Keyword-Driven Testing Explained

This assignment delves into keyword-driven testing, a methodology used in both manual and automated testing. It explains the concept, its stages of implementation, advantages such as ease of maintenance and use by non-technical testers, and limitations like the initial learning curve. The assignment also highlights the benefits of keyword-driven testing in early development stages, reusability, and time efficiency.

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Keyword-Driven Testing
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19 October 2017

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Keyword-Driven Testing
Keyword driven testing is software that uses data files to have the keywords that are related
to the application that is being tested. It is appropriate for both automated and manual testing.
It is also called Table driven testing or action word based testing. Keyword driven testing has
low and high-level keywords including the keyword arguments that is composed of a
sequence of actions used to define the work of a case being tested by the user by just
dragging and dropping the keyword that is related to the operation one wishes to perform
(Bajpai, 2012). The keyword-driven test entails some stages to be fully developed. First, you
have to analyze and assess the requirements of the application come up with unique software
to be adopted. The next thing that one has to do is to define the model and have the keyboard
and data definition then has the test basis. Then we have the test design for analyzing the test
basis and the manual execution using the keyword specified. The next step is the
implementation stage where you come up with automated scripts and to complete the process
is having the automated test (Pajunen et al., 2011).
One good thing about Keyword-driven tests is that they are easy to create (Smart Bare n.d).
By merely organizing the keywords into excel to represent the test that is to be tested to
efficiently manage and control the start-up. The easiest way to create the keyword-driven test
here is by recording where also the testers can record their actions being performed and the
keyword-driven test is produced for them. In regard to automated tests, it is essential to have
it especially at the beginning of an application being designed so as to check any bugs and
fixing them when detected so as the development process can be cheaper and easier from the
start as compared to having them come up when the application development is almost
completing (Software Testing Genius n.d). In keyword driven testing one can create a
functional test at the beginning of development to test the application all along the
development stages without having to come up with a detailed scripting language.

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In keyword driven testing does not require comprehensive knowledge of scripting language
to write scripts. This makes it possible to quickly have automated tests in place to make the
new testers shorter, and the automated process is thus made to succeed. That makes it very
likely to develop the test successfully without having gone through the knowledge of
programming. In maintenance process, since just keywords are entailed in the whole trial, it
only needs the keywords maintained, and this automatically updates the keyword drive test
thus making it easy to maintain. Therefore Keyword driven testing is possible to be used even
by non-technical testers, compatible with all available automation tools and also with this
test, reusability has a high degree.
There are drawbacks with the Keyword-driven test. In the initial stages of development, it has
a moderately high learning curve because much time may be involved in identifying the
keywords to be used and its related functionalities. Also because it is suitable for non-
technical testers, it becomes a restriction to the testers who are technically abled (BSD,
2014).
The exciting thing about the Keyword drive test is that it is easy to maintain, can be adopted
and tested by non- technical testers and also you do not need to know about the programming
languages to develop it. For it, possibilities to have it designed in early stages from excel
makes easy to make any adjustments without affecting the entire process (Guru n.d.). Also
for it to test the process in batches saves time because if tests are dependent on each other, if
the first fails, there is no need to check the others because they will automatically not work.
To my view, keyword drive test is good software. I also realized that it saves time during
development making it suitable with the current completion. I found is also good due to its
ability to be easily maintained. Just from the discussion, the merits overweigh the demerits,
and I realized how useful keyword drive test is essential.

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Keyword drive test is exists both for manual and automated testing which also makes it easy.
I find the entire process of development to be very brief, simple and direct to the point thus
making it easy to be developed. It is also good in that the very test can be used again and
again. It is therefore advisable to be considered in use due to its low maintenance and easier
development.

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References
Bajpai, N., 2012. A keyword driven framework for testing Web applications. International
Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications (IJACSA), 3(3), pp.8-14.
Smart Bare (n.d). Benefits of Keyword Driven testing. Accessed on 19 Oct. 17.
https://smartbear.com/learn/automated-testing/benefits-of-keyword-testing/
Software Testing Genius n.d. Pros and Cons of Data-driven versus Keyword-driven
Automation Frameworks. http://www.softwaretestinggenius.com/pros-and-cons-of-data-
driven-versus-keyword-driven-automation-frameworks
BSD, 2014. Pros and Cons of Keyword Driven Testing. Accessed on 19 Oct. 17
https://bsdmag.org/pros-cons-of-keyword-driven-testing/
Guru n.d. Keyword Driven Framework Testing - Complete Tutorial. Accessed on 19 Oct. 17
https://www.guru99.com/keyword-driven-testing.html
Pajunen, T., Takala, T. and Katara, M., 2011, March. Model-based testing with a general
purpose keyword-driven test automation framework. In Software Testing, Verification and
Validation Workshops (ICSTW), 2011 IEEE Fourth International Conference on (pp. 242-
251). IEEE.