Fast and reliable web applications are vital in contemporary ever-changing business needs and customer requirements. Manual testing is prone to errors and often inefficient to manage the tech challenges of modern times. Let’s learn more about Test Automation using Selenium.
Therefore, automation is the key to make the entire process glitch-free and efficient. One of the most popular frameworks for automation tests is Selenium. It is an open-source framework for automation testing, perfect for authenticating web applications on multiple platforms and browsers. Programmers apply different computer languages like Python, Java, C#, etc to generate Selenium Test Scripts. You can also try AI-based algoQA to create smooth and error-free Selenium Test Scripts.
Advantages of Selenium Test Automation
- It is one of the most popular open-source software for automation testing.
- You can run several scripts on multiple browsers and platforms
- Selenium allows record and playback options, improves test efficiency
- Automation tests relevant across diverse industries and organizations
- It is freely available for download with reliable community support and notable experience
- You can run automation tests on multiple browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Opera, etc
- Easily support a range of devices and programming languages
Automation Testing using Selenium
Selenium automation testing software is a suite of tools. Every piece serves different Selenium QA testing requirements of an organization
List of Selenium Tools
- Selenium Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
- Selenium Remote Control (RC)
- WebDriver
- Selenium Grid
Different developers have contributed to the tools of Selenium from time to time. Currently, WebDriver and Selenium RC are merged into single framework known as Selenium 2. Key persons in the development of the Selenium suite are:
- Jason Huggins created Selenium in 2004.
- Paul Hammant developed Selenium Remote Control
- Patrick Lightbody created Selenium Grid
- Shinya Kasatani developed Selenium IDE
- Simon Stewart formed WebDriver in 2006
Birth of the Name: Selenium
The birth of the name Selenium is the outcome of a joke. There was an automated testing framework namely Mercury Interactive. Jason suggested Selenium as the antidote to Mercury poisoning, and his team took it as the name. From there, the ‘name’ started to use formally for software testing automation.
Four Core Software of Selenium Suite
Selenium IDE
Selenium IDE is easy to learn and implement. Out of four tools Selenium Integrated Development Environment is the simplest framework in the Selenium suite. It is a multi-browser plugin for Firefox and Chrome. Selenium IDE is easy to install. Selenium IDE is primarily used for prototyping software for standard automation tests. You need to use WebDriver and Selenium RC for advanced automation tests.
Pros
- Basic knowledge of HTML and DOM require to use and install
- Simple to use and install for software testing with built-in test results and help reporting module
- No specialization requires, and supports for extensions is available
Cons
- Designed for automation test prototypes only
- No support for conditional operations and iterations
- Automation test is slower than WebDriver and selenium RC
Selenium RC (Remote Control)
Selenium Remote Control (RC) allows programmers to select a computer language of their preference. It was a flagship automation testing framework of the Selenium project for several years.
As per the latest version of Selenium RC, it supports the following programming languages:
- Java
- PHP
- Python
- Ruby
- Perl
- C#
Pros
- Readily supports new browsers
- Cross-platform and browser support
- Can support data-driven automation testing
- Conditional operations and looping
- Complete and matured API
- Comparatively faster implementation than Selenium IDE
Cons
- Execution is comparatively more complicated than Selenium IDE
- Knowledge of programming is required
- Slower implementation time than WebDriver
- It requires a Selenium RC server for efficient operation
- Sometimes unclear and redundant API
- Uses JavaScript and provides inconsistent results
- Not-realistic browser interaction
WebDriver
The WebDriver is a comparatively modern and stable method to automate the actions of the browser. It is considered the better option than Selenium RC and Selenium IDE in several parameters.
WebDriver does not depend on JavaScript for Selenium Automation Testing.
The software works on a browser by directly communicating with it. The software supports the same list of programming languages as Selenium RC (Java, PHP, Ruby, Perl, Python, C#).
Pros
- Easy execution than Selenium RC
- Realistic browser interaction
- Faster implementation time than RC and IDE
- Work without a separate element like the RC server
Cons
- It needs programming knowledge
- Execution is more complicated than Selenium IDE
- No pre-built mechanism for creating test scripts and runtime messages
Selenium Grid
You can run multiple automation tests on multiple browsers and different platforms. Selenium grid software work with Selenium RC to conduct parallel automation tests. Here parallel automation test stands for several tests at once. Selenium grid saves time significantly with the simultaneous execution of multiple automation tests on various environments and browsers. The software uses the hub-and-nodes concept. Here hub is a central source of instructions for each connected node to it.
Benefits of Choosing algoQA
algoQA from AlgoShack is an artificial intelligence-based automation testing platform. It is a one-stop platform that covers UI-based functional test automation, API test automation, and load test automation.
- It is technology agnostic and supports multi-language scripting, several reporting formats, and seamless working across ALM. algoQA supports Selenium, make Selenium easy and produces Selenium scripts without requiring any coding efforts.
- Works with diverse range of applications includes web applications, desktop applications, hybrid applications, robotic process automation, mobile apps, and embedded software testing
- Leverage AI for auto-coding and optimize test automation.
- Machine-generated thousands of test cases and executable scripts
- Higher ROI and SaaS-based test automation and testing
Rapid software testing at algoQA saves maintenance cost and boost performance.
algoQA of AlgoShack is a self-learning and auto-coding platform. The software saves up to eighty per cent of test automation cost. The platform generates an optimal quantity of automation test cases coded in the Gherkin language with executable automation test scripts and datasets.
Learn more about algoQA and consult for a demo now.
