React Native + Appium
What is React native
What React Native says: https://reactnative.dev/
“React Native combines the best parts of native development with React, a best-in-class JavaScript library for building user interfaces.”
Why exactly was there a need for it?
React native helps with hybrid app development
Meaning, a native should look, feel and do the same job despite it working on a Android or IOS device
React native made that difficult task possible
What is appium?
To write a code that interacts with another code,
the former not only needs to interact with the latter but also, inspect, identify, understand the elements on a given UI
Appium help us with that
You can also, call it the client-server architecture
The appium client sends a request to the server,
The server sends a request to the device to perform the necessary action.
The server would then return the result back to client to update the test status
How can I combine React Native with appium to make testing possible
So given the fact, React Native makes development of both Android and IOS apps possible
It is not as easy or straightforward to test it
To add to the complexity, some features or components of React Native are native
while others use webview
and appium detects and understands these behaviour :D
Back in my testing and automation days, when I struggled with a good reliable and sustainable xpath for an element,
I would ask my fellow developers, why can’t they name — elements and objects judiciously
This is exactly the biggest pro-tip in case of React native app development and automation
Due to the nature and behaviour of React native apps on Android and IOS and the difference between the device types and OS,
It is a best practise that both testID and AccessibilityLabel added as an attribute for every component to be tested
So, when in case, testID may not be a characteristic of a component on a particular device type,
there is still another better attribute to help capture and test the element on
I hope these quick tips and tricks help you in your React Native automation with Appium
