The mobile testing capabilities
of IBM® Rational® Test Workbench Mobile Test Edition automate the creation, execution, and analysis
of functional tests for native, web, and hybrid applications on Android
and iOS devices.
Stages in the testing process
The goal of
mobile testing is to ensure that your mobile application meets the
requirements that guided its design and development. To help you meet
this goal,
IBM Rational Test Workbench Mobile Test Edition implements the following stages in the testing
process:
- Installation and configuration: Set up your test environment
with IBM Rational Test Workbench Mobile Test Edition and the SDKs for the mobile operating systems.
Install the mobile test client on
one or several mobile devices. Ensure that the mobile devices have
WiFi, 3G, or 4G connectivity, and add those devices to the test workbench.
- Application preparation: Import the application that you
want to test into the test workbench,
or on Android devices, use the device to upload the application under
test to the test workbench.
- Test recording: Run the app from the mobile test client to start a recording.
The recorder app records all user interactions, sensor inputs, and
application behavior, and then uploads the recorded data to the test workbench, where it can be
converted into a mobile test.
- Test editing: After recording, you can edit the test in
the natural language editor. You can use the mobile data view to display
and select UI elements from the recorded applications. You can replace
recorded test values with variable test data or add dynamic data to
the test.
- Test execution: You can deploy and run automated tests
on multiple devices to ensure that the app matches the expected behavior
defined in verification points. During the run, each verification
point is checked and receives a pass, fail,
or inconclusive status and functional data is recorded.
- Evaluation of results: After the test, the device uploads
the test data to the test workbench.
You evaluate the test results through the performance and verification
point reports that are generated with the uploaded data. You can also
design custom reports by manipulating a wide range of counters. Functional
reports provide a comprehensive view of the behavior of the app under
test. Reports can be exported and archived for validation.
The test workbench
The
following main components in the
test workbench are designed specifically
to help you test mobile apps:
- A test navigator lists test projects, tests, mobile devices, and
the mobile incoming recordings that are used to generate tests.

- A device editor lists the devices that are connected to the test workbench. This editor displays
detailed specifications of each device, which allows you to select
the hardware platforms on which you can deploy and run your tests.

- An application editor lists the managed apps that are uploaded
and prepared for testing.

- A test editor enables you to edit test scripts in natural language
and add actions, verification points, datapools, test variables, or
stubs in your script steps.

- A mobile data view displays the screen captures that were uploaded
from the mobile device during the recording. Use this view to display
and select user interface (UI) elements and optionally add verification
points to the test script.
Support for testing native, web, and hybrid applications
Use
the test workbench to
test various types of mobile applications, including native applications,
hybrid applications, and browser-based, web applications.
A native Android
or iOS application is built using a native SDK, whose services are
defined according to each platform architecture. Android applications
are typically created with Java™ or
C++, whereas iOS applications are created using Objective-C. All native
applications require installation on the device and can only be installed
on one, particular platform.
A browser-based web application
is developed using pure web technologies, such as HTML 5, CSS3, and JavaScript libraries, such
as Dojo and JQuery. Web applications are developed to run in multiple
browsers and are platform-independent. This release includes support
for Dojo Mobile 1.9 and jQuery Mobile 1.3.
A hybrid application
is an application that combines both native and web technologies.
The web part relies on HTML 5, CSS3, and JavaScript, whereas the native part might
include platform-specific controls, such as the Go button in the following
diagram:

Support for IBM Worklight
IBM Worklight® helps you build, test, and deploy
native, HTML5, and hybrid mobile applications. Developers can build
apps with IBM Worklight and deploy them on Android, iOS,
and other platforms, eliminating the need to port apps developed on
one platform to the other platform.
With the test workbench, you can test applications
that were developed using IBM Worklight v6.0 and later.
To test applications that were developed in earlier versions of IBM Worklight, you must upgrade the application
to v6.0 or later by loading the project in Worklight Studio and rebuilding.