All we know is that today software testing becomes much easier with most available tools and technologies. The latest updates in technologies help to test the software much better. There are a number of testing tools available in the current market. In this regard, we will go with Selenium for testing and its use in this era. Here, we will check how Selenium is still useful for testing and its benefits and disadvantages.
Anyhow, this framework for testing purposes is still a better choice for most of the software testers and developers. Let us look in detail about this.
What is Selenium?
Selenium is an open-source/free automation framework useful for testing, validating web applications across multiple browsers and platforms. Moreover, users can use several coding languages such as Java, C#, Python, etc. to build Selenium Test Scripts. Software Testing done with the help of this tool is typically referred to as Selenium Testing or Selenium for software testing.
Using this framework for testing is nothing but a software testing suite. Here, each piece serves different testing requirements of an enterprise. The following are the best tools for this framework.
- Selenium Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
- Remote Control (RC)
- WebDriver
- Selenium Grid
Selenium IDE
IDE or Selenium Integrated Development Environment is a simple and easy framework within the framework suite. This is also the easiest one to learn and understand. It is a plugin suitable with Firefox that users can install and utilize easily as with other plugins they do. Although due to its simplicity, the IDE tool is only useful as an alternative tool. IDE applies a record and playback model. Wherein, test cases are built by recording the interactions that the user had with the web browser earlier. Moreover, these tests can then be played in the background any number of times easily. The pros and cons of the IDE tool are;
It’s easy to use & install but available only within the Firefox browser.
It doesn’t need any coding skills but HTML and DOM knowledge will add on advantage. Besides, this is only useful to build a prototype of tests.
Useful to export tests to the formats used with RC and Webdriver but doesn’t have iteration and conditional operation support.
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Selenium RC
Since Selenium RC was the popular software testing framework of the Selenium project for a long time. Moreover, this is the first web testing tool with automation that enables users to utilize a coding language they prefer. With the emergence of version 2.25.0, RC able to support the below coding or programming languages:
- Java
- C#
- PHP
- Python
- Perl
- Ruby
Moreover, the version RC has two component tools such as; RC Server & RC Client. There are some pros and cons of using the framework’s RC tool. They are;
It supports cross-platform and cross-browser but more complex to install than Selenium IDE.
The tool is useful to perform conditional operations but requires knowledge of coding languages.
It also supports data-driven testing but it needs an RC server of the framework to run smoothly.
Moreover, it supports the latest browsers as well but the support would be less realistic in nature.
It performs faster than the IDE version but slower than Webdriver.
This tool supports the capturing of screenshots and logging attempts.
Selenium Webdriver
The WebDriver tool proves to be better than both IDE and RC versions in many aspects. It applies a modern and secure approach to the browser's activities automation. WebDriver doesn’t rely on JavaScript for automation like the RC version of this framework. Moreover, it controls the browser and its actions by directly communicating with it.
The following are the various web drivers useful with this framework.
- Firefox Driver (Gecko Driver)
- Chrome Driver
- Internet Explorer Driver
- Opera Driver
- Safari Driver and
- HTM Unit Driver
The supported languages are the same as those in the RC tool. Such as Ruby, Java, Python, C#, etc. Some of the pros and cons of Webdriver are as follows;
It’s easier to install than Selenium RC but more complex than the IDE version.
It directly contacts the browser but needs are the coding language skills.
Moreover, browser support is realistic in nature but not readily available for the latest browsers.
Furthermore, it performs much faster than IDE and RC versions. But there is no in-built mechanism for runtime logging and producing test results.
Advantages of Webdriver
Free to use and Portable: The framework is an open-source/free and portable Web app testing framework with lots of benefits.
Integration of tool: The framework is the integration of various tools and DSL (i.e. Domain Specific Language) in order to perform different types of tests.
Easy to understand and apply: The commands of this framework are divided into multiple classes that make it easier to understand and simple to apply.
Less burden and stress for developers & testers: As we discussed above, the time needs for testing. And repeated test plots on each new build are minimized to zero. Hence, the burden and stress that a tester gets become less.
Cost minimization for Business Clients: Every Business needs to pay the testers their salary in a huge way. This cost is saved by using automation software testing tools like this framework. Moreover, using automation not only time saves but also minimizes costs to the business.
Increased test coverage: With the use of this framework for testing the time gets minimized. And also the tester can execute more testing on other test plots in parallel.
Reduce test performance time: using this for testing helps in parallel test execution that reduces the time taken in performing parallel tests earlier.
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Check the above video to get a basic idea about the Selenium for software testing and other uses.
Selenium Grid
Selenium Grid is a powerful tool useful along with the RC tool to run parallel tests across multiple systems and browsers. Thus, it has the ability for parallel test performance at a time. Moreover, the grid is still useful and works with both WebDriver and RC tools. But maintaining and handling a grid with all necessary browsers and OS is quite challenging.
The features of the Grid tool include:
It allows parallel running of tests across browsers and environments much faster.
Moreover, it also saves time very effectively.
Advantages of using Selenium for testing in 2020
There are many advantages of using Selenium for testing in 2020. We will discuss them in detail hereunder.
Cost Saving
The popularity of the framework for testing is that it’s totally free and open-source available. But some of its functionality still competes with other paid products available in the market. There are no upfront costs or payments that users need to pay to use this framework for testing or else. Moreover, this facilitates the best option for independent developers and startups to use the tool in many ways.
This is why most organizations still depend on using this framework for testing & other purposes rather than paid products.
Compatible with other platforms
Selenium already follows the Agile and DevOps platforms, even before these platforms were invented together. This software naturally follows the main principles behind Agile, DevOps, or Continuous Delivery platforms. We should know how it gets all these naturally. Thus, using the tool for testing is much better to comply with other platforms.
Here’s how it achieves:
Due to the tool’s portability across all platforms, it doesn’t importantly demand engineers to know the latest languages. This feature of the framework makes it much more simple to use.
Moreover, Selenium is one of the best automation testing tools that can quietly combine with reputable development platforms. Like Jenkins, Maven, TestNG, QMetry, etc tools.
By using extremely the Selenium Grid’s parallel testing feature, developers can collect feedback more quickly. And they can work on the changes immediately instead of waiting a long time for a passing test.
Users can use this framework for testing only web applications but cannot for desktop apps or any other software.
Since there is no regular support available for the framework; users need to utilize the available customer communities at the extreme.
Furthermore, it is not possible to use for testing images. For this, users need to combine this with the SIKULI tool for image-based testing.
Helps to combine 3rd party tools
To save money for its several limitations, the framework superbly combines with third-party tools. Such as reporting tools, develop systems, or any other Development/Testing store. There are some popular tools that it merges with are TestNG, Selenium-Grid, and Extent. These are among many other tools.
Mobile testing support
The reason to use this framework for testing supports multiple mobile apps. It helps to test hybrid, native, or web mobile apps efficiently. Besides, it is to be noted that the user will need extra software to make it possible. Moreover, most developers specifically opt for Appium and Selendroid tools. These are the two major choices built particularly for Selenium.
Community Support
The major benefit of using this framework for testing is its large community support. It supports solving doubts raised by various people globally. It offers to provide good knowledge sharing for technical issues and else. Thus, users can trust it well for the help they need relating to this technology.
Due to its several and uniform benefits, Selenium has no doubt that it has a good number of followers.
However, this framework has a vast community, from developers in big giants like Google and Firefox to small startups. All of those people actively contribute to the tool and documentation of the tool globally. Due to a pioneer in automation testing, the tool integrates greatly with both old and new testers. Having such a large community, it’s very easy and simple to find Selenium learning materials.
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Need for testing software
Today technology is totally dominated by the devices that run with proper operation. Without testing software, we cannot judge the simplicity and its use for a good cause. Thus, with the invention of automation, the testing became much simpler and easier. Using Selenium for testing software is the best way to easily test and produce results in less time. Moreover, using Selenium for testing is much better than any other tool in cost-saving and dynamic performance.
Thus, most users and developers prefer this framework for testing due to their overall benefits.
Challenges with manual testing
There are many challenges with the manual testing process where QA testers used to test the web applications manually. The challenges here are like every environment has different testing methods. Tests need to conduct separately and have to record results for each test individually. In this regard, there are chances of many failures and have to record the same. All these results in a delay in the process, tests, mistakes, errors may take place, etc. Moreover, this makes it boring and less interesting. These are the challenges that make the usage of Selenium for testing a popular one.
Automation Testing overcomes the challenges of Manual Testing
Automation testing overcomes the hurdles within manual testing every time. This is due to it being faster, reliable, and require less investment in human resource development, etc. Moreover, it doesn’t prone to errors, the possibility to test regular performance, supports regression, and functional testing also.
For example, suppose there is a login page and we need to check whether all the login attempts are successful or not. In this case, it will be very easy & simple to write a small piece of code. This helps to validate if all the login attempts are a success or not. This is an automated test case performance.
However, these tests can be set up in a way that they are tested within multiple environments and web browsers. Moreover, users can automate the production of the result file, by planning it for a specific time during the day. Then users can also automate the production of reports based on those results and so on.
Final Words
Thus, we reach to conclude the topic of using Selenium for testing in 2020. Obviously, this is a great framework to use for testing software with ease. Due to its simplicity and easy nature of understanding, developers mostly prefer this framework for testing. It’s quite simplest to install and use its supporting tools also. If you are ready to work with automation techniques and tools then, you can do Selenium Online Training with experts. You will get a practical and real-time experience of using the software and get benefits also.