I am trying to understand how exactly is the appium inspector (webview) able to show an interactive phone screem that i can click button on or move to other screens with, as I see that the calls that is makes to the appium server are just getting the screenshots/rectangle/pagesource etc.
I mean how does it recreate the entire app functionality from a screenshot and also match each element to its respective page source?
Appium Inspector's ability to show an interactive representation of a mobile app's user interface is based on a combination of techniques and technologies, including the interaction between the Appium server, the mobile app, and the underlying device automation framework (like UIAutomator for Android and XCUITest for iOS).
Here's a simplified explanation of how Appium Inspector provides this interactive representation:
Communication with Appium Server: The Appium Inspector, which is typically a part of the Appium desktop application or another tool, communicates with the Appium server using the Appium REST API.
UIElement Information: When you launch the Appium Inspector and connect to a running Appium server, it sends requests to the Appium server to retrieve information about the UI elements (views, controls, etc.) present in the current screen of the mobile app. This information includes the attributes and identifiers of the elements.
Screenshot and Page Source: Appium Inspector may also request a screenshot and the page source of the current screen from the Appium server. The screenshot provides a visual representation of the screen, and the page source is a hierarchical representation of the UI elements' structure.
Matching Elements to Screenshot: The Appium Inspector combines the element information from the server with the screenshot. It overlays the UI element attributes on top of the screenshot in their corresponding positions. This allows it to highlight and display interactive regions on the screenshot that correspond to the UI elements.
Interaction and User Actions: When you interact with the Appium Inspector (clicking buttons, interacting with elements), it sends commands to the Appium server. The server, in turn, uses the underlying device automation framework (UIAutomator, XCUITest, etc.) to perform the user actions on the real device or emulator.
Updating the View: As you interact with the Inspector, it continually updates the screenshot and overlay with highlighted elements to reflect the changes you're making to the UI.
It's important to note that Appium Inspector doesn't recreate the entire app functionality solely from a screenshot. It uses the combination of UI element information, screenshots, and user actions to provide an interactive experience. Additionally, it relies on the device automation framework to handle interactions with the app's actual UI components.
Appium Inspector essentially acts as a tool that leverages the capabilities of the underlying automation frameworks, enabling you to explore and interact with the app's user interface in a more user-friendly and interactive manner.
For a deeper understanding of the specifics, you might need to review the source code of the Appium Inspector tool and the Appium server, which interact with the automation frameworks and manage the communication with the mobile app and device.
