Skip to content
Robot Framework Essentials

Running and reading results

Lesson lab: Syntax rulesch02-first-suite--syntax-rules.zip · 3 KB

This lesson continues in the same lab as the lesson before it. If you don’t have it yet, download it here.

Download ch02-first-suite--syntax-rules.zip

Or fetch and unpack it from a terminal in VS Code:

Terminal window
curl -fsSLO https://manykarim.github.io/robotframework-essentials-web/labs/ch02-first-suite--syntax-rules.zip && unzip -q ch02-first-suite--syntax-rules.zip && rm ch02-first-suite--syntax-rules.zip

Open the folder in VS Code with code rfe-ch02-first-suite--syntax-rules (or File → Open Folder…) and accept the recommended RobotCode and Python extensions. Then set it up:

Terminal window
uv sync
Terminal window
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

Keep the environment active in every terminal where you run lesson commands.

Terminal window
poetry install --no-root

Python 3.13 or newer is required; uv installs it when it is missing.

Open in browserNo setup? Try the lab right here: its files, an editor and a terminal, running in your browser.

What's inside
  • Directoryrfe-ch02-first-suite--syntax-rules/
    • Directory.vscode/
      • extensions.json
    • Directorychecks/
      • first_suite.robot
    • .gitignore
    • .python-version
    • LAB.md
    • pyproject.toml
    • README.md
    • requirements.txt
    • uv.lock

Every run produces three artifacts:

  • output.xml — the machine-readable source of truth.
  • log.html — the detailed log: every test, keyword, argument, and message.
  • report.html — the high-level summary: pass/fail counts and timings.

The console gives you the quick verdict per test; the log tells you why. When a test fails, the log is where you look first. Use --outputdir to keep these files in one place instead of your project root.

A run and its artifactspipeline diagram. log.html and report.html are both views of output.xmlrobotuv run robotwritesoutput.xmlmachine-readable source of truthopenreport.htmlsummary: pass/fail countslog.htmldetail: every keyword and messagelog.html and report.html are both views of output.xml

Task 1 — Run the suite into an output directory

Section titled “Task 1 — Run the suite into an output directory”
Run

Run your suite and send the artifacts to results/:

Terminal window
uv run robot --outputdir results checks
Terminal window
robot --outputdir results checks
Terminal window
poetry run robot --outputdir results checks

You’ll see the run report each test and tally the result:

uv run robot --outputdir results checksrobot --outputdir results checkspoetry run robot --outputdir results checks
==============================================================================
Checks.First Suite
==============================================================================
Greeting Reads Clean | PASS |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Checks.First Suite | PASS |
==============================================================================
1 test, 1 passed, 0 failed
==============================================================================

Robot Framework writes results/output.xml, results/log.html, and results/report.html.

Done when

the run produced results/log.html and results/report.html.

Task 2 — Read log.html and report.html

Section titled “Task 2 — Read log.html and report.html”
Read

Open results/report.html for the summary, then results/log.html and expand the test to see each keyword and its message. This is the habit that makes failures quick to diagnose later.

Done when

nothing to run — continue once you have opened both files.

Check your understanding

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

  1. Which artifact shows the detailed, step-by-step execution?

    Show the answer

    Answer: log.html — log.html is the detailed log; report.html is the high-level summary; output.xml is the machine-readable source.

  2. What does the console PASS/FAIL line tell you that the log adds to?

    Show the answer

    Answer: The verdict per test; the log adds every step and message — The console gives quick per-test verdicts; log.html expands each into keywords, arguments, and messages.

Key terms

--outputdircommand
robot --outputdir results checks writes output.xml, log.html, and report.html into results/.
log.html vs report.htmlconcept
log.html = detailed steps; report.html = summary/verdict overview.

All terms in the glossary →