QA Testing (Android)

Android testing automation with Espresso, UIAutomator, and Compose Testing.

Core References: Android Testing Docs, Espresso, Compose Testing

Quick Reference

Quick Start (2026 Defaults)

• Prefer Gradle Managed Devices (GMD) + ATD images for CI; use connectedAndroidTest for local ad-hoc runs.
• Enable test isolation via AndroidX Test Orchestrator for instrumented tests.
• Disable animations via Gradle testOptions (preferred) instead of per-runner ADB steps.
• Keep selectors stable: withId() (Views), testTag (Compose), resource-id/content-desc (UIAutomator).

Recommended Gradle defaults for stable instrumented tests (version catalog names vary by project):

android {
    testOptions {
        animationsDisabled = true
        execution = "ANDROIDX_TEST_ORCHESTRATOR"
    }
}

dependencies {
    androidTestUtil(libs.androidx.test.orchestrator)
}

When to Use

• Debug or stabilize flaky Android UI tests
• Add Espresso tests for View-based UIs
• Add Compose UI tests for composables
• Add UIAutomator tests for system UI or cross-app flows
• Set up an Android test gate in CI

Inputs to Gather

• UI stack: Views, Compose, or mixed
• Test layer: unit, Robolectric, instrumented UI, UIAutomator/system
• CI target: PR gate vs nightly vs release; emulator vs device farm
• Device matrix: min/target API, form factors, locales (if relevant)
• Flake symptoms: timeouts, missing nodes, idling/sync, device-only issues
• App seams: DI hooks for fakes, feature flags, test accounts/test data

Testing Layers

Core Principles (Stability)

Device Matrix

• Default: emulators for PR gates; real devices for release
• Cover: min supported API level, target API level, plus tablet/foldable if supported

Flake Control

• Prefer Gradle testOptions { animationsDisabled = true } for instrumented tests
• Use AndroidX Test Orchestrator to isolate state and recover from crashes
• Use IdlingResources / Compose idling + waitUntil instead of sleeps
• Mock network with MockWebServer (or your DI fake) and avoid live backends
• Reset app state per test (test account/data, storage, feature flags)

Writing Tests

• Espresso (Views): open references/espresso-patterns.md
• Compose: open references/compose-testing.md
• UIAutomator (system/cross-app): open references/uiautomator.md

Workflows

Add a New UI Test (Instrumented)

• Pick framework: Espresso (Views) vs Compose Testing vs UIAutomator boundary.
• Add stable selectors: View id, Compose Modifier.testTag, system resource-id/content-desc.
• Control externals: fake/mock network + deterministic test data.
• Add waits: IdlingResources / Compose idling + waitUntil (avoid sleeps).
• Run locally: ./gradlew connectedAndroidTest (or a single test via runner args).

Diagnose a Flaky Instrumented Test

• Confirm reproduces: run the test 10x; isolate to one device/API if needed.
• Remove nondeterminism: network, clock/timezone, locale, feature flags, animations.
• Replace sleeps with idling/explicit waits; validate your IdlingResource actually idles.
• Capture artifacts: logcat + screenshot + screen recording for failures.
• If still flaky, isolate app state (orchestrator + clear data) and bisect the interaction steps.

Add a CI Gate (Preferred: GMD)

• Configure GMD + ATD images (see references/gradle-managed-devices.md).
• Run PR gate on a small matrix; expand via groups for nightly/release.
• Ensure artifacts upload on failure: **/build/reports/androidTests/, screenshots/logcat.

ADB Commands (Triage)

# Screenshot
adb exec-out screencap -p > screenshot.png

# Screen recording
adb shell screenrecord /sdcard/demo.mp4

CI Integration

Preferred: Gradle Managed Devices (GMD). See references/gradle-managed-devices.md.

# .github/workflows/android.yml
name: Android CI
on: [push, pull_request]
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/setup-java@v4
        with:
          java-version: '17'
          distribution: 'temurin'
      - uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@v3
      - run: ./gradlew test pixel6api34DebugAndroidTest

Navigating References

The reference guides are intentionally large; search within them instead of loading everything:

• rg -n \"^## \" frameworks/shared-skills/skills/qa-testing-android/references/compose-testing.md
• rg -n \"Idling|waitUntil|Synchronization\" frameworks/shared-skills/skills/qa-testing-android/references/compose-testing.md
• rg -n \"RecyclerView|Intents\" frameworks/shared-skills/skills/qa-testing-android/references/espresso-patterns.md

Do / Avoid

Do

• Prefer orchestrator + per-test isolation for instrumented tests
• Use IdlingResources / waitUntil for async waits
• Use Robot/Page Object patterns for readability and reuse
• Run a small device matrix on PRs; expand on nightly/release

Avoid

• Thread.sleep() for synchronization
• Tests depending on live network/backends
• Flaky selectors (localized text, position-only selectors)

Resources

Templates

Related Skills