QA automation with Selenium remains among the top choices for many QA services. While this tool is intended for web applications only, this specification just means that Selenium is well-tailored for web testing. And if you are not yet that personal with this automation giant, here are some basics and tips for you to get more comfortable with it.
Selenium lets you automate a wide range of tests. Although it does have its limits, you can still enjoy its versatility and flexibility.
With Selenium, you can automate related tests by writing scripts that simulate user-app interactions, e.g., clicking buttons, filling out forms, navigating between pages, etc. And integrating Selenium with other software, say TestNG or JUnit, will help produce comprehensive reports.
Selenium lets you automate regression tests by reusing functional test scripts, making it easy to look for ‘tears’ in the application when modifying the software.
Selenium can turn your scripts into automated tests that can be run on multiple web browsers, like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. And with Selenium Grid, you can run tests simultaneously by setting up numerous virtual environments.
After designing respective scripts, you can apply Selenium to simulate the desired traffic on your web application and apprise its load-handling capabilities.
Selenium can simulate common security threats, such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting, allowing you to promptly determine potential weak points. Interestingly, a study by ACM found that the most common security vulnerabilities can be located using automated Selenium software testing.
And this is only the tip of the iceberg. With Selenium QA, you can also automate many other tests:
UI testing.
Selenium’s automation potential is essentially endless. You just need to be sure that you use the right tool to leverage its powers.
Selenium might have a steep learning curve. But once you master the essentials and grasp more advanced features, your automation expertise will double. Here are a few more complex aspects to pay attention to.
Selenium offers several ways of locating elements on a web page, e.g., using their ID, name, class tag, CSS selector, and XPath. With the abundance of options, it is important to choose the right locator strategy. Be sure to study the structure of the web page and the element you are trying to locate before committing to a particular locator. Generally, it is best to use ID or name, as these locators are the most efficient and reliable.
Web applications often load elements dynamically. Meaning that you need to wait for an element to load before interacting with it. Selenium provides multiple synchronization methods, including implicit and explicit waits. These features can be used to wait for specific elements to be loaded, thus making sure that the application and code execution are in sync.
TestNG and JUnit are among most popular testing frameworks that cooperate with Selenium, especially when it comes to reporting. TestNG provides advanced features, e.g., data-driven testing and parallel test execution, which are most useful for large and complex test suites. JUnit, on the other hand, is a simpler testing framework with basic testing functionality and a friendly learning curve.
Selenium provides a few tools and techniques for script debugging: session logging, screenshots, and breakpoints. For example, you can use breakpoints in your code, inspect elements using the developer tools in your browser, and log messages to the console to help diagnose issues. You can select what works best for you and effectively prevent and fix run-time errors.
The quality of your test scripts determines the quality of the outcomes. So, to enhance productivity when testing with Selenium, you should take note of the following:
Selenium is a common addition to any QA company’s toolkit due to its flexibility. What it lacks in some areas is compensated with extra integrations or add-ons. So by compromising on being a generalist tool, Selenium keeps its features best adapted to web app testing.
To get the most out of Selenium testing, you might need a few months of practice. While nothing can replace own hard-earned expertise, here are some tips to get you started.
There is no denying that Selenium is very popular among test automation services. So when you become a Selenium expert, you grow professionally and acquire vast job opportunities. It may not be as easy as you want it to be, but most great things are rather difficult to achieve. But when you direct your effort, you can be sure of positive results. Selenium is not Carbon after all 😜
Good luck, and keep learning.
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