Description of The Keyword-Driven or Table-Driven Framework

The Keyword-Driven or Table-Driven framework requires the development of data tables and keywords, independent of the test automation tool used to execute them . Tests can be designed with or without the Application. In a keyword-driven test, the functionality of the application-under-test is documented in a table as well as in step-by-step instructions for each test.

There are 3 basis components of a Keyword Driven Framework viz. Keyword , Application Map , Component Function.

Keyword – Keyword is an Action that can be performed on a GUI Component. Ex . For GUI Component Textbox some Keywords ( Action) would be InputText, VerifyValue,
VerifyProperty and so on.

Application Map – An Application Map Provides Named References for GUI Components. Application Maps are nothing but “Object Repositry’

Component Function – Component Functions are those functions that actively manipulate or interrogate GUI component. An example of a function would be click on web
button with all error handling , enter data in a Web Edit with all error handling. Component functions could be application dependent or independent.

Advantages

– Provides high code re-usability
– Test Tool Independent
– Independent of Application Under Test, same script works for AUT (with some limitations)
– Tests can be designed with or without AUT

Disadvantages
– Initial investment being pretty high, the benefits of this can only be
– realized if the application is considerably big and the test scripts are to be maintained for quite a few years.
– High Automation expertise is required to create the Keyword Driven Framework.