Before going any further, let us define a QR code. Different types of data that are typically invisible to the naked eye are contained in QR Codes. We need a scanner that can read QR codes in order to read this info.

Quick Response (QR) codes are widely used today. A black square on a white background or in a square grid makes up a QR code by scanning a QR code, you can access information such as a restaurant’s menu, a customer’s website, apps, theme park maps, A digital menu for your cafe, food truck, or catering business should be shared. Encourage consumers to install your app and more. Since a few years ago, smartphones have supported scanning QR codes using their native cameras. The deep-linked QR code then directs the user to the relevant App’s individual page. In marketing and advertising initiatives, QR codes are widely used to track information about products in a supply chain.

QR Codes Automation in Selenium:

1. Third-party libraries can be used to automate QR code.
2. ZXing, which stands for “zebra crossing,” is a Java-based, open-source library that supports a variety of 1D and 2D barcode formats.
3. We can automate QR code creation using a library or Adding dependency.

Read More: How to Optimize Continuous Delivery with Continuous Reliability

Decoding the QR code using automation tests. The following resources were used to put this approach into practice:

1. An open-source framework called Selenium WebDriver is used to automate Web applications.
2. Selenium Grid enables simultaneous testing across various devices.
3. A mobile open-source framework called Appium is used to automate both Windows and mobile applications.
4. The Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) technique is supported by the Cucumber framework for defining tests in feature file format.
5. Maven is a software project management and comprehension tool written in the Java programming language. We can create, evaluate, and oversee Java-based projects using Maven.

Some Problems We face Into While Automating the QR Code Flow Test

There are mainly 6 reasons why a QR Code does not work:

• Bad quality
  Solution- Save your QR Code in high-resolution SVG or PNG format.
• Inverted colors
  Solution- Always utilize a dark foreground and a light background.
• Small size
  Solution- Gauge the QR Code’s location and then decide its size. For instance, if you are placing a QR Code on a business card, its size cannot be less than 2 x 2 inches, else the QR Code won’t scan.
• Poor contrast ratio
  Solution- Even when using contrasting colors, keep the foreground 40% darker than the backdrop.
• Wrong Placement
  Solution- Place the QR code front and centre on the surface when using it on smaller items like business cards, pamphlets, or fliers. Ensure that QR Codes are placed at eye level for people to easily scan them when displaying them on larger screens like billboards.
• Expired QR Code
  Solution- Always test your QR Code periodically to ensure it is working. Use a high-quality free QR Code generator like Beaconstac.

To Automate QR Code through selenium web driver we need to follow below steps:

1. Following are the dependency add in while creating a maven project.
   In this blog I am using the below maven dependencies.
   ZXing Java SEExtensions
   
2. In this blog for demo purpose I am reading below QR code from
   http://qrcode.meetheed.com/qrcode_examples.php
   
3. Below is the Code Snapshot along with detailed explanation.
   
4. Output of the above code would be: