Kotlin is a modern programming language that focuses on clarity, code safety and conciseness. Google officially adopted Kotlin by adding support into Android Studio in 2017 and since then has announced it as the preferred language for Android developers. Android app teams have incrementally added Kotlin code to their projects or have elected to start new Android projects in Kotlin moving forward. Having the app code and UI automation code in the same language helps engineering and QA teams level set on the critical user journeys being tested. Here we share the basics of getting started with automating an Appium test in Kotlin.

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Appium Automation with Kotlin
Pre-requisites:
Following are the pre-requisites to start Appium with Kotlin:
 Install Java SDK 8 and above.
 Install Eclipse or IntelliJ IDEA IDEs.
 Install the Kotlin plugin in IDEs. Here I am using Eclipse as IDE and Kotlin plugin for Eclipse
downloaded from https://marketplace.eclipse.org/content/kotlin-plugin-eclipse
 The latest version of following maven dependencies:
o testing
o selenium-java
o selenium-server
o java-client
o kotlin-test
o kotlin-stdlib-jdk8
o extentreports
Step-by-step Procedure
Step 1: Create a maven project and add the above dependencies in pom.xml of the project.
Step 2: Create a Kotlin class to keep the logic to initiate the driver and start the Appium server. Let’s say the
class name is AutomationBase. We are defining this class as an abstract class. So, it is easy to extend by
other classes. We have implemented startApplication, startAppiumServer, getPort, getNodePath,
getJSPath, getDriverInstance and setDriverInstance methods in the AutomationBase class. Below are
the sample code snippets:
fun startApplication() {
try {
var service: AppiumDriverLocalService = startAppiumServer()
var capabilities = DesiredCapabilities()
capabilities.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.DEVICE_NAME, “One Plus”)
capabilities.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.PLATFORM_NAME, “Android”)
capabilities.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.PLATFORM_VERSION, “10”)
capabilities.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.AUTOMATION_NAME,
AutomationName.ANDROID_UIAUTOMATOR2)
capabilities.setCapability(AndroidMobileCapabilityType.AUTO_GRANT_PERMISSIONS, true)
capabilities.setCapability(“newCommandTimeout”, 180)
capabilities.setCapability(“udid”, “e6916f40”)
capabilities.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.APP, “YOUR_APP_PATH”)
capabilities.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.NO_RESET, true)
if(!service.toString().isEmpty()){
driver = AndroidDriver(service.getUrl(), capabilities)
}
} catch (e: Exception) {

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e.printStackTrace()
}
}
private fun startAppiumServer(): AppiumDriverLocalService {
var IP_ADDRESS: String = “127.0.0.1”
var bootStrapPort: String
var chromePort: String
var port: Int
if (!File(System.getProperty(“user.dir”) + “LogsAppium_logs”).exists()) {
(File(System.getProperty(“user.dir”) + “Logs”)).mkdir()
(File(System.getProperty(“user.dir”) + “LogsAppium_logs”)).mkdir()
}
port = getPort()
bootStrapPort = Integer.toString(getPort())
chromePort = Integer.toString(getPort())
var service = AppiumDriverLocalService.buildService(
AppiumServiceBuilder().withAppiumJS(File(getJSPath()))
.usingDriverExecutable(File(getNodePath())).withIPAddress(IP_ADDRESS).usingPort(port)
.withArgument(AndroidServerFlag.BOOTSTRAP_PORT_NUMBER, bootStrapPort)
.withArgument(AndroidServerFlag.CHROME_DRIVER_PORT, chromePort)
.withLogFile(File(System.getProperty(“user.dir”) + “LogsAppium_logsappiumLogs.txt”)))
service.start()
if (service.isRunning()) {
System.out.println(“Server is running…..” + service)
} else {
System.out.println(“Server startup failed…..”)
System.exit(0)
}
return service
}
private fun getPort(): Int {
var port: Int = 0
try {
var socket = ServerSocket(0)
socket.setReuseAddress(true)
port = socket.getLocalPort()
socket.close()
} catch (e: Exception) {
e.printStackTrace()
}
return port
}
private fun getNodePath(): String {
var nodePath: String
var p: Process
var reader: BufferedReader
var command: String

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var operatingSystem: String = System.getProperty(“os.name”)
if (operatingSystem.contains(“Win”)) {
command = “where” + ” ” + “node”
} else {
command = “which ” + “node”
}
p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command)
reader = BufferedReader(InputStreamReader(p.getInputStream()))
nodePath = reader.readLine()
p.waitFor()
p.destroy()
return nodePath
}
fun getJSPath(): String {
var jsPaths: String
lateinit var actualJSPath: String
var command: String
var operatingSystem: String = System.getProperty(“os.name”)
if (operatingSystem.contains(“Win”)) {
command = “where” + ” ” + “appium”
var p: Process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command)
var stdInput: BufferedReader = BufferedReader(InputStreamReader(p.getInputStream()))
jsPaths = stdInput.readLine()
actualJSPath = jsPaths.replace(“appium”, “node_modulesappiumbuildlibmain.js”)
p.waitFor()
p.destroy()
} else {
actualJSPath = “//usr//local//lib//node_modules//appium//build//lib//main.js”
}
return actualJSPath
}
fun getDriverInstance(): WebDriver {
return this.driver
}
fun setDriverInstance(driver: WebDriver) {
this.driver = driver
}
startApplication method helps to instantiate driver sessions based on the specified capabilities.
startAppiumServer method helps to start the Appium server and also, create and write server logs to a text
file. getPort method helps to create the dynamic network port that supports the startAppiumServer
method. getNodePath method helps to get the node path and it supports the startAppiumServer method.
getJSPath method helps to get the Appium main.js path and it supports the startAppiumServer method.
Step 3: Create a TestRunner class and it extends AutomationBase class. This class holds TestNG
annotations @Listeners, @BeforeClass, and @AfterSuite. Below are the complete code snippets:

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@Listeners(AutomationReport::class)
open class TestRunner : AutomationBase() {
@BeforeClass
fun setUp() {
startApplication()
}
@AfterSuite
fun tearDown() {
Thread.sleep(3000)
driver.quit()
}
}
Step 4: Create a sample test class to keep the test cases. Let’s call it SampleTests and it
extends TestRunner class. Following are the sample code snippets:
class SampleTests : TestRunner() {
@Test
fun TC001_testEnterPincode() {
SampleTestsHelper.enterPinCode(driver, “682030”)
}
@Test
fun TC002_testSearchFail() {
Assert.fail()
}
}
Step 5: Create a Kotlin class which should act as a helper class of test class. Let’s call it
SampleTestsHelper and define this SampleTestsHelper as object. So, Kotlin will create an instance
automatically when we invoke the methods of SampleTestsHelper. No need to create a separate instance to
invoke the methods of the helper class. Below are the complete code snippets:
object SampleTestsHelper {
/**
* This method used to enter pin code
*
* @author sanojs
* @since 01-09-2020
*/
fun enterPinCode(driver: WebDriver, valueToSearch: String) {

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try {
driver.findElement(By.id(“in.dmart:id/et_activity_pincode_pincode”)).sendKeys(pincod)
} catch (e: Exception) {
e.printStackTrace()
}
}
}
Step 6: Create a Kotlin class to keep the logic to generate an Automation test execution report in HTML
format. Let’s say the class name as AutomationReport. Here, we are using extentreports library to
generate an HTML report. Also, we are using ITestListener interface to control the executions and results.
Below are the complete code snippets of the AutomationReport class,
class AutomationReport : ITestListener {
public lateinit var sparkReporter: ExtentSparkReporter
public lateinit var extentReport: ExtentReports
public lateinit var extentTest: ExtentTest
/**
* This override method used to create HTML template for the test report
*
* @author sanojs
* @since 01-09-2020
*/
override fun onStart(testContext: ITestContext) {
try {
sparkReporter = ExtentSparkReporter(System.getProperty(“user.dir”) + “/AutomationReport/”)
sparkReporter.config().setDocumentTitle(“Appium Kotlin Automation”)
sparkReporter.config().setReportName(“Automation Execution Report”)
sparkReporter.config().setTheme(com.aventstack.extentreports.reporter.configuration.Theme.DARK)
extentReport = ExtentReports()
extentReport.attachReporter(sparkReporter)
extentReport.setSystemInfo(“Application Name”, “Kotlin Appium Demo”)
extentReport.setSystemInfo(“Platform”, System.getProperty(“os.name”))
extentReport.setSystemInfo(“Environment”, “QA”)
} catch (e: Exception) {
e.printStackTrace()
}
}
/**
* This override method used to collect current test case name add to the report
*
* @author sanojs
* @since 01-09-2020
*/
override fun onTestStart(result: ITestResult) {
var testName: String = result.getMethod().getMethodName()
extentTest = extentReport.createTest(testName)

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}
/**
* This override method used to add pass status to the report
*
* @author sanojs
* @since 01-09-2020
*/
override fun onTestSuccess(result: ITestResult) {
var testName: String = result.getMethod().getMethodName()
try {
extentTest.log(
Status.PASS,
MarkupHelper.createLabel(testName + ” Test Case PASSED”, ExtentColor.GREEN)
)
} catch (e: Exception) {
e.printStackTrace()
}
}
/**
* This override method used to add fail status to the report
*
* @author sanojs
* @since 01-09-2020
*/
override fun onTestFailure(result: ITestResult) {
var driver: WebDriver
var currentClass = result.getInstance()
var testName: String = result.getMethod().getMethodName()
try {
driver = (currentClass as AutomationBase).getDriverInstance()
var screenshotPath = Utilities().screenshotCapture(driver, result.getName())
extentTest.log(
Status.FAIL,
MarkupHelper.createLabel(testName + ” Test Case FAILED”, ExtentColor.RED)
)
extentTest.log(
Status.FAIL,
MarkupHelper.createLabel(“Reason for Failure: ” + result.getThrowable().toString(),
ExtentColor.RED)
)
extentTest.addScreenCaptureFromPath(screenshotPath)
} catch (e: Exception) {
e.printStackTrace()
}
}
/**
* This override method used to add skip status to the report
*
* @author sanojs
* @since 01-09-2020
*/

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override fun onTestSkipped(result: ITestResult) {
var testName: String = result.getMethod().getMethodName()
try {
extentTest.log(
Status.SKIP,
MarkupHelper.createLabel(testName + ” Test Case SKIPPED”, ExtentColor.ORANGE)
)
} catch (e: Exception) {
e.printStackTrace()
}
}
/**
* This override method used to store HTML report to the specified path and flush extent report
instance
*
* @author sanojs
* @since 01-09-2020
*/
override fun onFinish(testContext: ITestContext) {
try {
extentReport.flush()
val dateFormat = SimpleDateFormat(“dd-MMM-yyyy_HH-mm-ss”)
val date = Date()
val filePathdate: String = dateFormat.format(date).toString()
var actualReportPath: String = System.getProperty(“user.dir”) + “/AutomationReport/” +
“index.html”
File(actualReportPath).renameTo(
File(
System.getProperty(“user.dir”) + “/AutomationReport/”
+ “Automation_Report_” + filePathdate + “.html”
)
)
} catch (e: Exception) {
e.printStackTrace()
}
}
}
Step 7: Create another class called Utilities to keep common utility functions required for automation. Here,
we just added one utility to capture the screenshot. Below is the code snippet to capture the screenshot,
fun screenshotCapture(driver: WebDriver, fileName: String): String {
var destination: String = “”
try {
var scrFile = (driver as TakesScreenshot).getScreenshotAs(OutputType.FILE)
var dateFormat = SimpleDateFormat(“yyyyMMddHHmmss”)
var cal = Calendar.getInstance()
var path = File(“Failure_Screenshots”).getAbsolutePath()
destination = path + “/” + fileName + dateFormat.format(cal.getTime()) + “.png”
scrFile.copyTo(File(destination))

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} catch (e: Exception) {
e.printStackTrace()
}
return destination
}
Step 8: Add a testng.xml file into the project structure and map your test classes into the testng.xml to run
the test cases. Once the execution is complete, the HTML report will get generated inside
the AutomationReport folder in the project structure.
Below is the overall project structure of Appium with Kotlin:
NOTE:
 Kotlin Runtime Library will automatically get added to the build path of the project when you create
a Kotlin class under any package.
 Kotlin class extension is .kt
 The semicolon is not mandatory to end the statements in the class.
 While inheriting a class from a parent class you have to declare the parent class as open, using
an open keyword or you can declare the parent class as abstract using abstract. You can’t inherit a
singleton class. So avoid extending the class which is declared as object in Kotlin.
 If you declare a class with an object keyword then no need to create an instance. Kotlin will create
an instance to access the methods or variables of that class.

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Conclusion
Kotlin is a general-purpose, open-source, statically typed programming language that combines object-
oriented and functional programming features. So, Kotlin is a strong and powerful language that helps the
automation engineers to write their automation script for Appium. This article aims to help the Appium
automation engineers to upskill and write their scripting in a different language such as Kotlin.
By,
Sanoj S, Test Architect, RapidValue

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