Test Automation with Docker and SeleniumBase: Appointment Checker

A very modest but effective Docker-based automation script, leveraging SeleniumBase, designed to navigate through multi-page JavaScript forms and identify available appointments.

Operates seamlessly in the background, checks for appointments and also notifies users via email, complete with screenshots upon successful detection.

A full breakdown can be found at my blogpost.

Requirements

Install the necessary tools using Homebrew:

brew install docker
brew install git

Cloning the Repository

This project employs submodules linked to the official SeleniumBase repository, facilitating seamless updates and integration with new releases.

git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/tbalza/cita-checker.git
cd cita-checker
mv values-sample.json values.json

Edit values.json with your specific details to tailor the appointment checking process to your needs.

Building the Docker Image

Construct the Docker environment tailored for running our script in the background, automating the appointment checking process:

docker build --platform linux/amd64 -t seleniumbasevnc . --progress=plain

Note: The --platform flag is optional for non-arm64 architectures and can be omitted accordingly.

Initiating the Docker Container

Configure and deploy the container to start the appointment checking service:

docker-compose up -d

Upon setup, you'll receive email notifications when appointments become available.

To review application logs and monitor activity, access the container's terminal:

 docker exec -it $(docker ps -q | sed -n '1p') /bin/bash

View the log files:

cat /tmp/events.log

Roadmap

Future enhancements aimed at improving utility and efficiency include:

• Dockerfile Optimization: Streamline the Dockerfile to include only essential dependencies, reducing the overall footprint and improving build times.
• Enhanced Error Notifications: Develop a robust notification system to alert users of consecutive errors, enhancing reliability and user experience.
• Container Lifecycle Management: Implement advanced container management features to automate updates, restarts, and health checks, ensuring uninterrupted service.
• Modularity: Currently it's only written for a deliberately obscure, particular use case. In the future maybe this could tie together with a more robust Selenium IDE integration.