FAQ
Quick answers to the questions people ask most about OrbitTest and Orbittest Studio. Each answer links to the page that covers the topic in depth.
About the project
Section titled “About the project”What is OrbitTest?
Section titled “What is OrbitTest?”An end-to-end testing framework for websites and Android apps. You write tests in plain JavaScript, and OrbitTest drives a real Chrome browser or a real Android device — clicking, typing, and checking what appears on screen. The distinctive idea is intent-first locators: you target elements by the text users see (await orbit.click("Login")) instead of CSS selectors. Start with the Introduction.
Is OrbitTest free and open source?
Section titled “Is OrbitTest free and open source?”Yes. The framework is open source under the Apache License 2.0 and installs from npm. Orbittest Studio, the Windows desktop IDE, is free to download under the MIT License, though its source code is private.
What is the difference between OrbitTest and Orbittest Studio?
Section titled “What is the difference between OrbitTest and Orbittest Studio?”OrbitTest is the framework and CLI — it runs tests and produces reports. Studio is a Windows desktop app for Android QA that adds a live device mirror, UI inspector, logcat viewer, editor, and runner in one window. Tests written in Studio are standard OrbitTest files, so nothing locks you into the app. See What is Studio?.
Can I use OrbitTest commercially?
Section titled “Can I use OrbitTest commercially?”Yes. Apache 2.0 permits commercial use, modification, and redistribution — preserve the copyright and notice attribution, and don’t imply affiliation with the official project. The name and logo are governed by the trademark policy; details on the Contributing page.
Platforms and compatibility
Section titled “Platforms and compatibility”Which platforms and browsers are supported?
Section titled “Which platforms and browsers are supported?”The CLI runs anywhere Node.js 18+ runs: Windows, macOS, and Linux. Browser automation drives Chromium-based browsers through the Chrome DevTools Protocol. Mobile automation supports Android 8.0 (API 26) and later. Studio itself requires Windows 10/11, 64-bit. Setup details are on the Installation page.
Does OrbitTest support iOS?
Section titled “Does OrbitTest support iOS?”Not currently. Mobile support is Android-first, built directly on ADB and UIAutomator. iOS would need a separate technical approach and is not on the current Roadmap.
Do I need Appium for Android testing?
Section titled “Do I need Appium for Android testing?”No. The @orbittest/mobile provider talks to devices directly through ADB and reads UI state from UIAutomator — no Appium server, no driver version matching, no extra services to keep alive. See Mobile Testing.
Using OrbitTest
Section titled “Using OrbitTest”How do I install it?
Section titled “How do I install it?”npm install --save-dev orbittestnpx orbittest initnpx orbittest doctorNode.js 18 or later is required. The Quick Start takes you from install to a passing test in five steps.
Can I run tests in CI pipelines?
Section titled “Can I run tests in CI pipelines?”Yes. CI mode (orbittest run --ci) hides the browser, writes JUnit XML and a summary JSON, captures evidence on failure, marks retried-then-passing tests as flaky, and supports sharding across parallel jobs. A complete GitHub Actions workflow is on the CI/CD Integration page.
Where are test reports stored?
Section titled “Where are test reports stored?”Under reports/runs/<run-id>/, with reports/latest.html always pointing at the newest run. Each run includes an HTML report, full JSON, a compact summary, and JUnit XML; failures add screenshots and optional trace timelines. See Reports & Diagnostics.
Safety and support
Section titled “Safety and support”Is the Studio installer safe? Windows SmartScreen warns about it.
Section titled “Is the Studio installer safe? Windows SmartScreen warns about it.”The installer is not yet Authenticode code-signed, so SmartScreen warns by default. Each release publishes a SHA256 hash you can verify with PowerShell’s Get-FileHash before running — that check is what actually proves the file is genuine. Steps are on the Installer Integrity page. Download only from the official GitHub releases page.
How do I report a bug or a security issue?
Section titled “How do I report a bug or a security issue?”Bugs: open a GitHub issue with your OrbitTest version, Node version, OS, steps to reproduce, and report artifacts. Security vulnerabilities: never post them publicly — open a private security advisory on GitHub or contact the maintainer directly. The Contributing page explains both paths.
Related pages
Section titled “Related pages”- Introduction — what OrbitTest is and the idea behind it.
- Quick Start — your first working test in five steps.
- Troubleshooting — fixes for device, mirror, log, and install problems.
- Contact — get in touch directly.