What is Selenium?

Are you familiar with selenium? Perhaps a few of you app testers or developers are familiar with this particular automated testing tool.Web developers and software testers both require automation testing tools because the goal of the technique is to test software and compare the outcomes to what is expected.

Generally, testers utilise auto testing to evaluate software that is challenging to use manually. Selenium is one of the most well-liked automated testing tools available at the moment.

What is Selenium?

en source programme called Selenium automates web browsers. It offers a single interface that makes it possible to create test scripts in a variety of computer languages, including Ruby, Java, NodeJS, PHP, Perl, Python, and C#. The browser driver then runs this script on your device's browser instance.

The majority of desktop and mobile browsers currently come with built-in Selenium support for testing automation. Vendors of consumer browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Safari, IE, and Opera create and distribute their own browser drivers.

Additionally, Selenium Software itself is a collection of programmes rather than a single tool, and each programme in the collection will meet a distinct organization's testing requirements. the further forms of selenium:

• Selenium Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
• Selenium Remote Control (RC)
• WebDriver
• Selenium Grid

Types of Categories and the Functions of Selenium

As previously said, if selenium is a series of software, the types and a series of software are discussed below.

Selenium IDE (Integrated Development Environment)

Selenium IDE is a Chrome and Firefox plugin that records 'natural' browser interactions and codes them in Selenese as well as C#, Java, Python, and Ruby. Testers can play test scenarios in the browser and activate recording in the IDE. Then, the IDE may replay those interactions and show any problems in red during the replay.

Although this plugin is quick and practical, keep in mind that the produced code is typically too messy to be used in automation test scripts. Use it for quick prototyping as a result. In addition to these benefits, this kind of auto testing technology also has the following benefits:

• commands in Selenese, such as pen, clickAndWait, assert, and verify.
• Id, name, Xpath, CSS selector, and other finders.
• use runScript to execute customised JavaScript code
• Export test cases in different file types.
• to write tests with little or no programming experience.
• to build a straightforward test box and test environment that you can then export to RC or WebDriver.
• to only test web applications on Chrome and Firefox.

But we advise utilising Selenium WebDriver for more thorough cross-browser testing.

Selenium RC (Remote Control)

The first automated web testing solution that permits customers to use any programming language they choose is Selenium RC.

• Creating tests with more verbose language
• Run tests on various operating systems using various browsers (other than HTMLUnit).
• Utilise Selenium Grid to run tests on web applications in diverse settings.
• testing web applications with a new JavaScript-compatible browser.
• Test web apps using challenging AJAX scenarios.

Selenium WebDriver

Selenium WebDriver: What is it? It also goes by the name Selenium 2.0. Using drivers customised to each browser, Selenium WebDriver executes test scripts. In many ways, WebDriver auto testing tool is superior to Selenium IDE and Selenium RC. When it comes to automating the browser, Webdriver itself takes a more up-to-date and reliable approach. It includes:

• API

Ports uses bindings to test the Selenese (Selenium's native scripting language) implementation of scripts written in Ruby, Java, Python, or C#.

• Library

hosts APIs and bindings for several languages. Selenium Java (as a selenium jar file), Selenium Ruby, Selenium dotnet (or Selenium C#, available as a.dll file), Selenium Python, and Selenium JavaScript are the core client-side bindings supported by the main project, despite the fact that many third-party bindings are available to support various programming languages (Node).

• Driver

an executable module that launches a test script and launches a browser instance. A Chromedriver for Selenium that provides automation in Chromium/Chrome is one example of a browser-only solution that Google develops and maintains.

• Framework

a library that facilitates the integration of test frameworks for programming or natural language, such as Selenium with Cucumber or Selenium with TestNG.

The local end of the WebDriver protocol, or "client," communicates with browser-specific drivers by sending orders (test scripts). The driver executes this command on its instance of the browser.

Therefore, ChromeDriver will perform the test in Chrome if a test script requests execution in both Chrome and Firefox. In Firefox, GeckoDriver performs the same action. Additionally, there are benefits to using the webdriver, including:

• developing test cases in a certain programming language.
• testing applications with lots of AJAX-based features.
• HtmlUnit browser tests should be run.
• Make individualised test results.

Only when the client and WebDriver browser/driver are connected does the test script run. They do not need to be using the same gadget. You need RemoteWebDriver and Grid to enable test execution across several remote drivers.

Selenium Grid

Selenium Grid is a technology that allows users to simultaneously run many tests in parallel across various computers and web browsers. Selenium RC and Selenium grid can be used simultaneously. Grid can reduce test run time by simultaneously running several test scripts on numerous remote devices. Parallel testing is the term used for this

Along with a test script from the client/tester side, the two key elements needed for this are:

• Hubs (servers). Obtain requests for access from WebDriver clients. Send test JSON commands to registered "nodes" that have remote drivers.
• Node (remote device). includes remoteWebDriver, the browser, and the native OS.

Via remoteWebDriver, WebDriver-client does tests on distant devices. Similar to a conventional WebDriver, RemoteWebDriver also has two components: the Client (your test script) and the Server (the Java servlet that actually runs the tests on the remote device).

The "desired capabilities" (device, platform, browser, etc.) of the node where the test will execute are specified in the test script. The hub accepts this script, iterates through the nodes listed until it locates one with the required capabilities, and then it offers to conduct a test on it.

It was simple to set up the Grid. However, the resources required for expanding, customising, and preserving their integrity might be substantial. Adopt it only after giving it some thought.

Why use Selenium for automation testing?

Why use this particular tool as an auto testing tool when there are so many other ones available to test applications?

The benefits of using Selenium as the Best Auto Testing Web Apps Tools are listed below:

1. Selenium is a free software programme.

You can download and utilise the numerous functionalities offered by Selenium for free because it is open source. In addition, you can exchange, expand, and change the available code.

2. Compatibility with a variety of programming languages and frameworks

Numerous programming languages, frameworks, and development environments are supported and integrated by Selenium. As a result, you have the freedom to choose the programming language you want to use while writing scripts or utilising Selenium.

3. Selenium is quite adaptable.

When you utilise Selenium for auto testing tools, you can receive a lot of benefits. Developers and testers can benefit from its capacity to combine and restructure test cases by speeding up code changes, looking for and reducing code duplication, and reducing complexity. Thus, the auto testing tool greatly simplifies and improves the effectiveness of test management.

4. Different browsers and operating systems can use Selenium.

You may run tests with Selenium on a variety of operating systems, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. Due to the fact that the test is run using a web browser, any web browser—including Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari, and Opera—can be used to run it.

Conclusion

With its benefits, Selenium makes web testing simple for testers. Its benefits include the application's quick installation and simplicity of usage. Additionally, webs that have already been recorded and saved can be automatically retested without the need to record anew, cutting down on testing time.