Python libraries for Robot Framework

Introduction

This article is a continuation of the article «Robot Framework Test Architecture»

From it you can learn how to connect your Python libraries to Robot Framework tests.

It is assumed that in addition to the article on architecture you have mastered installation and the basics of Robot Framework.

You can read about several ways to specify the path to libraries and resources here .

Connect your Python library

Robot Framework allows you to do a lot of complex tests without going beyond the .robot files.

However, I am one of those robot users who prefer to shift the main load to Python libraries, and keep .robot files as simple as possible.

Libraries are usually stored in the lib, libraries, Lib, Libraries, and similar directories. Import can be done by specifying a relative path.

In my experience in Linux systems, .py after the library can be omitted. I will do this first for clarity and compatibility.

*** Settings *** Library ../libraries/app.py

If the library has a function some_name(), then it should be called from the robot without brackets, replacing the underscore with a space and making the first letters of words capital - that is, like Some Name

Simple example

Let's consider the test demo.robot which receives a random number from a range from an external library.

random_demo/ |-- Libraries | `-- custom_random.py `-- Tests `-- demo.robot

# custom_random.py from random import randrange def get_random_number(limit) -> int: return randrange(int(limit))

*** Settings *** Documentation Example that uses external python library Library ../Libraries/custom_random.py *** Test Cases *** Check Smallest Limit ${number}= Get Random Number 1 Should Be Equal As Integers ${number} 0

Note how the function get_random_number() is called as the keyword Get Random Number

Argument 1 is passed without brackets after four spaces.

python -m robot .\demo.robot

============================================================================== Demo :: Example that uses external python library ============================================================================== Check limit | PASS | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Demo :: Example that uses external python library | PASS | 1 test, 1 passed, 0 failed ============================================================================== Output: C:\Users\Andrei\robot\random_demo\Tests\output.xml Log: C:\Users\Andrei\robot\random_demo\Tests\log.html Report: C:\Users\Andrei\robot\random_demo\Tests\report.html

Example with UI

Let's look at an example of the UI of the test: the Python library gives one URL after another. Robot goes to this address and checks whether the header matches the expected value.

In the part of the test runs there will be PASS, in the part of FAIL

Make sure that you have installed and configured the library robotframework-browser

ext_py_lib/ |-- browser |-- libraries | `-- unstable_url.py `-- tests `-- test_title.robot

from random import randrange def get_unstable_url() -> str: if randrange(2) == 1: return "https://www.urn.su" else: return "https://www.heihei.ru"

*** Settings *** Documentation Example that opens single page Library Browser ... enable_playwright_debug=${True} ... auto_closing_level=TEST ... retry_assertions_for=0:00:03 Library ../libraries/unstable_url.py Force Tags ui *** Variables *** *** Keywords *** Test Setup Tasks Start Chromium Browser Test Teardown Tasks Close Browser Start Chromium Browser New Browser browser=chromium headless=True New Context viewport={'width': 1920, 'height': 1080} ignoreHTTPSErrors=True *** Test Cases *** Starting a browser with a page [Tags] title ${url} = Get Unstable Url New Page ${url} Get Title == URN.SU Close Browser

robot tests

============================================================================== Tests ============================================================================== Tests.Test Title :: Example that opens single page ============================================================================== Starting a browser with a page | PASS | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tests.Test Title :: Example that opens single page | PASS | 1 test, 1 passed, 0 failed ============================================================================== Tests | PASS | 1 test, 1 passed, 0 failed ============================================================================== Output: C:\Users\Andrei\robot\ext_py_lib\output.xml Log: C:\Users\Andrei\robot\ext_py_lib\log.html Report: C:\Users\Andrei\robot\ext_py_lib\report.html

robot tests

============================================================================== Tests ============================================================================== Tests.Test Title :: Example that opens single page ============================================================================== Starting a browser with a page | FAIL | Title 'HeiHei.ru' (str) should be 'URN.SU' (str) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tests.Test Title :: Example that opens single page | FAIL | 1 test, 0 passed, 1 failed ============================================================================== Tests | FAIL | 1 test, 0 passed, 1 failed ============================================================================== Output: C:\Users\Andrei\robot\ext_py_lib\output.xml Log: C:\Users\Andrei\robot\ext_py_lib\log.html Report: C:\Users\Andrei\robot\ext_py_lib\report.html

For information on how to add the ability for Python functions to write to the robot log and/or console, read here

More complex example

Example of testing a Desktop application using the library PyWinAuto you can study here

Example with OOP

Based on the first example from this article, we will consider connecting a library with OOP.

Previously, the keyword was a regular function get_unstable_url().

Now the library will have class CustomRandom with method get_unstalbe_url()

Rename custom_random.py to CustomRandom.py - so that the file name matches the class name.

So the robot will be able to understand that we are importing as a library.

keyword_demo/ |-- Libraries | `-- CustomRandom.py `-- Tests `-- demo.robot

# CustomRandom.py from random import randrange class CustomRandom: def get_random_number(self, limit) -> int: return randrange(int(limit))

File demo.robot remains unchanged

*** Settings *** Documentation Example that uses external python library Library ../Libraries/CustomRandom.py *** Test Cases *** Check Smallest Limit ${number}= Get Random Number 1 Should Be Equal As Integers ${number} 0

python -m robot .\keyword_demo\Tests\demo.robot

============================================================================== Demo :: Example that uses external python library ============================================================================== Check Smallest Limit | PASS | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Demo :: Example that uses external python library | PASS | 1 test, 1 passed, 0 failed ==============================================================================

@keyword

By default, the keyword name is derived from the function or method name by replacing _ with a space and capitalizing the first letters of all words.

So the function

my_keyword()

will match the keyword

My Keyword

Using the decorator keyword from robot.api.deco, you can make the keyword name independent of the method name.

Let's leave the method name get_random_number() but specify the name Super Random in @keyword

# CustomRandom.py from random import randrange from robot.api.deco import keyword class CustomRandom: @keyword(name="Super Random") def get_random_number(self, limit) -> int: return randrange(int(limit))

In demo.robot you now need to use Super Random, it will no longer be able to find the old name Get Random Number.

*** Settings *** Documentation Example that uses external python library Library ../Libraries/CustomRandom.py *** Test Cases *** Check Smallest Limit ${number}= Super Random 1 Should Be Equal As Integers ${number} 0

python -m robot .\keyword_demo\Tests\demo.robot

============================================================================== Demo :: Example that uses external python library ============================================================================== Check Smallest Limit | PASS | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Demo :: Example that uses external python library | PASS | 1 test, 1 passed, 0 failed ==============================================================================

If you add the keyword_demo directory to your PYTHONPATH, you can import the CustomRandom library as follows.

Library Libraries.CustomRandom

For clarity, we will add using --pythonpath

You can study the full code in the article Robot Framework Basics: System Path

python -m robot --pythonpath .\keyword_demo .\keyword_demo\Tests\demo.robot

Keywords in Russian

From the previous chapter it is clear that with @keyword you can change the names of keywords.

You can use names in Russian as new names.

# CustomRandom.py from random import randrange from robot.api.deco import keyword class CustomRandom: @keyword(name="Сгенерировать случайное число") def get_random_number(self, limit) -> int: return randrange(int(limit))

*** Settings *** Documentation Example that uses external python library Library ../Libraries/CustomRandom.py *** Test Cases *** Проверить Наименьший Лимит ${number}= Сгенерировать случайное число 1 Should Be Equal As Integers ${number} 0

python -m robot .\keyword_demo\Tests\demo.robot

============================================================================== Demo :: Example that uses external python library ============================================================================== Проверить Наименьший Лимит | PASS | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Demo :: Example that uses external python library | PASS | 1 test, 1 passed, 0 failed ==============================================================================

There was a pretty funny bug with @keyword. When @keyword was used in a library, like this

from robot.api.deco import keyword @keyword def example(): pass

Not only the Example keyword was created, but also the keyword Keyword