Robot Framework vs Pytest | Which One Should I Choose?

There are many test automation frameworks in the market, some are Java-based, some support Javascript (NodeJS), and some are Python-based. Considering the Python-based test automation frameworks –  Robot Framework and Pytest are most popular and widely used ones. In this blog, we compare the two.

Robot Framework vs Pytest – Overview

Robot Framework

Robot Framework is an open-source keyword driven test automation framework, widely used for acceptance testing. It is built with the Python library, however can be extended to other programming libraries. Robot Framework requires less technical knowledge, as all the complex implementation is abstracted, the user needs to know only high-level keywords to use Robot Framework.

Check here – Robot Framework Alternatives

Pytest

Pytest is a Python-based testing library, it helps to write small and readable tests and it can scale to support complex functional testing applications. Pytest can be integrated with Selenium and used for functional testing. It can also be used for API testing. Pytest is faster compared to other similar frameworks.

Robot Framework vs Pytest – Differences

What Companies use Robot Framework and Pytest?

Both Robot Framework and Pytest are popular testing frameworks, many organizations are using these tools to fulfill their testing needs. Pytest is used by GameDriver, UK Health Security Agency, Xcom Labs, Datto, etc. The Robot Framework is used by the Royal Bank of Canada, Sogeti, Juniper Networks, Brain Power, etc.

Performance Comparison

Considering the Pytest and Robot Framework, Pytest is faster and more efficient than the Robot Framework. As it does not require any additional parsing or processing. To achieve good performance results in a Robot Framework, you need to optimize the test design and execution and by using tags, variables, and keywords wisely. Furthermore, if you implement parallel execution it can provide faster feedback.

Robot Framework vs Pytest – Scalability Comparison

Scalability is an important factor when choosing the test automation tool. Scalability in test automation refers to the ability to handle a large number of test cases, and test runs and adapt to changing requirements. 

Both Pytest and Robot Framework are scalable and they can support different levels of testing. They support modularization and reuse of the code. Both of them support many third-party tools integration. Considering the scalability factor, Robot Framework may have an edge over Pytest in terms of scalability. As it provides a more structured approach to testing. It encourages and provides more helpful options for documenting and organizing the test cases. It has more built-in features and libraries that can simplify your tasks.

Check here – Robot Framework vs Selenium

What tools to integrate?

Integrating tools helps in extending and customizing the automation framework. Most of the time, an automation tool without integration will be meaningless. For example, if you do not integrate assertion libraries into Selenium tools, it cannot report pass or fail. Both Pytest and Robot Framework support a large number of tools for integration. 

Pytest can be integrated with Selenium, Jira, Jenkins, LamdaTest, and other popular tools. Robot Framework can be integrated into LambdaTest, SeleniumLibrary, Jira, GitLab, TeamCity, AzureDevOps, Docker, etc.

Similarities Between Robot Framework and Pytest

Robot Framework and Pytest are two distinct automation tools, however they both share many similarities. Both the frameworks are Python-based, Both are open source and have good community support, and they can be used on different platforms (cross-platform compatible). They are extensible and adaptable. Additionally, they can be customized as per your need, they have good documentation support with examples, and are easy to learn.

Check here – Robot Framework vs Playwright

Robot Framework vs Pytest: What are the Differences?

Feature	Robot Framework	Pytest
License	Open source/FreeApache License 2.0	Open source/FreeMIT License
What is it for?	Robot Framework is mostly used for Acceptance testing	Pytest is used for Unit, Integration, and Functional Testing
Ease of use/Setup	Ready-made framework, easy to install.	It is a library and requires the integration of testing tools and reporting.
Programming language support	Built with Python, supports other programming languages with customization	Python
Integration with third-party tools	Easy to integrate with third-party tools. Lots of open-source tools are available for integration.	A lot of third-party tools integration is available, however, integration requires technical expertise
Performance	Slow compared to Pytest	Faster compared to Robot Framework
Customization	Limited customization	Most flexible, a lot of customization
CI/CD support	Yes, supports all major CI/CD tools	Yes, Supports many CI/CD tools
Learning curve	Low compared to Pytest	High compared to Robot Framework
Debugging	Debugging is harder as the reporting might not contain all relevant information	Debugging is easier, as debugging information and logs can be configured as per the need
Test reporting	Provides basic inbuilt reporting	Requires to integrate reporting packages

Robot Framework vs Pytest -Key Differences

Testing type

Robot Framework is mainly used for Acceptance testing, it can also support process automation. 

Pytest is a testing library that can be used for any type of testing such as Unit, Integration, API, and Functional Testing

Pricing

Both Robot Framework and Pytest are open-source in nature. Robot Framework uses the Apache 2.0 license and Pytest is shipped with the MIT license. However, irrespective of license type both are free to use, and no need to pay for the license

Maintenance

Robot Framework is more structured and encourages test design and documentation. It uses a keyword driven approach hence Robot Framework is easy to maintain. 

Pytest maintenance depends on how the framework is built. If you have taken care of reusability, and best practices then Pytest maintenance becomes easier. However Pytest doesn’t enforce any standards so as the framework and test automation grow, the framework becomes hard to maintain.

Setup complexity

Robot Framework is a ready-made automation tool, it doesn’t require much technical knowledge to set up and start testing. 

Pytest is a Python library that requires dependency installation to build the full-fledged framework, hence it adds complexity. Furthermore, Pytest requires in-depth technical knowledge to set up the automation framework.

Learning curve

Robot Framework uses the keyword driven approach. The tester needs to know only high-level keywords. Complex implementation is abstracted to make the framework user-friendly. Because of this, the learning curve for the Robot Framework is less.

Pytest is code-based automation framework, the tester needs to understand the commands, APIs, and other implementation-related information. This requires in-depth knowledge of coding, so the learning curve for Pytest is high.

Debugging

Robot Framework provides limited debugging features, unless you are dealing with complex applications these debugging features should suffice. 

Pytest can be configured to provide logs of any depth. Pytest provides in-depth level debugging features.

Performance

Robot Framework is a keyword driven framework, it uses the parser in the background. Due to this Robot Framework becomes slower. 

Pytest directly interacts with Selenium, no parsing logic is required, hence Pytest is faster and performs better than the Robot Framework

Maintainability

Robot Framework is more structured and produces more readable test cases. Furthermore, it encourages test design and documentation which makes maintenance easier. 

Pytest requires a lot of logic to be written in the background to build the complete framework. Pytest also requires a lot of package integration to fulfill all automation testing needs. Because of all these Pytest frameworks become complex and when they grow it may be difficult to maintain them.

Programming Language Support

Robot Framework uses a keyword driven approach, hence user doesn’t need to bother about the programming language. However, it is built with Python and extendable to other programming languages. 

Pytest is a Python testing library that supports only Python.

Reusability/Readability

As Robot Framework is keyword-driven and follows a structured design, readability is high, and reusability can be achieved with best practices. The Reusability of Pytest depends on framework implementation and enforcement of common libraries. Readability is considered low as Pytest uses the programming language to write the test cases.

How to Choose Between Robot Framework and Pytest?

When choosing the best automation tool for your organization, there is no definite answer as it depends on a lot of factors, some are specific to your organization, application, and project. 

In general, Robot Framework requires less skill set, as it is keyword-driven. If you learn high-level keywords you will be able to start automating. Additionally, Robot Framework test cases are more readable and maintainable. 

Pytest is a better choice if you love programming and if you require a lot of customization, and integration with other tools. 

Robot Framework provides the readymade testing solution, however using Pytest you need to build a testing framework of your own. Pytest provides a lot of flexibility. 

Considering the learning curve, the Robot Framework is minimal and Pytest requires more. 

You may have to evaluate your testing requirements on different tools to choose the right fit.

Robot Framework vs Pytest – Which are Better Alternatives?

There are many alternatives to Robot Framework and Pytest such as PyUnit, Behave, Testify, etc. 

The one alternative we want to talk about is Testsigma. Testsigma is built with modern application architecture in mind and it doesn’t require any programming language knowledge. 

Robot Framework is simple where you need to know the keyword, Testsigma makes it even more simple by eliminating that. No setup or installation is required to use Testsigma. 

Testsigma provides a web-based interface to write your tests, you can record and playback your tests. It is powered by AI technology which makes Testsigma more powerful and helps to produce stable results. Some notable features of Testsigma are listed below:

• Supports no code features. So even non-technical team members can contribute to the automation.
• Reduced maintenance with an in-built AI feature
• Supports multiple browsers for compatibility testing such as  Firefox, Chrome, and Edge
• Detailed logs help to quickly debug and fix the failed test cases.
• Video recording and screenshots of execution help in root cause analysis
• CI/CD integration support helps you to integrate with popular CI/CD tools
• Testsigma tests and artifacts can be accessed remotely from anywhere, you just need to have internet access.
• Customizable and shareable reports make the reporting rich and increase the readability
• Dedicated technical support to answer all your queries and resolve the issues

Conclusion

Automation testing tool plays a crucial role in the success of any test automation. There are many automation frameworks in the market however Robot Framework and Pytest are both popular Python-based automation frameworks. Both the frameworks are widely used by many organizations but both of them have many pros and cons. If you are in search of automation tools you may need to evaluate the testing requirement with both of these frameworks. 

Nowadays organizations are moving towards no code automation tools as it requires less skill set and is easy to learn. Testsigma is one such most popular no-code automation tool used by many organizations. You may even need to consider Testsigma while evaluating the test automation tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Python used in Robot Framework?

As a tester you may not need to write tests in Python. As Robot Framework is keyword-driven, you just need to know about the high-level keywords. Meanwhile, Python has been used for building the Robot Framework. The keywords which are used in test cases are implemented using the Python language.

Is RobotFramework Selenium based?

Yes, the Robot Framework uses SeleniumLibrary internally to support functional testing. You can consider Robot Framework as a wrapper for Selenium.

Does Pytest support no-code or scriptless automation?

Pytest is a testing library, when you integrate Pytest and Selenium you can use it for functional testing. Pytest itself is not a ready-made framework, unlike Robot Framework. Selenium provides selenium IDE which can be used for recording and playback with Pytest, however, the test may not be stable. Considering these factors Pytest with Selenium supports record and playback, not no-code/Scriptless automation.