Appium Concepts :Difference between “.activateApp” Vs “.terminateApp” Vs “.removeApp” (Appium Built-In methods)

Get a step-by-step walkthrough in the video below!

Inthis Article, We will discuss the Uses & differences between “.activateApp” Vs “.terminateApp” Vs “.removeApp” (Appium Built-In methods)

Appium Built-In Method : — “.activateApp(appId)”

driver.activateApp(appId);

Description:

This method starts/opens an already running app by its ID. i.e. Activates an app, if it is not running or it is running in the background

• Purpose: Brings the specified app to the foreground.
• Effect: If the app is running in the background, it is resumed. If it is not running, it is launched.
• Use Case: Useful for switching between apps or relaunching the app after it has been backgrounded or terminated (but not uninstalled).

Example (Appium):

  //Case-1: Start an wdiodemo app
  driver.activateApp("com.wdiodemoapp");
  System.out.println("Started wdiodemo app successfully");
  
  Thread.sleep(5000);
    
  //Case-2: Open the wdiodemo app from background
  driver.activateApp("com.wdiodemoapp");
  System.out.println("Opened the wdiodemo app successfully");

Appium Built-In Method : — “.terminateApp(appId)”

driver.terminateApp(appId);

Description:

This method is primarily used to forcefully close an application on the device.

• Purpose: Terminates the app process on the device (similar to force closing it).
• Effect: The app is closed, but not uninstalled from the device. The app’s data may be retained depending on the platform.
• Use Case: Useful for testing how the app behaves after being killed and relaunched.

Example (Appium):

  //Close the wdiodemo app
  driver.terminateApp("com.wdiodemoapp");
  System.out.println("Close the wdiodemo app");

Appium Built-In Method : — “.removeApp(appId)”:

driver.removeApp(appId);

Description:

This method uninstalls the application from the Device.

It’s typically used when you need to perform a clean install of the app during your test, ensuring that no previous data or settings affect the current test session.

• Purpose: Uninstalls the app from the device.
• Effect: The app is completely removed, including its data and cache (unless specified otherwise).
• Use Case: Useful for testing installation workflows or resetting the device state.

Example (Appium):

  //Uninstall the wdiodemo app
  driver.removeApp("com.wdiodemoapp");
  System.out.println("Uninstall the wdiodemo app");

Important: Difference Between methods .terminateApp() Vs .removeApp()

“Complete Code: Optimized and Ready to Use”:

package com.appiumguide.appiumconcepts;

import org.testng.annotations.AfterTest;
import org.testng.annotations.BeforeTest;
import org.testng.annotations.Test;

import io.appium.java_client.android.AndroidDriver;
import io.appium.java_client.android.options.UiAutomator2Options;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.net.*;
import java.time.Duration;

/**
 * Script Details - Appium Concepts : Difference between methods .activateApp Vs .terminateApp Vs .removeApp
 * 
 * appium-java-client version: Latest
 * 
 * @author 'Ramesh Kodumuru' for AppiumGuide [appiumguide@gmail.com]
 */

public class DiffBTWMethods {
 
 private AndroidDriver driver;
     
 @BeforeTest
 public void setup() throws MalformedURLException {
  UiAutomator2Options cap=new UiAutomator2Options();
  cap.setPlatformName("android");
  cap.setAutomationName("uiautomator2");
  cap.setDeviceName("Pixel8");
  
     
  driver = new AndroidDriver(new URL("http://127.0.0.1:4723"), cap);
  driver.manage().timeouts().implicitlyWait(Duration.ofSeconds(100));
  
 }
 
  
 @Test
 public void test() throws InterruptedException, IOException {
     
  //Case-1: Start an wdiodemo app
  driver.activateApp("com.wdiodemoapp");
  System.out.println("Started wdiodemo app successfully");
  
  Thread.sleep(5000);
    
  //Case-2: Open the wdiodemo app from background
  driver.activateApp("com.wdiodemoapp");
  System.out.println("Opened the wdiodemo app successfully");
  
  
  //Close the wdiodemo app
  driver.terminateApp("com.wdiodemoapp");
  System.out.println("Close the wdiodemo app");
  
  Thread.sleep(10000);
  
  //Uninstall the wdiodemo app
  driver.removeApp("com.wdiodemoapp");
  System.out.println("Uninstall the wdiodemo app");
    
  }
   
  
 @AfterTest
 public void teardown() {
  
  if(driver!=null) {
   driver.quit();
   System.out.println("Test Completed");
  }
  
 }

}

GitHub Link: