The Ins and Outs of Selenium WebDriver
In today's rapidly evolving tech landscape, automation is transforming how businesses approach testing. Among the myriad of testing tools, Selenium WebDriver shines as a beacon for its proficiency in automating web testing, ensuring consistency and efficiency. However, like every powerful tool, it comes with its own set of challenges.
In this blog, we'll explore the essence of Selenium WebDriver, delve into its challenges, and understand how ACCELQ complements and amplifies its capabilities, making test automation more approachable and effective..
What is Selenium WebDriver?
The core of Selenium uses browser automation APIs provided by browser vendors to handle the browser and run tests. It is as if a real user is operating the browser. Since WebDriver does not need its API to be compiled with application code, it is not invasive.
In simple words, Selenium WebDriver is a web framework that permits you to execute cross-browser tests.
Selenium WebDriver provides support to multiple libraries such as Ruby, Python, Java, etc., as Selenium developers have developed language bindings to offer compatibility for various languages. We can download all the supported language bindings of our choice from the official site of Selenium.
Javascript object notation is referred to as “JSON.” It is an open standard that provides a transport mechanism for transferring data between client and server on the web. It also includes support for different data structures, making it easier to read and write data from JSON.
JSON acts as a REST (Representational State Transfer) API that trades information between HTTP servers. We can learn more about that in the following link Actions API for Selenium.
Selenium WebDriver offers different drivers to each browser. Without revealing the internal logic of the browser function, the browser driver interacts with the respective browser by setting a secure connection. Furthermore, these browser drivers are also specific to the language used for test case automation.
Your business guide to codeless test automation
Ready to execute continuous test automation without writing a single code?
Challenge of Selenium WebDriver
Selenium WebDriver automates web based applications across different browsers and platforms. Still, there are also some challenges and limitations in our day-to-day using Selenium WebDriver; let’s talk about those challenges.
1. Testing Window/Desktop applications
Selenium WebDriver only supports the automation of web-based applications. It’s not compatible with the automation of Windows/Desktop applications.
2. OS-based pop-ups
Operating system-based alerts are above Selenium Webriver’s capabilities since those pop-ups are part of the operating system instead of the browser. Nevertheless, since Selenium Webdriver can run multiple windows, web-based alerts are usually controlled with the “switchTo” method to prevent the pop-up while maintaining the browser in the background.
3. Handling dynamic Elements
Web pages having dynamically loaded content will often create identifiers that change every time the pages are loaded. These are dynamic element locators and can be tricky in UI test automation. For example, suppose the identifiers for a particular element are different each time the page is loaded. In that case, Selenium WebDriver can use functions like starts-with, contains, ends with, etc., to handle dynamic web elements.
But, sometimes, it is hard for Selenium WebDriver to handle these dynamic elements. It is harder for Test Automation Engineers to maintain Test scripts with dynamic locators; some Testing tools implement AI to identify these dynamic locators to avoid flakiness.
Work on BIG ideas, without big work.
Simplify test automation with our Unified platform for Enterprise stack across Web, Mobile, API, Desktop & Backend
4. API Testing
As mentioned above, Selenium and, more specifically, Selenium WebDriver is for web-based testing. If you have a UI or custom framework built around Selenium, you could easily extend that framework to include API testing. Still, you will need a different tool or library for doing that, and that’s another limitation of using Selenium WebDriver (One of those libraries is Rest-assured).
5. No Visual Testing
Last but not least, another limitation with Selenium WebDriver is the possibility of performing Visual Testing. It is crucial to include snapshot comparison in our testing frameworks; still, we will need a different tool or library to incorporate Visual Testing (One of those libraries is BackstopJS).
ACCELQ and Selenium WebDriver
Selenium WebDriver has enabled test automation and solidified its position as the market leader in test automation. It handled the challenges with browser interaction in an intelligent way. Furthermore, it provided standardization and portability regarding the testability of browsers, compelling all the major browser vendors to support automated test interaction consistently.
ACCELQ is a new generation test automation platform built on lean architecture principles. Its natural language-based interface allows non-technical people to implement stable automation and embeds best practices without custom frameworks and advanced coding skills. Supported by a stable runtime core behind the scenes, ACCELQ enables the entire QA lifecycle, including test planning, design, test development, and test execution.
One tool to rule them all; if you are like me at all, you value being able to get more done with less. Compared to Selenium-based automation, ACCELQ accelerates test automation by a factor of 3X and substantially cuts down the maintenance cost involved in managing automated test assets.
Why ACCELQ, in simple words, remove the complexities of frameworks/libraries and enable Test automation for all.
- Business process-driven design with App Universe, optimal test coverage customer-centered.
- Codeless natural English language Automation, built-in with modularity, reusability, and best practices.
- Execute on any browser, OS, grid, or cloud-based perspective.
- Test case management, business requirement mapping, and support for multiple sources (ALM, Jira, etc.)
- All in the same end-to-end flow; UI, API, CI, Test cases integration.
- ACCELQ is a strong choice, especially for Salesforce customers
Open-source test automation tools are free; still, there is a cost associated with setting them and creating frameworks from scratch. In addition, the technical entry barrier can discourage the automation beginners from adopting the tools or getting the maximum benefit from the testing tool. ACCELQ can help get the full advantage of Testing and more in one place.
Final Thoughts
It is imperative to make the Test Automation process accessible to the whole team and stakeholders to sustain this momentum. For example, Developer-oriented tools have been counterproductive. Further, the cost of building and maintaining custom frameworks has been an unnecessary load, not even aligned to the core business objectives.
A no-code/low-code automation testing tool is handy and enables faster software testing results on development solutions. In addition, the return on investment is more rapid than traditional developer-oriented testing tools, making the initial cost negligible. Just remember, a Testing tool does not decide the quality and robustness of your application; instead, we need to identify the better fit for our organization.
Happy Bug Hunting!
Enrique DeCoss
Senior Quality Assurance Manager | FICO
Enrique is an industry leader in quality strategy with 17+ of experience implementing automation tools. Enrique has a strong background in web Tools, API testing strategies, performance testing, Linux OS and testing techniques. Enrique loves to share his in-depth knowledge in competencies including, Selenium, JavaScript, Python, ML testing tools, cloud computing, agile methodologies, and people Management.
