have been closely connected since 2010. imbus was the first non-Finnish company to join the Robot Framework Foundation as an active supporter and member. Since then, imbus employees have been actively involved in the Foundation in various specialist groups to promote the further development of the framework. An example of this is the co-development of the web automation library "Robot Framework Browser" or the library for accessibility. The corresponding libraries were made freely available to everyone in the spirit of the open source idea represented with them.

imbus tool connection to Robot Framework

imbus own tool TestBench is connected to the framework . Test cases developed in TestBench can be exported in Robot Framework compatible format and executed in Robot Framework.

This creates a powerful alliance of different tools to best support your test automation needs. This has been impressively proven in countless customer projects over the past years.  

Thanks to many years of experience in the implementation of test projects, active co-development and a high level of commitment to the Robot Framework Foundation over the years, imbus is the solution provider for Robot Framework in Germany.

You would like to use Robot Framework, but need a connection to special tools? imbus is the right partner for you. We develop customer-oriented solutions and customized libraries for you, in order to integrate Robot Framework in your development landscape in the best possible way, as well as the connection of your tools for test execution. You need a test environment integrated into your CI Pipline (DevOps, Jenkins) that also includes reporting and logging? Contact us! We support you to bring your software to market with the best possible quality.

Test service and test outsourcing for Robot Framework

Are you looking for support in creating test cases? You want to automate your manual tests or optimize your existing automation? You are interested in an efficiently usable test development process, but do not have the necessary expertise yet? We are happy to support you in the selection of the appropriate automation including the customized connection to your systems, the creation of keyword databases with an ISO29119 compliant keyword layer concept tailored to your needs and its implementation. If desired, the service also includes the creation and implementation of test cases, as well as the coaching and training of your employees, so that they can implement test cases with Robot Framework in the best possible way in the future.

We offer you to leave the test package completely in our experienced hands within the framework of a test outsourcing. You deliver the requirements and the test object - we take care of the test automation and deliver the test cases and test results to you. Robot Framework can be used without additional licensing costs due to its open source approach.