A Systematic Review on Pattern-based GUI Testing of Android and Web Apps: State-of-the-Art, Taxonomy, Challenges and Future Directions

Graphical User Interface (GUI) designing and testing of different applications is significant from a user point of view. GUI testing ensures that the user interface of apps is visually appealing, user-friendly, and enhances user satisfaction. Pattern-Based GUI Testing (PBGT) is a new model-based testing approach that aims to enhance reusability while reducing the workload associated with modeling user interfaces and testing applications. The objective of conducting a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) on pattern-based GUI testing is to consolidate existing knowledge and provide insights for improving the effectiveness of PBGT methods. The objectives of conducting an SLR are the identification of current state-of-the-art approaches and tools in the targeted research context. To accomplish the mentioned objectives, A hybrid methodology combining Kitchenham’s SLR and PRISMA guidelines was used to conduct this SLR. We performed a keyword-based search on well-known databases IEEE, ACM, Science Direct, Wiley, and Springer Link to determine the potential studies published in the last 10 years. Following a comprehensive systematic analysis, we identified a total of twenty-four studies employing varied approaches for pattern-based GUI testing. Additionally, we identified 11 tools that have been used and proposed in PBGT for Android and web apps and made a taxonomy of tools. We also identified challenges and research directions. The implications of this study are significant. The current study is helpful for researchers intending to work in pattern-based GUI testing. The comprehensive knowledge about the current state-of-the-art Tools, techniques, and approaches will help practitioners to effectively apply them in industry and enable researchers to extend their work in this context in future research.