Key Concepts
in Selenium
By Rupendra Ragala
Selenium
WebDriver
Definition: A Selenium API that directly communicates with
the browser to automate tasks.
Example:
Selenium Grid
Definition: Used for parallel execution on multiple machines
or browsers.
Example: Set up a Selenium Grid hub and connect nodes to
run tests simultaneously on Chrome and Firefox.
Selenium IDE
Definition: A browser-based tool for record-and-playback
testing.
Example: Record a login flow in Selenium IDE and export the
test as WebDriver code.
Selenium
DesiredCapabilities
Definition: Allows setting browser-specific properties like
platform and version.
Example:
RemoteWebDriver
Definition: Executes tests on remote machines or in a
Selenium Grid setup.
Example:
Locators
Definition: Strategies to find elements on a webpage (e.g.,
ID, Name, XPath, CSS Selector).
Example:
Selenium
WebElement
Definition: Represents elements on a webpage, like buttons
or text fields.
Example:
Implicit Wait
Definition: Sets a default waiting time for all elements.
Example:
Explicit Wait
Definition: Waits for a specific condition to be true before
proceeding.
Example:
Selenium
Fluent Wait
Definition: Allows setting polling intervals and ignoring
exceptions during waiting.
Example:
Actions Class
Definition: Used for advanced user interactions like drag-
and-drop, hovering, etc.
Example:
JavaScriptExecutor
Definition: Executes JavaScript code within the browser.
Example:
Selenium
Window Handles
Definition: Manages multiple browser windows or tabs.
Example:
Frames and IFrames
Definition: Allows switching to specific sections of a
webpage within a frame.
Example:
Alerts
Definition: Handles JavaScript alerts or pop-ups.
Example:
Selenium
TestNG
Definition: A testing framework for running and organizing
Selenium tests.
Example: Annotate test cases using @Test in TestNG.
Maven
Definition: A build automation tool for managing project
dependencies.
Example: Add Selenium WebDriver dependency to [Link].
Jenkins
Definition: A CI/CD tool for running Selenium tests in a
pipeline.
Example: Set up a Jenkins job to trigger Selenium tests after
a code push.
Selenium
Handling File Uploads
Definition: Automates file uploads by interacting with input
tags.
Example:
Downloading Files
Definition: Handles file downloads by setting browser
preferences.
Example (for Chrome):
Handling Dynamic Web Elements
Definition: Automates elements that change dynamically
using XPath or CSS.
Example:
Selenium
Shadow DOM
Definition: Automates elements within a shadow root (hidden
DOM).
Example:
Automating Captchas
Definition: Captchas are difficult to automate but can use
third-party tools like OCR or APIs.
Example: Use services like 2Captcha to solve captchas
programmatically.
Parallel Test Execution
Definition: Runs multiple tests simultaneously using TestNG or
Selenium Grid.
Example: Configure [Link] to specify parallel execution:
Selenium
Cross-Browser Testing
Definition: Ensures compatibility across multiple browsers
(Chrome, Firefox, Edge).
Example:
Mobile Browser Automation
Definition: Automates mobile browsers using tools like
Appium with Selenium.
Example: Use Appium to automate Chrome on Android
devices.
Handling HTTPS Certificates
Definition: Handles untrusted certificates using browser
capabilities.
Example:
Selenium
Selenium Docker Integration
Definition: Runs Selenium in Docker containers for scalability
and CI/CD pipelines.
Example: Use the official Selenium Docker images like
selenium/standalone-chrome
Data-Driven Testing (DDT)
Definition: Uses external data (Excel, JSON, DB) for test
inputs.
Example: Read data from an Excel sheet using Apache POI.
Keyword-Driven Testing
Definition: Separates test scripts from keywords to improve
reusability.
Example: Keywords like click(), sendKeys() can be mapped to
methods.
Selenium
BDD with Cucumber
Definition: Combines Selenium with Cucumber for behavior-
driven testing.
Example: gherkin
Debugging Selenium Tests
Definition: Use breakpoints and logs to identify issues.
Example: Use IDEs like IntelliJ or Eclipse to debug step by
step.
Handling StaleElementException
Definition: Resolves issues when elements are no longer
attached to the DOM.
Example: Refresh the locator or add wait conditions.
Selenium
Retrying Failed Tests
Definition: Retries tests automatically upon failure using
TestNG retry logic.
Example: Implement IRetryAnalyzer in TestNG.
Selenium Best Practices
Write reusable methods for actions (e.g., click,
sendKeys).
Avoid hardcoded waits; use dynamic waits instead.
Use Page Object Model (POM) for better maintainability.
Handling Cookies
Definition: Adds, deletes, or retrieves browser cookies
during tests.
Example:
Selenium
Screenshot Capture
Definition: Captures a screenshot during a test failure or at
specific steps.
Example:
Exception Handling in Selenium
Definition: Handles runtime exceptions like
NoSuchElementException.
Example:
Logging in Selenium
Definition: Implements logging frameworks like Log4j for
better traceability.
Example:
Selenium
Allure Reporting
Definition: Generates interactive and detailed test reports.
Example: Integrate Allure in Maven by adding its plugin
Assertions in Selenium
Definition: Validates expected results during a test, using
TestNG or JUnit.
Example (TestNG):
Browser Profiles
Definition: Configures browser settings (e.g., disabling pop-
ups or adding extensions).
Example (Firefox):
Selenium
Scroll Operations
Definition: Scrolls the webpage to a specific element or
position using JavaScript.
Example:
Handling Tooltips
Definition: Captures and validates tooltips displayed when
hovering over elements.
Example:
Session Management
Definition: Manages browser sessions using cookies or
WebDriver capabilities.
Example:
Selenium
Database Testing with Selenium
Definition: Connects to databases to validate backend
operations during tests.
Example:
Email Testing with Selenium
Definition: Automates email verification by accessing
inboxes during testing.
Example: Use JavaMail API to fetch emails and validate
email contents.
API Testing in Parallel with Selenium
Definition: Integrates REST API testing with tools like
RestAssured in Selenium projects.
Example: Validate API response and compare results with UI
behavior.
Selenium
Handling ElementNotInteractableException
Definition: Occurs when trying to interact with hidden or
unclickable elements.
Example: Use JavaScriptExecutor to click instead:
Custom Retry Logic
Definition: Implements custom logic to retry failed tests
beyond built-in frameworks.
Example (TestNG):
Thank You
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