[Part 7]File I/O and Data Persistence in JavaScript for QA Automation

Introduction

Handling files and data storage efficiently is essential in test automation. This module covers reading and writing files, working with CSV and JSON data, and automating file-related tasks in JavaScript using Node.js.

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Lesson 1: Reading and Writing Files using Node.js fs Module

Concept:
Node.js provides the fs module to handle file operations for storing and retrieving test results and configurations.

Key Topics:

• fs Module Basics: Understanding Node.js file system operations.
• Reading Files: Synchronously and asynchronously reading files.
• Writing Files: Creating and updating files programmatically.
• File Manipulation: Appending, renaming, and deleting files.

Example:

const fs = require('fs');

// Writing to a file
fs.writeFileSync('testResults.txt', 'Login Test: Passed');

// Reading from a file
let data = fs.readFileSync('testResults.txt', 'utf8');
console.log(data);

Pro Tip: Always use asynchronous file operations (fs.promises) for better performance in large-scale automation.

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Lesson 2: Working with CSV Files in JavaScript using Libraries

Concept:
CSV files are commonly used in test automation for data-driven testing.

Key Topics:

• CSV Libraries: Popular libraries like csv-parser and fast-csv.
• Reading CSV: Extracting test data from CSV files.
• Writing CSV: Generating test reports in CSV format.
• Data-Driven Testing: Using CSV data for automated test execution.

Example:

const fs = require('fs');
const csv = require('csv-parser');

fs.createReadStream('testData.csv')
  .pipe(csv())
  .on('data', (row) => console.log(row))
  .on('end', () => console.log('CSV File Processing Completed'));

Pro Tip: Store test data in CSV format when running multiple test cases with varied inputs.

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Lesson 3: Parsing JSON Data in JavaScript for API Testing Preparation

Concept:
JSON is widely used in API responses and configurations in test automation.

Key Topics:

• JSON Basics: Understanding JSON structure.
• Parsing JSON: Converting JSON strings to JavaScript objects.
• Stringifying JSON: Converting JavaScript objects to JSON format.
• Using JSON in API Testing: Storing and validating API response data.

Example:

let testData = '{ "testName": "Login", "status": "Passed" }';
let parsedData = JSON.parse(testData);
console.log(parsedData.testName); // Output: Login

let jsonString = JSON.stringify(parsedData, null, 2);
console.log(jsonString);

Pro Tip: Use JSON for storing structured test data and API mock responses.

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Lesson 4: Introduction to File System Operations in Node.js for QA Tasks

Concept:
Advanced file operations like creating, copying, and monitoring files are useful in automation scripts.

Key Topics:

• Directory Operations: Creating and managing folders.
• File Information: Retrieving metadata like file size and modification date.
• File Copying: Automating test data backups.
• File Watching: Monitoring changes to test logs.

Example:

const fs = require('fs');

// Creating a new directory
if (!fs.existsSync('logs')) {
    fs.mkdirSync('logs');
}

// Watching a file for changes
fs.watch('testResults.txt', (event, filename) => {
    console.log(`File ${filename} was modified: ${event}`);
});

Pro Tip: Use file-watching techniques to trigger automated log analysis.

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Conclusion

This module covered essential file I/O and data persistence techniques in JavaScript for test automation, enabling better test management and reporting.

Key Takeaways:

• The fs module allows reading and writing files efficiently.
• CSV files are ideal for data-driven test execution.
• JSON parsing simplifies API testing and configuration handling.
• File system operations automate data storage and monitoring tasks.

What’s Next?
In the next module, we will explore Introduction to JavaScript for Selenium – Preparation for UI Automation, where we will cover setting up Selenium WebDriver, interacting with web elements, and transitioning to advanced UI automation strategies.

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