What is the best way to use robot framework test reports for tracking progress?

1 Choosing the right report format

Robot framework offers three types of reports: HTML, XML, and log. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on your needs and preferences. HTML reports are easy to read and share, but they may not contain all the information you need. XML reports are more comprehensive and structured, but they require additional tools to view and analyze. Log reports are useful for debugging and troubleshooting, but they can be overwhelming and hard to navigate. You can choose the report format that suits your goals and audience, or use a combination of them.

2 Customizing the report content

Robot framework allows you to customize the report content by using various options and keywords. For example, you can use tags to categorize your test cases, suites, and keywords, and filter them in the reports. You can also use metadata to add additional information, such as test environment, version, or author, to the reports. You can also use documentation to describe the purpose, logic, and expected results of your test cases, suites, and keywords, and make them more understandable in the reports. You can also use variables to insert dynamic values, such as timestamps, statuses, or messages, to the reports.

3 Analyzing the report data

Robot framework provides various metrics and statistics to help you analyze the report data and measure the progress of your testing. For example, you can use the summary table to see the overall results of your test execution, such as the number, duration, and status of your test cases and suites. You can also use the details table to see the results of each test case and suite, along with the keywords and messages. You can also use the graphs to visualize the distribution of your test cases and suites by status, tag, or duration. You can also use the logs to inspect the execution flow and output of your test cases and keywords.

4 Sharing the report findings

Robot framework enables you to share the report findings with your team members, managers, clients, or other stakeholders, by using different methods and formats. For example, you can use the --report option to generate a single HTML file that contains the summary, details, and graphs of your test execution. You can also use the --output option to generate an XML file that contains all the data of your test execution, which you can use with other tools or frameworks. You can also use the --log option to generate an HTML file that contains the logs of your test execution. You can also use the --xunit option to generate an XML file that follows the xUnit format, which you can use with continuous integration systems.

5 Improving the report quality

Robot framework helps you improve the quality of your reports by following some best practices and guidelines. For example, you can use the --name option to give meaningful names to your test reports, which can help you identify and organize them. You can also use the --timestampoutputs option to add timestamps to your report files, which can help you track and compare them. You can also use the --splitlog option to split the log file into smaller chunks, which can help you reduce the file size and improve the performance. You can also use the --nostatusrc option to disable the return code of the test execution, which can help you avoid false negatives or positives.

Robot framework test reports are powerful and flexible tools that can help you track the progress of your testing activities, identify issues, and communicate results to stakeholders. By choosing the right report format, customizing the report content, analyzing the report data, sharing the report findings, and improving the report quality, you can use them effectively and efficiently.