When should i go for Data driven or Keyword driven frameworks?

[Sudheer Reddy T]

When should i go for Data driven or Keyword driven frameworks?

Friends, can anyone please guide me when we should use Data driven and keyword driven frameworks. And also for a project how will we choose that which framework we have to use.

[softwaretestingforum]

The answer lies in the usage of these approaches in automation -

1. Do you have tests which are to be exercised with different data set. For example a registration form which needs to be tested with different data set?

2. Do you have non technical team members/Business analysts who need more insight in to automated tests. Do they also need to be able to write tests using english instead of a programming language?

This is where you may like to follow data and keyword driven approaches respectively.
There might be many other needs which I have not covered here.

[Illusion0Reality]

I have been seeing this:

Many people say is it data driven framework.
What my question is, whenever we create a framework - Maybe Page Object Model / Modular which purely depends on re-usable functions / some keyword driven - that can (and SHOULD be) re-usable with different data (or data sets).

And just curious, why people specifically ask  - is it data driven.

Whenever we have any re-usable function, that should be reused to enter different data sets (e.g., visit a login page with different username and password). So, for me, if any reusability is there, it can be data driven. Am I right?

[softwaretestingforum]

Well, you could have reusable function and yet use it with same data time and again.

I have seen two variations of data driven definitions -

1. Being able to execute same tests again and again with different data set. This is very common.

2. Data driving the tests, which means your application navigation. verification change with respect to data being supplied to test. Frankly, I have never seen any practical implementation of this approach of data driven testing.

Not sure if i answer your question. But wanted to share it any way.

[Illusion0Reality]

Thanks Tarun, yes, now it is pretty clear for me.

[Raj Kumar]

Tarun,

I didn't get what you are trying to explain. Please answer in such a way that everyone understands.

[softwaretestingforum]

ah, Raj could you be more specific what you were not able to follow? And I would try to simplify.