Nightwatch Vs Protractor: Which Testing Framework Is Right For You

What Is Nightwatch.js?

Nightwatch.js is a free automation test framework for websites and web apps. It is written in Node.js and also utilizes the W3C WebDriver API. Nightwatch is an end-to-end testing (E2E) solution that aims to simplify writing automation tests with Javascript for browser apps, web-based apps, and websites. It is one of the most popular test automation frameworks that functions by communicating over a restful HTTP API amid a WebDriver server (like Selenium Server or ChromeDriver).

Nightwatch relies on Selenium and offers various assertions and commands within the framework to carry out operations on the Document Object Model (DOM) elements. The protocol is clearly defined by the W3C WebDriver specification (mainly originated from JSON Wire protocol). The newest version accessible in the market is 1.0.

Why Is Nightwatch.js So Popular?

Before we dive into Nightwatch.js features, pros, and cons, it is significant to understand the reasons behind this testing framework’s fame. Nightwatch.js facilitates end-to-end functional browser tests in a pure Node.js environment, which allows testing of web apps independent from third party software.

The key reason for robust and lightweight test automation frameworks like Nightwatch is facilitating a single integrated solution for app tests. As this automated testing framework is built on Node.js, it has several benefits over any other Selenium test automation tool. The browser tests powered by Nightwatch.js remove the dependency upon third party software, which improves data integrity amongst varied system components.

Crucial Features Of Nightwatch.js

To compare Nightwatch vs Protractor, we must understand the features of both of these JavaScript testing frameworks. First, let us dive deep into the core features offered by Nightwatch.js:

• In-Built Command-line Test Runner: Nightwatch comes with an in-built test runner suite with Grunt’s support for performing the test automation.
• Selenium Server: It comes with a capacity to control the separate Selenium server automatically by offering a built-in JUnit XML reporting feature.
• Smart Testing Strategy: Nightwatch has an exceptional feature to run the tests effectively and can be performed in numerous ways like sequentially, parallelly, or tags and groups.
• Assertions, XPath, & CSS: Various assertions and commands for Document Object Model (DOM) operations, XPath and CSS selectors, and can be used to recognize the page’s elements. That’s what makes this framework flexible and easy to extend, particularly while executing the app-specific assertions and commands.
• Cloud Services: It offers excellent support for cross browser tests with Selenium JavaScript. It allows easy integration with many well-known cloud-based Selenium test automation providers such as TestMu AI.
• Continuous Integration (CI): It provides excellent assistance for CI and can be used to incorporate the testing with the continuous build processing systems like TeamCity, Jenkins, etc., and supports software developers to build and test software continually.

Apart from all the attributes mentioned above, it is also famous for having an easy and straightforward syntax, making it simpler to write the tests rapidly and effectively using XPath locator and Node.js CSS selectors in Selenium.

Core Advantages Of Nightwatch

Nightwatch is one of the most popular test automation frameworks for websites and web apps. The core benefits of using Nightwatch as the preferred JavaScript testing framework are as follows:

• Built-in command-line test runner.
• The syntax is easy to understand.
• Flexible assertions and commands that are easy, quite easy to extend.
• Can control individual Selenium servers in a separate child procedure. This automated framework automatically also handles WebDriver services (GeckoDriver, Safari, Edge).

Nightwatch is advantageous for end-to-end test automation as it allows us to write all-inclusive tests in Node.js effortlessly and rapidly. It makes the entire process of test automation and continuous integration much more seamless. Nightwatch lets us configure the Selenium test suite and enables parallel testing that additionally controls the build time.

What Is Protractor?

Protractor is one of the crucial automated and JavaScript testing frameworks. It is most commonly used as an end-to-end behavior-driven testing tool, specifically for AngularJS. It functions as a Solution integrator combining robust technologies and tools such as WebDriver, Jasmine, Cucumber, Mocha, Selenium, etc. The Protractor framework’s objective is not merely to test AngularJS apps but also to write automated regression testing for normal web apps. Google Developers originally developed it for supporting Angular apps, and later it was launched as a free framework.

Currently, Protractor supports both Non-Angular and Angular apps. It is one of the most popular JavaScript testing frameworks and is written on top of Webdriver.js. Thus, in addition to Angular-specific traits, the entire feature set supported in Selenium Webdriver is maintained by it. It gets a little tricky to identify web elements in the AngularJS app, and Selenium WebDriver often fails with HTML attributes like ng-model or ng-controller. This is where Protractor has the upper hand as it helps control those components and test the actual functionality.

Why Is Protractor So Popular?

Protractor acts as an e2e test framework for both non-Angular and Angular apps that don’t use CSS elements. Automating web apps built on AngularJS by making use of this tool is a crucial step forward for companies in their efforts to automate the business process. It does not require you to add sleeps and waits. As the webpage completes pending steps, Protractor executes the subsequent moves of the test case by automatically linking with the AngularJS app. Additionally, it is quite simple to install page objects.

This angular framework does not execute WebDriver commands till action is required, e.g., installing page objects so that script can operate on-page elements without affecting the HTML. Protractor also assists in Angular-specific locator strategies as well as native WebDriver locator tactics.

Crucial Features Of Protractor

In this section of the Nightwatch vs Protractor blog, we will understand Protractor’s most crucial features. It has the following core features:

• Supports Angular-Specific Locators: It is one of the best automated JavaScript testing frameworks that introduced us with angular precise locators like ng-repeat, ng-bind, ng-model, etc. Needless to say, it offers great support for such locators. You do not need to generate complicated XPath for angular locators. In this framework, those locators are all set for you, so you can simply utilize by.repeater, by.model, etc.

Read: Complete Guide To Selenium Locators In Protractor

• Supports Both Angular & Non-Angular Apps: It has extensive support for Angular; however, it also supports non-Angular apps. Even if one section of your app is non-Angular and another fraction of it is Angular, this test automation framework is your safest bet for comprehensive automated tests.
• Supports Cross Browser Tests: You can effortlessly execute your scripts in several browsers such as Edge, Chrome, IE11, Safari, and Firefox. Configuring such browser compatibility testing is easy and doesn’t take much effort and time with Protractor.
• Supports Parallel Execution: It also supports parallel test execution. When you have an enormous number of test cases lined up, and every test case requires sequential execution, this feature comes in handy.
• Supports Headless Browser: The kind of browser is devoid of the UI. This test framework also lets you run your test cases in headless browser modes.
• Supports Extensibility: As it is a node.js app, you can use an extensive range of packages that are accessible in the node. Therefore you can expand this framework or add new traits by setting up node packages. For instance, if one necessitates an HTML report, one could simply use Jasmine HTML Reporter. Similarly, for cleaning up the code, we can set up tslint or eslint, or you can set up node packages of your preference.
• Supports Various Assertion Libraries: It also supports various assertion libraries such as Mocha, Jasmine, or you can even make use of your tailor libraries. However, by default, for assertions, it uses the Jasmine framework.
• Supports Cloud Testing: Cloud test platforms enable you to execute our specs on various browsers (Safari, Firefox, Chrome, etc.) and several operating systems (Mac, Windows, Mobile, Linux, etc.). It is supported by several cloud-based test platforms like TestMu AI.
• Supports CI/CD: Once your automated scripts are in place, you do not have to manually monitor and run them. Each time a new code goes to the repository, these tests automatically run and get you the report. Protractor can be integrated with tools like Azure DevOps, Jenkins, or TFS to automate the procedure. It also supports CI/ CD.

Core Advantages Of Protractor

Next up in this Nightwatch vs Protractor blog, we will be looking at reasons to consider while switching from other test automation frameworks to Protractor. This open-source E2E JavaScript testing framework provides the following benefits −

• This open-source tool is simple to set up or install.
• Functions well with Jasmine framework for creating the test.
• Supports TDD (test-driven development).
• Supports parallel testing via manifold browsers.
• Comprises automatic waits that means you don’t require to add waits & sleeps to your script explicitly.
• Provides the entire benefits of Selenium WebDriver and auto-synchronization.
• Offers remarkable testing speed as compared to other tools.
• Offers built-in support for Angular.js components like by.repeater, by.exactRepeater, by.binding, by.model, by.excatBinding, by.options, etc.