As we mentioned earlier in the book, the main reasons for using a data-driven test development approach are to be able to reuse test methods with multiple permutations of data, to encapsulate data in a central location, and to enforce DRY coding practices, which reduce the amount of code being written and maintained.
To correctly design and build tests that use this methodology for testing software applications, test methods must contain a predefined input, a verifiable output, and contain no hardcoded values within the test method. Data is passed into a test method at runtime, where it is then used in page object methods to perform an action and verify a result. Because the data is not hardcoded into the test, methods can be iterated with variations of datasets, extending the coverage of the test to include positive, negative, boundary, and limit testing.
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