Architecture and setup

Part 1 · Fundamentals›1 · IntroductionRFCP 1.2

Robot Framework sits in the middle of a simple stack. Your test cases call keywords; keywords come from libraries (Python code) or resource files (shared Robot Framework code); libraries drive the system under test — a browser, an API, the file system. This layering is the generic test automation architecture (gTAA): the framework defines and runs, libraries adapt it to each interface.

YouTube video · 1:56Robot Framework tutorial Episode 2 — Architecture and test case example

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See how test data, Robot Framework, libraries, and the system under test form one automation stack.

To run anything you need a Python project with Robot Framework installed. This course can run commands three ways — pick yours with the “Run with” picker above the first command below:

• uv (recommended) — one tool for the environment and dependencies.
• venv — a plain Python virtual environment (.venv).
• poetry — the poetry package manager.

Every command example below and throughout the course adapts to your choice. You can change it any time; set each lab up with the runner you picked.

Tip

In VS Code, install the RobotCode extension for syntax highlighting, running, and debugging.

Task 1 — Create a project and add Robot Framework

Run

Work in your open workspace folder.

1. Create the project:

   uv init --no-workspace --name rf-essentials

2. Add Robot Framework:

   uv add robotframework

   pip install robotframework

   poetry add robotframework

1. Create a virtual environment (use python3 if python isn’t found):

   python -m venv .venv

2. Activate it — source .venv/bin/activate, or .venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1 in PowerShell — then install Robot Framework into it:

   uv add robotframework

   pip install robotframework

   poetry add robotframework

Warning

In venv mode, select the .venv interpreter in VS Code so new terminals activate it and editor tooling resolves Robot Framework. Run Python: Select Interpreter and choose .venv.

1. Create the project:

   uv init --no-workspace --name rf-essentials

2. Add Robot Framework:

   uv add robotframework

   pip install robotframework

   poetry add robotframework

Done when

Robot Framework is installed in the project’s environment.

Task 2 — Verify Robot Framework runs

Run

Confirm the install by asking Robot Framework for its version:

uv run robot --version

robot --version

poetry run robot --version

It prints a line like Robot Framework 7.x (Python 3.x on ...) and exits.

Done when

the last command ran robot and printed its version banner.

Check your understanding

Quick recall. Your first answer stays in this browser; the quiz never blocks your progress.

1. In the generic test automation architecture (gTAA), Robot Framework is…

   The test execution layer that drives librariesThe application under testThe operating system
   Show the answer

   Answer: The test execution layer that drives libraries — Robot Framework is the execution and definition layer; libraries adapt it to each interface under test.

2. What does uv add robotframework change in your project?

   Nothing — it only prints the versionIt records the dependency and locks a resolved versionIt installs a web browser
   Show the answer

   Answer: It records the dependency and locks a resolved version — uv add writes the dependency into pyproject.toml and pins the resolved version in uv.lock.

Key terms

uvcommand

Fast Python package manager: uv add <pkg> records a dependency; uv run <cmd> runs inside the project environment.

RobotCodeconcept

The recommended VS Code extension for Robot Framework — syntax, run, and debug support.

All terms in the glossary →