Choose Flow Branch shapes
Choose how Flow Branches join and split when one Flow should cover more than one path.
One Flow can cover several routes through your application. Shared Test Steps stay in one place. A Flow Branch is the join or split that creates those extra paths. Each unique path becomes its own Test Case.
Most Flows use a later split: one Open, shared steps, then two or more onward paths. Other shapes help when the same journey should run in more than one browser, or when you want combinations in one Flow.
Use the Flow Builder for this walkthrough.
Pick a shape
Joined starts
Several Opens meet, then share steps
The same journey should run in more than one browser
Later split
One Open, then a split lower down
One start, then two or more onward paths. This is the most common shape
Join then split
Several Opens meet, then the Flow splits again
Two browsers, then two or more onward paths
Layered combinations
Join then split more than once
You want permutations, such as browser and journey together
Condition and Tag Test sit on a branch. They do not change the shape. Use Condition when a path should run only for a matching Runner, device, language, timezone, or Run Value. Use Tag Test when a Recipe, Schedule, or CI/CD call should pick the path by tag.
Joined starts
Joined starts use more than one Open. The paths meet at a shared step, then continue together.
Use joined starts when the same checks should run in Chrome and Firefox.
Add an Open. Set Runner to
Chrome.Add a second Open with the same URL. Set Runner to
Firefox.Connect both Opens to the same next step, such as Touch.
Continue the shared path with Check Displayed.
Each Open still starts its own Test Case. The shared steps run on every path. The same shape works for two starting URLs.
Later split
A later split is one Open, shared steps, then a split. This is the most common Flow Branch shape.
Use it for smoke versus regression, account versus checkout, or any two journeys that share a start.
Start with one Open. Set Runner to
Chrome.Build the shared steps.
Connect the last shared step to two next steps.
See Build smoke and regression coverage for tagging those paths.
Join then split
Join then split is joined starts plus a later split. Open in Chrome and Firefox meet, then the Flow splits again.
Use it when both browsers should share some steps, then follow different journeys.
Build joined starts first: Open Chrome and Open Firefox into one shared Touch.
After the shared steps, connect two onward paths.
Layered combinations
Layered combinations use join then split more than once. Paths meet and split again further down the Flow.
Use this shape when you want permutations in one Flow, such as two browsers, two journeys, and valid versus invalid details.
Each unique path from an Open to an end is a Test Case. Shared steps stay shared, so you edit the common part once.
Several shapes in one Flow
Flows often mix shapes. The steps stay common so the joins and splits stay easy to see. Open Chrome and Open Firefox are the joined starts.
What each part is doing:
Open Chrome and Open Firefox joining at Touch nav are joined starts.
The split after Check heading is a later split. Together with the joined starts, that is join then split.
The second split after Check cart is another later split. The Flow now holds joined starts, join then split, and a further split together.
Keep Open at the start of every path. Use Touch and Check Displayed for the steps you care about. Add Condition or Tag Test on a branch when that path needs a rule or a label.
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