Performing Cross Browser Automation Testing with Watir

Cross browser automation testing is a critical aspect of web development, ensuring applications work seamlessly across various browsers and operating systems. One popular tool for achieving this is Watir, a Ruby-based framework that simplifies web browser automation. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up the necessary tools, configuring the automation environment, and performing cross browser testing with Watir on a Windows machine.

Prerequisites for Cross Browser Automation Testing with Watir

Before diving into cross browser automation testing with Watir, ensure you have the following tools installed:

RubyInstaller: Watir requires Ruby, and the RubyInstaller is the official installer for Ruby. Watir: This is a Ruby library for web browser automation, interfacing with Selenium WebDriver. RubyMine IDE: A powerful Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Ruby development, providing a robust environment for writing, debugging, and testing your code.

Setting Up the Automation Environment on Windows

This section provides detailed steps on how to set up the automation environment for cross browser testing using Watir on a Windows machine.

Step 1: Installation of Ruby

Navigate to the Official Ruby Installer page. Click on the latest version with DEVKIT to download. Select the appropriate architecture (e.g., X64 64-bit for a 64-bit operating system). After downloading, run the installer as an administrator. Accept the license agreement and proceed through the installation. The installation process will progress with a progress bar, which typically takes a few minutes. Post-installation, a window may prompt you to update components. You can either close it or hit “Enter” to update components. Open a command prompt and enter the following command:

ruby -v

This command will display the installed version of Ruby, indicating that the installation was successful. To verify the installation, run the following commands:

irb

IRB (Interactive Ruby Shell) will run, confirming that Ruby and the Ruby programming language work correctly.

Step 2: Installation of Watir

Watir simplifies web browser automation in Ruby, and its installation is straightforward once Ruby is installed. Use the following Gem command to install Watir:

gem install watir

This command uses RubyGems, the package manager for the Ruby programming language, to install the Watir gem.

Step 3: Installation of RubyMine IDE

RubyMine is a powerful IDE that helps in writing, debugging, and testing Ruby code. It's compatible with multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.

To download RubyMine, visit the RubyMine download page and follow the download instructions. Run the installer as an administrator. Follow the installation prompts until the IDE is launched. Keep the default settings and proceed with the installation, skipping any plugin updates if not necessary. Once RubyMine is installed, create a new project by right-clicking on the project directory and selecting "Create New Project." Choose "Ruby SDK" and select the Ruby version installed via the RubyInstaller. Create a new directory called "testsuites." Under the "testsuites" directory, create a subdirectory called "resources" and place the "chromedriver.exe" file in it. To run browser-based automation, the chromedriver is required. Similarly, different drivers are available for different browsers (e.g., geckodriver for Mozilla Firefox, edgedriver for Microsoft Edge).

With the above steps, you have successfully set up the environment for cross browser automation testing using Watir. You can now start writing your automation scripts in RubyMine and run them against different browsers to ensure your application works as expected in various environments.