It is a popular open-source automation tool to validate web applications and different browsers platform. we can choose multiple languages like java, python etc. to write selenium test scripts .
Selenium Software is not just a single tool but a suite of software, each piece catering to different Selenium QA testing needs of an organization.
It was created by Jason Huggins in 2004
https://www.guru99.com/introduction-to-selenium.html
Stable release: - 3.141.59 which is done 2 years ago
Licensing: - apache license 2.0
Price :- free to use
Main components of selenium
1. Selenium ide
i. it’s a ide for selenium tests. It is implemented on Firefox and chrome add-ons. the main feature of it is to allow editing, recording and debugging of functional test. scripts are recorded in selenese, a special test scripting language for selenium, as it provides commands for performing actions on the browsers
2. Selenium remote control
i. It is a server , which is written in java , that accepts commands for browser via https. As it makes possible to write automated test for web application in any given programming language, which allows for better integration in existing unit test frameworks .
3. Web driver
i. It accepts commands (sent in selenese or via client API) and send them to browser.as it is implemented through browser bases driver, which sends commands to a browser and retrieve results
4. Grid
i. It’s a server that allows tests to use web browser instances running on remote machines, with this thing one server acts as a central hub and test contact the hub to obtain access to browser instances.
ii. It allows simultaneous running of test in various web browsers , machines
iii. It perform cross browser testing
https://www.guru99.com/introduction-to-selenium.html
Testing frameworks
C#.Net :- NUNIT
Java :- JUNIT OR TESTNG
Python: - UNITEST , PYUNIT
PHP :- BEHAT + MINK
https://www.browserstack.com/guide/what-is-selenium-ide
Pros of selenium
· Open source, free of charge, free to use
· Supports various languages like java, python and C# etc.
· Can execute continuous testing with help of mavens, Jenkins and dockers
· It can be integrated with tools such as TESTNG& JUNIT for managing test cases and reports
· Can run across different web browsers like Firefox and chrome
· Highly extensible
· It supports parallel testing
· It supports different operating system such as os , Linux , mac os
Cons of selenium
· It can only test web applications and do not test desktop applications.
· cannot access elements outside of the web applications under test
· has not native capability to export runtime data onto external formats
· automation is at slower rate because it does not have a native ide
· it is difficult to use as newly features may not work properly
· doesn’t support text captcha and barcode readers
https://www.journaldev.com/25395/what-is-selenium-introduction-to-selenium
Summary
FROM MY POINT OF VIEW,
Firstly, it’s a open source , free, tool used to automate web based applications
Secondly , it is used as functional and regression testing
Thirdly , due to widely accepted by various programming language such as java , c , python, ruby , pearl it is in demand
Fourthly, it is supported by various web browser such as Mozilla and Firefox
Lastly, it has more modern and reliable approach towards automation of the browser application