What is Selenium Automation Testing?

Selenium Automation Testing came into the scope to test web applications. Its extensive use in the QA department makes sure the compatibility of applications across all the systems.

Also, Selenium is a free, open-source testing framework. In order to test any web application through Selenium IDE, technical knowledge is not that compulsory.

As far as operating systems are concerned, Selenium supports Mac-OS, Windows, and Linux. These are the most known Operating Systems frequently used across the globe, and hence the majority of the QA team prefer Selenium for the automation testing process.

A detailed description of Selenium

Selenium is an open-source automation testing tool, available free of cost. QA team prefers Selenium to test any web application because of its versatility and quick acknowledgment along with the accurate result. Selenium is compatible with most programming languages such as C#, PHP, Java, Python, etc.

History of Selenium Testing

Do you know who has developed Selenium Testing? Jason Huggins, an engineer of Though Work, had founded Selenium testing in the year 2004.

At that time, he had to work on manual testing, and he came across various limitations during the task. Hence to make the testing process more efficient and productive, he created Selenium.

Because of his initiative, the creation of “JavaScriptTestRunner” takes place. Also, it manages and controls the action of the browser automatically. Jason has kept this program open-source and given it the name of “Selenium Core”.

Furthermore, if you are thinking, Selenium is just a single tool, you are wrong because it comprises multiple methods.

To ensure the productivity of an application Selenium suite is developed by integrating below mentioned tools: 

Selenium Integrated Development Environment (IDE): ·

Selenium IDE is the Firefox Plug-in that is easy to install that runs test cases frequently. The IDE is yet simple to learn and does not demand much technical expertise in order to execute the test cases.

The IDE keeps the record of user interactions with the browsers, and testers create all the test cases by keeping the records in mind. These test cases can run again and again.

WebDriver:

• Simon Stewart has created it to replace Selenium RC in the year 2006. Selenium WebDriver offers an interface to run various test cases. As a result, it checks the performance of a web application.
• Testers create test cases by considering the elements of web pages in the record and based on that they conduct the required action. Gradually Selenium RC and Selenium.
• Merging of WebDriver took place in the year 2008, and its name was Selenium WebDriver.
• Testers prefer WebDriver over RC because WebDriver directly interacts with the browsers whereas, in the case of RC, communication requires a server.
• Selenium WebDriver is compatible with most programming languages like Ruby on Rails, Java, PHP, Python, C# and Perl, etc.

Selenium Remote Control (RC):

• Before Selenium RC, SOP (Same Origin Policy) was in use, and there was a major drawback of SOP. The code of JavaScript under SOP prohibits access to the domains that are different from the parent domain. It was a big issue because if we write JavaScript code by considering www.abc.com, it will not access www.google.com. To eliminate such issues, experts develop the concept of RC.
• Furthermore, Selenium RC has enabled the browser to consider both Selenium Core and Web server with web-app that you need to test from the same parent domain. The concept has developed with the involvement of a proxy HTTP server.
• Also, it supports the majority of programming languages such as Ruby on Rails, Java, PHP, Python, C# and Perl, etc.

Selenium Grid:

• Patrick Light body has developed Selenium Grid that allows running test cases remotely. It works in combination with Selenium RC.
• It is developed in order to reduce the execution timing of the multiple test cases.
• In order to support the execution of multiple test cases from various machines remotely, Selenium Grid uses Hub-Node design. Hub-Node design, where one machine acts as a Hub responsible to control the various test cases, and the other will work as Node, in which the tester writes all test cases.

Advantages of Selenium

Testers prefer Selenium when it comes to testing web applications.

Reasons are:

• It is open-source and free to use.
• Moreover, It does not need much technical expertise or command over a technicality.
• Selenium is flexible to use for testing with accurate output.
• It reduces manual effort and saves time, cost, and money.
• Supports leading programming languages like Ruby on Rails, Java, PHP, Python, C# and Perl, etc.