How Manus AI Became Part of My Mechanical Appdium

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How Manus AI Became Part of My Mechanical Appdium

If you’ve ever watched your Appium test fail for three hours because of a dependency conflict you didn’t even know existed – this blog is for you.

Mobile automation is not a simple extension of web automation. Different tools. The setup is layered. The learning curve is real – especially when you’re expected to deliver functional documentation while still explaining things.

I am a manual and web automation tester with working experience in Selenium Java. When I got into mobile automation with Appium, it was like learning to drive all over again – same roads, completely different car.

I used AI tools along the way. They help. But getting the right answer my setup it always takes longer than it should.

It was then that I realized something important:

The problem wasn’t that the AI didn’t know the answer.
The problem was that it didn’t know my core.

Then I found Manus AI – and the way I work changed.

Here is the exact method.

The Problem with Ambiguous Questions

Most of us ask AI tools the same way we would ask something from Google:

“How do I click a button in Appium Java?”

You get a standard answer. It’s working for someone else’s project — not yours.

Your version of the framework is different.
Your project structure is different.
Your dependency setup is different.

You spend the next 30 minutes explaining what you meant.

Sound familiar?

Editing is not just a better tool.

Better question.

Standard questions produce standard answers.
Frame-aware queries generate frame-aware code.
Content reduces debugging time.

And Manus AI is designed to reward just that.

How I Use Manus AI — With a Real Example

Consider that I need to automate the login flow in an Android application.

Step 1: I Tell My Outline and Version

“I’m using Appium Java client 8.3.0 with Appium Server 2.x, UIAutomator2 driver, and Cucumber BDD.”

That one line saves 10 minutes of back and forth.

Manus knows immediately:

What APIs are available
What has been lowered
Which syntax works in my version

There are no trial and error suggestions.

Step 2: I Define My Project Structure

“I have a custom layout. The implementation logic is written inside the test cases folder. The step description file only calls the one-line method from there – it doesn’t contain any logic itself.”

Example: Uploads a test resource image as the user’s profile picture.

// StepDefinition.java
@When("I upload image from gallery")
public void iUploadImageFromGallery() throws IOException {
    editProfile.uploadImage();  // Single step call
}

//ProfilePictureUpdate.java (Test case class)
public void uploadImage() throws IOException{
 editProfilePage.uploadProfileImageFromResources("profile.png");
}

//EditPage.java (Page Object Model class)
public void uploadProfileImageFromResources(String imageName) throws IOException{
    wait.until(ExpectedConditions.elementToBeClickable(profileIcon)).click();

    // 1. Push image from resources to device
    File resourceDir = new File("src/test/resources/images");
    File imageFile = new File(resourceDir, imageName);
    ((AndroidDriver) driver).pushFile("/sdcard/Pictures/" + imageName, imageFile);

    try {
        // 1. If a profile picture already exists, Add & Remove buttons will be visible
        wait.until(ExpectedConditions.visibilityOf(addPhotoButton));

        // 2. Click Add Photo → opens gallery
        addPhotoButton.click();

        // 3. Handle permission dialogs (if any)
        handlePermissions();

        // 4. Scroll and select media item
        scrollToMediaItem();
        wait.until(ExpectedConditions.visibilityOf(mediaGrid)).click();

        // 5. Click Done in Google Photos
        wait.until(ExpectedConditions.visibilityOf(doneButtonFromGPhotos)).click();

        // 6. Click profile icon again to verify by removing the photo
        wait.until(ExpectedConditions.elementToBeClickable(profileIcon)).click();
        wait.until(ExpectedConditions.elementToBeClickable(removePhotoButton)).click();

    } catch (Exception e) {
        /*  If Add button is not visible, the gallery opens directly */

        // 1. Handle permission dialogs (if any)
        handlePermissions();

        // 2. Scroll and select media item
        scrollToMediaItem();
        wait.until(ExpectedConditions.elementToBeClickable(mediaGrid)).click(); // Merged redundant visibility + clickable waits

        // 3. Click Done in Google Photos
        wait.until(ExpectedConditions.visibilityOf(doneButtonFromGPhotos)).click();

      // 4. Click profile icon again to verify by removing the photo
        wait.until(ExpectedConditions.elementToBeClickable(profileIcon)).click();
        wait.until(ExpectedConditions.elementToBeClickable(removePhotoButton)).click();
    }
}

Manus understands this separation of concerns.

It does not throw away the mind at the definition of the step.
It respects my frame design.

That is more important than people think.

Step 3: Share Locations from Appium Inspector

I do not describe the elements. I am attaching the original finder.

“Resource ID: com.example.app:id/et_profileIcon – this is the profile icon”
“Resource ID: com.example.app:id/btn_addPhoto — this is the add image button.”
“Resource ID: com.example.app:id/btn_removePhoto – this is the button to delete the image.”

“Resource ID: com.example.app:id/media_mediaGrid — this is the newly loaded media.”

Real places = real solutions. No guesswork, no placeholder code.

Step 4: I Define the Flow

Flow 1 (Add Image Button Visible)

“User taps profile icon → Add Image button is displayed → tap Add Image → image is downloaded from frame resource folder → image is selected and uploaded → taps Done → upload is confirmed → tap profile icon again → tap Delete Image → deletion of profile image is confirmed.”

Flow 2 (Gallery Opens Directly)

“User taps profile icon → Add Photo button is not displayed → gallery opens directly → photo is downloaded from frame resource folder → photo is selected and uploaded → taps Done → upload is confirmed → tap profile icon again → tap Delete Photo → removal of profile photo is confirmed.”

This tells Manus: