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Using Autonoma's Creation Interface Demo

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The Moment of Confusion

You’re building your third test in Autonoma. You’ve clicked buttons directly on the canvas, typed prompts, and everything worked. Then you wonder: “Wait, why are there two ways to do the same thing?” It’s a fair question. Most tools give you one way to interact. Autonoma gives you two:
  1. Direct canvas clicks - Point and click on elements
  2. Natural language prompts - Describe what you want to do
At first, this feels redundant. Why not just pick one? But here’s the thing: they’re not the same. They solve different problems. And once you understand when to use each, your tests become dramatically more robust. This guide explains the difference and shows you exactly when to use which approach.

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The Canvas: Your Precision Tool

When you click directly on the canvas, you’re being specific. You’re saying “click THIS button, the one I’m pointing at right now.” Think of it like pointing at a specific item in a store: “I want THAT one, right there on the shelf.” The canvas is perfect for static elements:
  • Navigation menus that never change (“Home”, “About”, “Contact”)
  • Form labels and field names
  • Standard buttons with fixed text (“Submit”, “Cancel”, “Save”)
  • Static UI elements that always exist in the same place
Example scenario: You’re testing a login page. The “Email” field is always there, always labeled “Email”, never moves. You click it directly on the canvas. Fast. Precise. Perfect. 
Test: "Login to application"

1. Click email field ← Canvas click, element never changes
2. Type {{variable:TEST_EMAIL}}
3. Click password field ← Canvas click, static element
4. Type {{variable:TEST_PASSWORD}}
5. Click "Sign In" button ← Canvas click, button always says "Sign In"
6. Wait until: Dashboard loads
This test works reliably because everything you clicked is static. The login page looks the same every time.

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The Prompt: Your Flexible Tool

Now imagine you’re testing search results. You search for “shoes” and get 50 products. Tomorrow, different shoes appear. Next week, some are out of stock. The specific products constantly change. You can’t click a specific product on the canvas—it might not exist tomorrow. This is where prompts shine. Instead of clicking a specific product, you describe what you want: 
"Click on the first product in the search results"
Autonoma’s AI interprets this flexibly. It doesn’t matter which product is first—it finds whatever is in that position and clicks it. The prompt is perfect for dynamic elements:
  • Search results (content varies)
  • Product listings (inventory changes)
  • User-generated content (posts, comments)
  • Dynamic feeds (news, social media)
  • Lists where order or content changes
Example scenario: You’re testing an e-commerce search. Products change daily based on inventory. 
Test: "Search and add product to cart"

1. Type "laptop" in search ← Canvas click on search field (always there)
2. Press Enter
3. Wait until: Search results load
4. Add prompt: "Click on the first product listing" ← Prompt! Product name varies
5. Wait until: Product page loads
6. Click "Add to Cart" ← Canvas click (button text is always "Add to Cart")
Notice the mix? Search field = canvas (static). First product = prompt (dynamic). Add to Cart = canvas (static).

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The Rule That Changes Everything

Here’s the decision framework: “Will this element be exactly the same next time I run the test?”
  • Yes → Use canvas
  • No → Use prompt
Let’s practice:
ElementStatic or Dynamic?Use
”Home” link in navigationStatic (never changes)Canvas
First item in shopping cartDynamic (varies per user)Prompt
”Submit” button on formStatic (always says “Submit”)Canvas
Product named “Blue Shirt”Dynamic (might be removed)Prompt
”Email” field labelStatic (always labeled “Email”)Canvas
Top search resultDynamic (results vary)Prompt

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Real-World Example: The Checkout Flow

Let’s build a complete test that uses both approaches strategically: 
Test: "Complete purchase from search"

Browse Products (Dynamic):
1. Type "headphones" in search ← Canvas (search box is static)
2. Press Enter
3. Wait until: Results load
4. Add prompt: "Click the first product with 'In Stock' status" ← Prompt! Dynamic
5. Wait until: Product page loads

Product Page (Static):
6. Click "Add to Cart" button ← Canvas (button is always there)
7. Wait until: Cart badge updates
8. Click cart icon ← Canvas (icon is static)
9. Wait until: Cart page loads

Checkout (Static):
10. Click "Proceed to Checkout" ← Canvas (static button)
11. Wait until: Checkout form loads
12. Type shipping information ← Canvas (form fields are static)
13. Click "Complete Purchase" ← Canvas (static button)
14. Wait until: Confirmation appears
Why this works:
  • Used prompts for the unpredictable part (which product appears first)
  • Used canvas for all the reliable UI (buttons, forms, navigation)
  • Result: Test works regardless of which products are in stock

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When Canvas Clicks Break

Here’s what happens when you use canvas for dynamic content: Scenario: You click a specific product on the canvas during test creation. 
Test: "Add product to cart"

1. Navigate to products
2. Click "Nike Air Max 2024" ← Direct canvas click
3. Click "Add to Cart"
What goes wrong:
  • Product gets renamed → Test fails (“Nike Air Max 2024” not found)
  • Product goes out of stock → Test fails (product not visible)
  • Product moves to page 2 → Test fails (not on first page)
The fix: 
Test: "Add product to cart"

1. Navigate to products
2. Wait until: Products load
3. Add prompt: "Click the first product" ← Flexible!
4. Wait until: Product page loads
5. Click "Add to Cart"
Now it works forever, regardless of which products exist.

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The Hybrid Approach

The most robust tests use both methods strategically. Here’s a real example: 
Test: "Filter products and purchase"

Navigation (Canvas):
1. Click "Products" in menu ← Static

Filtering (Canvas):
2. Click "Category: Electronics" filter ← Static filter name
3. Wait until: Products update

Selection (Prompt):
4. Add prompt: "Click the highest rated product" ← Dynamic results

Purchase (Canvas):
5. Click "Add to Cart" ← Static button
6. Click cart icon ← Static icon
7. Click "Checkout" ← Static button

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Key Takeaways

  1. Two tools, different purposes - Canvas for static, prompts for dynamic
  2. The question to ask: “Will this be the same next time?”
  3. Canvas strengths: Fast, precise, predictable for static elements
  4. Prompt strengths: Flexible, adaptive, perfect for changing content
  5. Most tests use both - Apply each where it fits best
  6. When in doubt: Prompts are safer for unknown situations

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What’s Next

Now that you understand how to interact with your application, the next guide shows you how to handle one of the most challenging test scenarios: uploading files.