How to Install Appium Flutter Driver

December 1, 2024

4 minutes

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In mobile automation testing, Flutter apps have introduced unique challenges due to their custom rendering architecture. Appium, a popular open-source automation tool, addresses these challenges with its Flutter Driver, specifically designed to interact with Flutter elements seamlessly. This guide will walk you through how to install Appium Flutter Driver, providing step-by-step instructions and essential tips for a smooth setup. By the end of this guide, you will be equipped to kickstart testing Flutter apps using Appium with ease.

Prerequisites

Before diving into how to install Appium Flutter Driver, ensure you have the following prerequisites in place:

Node.js: Download and install Node.js from the official website to get started.
Appium Server: Install Appium globally using npm: npm install -g appium
Flutter SDK: Ensure the Flutter SDK is installed and added to your system’s PATH. Verify installation by running: flutter --version
Java Development Kit (JDK): Appium requires JDK for Android testing. Install it and set the JAVA_HOME environment variable.
Android Studio: To set up tests against Android devices or emulators, ensure Android Studio is installed with proper SDK tools.

Install the Appium Flutter Driver Plugin

To interact with Flutter elements, the Appium Flutter Driver plugin must be installed. Execute the following command to install it:

Installing Appium Flutter Driver

npm install -g appium-flutter-driver

This command globally installs the Flutter driver for Appium.

Verify Installation

Once installed, confirm the driver is available in your Appium setup by running:

Appium Driver List

appium driver list

Look for Flutter Driver in the output. If listed, the installation was successful.

Testing the Appium Flutter Driver (JAVA)

Add Maven Dependencies For Flutter Driver

To set up Appium for testing Flutter applications, include the following Maven dependencies in your pom.xml file:

Appium Flutter Driver Dependencies

<dependencies>
		<dependency>
			<groupId>io.appium</groupId>
			<artifactId>java-client</artifactId>
			<version>8.3.0</version>
		</dependency>
		<dependency>
			<groupId>io.github.5v1988</groupId>
			<artifactId>appium-flutter-client</artifactId>
			<version>1.0.5</version>
		</dependency>
		<dependency>
			<groupId>io.github.ashwithpoojary98</groupId>
			<artifactId>appium_flutterfinder_java</artifactId>
			<version>1.0.1</version>
		</dependency>
</dependencies>

Add this block under the <dependencies> section in your pom.xml to ensure your project is ready for Flutter app automation.

The java-client library provides essential Appium functionality for automating mobile applications. Version 8.3.0 is included to ensure compatibility with the latest Appium server and features.

The appium-flutter-client allows interaction with Flutter-specific elements in your application. Version 1.0.5 ensures effective communication with Flutter's rendering system.

The appium_flutterfinder_java dependency is used to locate Flutter elements within the application, offering enhanced support for custom Flutter widgets. Version 1.0.1 is added for accurate element targeting.

Desired Capabilities For Flutter Driver

This configuration defines the desired capabilities for running tests on a Flutter app using the Appium Flutter Driver.

Flutter Desired Caps

// ...
// Device configurations
caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.PLATFORM_NAME, "Android");
caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.PLATFORM_VERSION, "14.0");
caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.DEVICE_NAME, "emulator-5554");
caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.APP,"src/test/resources/app/app-debug.apk");

// Additional settings
caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.AUTOMATION_NAME, "Flutter");
caps.setCapability(MobileCapabilityType.NEW_COMMAND_TIMEOUT, 20);
caps.setCapability("unicodeKeyboard", false);
caps.setCapability("resetKeyboard", true);
caps.setCapability("javascriptEnabled", true);

//...

PLATFORM_NAME: Specifies the platform as Android.
PLATFORM_VERSION: Indicates the Android version as 14.0.
DEVICE_NAME: Identifies the emulator being used, here named "emulator-5554."
APP: Points to the path of the Flutter app's APK file, app-debug.apk , used for testing.

AUTOMATION_NAME: Sets the automation engine to "Flutter" to enable testing for Flutter-specific applications.
NEW_COMMAND_TIMEOUT: Configures a timeout of 20 seconds for a command's execution.
unicodeKeyboard: Disabled (set to false), indicating the default keyboard will be used.
resetKeyboard: Enabled (set to true), resetting the keyboard after the test.
javascriptEnabled: Allows JavaScript execution in the context of webview tests, ensuring compatibility with advanced web interactions.

These capabilities ensure proper setup for Appium’s Flutter Driver, targeting an Android environment.

Appium Flutter Driver In Use

The code snippet below demonstrates a test case called loginIntoAppTest, this will help validate the login functionality using the Appium Flutter Driver and the help of Selenium. The test involves locating and interacting with Flutter UI elements by their unique identifiers or text.

loginIntoAppTest

public void loginIntoAppTest() throws Exception {
    // Locate and click the "SIGN IN" button
    FlutterElement signInButton = find.byText("SIGN IN");
    signInButton.click();
    Wait(1);
    // Enter email
    FlutterElement emailTextFeild = find.byValueKey("email-username");
    emailTextFeild.click();
    emailTextFeild.sendKeys("JohnDoe@mytest.com");
    // Enter password
    FlutterElement passwordTextFeild = find.byValueKey("password");
    passwordTextFeild.click();
    passwordTextFeild.sendKeys("Welcome");
    Wait(1);
    // Click the "Sign In" button
    FlutterElement signInBtn = find.byValueKey("sign-in-btn");
    signInBtn.click();
    Wait(1);
    // Log out after successful login
    SignOut();
}

Clicking the SIGN IN Button: The test locates the SIGN INbutton using the find.byText method and simulates a click to initiate the login process.
Entering Credentials: The test uses the find.byValueKey method to locate the email and password text fields by their respective keys email-username and password. It enters the provided credentials JohnDoe@mytest.com and Welcome.
Submitting the Form: The test locates the sign-in-btn element using its unique value key and clicks it to submit the credentials.
Logging Out: After performing the login, the SignOut() method is called to validate the complete flow.

This setup illustrates how to integrate the Appium Flutter Driver for automated UI testing of a Flutter app, leveraging unique identifiers (byValueKey) and textual locators (byText) for precise element interaction.

Conclusion

Installing the Appium Flutter Driver is a straightforward yet crucial step in enabling Appium’s automation capabilities for Flutter applications. By following this guide, you’ve learned how to install Appium Flutter Driver, verify its installation, and set up your testing environment. With this setup, you can streamline your QA processes and focus on creating robust, automated test scripts for your Flutter apps.