Top 10 Factors Behind UI-Web Test Automation(Selenium) Flakiness

We all have faced UI test automation flakiness which usually occurs due to various reasons. UI test automation flakiness refers to the inconsistent and unpredictable behavior of automated tests that are designed to verify the functionality of a user interface (UI). Flaky UI tests can produce varying results across different test runs, even when the application being tested hasn’t changed.

This inconsistency can lead to false positives and negatives, making it challenging to rely on test results for accurate assessment of application quality. Flakiness in UI test automation can be caused by factors such as timing issues, synchronization problems, environment variations, and changes in the application’s state. Addressing and minimizing UI test automation flakiness is essential for ensuring reliable and meaningful test results.

Here are the top 10 reasons of UI test automation flakiness:

🔴🚀Timing Issues

UI automation test cases can fail if the application under test takes longer than expected to load.

For example, a test case that verifies the presence of an element on a web page may fail if the element takes longer than usual to load.

🔴🚀Network Issues

Test cases can fail due to network-related issues like slow internet connection, DNS resolution failures, and server downtime.

For example, a test case that verifies the login functionality may fail if the server is down.

🔴🚀Test Environment Issues

Flaky tests can also occur if there are issues with the test environment such as different browser versions or operating systems.

For example, a test case that works fine in Chrome may fail in Firefox due to differences in the browser behavior.

🔴🚀Test Data Issues

Test cases can fail if there are issues with test data.

For example, a test case that verifies the search functionality may fail if the search term used in the test data is invalid or not present in the system.

🔴🚀Synchronization Issues

UI test automation flakiness can also occur due to synchronization issues.

For example, a test case that verifies the text of a button may fail if the text is changed dynamically using JavaScript.

🔴🚀Test Script Issues

Flaky tests can occur due to issues in the test script such as incorrect locator strategies or missing assertions.

For example, a test case that verifies the presence of a button may fail if the wrong locator strategy is used.

🔴🚀Test Framework Issues

UI automation test cases can fail due to issues with the test framework.

For example, a test case that verifies the login functionality may fail if the framework does not handle cookies correctly.

🔴🚀External Dependency Issues

Test cases can fail if there are issues with external dependencies such as APIs or databases.

For example, a test case that verifies the data displayed in a chart may fail if the data is not updated correctly in the database.

🔴🚀Environment Configuration Issues

Flaky tests can occur due to issues with environment configuration such as incorrect path settings or missing dependencies.

For example, a test case that verifies the functionality of an application may fail if the required libraries are not installed in the system.

🔴🚀Test Design Issues

UI test automation flakiness can occur due to issues with test design such as testing too many things in a single test case or not testing enough scenarios.

For example, a test case that verifies the checkout functionality may fail if the test does not cover all the possible payment methods.

By identifying and addressing these issues, you can make your UI automation tests more reliable and reduce flakiness.

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