Automated testing in React Native: practical tips

Why it is worth automating tests

Automated tests are gaining in popularity because they effectively complement manual testing and help speed up quality verification. They require an investment of time to prepare tools and scenarios, but they quickly pay off: they shorten the testing cycle, make regression testing easier, and stabilise quality at every stage of product development.

At Leaware, we have maintained a high standard of application quality for years, and we see how automation genuinely reduces costs and regression risk in mobile projects, including those built in React Native.

- Less labour-intensive regression testing - Parallel verification of multiple users, devices, configurations and data sets - Reduced workload for the manual testing team - Shorter test execution time - Ability to run tests at any time - Parallel runs across different environments - Automatic verification of data processed by applications - Repeatability and reduced human error - Broader test coverage

BDD in practice

In our projects, we often use BDD, which helps us describe requirements precisely and turn them into testable scenarios. As a result, the business team, developers and testers all speak the same language.

We write requirements in Gherkin and combine them with SpecFlow. On this basis, skeletons of test steps are generated, which testers then implement in code. To maintain readability and scalability, we use the Page Object Pattern, which reduces duplication and simplifies test maintenance as the application evolves.

For example, a login scenario can be described in Gherkin and then mapped to step methods in the Page Object for the login screen and the home screen.

Technology stack

We write automated tests in C# using Appium and Selenium WebDriver. It is a proven set of tools for mobile application automation, supported by a large community and extensive documentation, which makes problem-solving easier.

A few practical tips for React Native:

- Assign stable element identifiers (e.g. testID, accessibilityLabel) — this makes it easier to locate controls reliably - Use explicit waits for UI states (smart waits) instead of fixed delays - Encapsulate view operations in Page Object classes, limiting logic within the tests themselves - Separate test data and environment configurations from the test code - Capture screenshots and logs on errors to speed up diagnosis

Automation and the CI pipeline

We connect completed tests to the pipeline in the Continuous Integration Server. Each new application version built in CI goes through a suite of automated tests. This makes it possible to detect regressions quickly, verify critical paths, and improve release quality.

- Running tests on every build or for pull requests - Parallel execution across multiple devices/emulators and in different environments - Reports and artefacts (screenshots, logs) available in the pipeline make analysis easier

Running on mobile devices

Tests can be run on emulators/simulators as well as physical devices. Emulators speed up the development cycle, while real devices make it possible to verify application behaviour in conditions close to production. In larger projects, it is worth considering device farms in order to scale tests in parallel.

Summary

Test automation in React Native requires strong expertise, but it delivers measurable benefits: faster releases, fewer regressions and higher quality. Using BDD, Gherkin + SpecFlow, the Page Object Pattern, and C# with Appium and Selenium WebDriver, combined with a CI pipeline, creates a solid foundation for scalable testing. It is a field that is developing dynamically — it is worth following trends and continuously improving processes.