What is Robotmk?

What is Robotmk

Robotmk combines the power of the Robot Framework with the precision of Checkmk – for seamless end-to-end monitoring of your business-critical applications from the end-user perspective.

Robotmk transforms the Robot Framework test tool into a powerful, universal monitoring tool.

Features

Why you should decide for Robotmk and Robot Framework, the "lingua franca" of test automation:

  • Central control from Checkmk

    The Robot Framework execution is configured entirely through the Checkmk rule set.

  • Readability

    The unique keyword-driven approach of Robot Framework abstracts the technical implementation from the execution logic. Your test cases remain readable and maintainable, regardless of their complexity.

  • 100% Robot compatible

    Robotmk does not require any adaptation to existing Robot tests; every Robot test can be integrated in Checkmk directly.

  • Performance monitoring

    Robotmk can monitor runtimes at any level, be it whole suites, tests and keywords. (Or how would you detect an insidious login time increase by 0.1s per month?)

  • Monitoring from the user perspective

    Where Checkmk ends, the world of Robotmk begins. Robotmk is the ideal addition for a holistic view of the function and performance of critical applications

  • Library Concept

    The Library concept makes Robot Framework the Suisse army knife: Web, Desktop, REST, SAP, FTP, Kubernetes, Android, iOS, … - there a libraries for any use case.

  • Strong community

    Join a community of almost 40,000 Robot Framework users. Get help. Automate.

  • Platform-independent

    Robot Framework is based on Python and therefore runs on all operating systems.

What often gets asked about Robotmk:

  • What do I need to get started with Robotmk and Robot Framework?

    Robotmk has formed the technical foundation of Checkmk Synthetic Monitoring since 2022. Therefore, a Checkmk installation is of course a prerequisite. For small installations and to try out Checkmk, the trial version is sufficient, which can be downloaded here.

  • Do I need programming skills to use Robotmk?

    Basic knowledge of Robot Framework is helpful, but the easy-to-understand syntax means that even beginners can quickly become productive. The keyword-driven syntax of Robot Framework is used precisely for the purpose of hiding complex Python code.

  • How do I prepare a Windows/Linux host for use as a test host?

    Not at all. The installation packages for the test hosts are created by Checkmk, including configuration, scheduler, robot files and also a sophisticated technology to create the Python runtime environments virtually from scratch.

  • How can I test applications via Citrix with Robotmk?

    The Citrix session can initially be set up with a web library, for example. As soon as Citrix starts, a library for screen pattern recognition can be used, which can work completely agnostic of the screen content. RDP sessions can also be tested with this.

  • What do I have to do to integrate existing Robot Framework tests?

    No customization is required for the integration of existing robot suites.

  • Where can I download Robotmk?

    Robotmk is an integral part of Checkmk and can be downloaded here

  • Who is behind Robotmk?

    Robotmk was developed in 2020 by Simon Meggle (ELABIT GmbH) and initially released as an open source extension for Checkmk. Since 2022, Simon has been working as Product Manager “Synthetic Monitoring” for Checkmk, as well as in his own company as a consultant and trainer for Robotmk and Robot Framework.

  • What is the difference between Robotmk and Synthetic Monitoring?

    Synthetic Monitoring is an established technical term for the automated, repeated simulation of user interactions with user interfaces and is also the product name in Checkmk. Robotmk is the name of the specific technical implementation for Checkmk.

  • Where can I get professional support?

    Support for Robotmk is provided by Checkmk GmbH. Consulting and training for Robotmk and Robot Framework is provided by ELABIT GmbH. ELABIT has also been an accredited training partner for the RFCP exam since 2024.