Bit by bit comparison of using Java or Python for unit testing frameworks and Selenium
- by Anirudh
Currently we are in the process of finalizing which language out of Java, Python should be used for Automation using selenium webdriver and a suitable unit testing frameworks. I have made use of Junit, TestNG and webdriver while using with Java and have designed frameworks without much fuss before. I am new to python though I came across pyhton's unit testing frameworks like unittest, pyunit, nose e.t.c but I have doubts if they would be as successful as testNG or Java. I would like to analyze point by point when used with selenium webdriver as below:
1)I have read that as Python is an interpreted language hence it's execution is slower, so say if I have to run 1000 test cases which take about 6 hours to run in Java, would python take considerably longer time for the same test cases like 8 hours?
2)Can the Python unit testing framework be as flexible as a Java unit testing framework like testNG in terms or Grouping the tests, parallel execution, skipping test. e.t.c
3)Also one point that I think of is that Python with selenium webdriver doeasn't have as big or learned community as we have for Java with webdriver, say if I run into trouble with something I am more likely to find an answer for Java as compared to python?
4)Somewhat related to point 3, is it safe to rely on tools, plugins or even webderiver's python's binding as a continuously well maintained?
5)One major drawback as I see while using python's unit testing framework is lack of boilerplate code or libraries for nicely illustrative HTML reports preferably historical reports with Pie charts, bar graphs and timelines as we have in case of Java like Allure, TestNG's default reports, reportNG or Junit reports with the help of ANT as shown below
Allure Reports
Junit Historical reports
Also I would like to emphasize on the fact if there is a way for one to write the framework in java and make libraries or utilities according to out application in webdriver which can easily be called or integrated in with python code or modules? That would actually solve the problem for us as the client would be able to use the code we write in Java and make use of the same or call it from their python modules?
