AndroidDriver Class Notes By ShariqSP

Understanding the AndroidDriver Class in Appium Testing

The AndroidDriver class is a specialized driver in Appium used for automating Android applications. It extends the AppiumDriver class and provides additional methods tailored for Android-specific interactions.

Role of AndroidDriver in Appium Testing

Platform-Specific Commands:
The AndroidDriver includes Android-specific capabilities, such as handling Android activities, unlocking devices, and interacting with system-level components.
Enhanced Control:
Provides methods to interact with mobile gestures, such as scrolling, swiping, and multi-touch actions, making it essential for comprehensive mobile testing.
Direct Communication:
Allows the test script to send commands to the Android operating system using the W3C WebDriver protocol.

Creating an AndroidDriver Instance

The AndroidDriver is initialized with the server URL and desired capabilities to establish a connection with the Appium server.


              // Import necessary classes
              import io.appium.java_client.MobileElement;
              import io.appium.java_client.android.AndroidDriver;
              import org.openqa.selenium.remote.DesiredCapabilities;
              
              import java.net.URL;
              
              public class AndroidDriverExample {
                  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
                      DesiredCapabilities caps = new DesiredCapabilities();
                      caps.setCapability("platformName", "Android");
                      caps.setCapability("deviceName", "Pixel_4");
                      caps.setCapability("automationName", "UiAutomator2");
                      caps.setCapability("app", "/path/to/app.apk");
              
                      // Initialize AndroidDriver
                      AndroidDriver driver = new AndroidDriver<>(
                          new URL("http://127.0.0.1:4723/wd/hub"), caps
                      );
              
                      // Perform actions
                      driver.quit();
                  }
              }

Key Methods of AndroidDriver

The AndroidDriver class provides several methods for interacting with Android devices and applications:

findElement(By locator):

Locates a single element on the screen using the specified locator strategy.


              MobileElement element = driver.findElement(By.id("element_id"));
              element.click(); // Perform a click action

scrollTo(String text):

Scrolls to an element containing the specified text. This is Android-specific functionality.


              // Scroll to an element containing specific text
              driver.findElement(MobileBy.AndroidUIAutomator(
                  "new UiScrollable(new UiSelector().scrollable(true)).scrollTextIntoView(\"Text\")"));

lockDevice():

Locks the Android device.


              // Lock the device
              driver.lockDevice();

unlockDevice():

Unlocks the Android device.


              // Unlock the device
              driver.unlockDevice();

isDeviceLocked():

Checks if the device is locked.


              // Check if the device is locked
              boolean isLocked = driver.isDeviceLocked();
              System.out.println("Is device locked? " + isLocked);

startActivity(String appPackage, String appActivity):

Launches a specific activity within an Android application.


              // Launch a specific activity
              driver.startActivity(new Activity("com.example.app", "com.example.app.MainActivity"));

getCurrentPackage():

Returns the package name of the currently running app.


              // Get the current app package
              String currentPackage = driver.getCurrentPackage();
              System.out.println("Current package: " + currentPackage);

openNotifications():

Opens the notification shade on the Android device.


              // Open the notification shade
              driver.openNotifications();

Best Practices for Using AndroidDriver

Ensure the device/emulator is correctly configured and connected to the Appium server.
Use explicit waits to handle dynamic content loading.
Leverage Android-specific features, such as accessing notifications and interacting with activities, for comprehensive testing.
Organize test scripts to separate platform-specific logic from common logic for cross-platform compatibility.

Comprehensive Methods in AndroidDriver Class

The AndroidDriver class offers a rich set of methods tailored for Android-specific testing. Below is a detailed exploration of twenty key methods to maximize the potential of Appium in automating Android applications.

installApp(String appPath):

Installs the specified app on the connected Android device.


                    // Install an application
                    driver.installApp("/path/to/app.apk");

isAppInstalled(String appPackage):

Checks if a particular app is installed on the Android device.


                    // Check if an app is installed
                    boolean isInstalled = driver.isAppInstalled("com.example.app");
                    System.out.println("App installed: " + isInstalled);

removeApp(String appPackage):

Uninstalls the specified app from the Android device.


                    // Remove an application
                    driver.removeApp("com.example.app");

pushFile(String remotePath, File file):

Pushes a file from the local machine to the Android device.


                    // Push a file to the device
                    driver.pushFile("/sdcard/Download/test.txt", new File("local/test.txt"));

pullFile(String remotePath):

Pulls a file from the Android device to the local machine.


                    // Pull a file from the device
                    byte[] fileData = driver.pullFile("/sdcard/Download/test.txt");

pullFolder(String remotePath):

Retrieves the contents of a folder from the Android device.


                    // Pull a folder from the device
                    byte[] folderData = driver.pullFolder("/sdcard/Download");

toggleWifi():

Toggles the WiFi state on the Android device.


                    // Toggle WiFi state
                    driver.toggleWifi();

toggleLocationServices():

Toggles the location services on the Android device.


                    // Toggle location services
                    driver.toggleLocationServices();

setNetworkConnection(ConnectionType connectionType):

Sets the network connection type on the Android device.


                    // Set network connection to airplane mode
                    driver.setNetworkConnection(ConnectionType.AIRPLANE_MODE);

getNetworkConnection():

Retrieves the current network connection type.


                    // Get the current network connection
                    ConnectionType connectionType = driver.getNetworkConnection();
                    System.out.println("Current network: " + connectionType);

shake():

Simulates a shake gesture on the Android device.


                    // Simulate a shake gesture
                    driver.shake();

rotate(ScreenOrientation orientation):

Rotates the screen orientation to the specified state.


                    // Rotate the screen to landscape
                    driver.rotate(ScreenOrientation.LANDSCAPE);

getOrientation():

Gets the current screen orientation of the Android device.


                    // Get the current screen orientation
                    ScreenOrientation orientation = driver.getOrientation();
                    System.out.println("Current orientation: " + orientation);

getBatteryInfo():

Retrieves the battery information of the Android device.


                    // Get battery info
                    Map batteryInfo = driver.getBatteryInfo();
                    System.out.println("Battery level: " + batteryInfo.get("level"));

hideKeyboard():

Hides the on-screen keyboard if it is displayed.


                    // Hide the keyboard
                    driver.hideKeyboard();

pressKeyCode(int keyCode):

Sends a key code to the Android device.


                    // Send the home key event
                    driver.pressKeyCode(AndroidKeyCode.HOME);

longPressKeyCode(int keyCode):

Simulates a long press on the specified key code.


                    // Long press the back key
                    driver.longPressKeyCode(AndroidKeyCode.BACK);

resetApp():

Resets the currently running application.


                    // Reset the app
                    driver.resetApp();

terminateApp(String appPackage):

Terminates the specified app.


                    // Terminate an app
                    driver.terminateApp("com.example.app");

activateApp(String appPackage):

Brings the specified app to the foreground.


                    // Activate an app
                    driver.activateApp("com.example.app");

performTouchAction(TouchAction action):

Performs a complex touch gesture such as tap, swipe, or long press.


                    // Perform a tap action
                    TouchAction action = new TouchAction(driver);
                    action.tap(PointOption.point(100, 200)).perform();