Mobile Test API

Lifecycle methods

Use lifecycle methods to install, launch, stop, clear, and inspect an Android app. Keep app package and activity names in configuration or helpers.

Gestures and lookup

Use text, resource ID, and content description lookup depending on the app screen. Prefer visible text when it is stable and resource IDs when text is translated or repeated.

Evidence methods

Screenshots and logcat are first-class mobile artifacts. Capture them on failure and attach them to reports for faster debugging.

Reference table

Practical checklist

• Keep the workflow readable enough that a QA engineer, developer, or product teammate can understand the intent without opening application source code.
• Prefer user-visible names, stable configuration, and clear evidence over hidden assumptions or brittle implementation details.
• Run the smallest useful check locally before adding it to CI, then verify that failures produce screenshots, logs, traces, or reports that explain what happened.
• Review this part of the suite regularly so outdated examples, stale setup, and obsolete workarounds do not reduce trust in the automation.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Do not add automation only to increase test count. Each page and test should protect a clear user journey, release risk, or debugging need.
• Do not hide important behavior inside helpers so deeply that the test no longer explains what the user is doing.
• Do not rely on fixed sleeps when the application can expose a meaningful ready state such as visible text, URL change, element availability, or completed evidence capture.
• Do not ignore failing artifacts. A report, screenshot, trace, or log entry should feed back into better product code, better waits, or clearer test data setup.