Simple Selenium Framework Development

Hi Folks,

I would like to take you through automation framework development using Selenium. I would call this framework as SSF or Simple Selenium Framework..

So, as any development phase we need to divide things into different sections, first is Analysis Phase.

Phase 1: Analysis Phase:

How should be the system be designed?
What it should do?
What features it should have?

Our SSF framework should be:
a) easy configurable, easy to understand, reliable, secure and what not ..
b) some items are property file driven
c) some function to import xls sheet value and write back
d) it should run tests parallel
e) database connectivity?
f) nice reporting and emailable content
g) integrate to external tool to show non technical folks and let them run their test
h) I don't want to buy any paid software
i) integrate with emails
j)integrate to run automatically
.
.
.

ah!, that a quite a collection to start with, now let us jot down what is possible and free

the answers:

How should be the system be designed?
[Bijoy]: We will use java/selenium, its free as of today!
What it should do?
[Bijoy]: meet all requirements and ease to use!
What features it should have?
[Bijoy]: as mentioned below:

Our SSF framework should be:
a) easy configurable, easy to understand, reliable, secure and what not ..
[Bijoy]: Java is the solution, no need of advanced concepts, just plain java or oops concepts

b) some items are property file driven
[Bijoy]: we will use Resource bundle, its simple!

c) some function to import xls sheet value and write back
[Bijoy]: We will use jxl.jar, believe me we have to make use of TestNG framework and Junit Framework.

d) it should run tests parallel
[Bijoy]: TestNG is the solution!

e) database connectivity?
[Bijoy]: doable using Java!

f) nice reporting and emailable content
[Bijoy]: ReportNG and Xslt reports.

g) integrate to external tool to show non technical folks and let them run their test
[Bijoy]: hudson/jenkins integration

h) I don't want to buy any paid software
[Bijoy]: lot of open source availble

i) integrate with emails
[Bijoy]: doable using Java!

j)integrate to run automatically
[Bijoy]: Cool!
.
.
Now the software requirements:

1. Eclipse IDE: http://eclipse.org/downloads/packages/eclipse-ide-java-ee-developers/indigosr1
2. Selenium 2.0 / IDE / GRID : http://seleniumhq.org/download/
3. TestNG : http://testng.org/doc/eclipse.html