One of the most important aspects of testing is making sure your Android application keeps its state after screen orientation changes. Mobile optimization improves user experience and engagement. It also enhances conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

An essential component of mobile testing is taking care of device orientation. Testing an application’s behavior when the device orientation switches from portrait to landscape, and vice versa, is a part of this procedure. Part of this paradigm is Selenium, a potent tool for automating web applications. This paper explores the nuances of Selenium mobile testing with a particular emphasis on managing device orientation.

Overview of Selenium Mobile Testing

Selenium is a popular automation platform for automating browsers and Appium is quite popular for mobile applications. 

  • Selenium 4’s WebDriver APIs are often checked and implemented as per the W3C guidelines. Every widely used browser, including IE, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, complies with W3C standards. 
  • Additionally, because mobile site tester makes use of W3C, automation tests function uniformly in all web browsers that comply with W3C. 
  • Numerous languages, including Java, C#, Python, and Ruby, are supported by Selenium. 
  • Since Selenium 4 does not use JSON Wire Protocol, tests can now interact directly with the web browser.

Recognizing Device Orientation

Every week, a ton of new apps are created and uploaded to the Play Store App Store in the rapidly changing world of mobile apps. Every app is different from the others and has distinct features, thus evaluating them also requires handling the device and screen in a different way. Frequently, particular applications or features offer enhanced vision and compatibility in specific screen orientations, such as Portrait and Landscape.

Mobile devices come with the screen oriented in portrait mode by default. However, because it modifies the apparent screen dimensions and, consequently, the user experience, users frequently have to transition from portrait to landscape mode in order to have improved usability and experience. For instance, a user would typically prefer to use a food ordering or taxi booking app in portrait format while enjoying an OTT series or movie in landscape mode. Thus, app compatibility, usability, and convenience all play a role for every mobile site tester.

Crucialness Of Device orientation For mobile testing

There are several reasons for device orientation for mobile testing

  • User Experience: Users anticipate seamless operation of applications in both orientations. An unsatisfactory experience in one orientation may cause users to become frustrated and even lose business.
  • Functionality: Depending on the orientation, several programs provide different functions or layouts. It is crucial to make sure that every functionality functions properly in both modes.
  • Layout and Design: It is important to test UI elements to make sure they are scaled and positioned correctly in various orientations. The user experience may be harmed by components that are overlapped or misaligned.
  • Performance: An application’s performance may change if its orientation is changed. Testing aids in locating any potential performance problems brought on by orientation changes.

Steps To Handle Device Orientation With Selenium Mobile Testing

In order to make sure that your application responds appropriately when the orientation of the device changes, handling device orientation in Selenium requires a number of steps. This is a thorough tutorial on using Selenium to manage device orientation.

1. Configure Your Environment for Selenium

You must configure your Selenium testing environment before you can begin testing device orientation. This entails configuring Selenium WebDriver, selecting the appropriate driver for mobile testing, and ensuring that your testing configuration is ready for automation.

  • Install Selenium WebDriver: Confirm that your machine has Selenium WebDriver installed. You can utilize package managers like Maven or npm for this, depending on your programming language.
  • Select a Mobile Testing Framework: Appium, which expands Selenium WebDriver’s functionality to mobile applications, is a useful tool for mobile testing. Make sure your environment has Appium installed and configured correctly.
  • Establish a Cloud Testing Platform (Optional): Cloud-based testing on actual devices is provided by services like Sauce Labs and BrowserStack. If you’re using these platforms for testing, set up an account and set up your test environment.

2. Establish Device Features

Device capabilities are configurations that define the features of the device you wish to use for your testing. The operating system, orientation, and device model are some of these options.

  • Clarify Desired Capabilities: In your mobile testing, indicate what you would like to be able to do. This comprises the platform version, device model, and other pertinent configurations. For instance, you may mention an Android 11-powered Samsung Galaxy S21.
  • Set Orientation Capabilities: You must set the device’s initial orientation. This is usually accomplished in Selenium using the properties or features of the WebDriver. For example, if necessary, you can adjust the initial orientation to ‘LANDSCAPE’ or ‘PORTRAIT’.
  • Set up the Driver: Make a WebDriver object with the specified capabilities. Include the relevant server information and login credentials in your settings if you’re utilizing a cloud-based platform.

3. Model Shifts in Device Orientation

After the device is configured, your tests must replicate changes in orientation. This is necessary to guarantee that your application adjusts appropriately when the orientation of the device changes.

  • Use the setOrientation method: To modify the device orientation, use the setOrientation method offered by Selenium WebDriver. ‘PORTRAIT’ and ‘LANDSCAPE’ are two parameters that this method takes in and lets you rotate the device as desired.
  • Apply Orientation Change in Tests: Whenever necessary, add the setOrientation method to your test scripts. For instance, you may decide to alter the orientation following a particular page navigation or action.
  • Verify Orientation Changes: Following an orientation change, make that the application’s functionality and layout hold true. This entails making that interactive components work as intended and that items are positioned correctly.

4. Carry Out Functional And Layout Assessments

It’s critical to make sure your program keeps its functionality and layout when the orientation shifts. This entails examining numerous facets of the behavior of the application.

  • Element Positioning: Make that all elements are positioned correctly in both portrait and landscape orientations by checking element positioning. This entails examining the UI components’ visibility, alignment, and spacing.
  • Verify Content Visibility: Make certain that every piece of content is still observable and reachable in both views. This entails looking for any hidden or overlapping components that could have an impact on how users interact.
  • Test Interactive Components: Confirm that after orientation changes, interactive elements like buttons, forms, and links continue to work as intended. Make sure they continue to be reachable and responsive.

5. Testing Across Devices and Browsers

It is imperative to do cross-platform and cross-browser testing to guarantee uniform performance. To find and fix any problems, you run your tests on various devices and setups.

  • Conduct Tests on Various Devices: Evaluate your application across a variety of screens with varying aspect ratios and orientations. By doing this, you can find problems unique to your device and make sure your application works properly on a range of devices.
  • Test on Various Browsers: To guarantee consistent behavior, test your web-based application on a variety of mobile browsers. Cross-browser testing is crucial since different browsers may handle changes in orientation differently
  • Make Use of Cloud Testing Platforms: Several platforms give users access to a large number of actual devices and browsers. Use these platforms to conduct your tests and get thorough test results.

6. Handle Difficulties and Enhance Efficiency

Managing device orientation might provide difficulties like erratic behavior or poor performance. It is imperative to tackle these obstacles in order to guarantee a seamless user experience.

  • Recognize Inconsistencies: Keep an eye out for any behavioral discrepancies between various devices and orientations. You may improve your application by identifying these problems with the aid of thorough testing.
  • Optimize Performance: To guarantee seamless transitions, keep an eye on the application’s performance as orientation changes and make necessary optimizations. This involves cutting down on resource usage and rendering times.
  • Put Error Handling in Place: To handle unforeseen problems during orientation changes, provide strong error handling procedures. This guarantees that failures will be gracefully recovered from by your application.

7. Construct Continuous Integration using Orientation Testing

Orientation testing can be incorporated into your continuous integration (CI) pipeline to assist find problems early in the development process. This guarantees that problems pertaining to orientation are resolved quickly.

  • Automate CI Testing: Configure your CI pipeline to automatically test for changes in device orientation. This enables tests to be run automatically each time the program is modified.
  • Examine Test Results Frequently: Examine test results frequently to find and fix any device orientation-related problems. Ongoing surveillance guarantees that your program will always be stable and dependable.
  • Test Script Refinement: Make ongoing changes to your test scripts in response to feedback and test results. This enhances the efficacy and accuracy of your orientation assessments.

Challenges in Handling Device Orientation

Although managing device orientation is necessary, it presents a unique set of difficulties. Effective mobile testing requires an understanding of these issues and solutions.

Variations in Performance Amongst Devices

When a device’s orientation shifts, it could behave inconsistently. Variations in operating systems, hardware, and browser implementations may be to blame for this. To find and fix these discrepancies, extensive testing across a variety of devices is required.

Problems with Performance

Orientation changes can occasionally cause lag or delayed rendering, among other performance problems. To guarantee a seamless user experience, it is crucial to keep an eye on the application’s performance during orientation changes and make necessary optimizations.

Complex Layouts 

It may be difficult for applications with complex layouts to adjust to various orientations. Elements could blend together, take on new forms, or vanish completely. By identifying these problems through testing, engineers are able to improve the layout’s adaptability.

Limitations of Automated Testing

Selenium and other automated testing technologies might not be able to handle every facet of orientation changes. In a virtual environment, for instance, certain device-specific behaviors might not be perfectly recreated. To get around these restrictions, automated testing in conjunction with manual testing is recommended.

Best Practices for Handling Device Orientation

Testing must adhere to recommended practices in order to provide a smooth experience across various device orientations.

Keys of Responsive Design

Effective handling of device orientation requires the adoption of responsive design concepts. This entails making use of media queries, fluid pictures, and flexible grids to guarantee that the layout flows naturally to various screen sizes and orientations.

Extensive Examination

It is imperative to carry out thorough testing on a variety of devices and browsers. Testing on well-known gadgets with various screen sizes and operating systems is part of this. 

Enhancement of Performance

For a seamless user experience, performance during orientation changes must be optimized. This entails cutting down on rendering times, using fewer resources, and making sure that transitions and animations flow smoothly.

Error Correction and Recuperation

For the purpose of handling unforeseen problems during orientation shifts, it is crucial to implement strong error handling and recovery procedures. Taking care of situations when components become inaccessible or the arrangement becomes deformed falls under this category.

Testing and Continuous Integration

Orientation testing is incorporated into the continuous integration (CI) pipeline to guarantee that problems are found and fixed early in the development cycle. In the process of continuous integration, automated tests can be executed on many devices and orientations.

Conclusion

One of the most important aspects of mobile testing is handling device orientation, which guarantees a consistent user experience across various screen orientations. Combining Selenium with tools like BrowserStack offers a potent way to automate this procedure. Regardless of how users hold their devices, developers can guarantee that their applications provide a consistent and seamless experience by adhering to best practices and resolving the issues.