Winter '25 Release 2

Executive Summary

We’re excited to announce the latest enhancements to the Provar product suite with our Winter ’25 Release 2. You can download and install Winter ’25 Release 2 directly from the Provar Success Portal. 

Important Notice: Java 21 Upgrade

Provar plans to upgrade to Java 21 by the end of January 2025 as part of our continuous efforts to utilize the latest technology. This upgrade will ensure we can release ongoing updates as part of our regular long-term support compatibility commitment.

This change will impact you, as necessary changes must be implemented to ensure seamless running of Provar Automation. To find out more, check out our Java 21 help page which contains more details. We will keep you updated as we progress with this upgrade.

Provar Automation Features and Enhancements

Support for MS Exchange in Office 365 Government Community Cloud High

This release extends MS Exchange support to Office 365 Government Community Cloud High, enabling users to connect and test email scenarios in secure, controlled environments. With this enhancement, users can seamlessly execute email operations, including sending and receiving emails, in compliance with specialized security standards, complementing existing MS Exchange functionality.  

Environment Variable Support for MS Exchange Connection

This release introduces support for environment variables in MS Exchange connection types, providing users with enhanced flexibility and security for email testing. Users can now configure environment variables for all MS Exchange subtypes, including MS Exchange and MS Graph connections. This allows for dynamic configuration of connection details, improving the secure management of sensitive data such as credentials or endpoints on local and CI/CD pipelines. 

Example of username for Connection Name (e.g., testMyWS):

• Command Line Argument: com.provar.ms.testMyEmail.username
• Environment Variable: PROVAR_MS_TESTMYEMAIL_USERNAME

Priority Order for Overriding Values:

1. Command-line argument
2. Environment variable
3. Configuration

For reference refer to this help page for more details

Customization of Browser Driver Location

This release adds flexibility to customize browser driver locations in Provar, allowing users to specify custom paths for ChromeDriver, EdgeDriver, and GeckoDriver. Users can define these custom locations in Provar’s Variables section or by adding entries in the provar.properties file. Additionally, these properties can be passed as command-line arguments for ANT runs and also by defining as Provar variables under Setting.

When a custom driver location is specified, it takes precedence over the default settings, with the specified path logged for transparency.

Supported Drivers:

• ChromeDriver
• EdgeDriver
• GeckoDriver

Property File Entries:

• com.provar.chromedriver.path
• com.provar.msedgedriver.path
• com.provar.geckodriver.path

Environment Variables:

• PROVAR_CHROMEDRIVER_PATH
• PROVAR_MSEDGEDRIVER_PATH
• PROVAR_GECKODRIVER_PATH

Example:
com.provar.chromedriver.path=”path of the driver folder”

Note:

• Specify the path to the parent folder where the driver is located. The driver name must remain unchanged.
• Driver location priority:
  1. User-defined path
  2. Test project lib folder
  3. User home
  4. Default Installer driver

Provar Manager Features & Enhancements

Please refer to the Provar Manager release notes here.

Provar DX CLI 1.4.0

The latest version introduces powerful new commands that enhance the integration with Provar Manager, allowing users to access detailed information about their Provar Manager connections and execute tests seamlessly on platforms such as Salesforce orgs (for unit tests) and Provar Grid (for scalable, parallel Provar Automation test runs).

Key Commands:

1. sf provar config get and sf provar config set
   • Simplify the manipulation of any JSON file for configuration purposes.
2. sf provar manager display
   • Provides detailed insights into the Provar Manager instance, such as:
     • Current status.
     • Number of licenses in use.
     • Package version.
3. sf provar manager open
   • Opens Provar Manager directly in your browser for quick access.
4. sf provar manager test run
   • Executes tests via Provar Manager either synchronously or asynchronously, with results available in multiple formats, such as:
     • Human-readable.
     • JSON.
     • JUnit.
5. sf provar manager test run report
   • Retrieves and displays test results for a specific test run ID directly from Provar Manager.

ProvarAI 

Test Data Generation

We have developed an AI-powered Test Data Generation feature to simplify test data creation for Bulk API operations in Salesforce. This feature allows you to generate test data within minutes, producing a CSV file fully compatible with the Apex Bulk API, enabling easy upload and management of bulk data in Salesforce. The AI feature in Provar is disabled by default. 

You can enable or disable it using the -Dcom.provar.automation.ai.services.enabled flag by setting its value to either true or false. This flag can be configured in the Provar INI file or passed as an ANT argument for CI executions. For detailed instructions on how to use this feature, please refer to this article.

NitroX

Automatic Root Component Definitions

Previously, integrating a generic website into NitroX mapping required users to manually inspect the page, identify a unique element, and define the root component in the package.json file. With the latest update, this process is now fully automated. Users can automatically map any generic website using NitroX mapping without the need for manual definitions—saving time and reducing complexity.

Special Note:
With this enhancement, only pages mapped as PO (Page Object) will automatically map as NitroX. If a PO mapping is needed, users can select the appropriate option from the dropdown menu or disable the NitroX functionality directly in the Test Builder.

Support for Vlocity Insurance LWC Components

With our latest enhancement, Nitrox now supports Vlocity Insurance Lightning Web Components (LWCs), in addition to the existing support for standard Lightning LWCs and Screen Flow LWCs. This integration enables you to seamlessly incorporate Vlocity Insurance LWCs into your projects, facilitating the development of customized and efficient solutions tailored to the insurance industry.

By leveraging these components, you can create more dynamic and responsive applications that meet the specific needs of the insurance sector. This integration streamlines your development process, enabling you to deliver high-quality solutions more efficiently.

Platform Updates

Salesforce Jars Upgrade

We have updated the necessary jars to align with the Salesforce Winter ’25 Release (version 62.0) for use in future releases. This update includes adding new objects to the translation files and removing outdated, unused Salesforce jars. These changes ensure Provar stays compatible with the latest Salesforce enhancements while maintaining a clean and optimized environment for future updates.

Performance Improvements

As part of our ongoing performance improvements, this release optimizes the metadata retrieval process, resulting in faster UI metadata loading and execution. Key areas of improvement include:

• Org Browser Loading
• Execution with Fresh Metadata
• Execution with Existing Metadata
• Reloading Metadata
• Validation Process
• Overall Execution Speed

Note: Performance gains may vary depending on the user’s org type and the level of customization and complexity of the metadata.

Security Improvements

This release includes important security enhancements to strengthen product integrity. We’ve implemented updates to improve system defenses and ensure compliance with the latest security standards.

Browser Compatibility Updates

As part of our pre-release testing, we have confirmed that Automation v2.14.2 is fully compatible with Chrome version 131.

Why is this important?

Including ChromeDriver 131 in Automation v2.14.2 and ensuring compatibility with Chrome 131 helps eliminate the risk of incompatibility issues that could otherwise impact the proper functioning of test cases.

How can I use this?

If you plan to use Chrome 131, we recommend upgrading to Provar Automation v2.14.2, which includes ChromeDriver 131 by default. 

Automation will automatically attempt to download the correct ChromeDriver if it detects a driver exception. If your organization’s security protocols prevent the automatic download, you can manually override the ChromeDriver.

To downgrade or use a different version of ChromeDriver, refer to this support article, which explains how to configure a ChromeDriver other than the default one provided in your Provar Automation installation.

Browser and Driver Combinations Recommended for Provar Automation v2.14.2

For a comprehensive guide, please refer to the Browser and Driver Recommendations. 

University of Provar 

The University of Provar has been refreshed to enhance your learning journey! Courses and resources are now organized by product for easier navigation and a more tailored experience. We value your input—please share your feedback and suggest new content ideas via the end-of-course surveys.

Customer Support

We are committed to providing continuous support. Please contact us If you have any questions about this release; we’re happy to assist you. To get in touch, simply log in to the Provar Success Portal and select ‘Raise a Case,’ or reach out to your dedicated Customer Success Specialist.

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