How to automate iOS App using appium on Mac
Today, we shall delve into the exciting world of iOS app automation using Appium on a Mac machine. As you all know, Appium is a popular open-source tool that allows you to automate mobile apps on different platforms, including iOS. And, what better way to learn it than on a Mac machine.
Before we begin, let me remind you that automation is not just about making things faster, it’s also about making them more efficient and accurate. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.
Step 1: “Getting Appium to do the heavy lifting”
The first step in automating an iOS app using Appium is to set up the Appium server on your Mac. This can be done by downloading the Appium server from the official website and installing it on your machine. Once the installation is complete, you can open the Appium server by running the appium command in the terminal.
Step 2: “Calling Appium Desktop Client to the rescue”
The next step is to install the Appium Desktop Client on your Mac. This client is used to connect to the Appium server and allows you to interact with the iOS app that you are automating. You can download the Appium Desktop Client from the official website and install it on your machine.
Step 3: “Fine-tuning Appium server’s settings”
Once the Appium server and client are set up, you need to configure the Appium server to connect to the iOS app that you are automating. This can be done by opening the Appium server and specifying the app’s bundle ID, platform version, and device name.
Step 4: “Creating the perfect iOS Simulator”
Before you can start automating your iOS app, you need to set up the iOS simulator on your Mac. The simulator is used to simulate the environment of an iOS device, and allows you to test your app without having to use a physical device. To set up the simulator, you need to download the Xcode software from the Apple website and install it on your machine.
Step 5: “Penning down the script for automation”
Once the Appium server, client, and simulator are set up, you can start writing the test scripts that will be used to automate your iOS app. Appium supports several different programming languages, including Java, Ruby, and Python, so you can choose the language that you are most comfortable with.
Step 6: “Starting the automation process”
Once the test scripts are written, you can run them on the simulator to see how the app behaves. The test scripts will automatically interact with the app and perform various actions, such as opening and closing the app, navigating through different screens, and interacting with different elements on the screen.
Step 7: “Evaluating the results of automation”
After the test scripts have been run, you can analyze the results to see if the app is working as expected. This can be done by looking at the logs generated by the test scripts, as well as by manually testing the app to see if there are any issues.
Now, to run your tests on a real device, you need to have a provisioning profile and a developer certificate set up on your Mac. Connect your iOS device to your machine and run the test scripts on the device.
It’s also worth noting that Appium allows you to “run multiple tests at the same time”, which means that you can run multiple test scripts at the same time, greatly reducing the time it takes to complete testing.
Lastly, Appium also supports integrating with popular test management tools such as TestNG, JUnit, and Cucumber, allowing you to “organize your test cases and results” in a more organized manner.
In conclusion, automating an iOS app using Appium on a Mac machine is a straightforward process if you