Base page class pattern in Selenium Java - Framework Patterns

Framework Mode - Base page class pattern

Folder Structure

src/
└── test/
    └── java/
        └── com/
            └── example/
                ├── base/
                │   └── BasePage.java
                ├── pages/
                │   ├── LoginPage.java
                │   └── HomePage.java
                ├── tests/
                │   ├── LoginTest.java
                │   └── HomeTest.java
                └── utils/
                    ├── DriverFactory.java
                    └── WaitUtils.java

Test Framework Layers

• Base Layer: BasePage.java contains common methods like click, type, wait, and driver management. All page classes extend this.
• Page Objects: Classes like LoginPage.java and HomePage.java represent web pages. They use locators and methods specific to each page.
• Tests: Test classes like LoginTest.java contain test methods that use page objects to perform actions and assertions.
• Utilities: Helper classes like DriverFactory.java manage WebDriver setup and teardown. WaitUtils.java provides explicit wait methods.

Configuration Patterns

• Use config.properties file to store environment URLs, browser types, and credentials.
• DriverFactory reads config to initialize WebDriver for Chrome, Firefox, etc.
• Use Java system properties or Maven profiles to switch environments (dev, test, prod) at runtime.
• Keep sensitive data like passwords encrypted or use environment variables.

Test Reporting and CI/CD Integration

• Integrate TestNG reports for detailed test execution results.
• Use Allure or ExtentReports for rich HTML reports with screenshots on failure.
• Configure CI tools like Jenkins or GitHub Actions to run tests on code push.
• Publish reports as build artifacts and notify team via email or chat.

Best Practices for Base Page Class Pattern

• Single Responsibility: BasePage should only have common reusable methods, not page-specific logic.
• Use Explicit Waits: Include wait methods in BasePage to avoid flaky tests.
• Encapsulation: Keep locators private in page classes and expose only meaningful actions.
• Inheritance: All page classes extend BasePage to reuse code and maintain consistency.
• Driver Management: BasePage holds WebDriver instance passed from test or driver factory.

Self Check

Where would you add a new page object class for the "Profile" page in this framework structure?

Key Result

Use a BasePage class to hold common web page methods and have all page objects extend it for code reuse and maintainability.