Hybrid framework architecture in Selenium Java - Framework Patterns

Framework Mode - Hybrid framework architecture

Folder Structure

project-root/
├── src/
│   ├── main/
│   │   └── java/
│   │       └── com/example/app/
│   │           └── (application source code)
│   └── test/
│       └── java/
│           └── com/example/tests/
│               ├── base/               # Base classes (TestBase, DriverManager)
│               ├── pages/              # Page Object classes
│               ├── tests/              # Test classes (TestNG/JUnit)
│               ├── utils/              # Utility classes (helpers, data readers)
│               └── data/               # Test data files (Excel, JSON)
├── resources/
│   ├── config.properties               # Configuration file
│   └── testdata/                       # External test data files
├── testng.xml                         # TestNG suite configuration
├── pom.xml                            # Maven build file
└── README.md
    

Test Framework Layers

• Driver Layer: Manages WebDriver setup, browser initialization, and teardown.
• Page Object Layer: Contains page classes representing UI pages with locators and actions.
• Test Layer: Test classes that use page objects and test data to perform test scenarios.
• Utility Layer: Helper classes for reading test data, logging, waits, and reusable methods.
• Configuration Layer: Holds environment settings, browser types, URLs, and credentials.

Configuration Patterns

Use a config.properties file to store environment variables like URLs, browser types, and credentials.

Example config.properties:

url=https://example.com
browser=chrome
username=testuser
password=testpass
    

Load properties in a utility class to access configuration values.

Use Maven profiles or system properties to switch environments (dev, test, prod) during test execution.

Test Reporting and CI/CD Integration

• Use TestNG built-in reports and extend with ExtentReports for detailed HTML reports with screenshots.
• Integrate with CI/CD tools like Jenkins or GitHub Actions to run tests automatically on code commits.
• Configure test reports to be archived and emailed after test runs.
• Use logs and screenshots on failure to help debugging.

Best Practices for Hybrid Framework

1. Combine Keyword-Driven and Data-Driven Testing: Use keywords to define test steps and external data files to drive test inputs.
2. Use Page Object Model: Keep UI locators and actions separate from test logic for easy maintenance.
3. Centralize Configuration: Manage environment and browser settings in one place for flexibility.
4. Implement Reusable Utilities: Create helper methods for common tasks like waits, logging, and data reading.
5. Keep Tests Independent: Each test should run alone without relying on others to avoid flaky results.

Self Check

Where in this folder structure would you add a new page object class for the Login page?

Key Result

Hybrid framework combines keyword-driven and data-driven testing with Page Object Model for maintainable, flexible automation.