Setting up the Protractor end-to-end testing framework involves a few key steps, primarily focusing on installing its dependencies and Protractor itself. Based on the provided reference, the process can be summarized into three main stages: installing Node.js, installing Protractor, and setting up the WebDriver Manager.
Let's break down the setup process for Protractor.
Setting Up Protractor: A Step-by-Step Guide
Getting Protractor ready for use requires installing necessary software packages and configuring them. Here are the core steps, as outlined in the reference:
Step 1: Download & Install Node
The first essential step is to install Node.js. Protractor is a Node.js program, meaning it relies on the Node.js runtime environment to execute.
- Why Node.js? Node.js includes npm (Node Package Manager), which is used to install Protractor and its dependencies.
- How to Install: Download the appropriate installer for your operating system from the official Node.js website and follow the installation instructions.
Step 2: Install Protractor
Once Node.js is installed, you can proceed to install Protractor using npm. The reference explicitly states: "In the previous step, we have installed Node."
- Using npm: Open your terminal or command prompt and use the npm command to install Protractor globally.
- Command: The standard command is typically
npm install -g protractor. The-gflag installs Protractor globally, making it accessible from any directory.
Step 3: Update Webdriver Manager
Protractor uses WebDriver Manager to manage the browser drivers (like ChromeDriver, GeckoDriver, etc.) needed to control web browsers for testing. The reference notes that "WebDriver Manager package is installed, but as of now it does not has anything available in it." This means you need to update it to download the necessary drivers.
- Purpose: Updating WebDriver Manager downloads the specific versions of browser drivers required by Protractor to interact with browsers like Chrome, Firefox, etc.
- How to Update: After installing Protractor, WebDriver Manager comes with it. You need to run its update command.
- Command: The command to update WebDriver Manager is usually
webdriver-manager update.
Summary Table
Here's a quick overview of the steps based on the reference:
| Step | Action | Tool/Requirement | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Install Node.js | Node.js | Provides the runtime environment for Protractor. |
| 2 | Install Protractor | npm | Installs the Protractor framework itself using the Node Package Manager. |
| 3 | Update WebDriver Manager | WebDriver Manager | Downloads and sets up the necessary browser drivers for test execution. |
By following these three steps, you lay the foundational setup for using the Protractor framework for your end-to-end tests.
