Environment Configuration

Overview

The Makers BTG Tests framework supports multiple test environments through the serenity.conf configuration file. This allows you to easily switch between QA, Staging, and other environments without modifying code.

Environments are defined in the environments block of serenity.conf:

serenity.conf

environments {
  qa {
    webdriver.base.url = "https://qa.btgpactual.com"
    api.endpoint = "https://api-qa.btgpactual.com/v1"
  }
  stg {
    webdriver.base.url = "https://stg.btgpactual.com"
    api.endpoint = "https://api-stg.btgpactual.com/v1"
  }
}

Available Environments

QA Environment

Used for quality assurance testing with the latest features

Staging Environment

Pre-production environment that mirrors production configuration

QA Environment

webdriver.base.url

string

Base URL: https://qa.btgpactual.comThe root URL for web UI tests in the QA environment.

api.endpoint

string

API Endpoint: https://api-qa.btgpactual.com/v1The base endpoint for API tests in the QA environment.

Staging Environment

webdriver.base.url

string

Base URL: https://stg.btgpactual.comThe root URL for web UI tests in the staging environment.

api.endpoint

string

API Endpoint: https://api-stg.btgpactual.com/v1The base endpoint for API tests in the staging environment.

Switching Environments at Runtime

Using System Properties

You can switch environments at runtime using the environment system property:

./gradlew clean test -Denvironment=qa

If no environment is specified, Serenity will use the default configuration values (non-environment specific settings).

Accessing Environment Variables in Tests

Using EnvironmentSpecificConfiguration

import net.serenitybdd.core.environment.EnvironmentSpecificConfiguration;
import net.thucydides.core.util.EnvironmentVariables;

public class ConfigurationHelper {
    
    public static String getBaseUrl(EnvironmentVariables environmentVariables) {
        return EnvironmentSpecificConfiguration.from(environmentVariables)
            .getProperty("webdriver.base.url");
    }
    
    public static String getApiEndpoint(EnvironmentVariables environmentVariables) {
        return EnvironmentSpecificConfiguration.from(environmentVariables)
            .getProperty("api.endpoint");
    }
}

In Screenplay Tasks

import net.serenitybdd.screenplay.Actor;
import net.serenitybdd.screenplay.Task;
import net.serenitybdd.screenplay.actions.Open;
import net.thucydides.core.util.EnvironmentVariables;

public class NavigateToHome implements Task {
    
    @Override
    public <T extends Actor> void performAs(T actor) {
        EnvironmentVariables env = Serenity.getCurrentSession()
            .getSystemEnvironmentVariables();
        String baseUrl = EnvironmentSpecificConfiguration.from(env)
            .getProperty("webdriver.base.url");
        
        actor.attemptsTo(
            Open.url(baseUrl)
        );
    }
}

Adding New Environments

To add a new environment (e.g., production), update serenity.conf:

serenity.conf

environments {
  qa {
    webdriver.base.url = "https://qa.btgpactual.com"
    api.endpoint = "https://api-qa.btgpactual.com/v1"
  }
  stg {
    webdriver.base.url = "https://stg.btgpactual.com"
    api.endpoint = "https://api-stg.btgpactual.com/v1"
  }
  prod {
    webdriver.base.url = "https://www.btgpactual.com"
    api.endpoint = "https://api.btgpactual.com/v1"
  }
}

Always verify environment URLs are correct before running tests. Incorrect URLs can lead to test failures or unintended actions on wrong environments.

Best Practices

Use Environment-Specific Data

Store environment-specific test data (credentials, test accounts) in separate configuration files or environment variables, never hardcode them in tests.

Default to QA

Configure your CI/CD pipeline to use QA as the default environment for automated test runs.

Isolate Staging Tests

Run staging tests separately from QA tests, especially before production deployments.

Document Environment Differences

Maintain documentation of any configuration differences between environments that might affect test behavior.

Troubleshooting

Environment Not Loading

If your environment configuration isn’t being applied:

Verify the system property is correctly spelled: -Denvironment=qa
Check that serenity.conf is in src/test/resources/
Ensure the environment name matches exactly (case-sensitive)
Review test logs for configuration loading errors

Wrong URLs Being Used

# Verify current environment configuration
./gradlew clean test -Denvironment=qa --info | grep "base.url"

Environment configuration is loaded at test startup. Changes to serenity.conf require restarting the test execution.

Get Started

Framework Guide

Writing Tests

Configuration

Running Tests

Best Practices

Environment Configuration

Overview