Mobile automation testing is a critical part of delivering high-quality apps. However, one of the most frustrating challenges testers face is flaky tests. These are tests that sometimes pass and sometimes fail without any changes to the code or test environment. Flaky tests can undermine confidence in your test suite, waste time, and delay releases. In this blog, we’ll dive into what causes flaky tests in mobile automation and provide actionable strategies to fix instability issues.
What Are Flaky Tests?
Flaky tests are like the weather—unpredictable and unreliable. They produce inconsistent results, making it difficult to determine whether the application is truly bug-free or if the test itself is flawed. For example, a test might pass 90% of the time but fail sporadically, leaving you scratching your head.
In mobile automation, flaky tests are particularly problematic due to the dynamic nature of mobile devices, varying network conditions, and the complexity of mobile operating systems.
Why Are Flaky Tests a Problem?
Erodes Trust in Test Results: When tests are unreliable, teams start ignoring failures, which defeats the purpose of automation.
Wastes Time and Resources: Debugging flaky tests consumes valuable time that could be spent on actual development or testing.
Delays Releases: Flaky tests can block CI/CD pipelines, slowing down the delivery process.
Hides Real Issues: Intermittent failures can mask genuine bugs, leading to poor app quality.
Common Causes of Flaky Tests in Mobile Automation
Understanding the root causes of flaky tests is the first step toward fixing them. Here are the most common culprits:
1. Timing Issues
Mobile apps often rely on asynchronous operations, such as API calls or animations. If your tests don’t wait for these operations to complete, they may fail intermittently.
Example: A test clicks a button that triggers an API call but doesn’t wait for the response before asserting the result.
2. Network Instability
Mobile apps are heavily dependent on network conditions. Slow or unstable networks can cause timeouts, leading to test failures.
Example: A test fails because the app couldn’t load data from a server due to a temporary network glitch.
3. Device-Specific Issues
Different devices have varying performance levels, screen sizes, and OS versions. A test that works on one device might fail on another.
Example: A test passes on a high-end device but fails on a low-end device due to slower processing speeds.
4. Test Environment Inconsistencies
An unstable or improperly configured test environment can lead to flaky tests. This includes issues with emulators, simulators, or test data.
Example: A test fails because the emulator crashed or the test data wasn’t reset properly.
5. Race Conditions
When multiple threads or processes interact unpredictably, race conditions can occur, leading to inconsistent test results.
Example: Two tests running simultaneously interfere with each other, causing one or both to fail.
How to Fix Flaky Tests in Mobile Automation
1. Use Robust Element Locators
- Avoid using locators that are prone to frequent changes. Instead:
- Prefer XPath with stable attributes over dynamic IDs.
- Use resource IDs and accessibility identifiers where possible.
- Implement AI-driven object recognition tools for better locator reliability.
2. Implement Smart Wait Strategies
- Hardcoded waits increase test instability. Use:
- Explicit waits to wait for specific conditions.
- Fluent waits to handle dynamic UI elements efficiently.
- Polling mechanisms to retry element interactions before failing a test.
3. Optimize Test Execution on Real Devices & Emulators
- Run tests on a mix of real devices and emulators to detect inconsistencies.
- Use cloud device farms (e.g., AWS Device Farm, BrowserStack) for stable environments.
- Ensure uniform device configurations and OS versions to reduce variability.
4. Improve Network Stability Handling
- Use mocked API responses for tests that rely on external services.
- Implement network throttling techniques to simulate different bandwidth conditions.
- Monitor API calls and retry mechanisms to handle occasional failures.
5. Enhance Test Data Management
- Use self-contained test data to avoid dependency on external sources.
- Implement data-driven testing to test multiple scenarios efficiently.
- Reset data before each test to maintain consistency.
6. Isolate Tests to Reduce Dependencies
- Ensure each test is independent and doesn’t rely on previous test executions.
- Use sandbox environments to prevent conflicts in shared resources.
- Leverage mocking and stubbing techniques to replace unreliable dependencies.
7. Implement Retry Mechanisms with Caution
- Use intelligent retries only when necessary.
- Log and analyze failures to distinguish real issues from intermittent ones.
- Configure test frameworks (Appium, WebDriverIO, etc.) to retry failed tests selectively.
8. Monitor & Analyze Flaky Tests Regularly
- Integrate test analytics tools to detect flaky test patterns.
- Maintain a flaky test dashboard for tracking unstable tests.
- Set up alert mechanisms to notify teams about increasing test flakiness.
Final Thoughts
Flaky tests can slow down mobile automation efforts, but by adopting best practices like robust locator strategies, smart wait mechanisms, and AI-powered test automation, teams can achieve higher stability and reliability in their test suites.
Need Expert Help in Mobile Automation?
At Testrig Technologies, we specialize in flaky test elimination, AI-powered automation, and robust mobile automation testing services. Let’s improve your mobile test stability together! Contact us Today
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