This article provides a detailed explanation of the different timer measurements: elapsed vs. system vs. device time.
When running a script, the system measures the time it takes to execute each command. This time is marked as elapsed time. This measured time is broken down into two categories – device time and system time.
The device time is the working time of the device, i.e. the time it takes the device to perform the operation, for example the time it takes until an expected text appears on the screen after a button is clicked.
The system time is the time it takes the system to perform its operations, i.e. the system overhead, for example the time it takes to analyze the screen or to click a button.
The following equation holds for every command:
elapsed time = device time + system time.
The UX time reflects the time that the user experiences when performing the operation. In practice it equals the to device time.
