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Priority

Priority in TestNG is used to control the execution order of test methods within the same class.

It helps define which tests should run first when order matters, while still keeping tests logically independent.

What is Priority?​

priority is an attribute of the @Test annotation.

@Test(priority = 1)
public void testA() {}
  • Lower value → runs earlier
  • Higher value → runs later

Default Priority Behavior​

@Test
public void testOne() {}

@Test
public void testTwo() {}
  • If no priority is specified:
    • TestNG assigns priority = 0
    • Execution order depends on method declaration order (not guaranteed across JVMs)

Priority Ordering Rules​

@Test(priority = -1)
public void setup() {}

@Test(priority = 0)
public void login() {}

@Test(priority = 1)
public void payment() {}

Execution Order​

setup  →  login  →  payment

Important Rules​

  • Negative priorities are allowed
  • Same priority → execution order is not guaranteed
  • Priority works within the same class only

Priority vs Dependencies​

Priority Example​

@Test(priority = 1)
public void login() {}

@Test(priority = 2)
public void payment() {}

Dependency Example (Preferred)​

@Test
public void login() {}

@Test(dependsOnMethods = "login")
public void payment() {}

Key Difference​

PriorityDependency
Controls orderControls execution condition
Does not skip on failureSkips on dependency failure
Weaker guaranteeStrong guarantee

➡️ Dependencies are safer than priority when test order truly matters.

Priority with Multiple Classes​

class A {
    @Test(priority = 1)
    void testA() {}
}

class B {
    @Test(priority = 1)
    void testB() {}
}

⚠️ Priority does NOT control execution across classes.
Class execution order is controlled by:

  • testng.xml
  • preserve-order
  • Parallel settings

Priority vs testng.xml Order​

XML Order​

<methods>
    <include name="testB"/>
    <include name="testA"/>
</methods>

Priority Rule​

@Test(priority = 1)
void testA(){}

@Test(priority = 2)
void testB(){}

➡️ Priority wins over XML method order

Priority with preserve-order​

<suite preserve-order="true">

Priority is ignored only if:

  • No priority is defined
  • No parallel execution
  • XML order is explicitly specified

Otherwise, priority always takes precedence.

Priority with Parallel Execution​

⚠️ Priority is unreliable with:

  • parallel="methods"
  • parallel="classes"

Parallel execution ignores ordering guarantees.

Common Mistakes​

  • Using priority instead of dependencies
  • Assuming priority works across classes
  • Mixing priority with parallel execution
  • Relying on same-priority execution order

Best Practices​

  • Use priority only for simple ordering
  • Use dependencies for logical sequencing
  • Avoid priority in parallel-heavy suites
  • Keep priority values small and meaningful
  • Prefer readable test names over priority tricks

Key Takeaways​

  • Lower priority runs first
  • Priority applies only within a class
  • Same priority = unpredictable order
  • Dependencies are safer than priority
  • Parallel execution ignores priority guarantees