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Selenium Automation Testing: A Comprehensive Guide to Web Application Testing-2025

By Shiva

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Selenium Automation Testing: A Comprehensive Guide to Web Application Testing-2025

👉Tutorial-2:-Selenium WebDriver Setup Guide.

👉Tutorial-3:-Selenium WebDriver Java Example.

👉Tutorial-4:-CSS Selectors in Selenium.

👉Tutorial-5:- Find Elements by XPath in Selenium WebDriver.

👉Tutorial-6:-Selenium Locators.

👉Tutorial-7:- How to Click Image Links Using CSS Selectors and XPath.

👉Tutorial-8:- Link Text & Partial Link Text.

👉Tutorial-9:-Radio Buttons and Checkboxes in Selenium WebDriver.

👉Tutorial-10:-How to Handle Dropdowns in Selenium WebDriver.

👉Tutorial-16:-Automating File Upload and Download in Selenium WebDriver.

👉Tutorial-17:-Finding and Fixing Broken Links.

Boost software quality with Selenium automation – faster, reliable, and efficient testing.

Selenium is a powerful open-source automation testing framework used for testing web applications across multiple browsers and operating systems. It allows developers and testers to write test scripts in various programming languages such as Java, Python, C#, and more.

Selenium is not a single tool but a suite of software, each designed for different testing needs. The major components of the Selenium suite are:

  • Selenium Integrated Development Environment (IDE) – A record-and-playback tool for quick test creation.
  • Selenium Remote Control (RC) – The original tool that allowed automation using different programming languages.
  • WebDriver – A more advanced and modern tool that interacts directly with the browser.
  • Selenium Grid – Used for parallel execution of tests across multiple environments.

Note: Selenium RC and WebDriver were merged into a single tool, forming Selenium 2.

  • 2004 – Jason Huggins developed Selenium Core (JavaScriptTestRunner) to automate web testing.
  • Same Origin Policy Issue – A security restriction led to the development of Selenium RC.
  • 2005 – Paul Hammant created Selenium RC as a workaround for browser security policies.
  • Selenium Grid – Developed by Patrick Lightbody to enable parallel execution.
  • Selenium IDE – Created by Shinya Kasatani as a record-and-playback extension.
  • WebDriver – Introduced by Simon Stewart to enhance automation by controlling browsers at the OS level.
  • 2008 – WebDriver and RC merged to form Selenium 2.

The name “Selenium” was coined as a joke by Jason Huggins. Since Mercury Interactive (which developed QTP) was a competitor, he humorously suggested “Selenium,” as Selenium is a chemical known to counteract mercury poisoning.

Master Selenium testing and accelerate your QA process with automation expertise

  • A simple browser extension for Firefox and Chrome.
  • Ideal for beginners and quick test creation.
  • Used for prototyping and exporting test cases for WebDriver or RC.
  • Allowed execution of automated test scripts in multiple programming languages.
  • Supported various browsers and OS but relied on JavaScript injection.
  • More robust and modern than Selenium RC.
  • Directly communicates with browsers without needing JavaScript.
  • Supports advanced automation scenarios and AJAX-based applications.
  • Enables parallel execution across multiple machines and browsers.
  • Uses a hub-node architecture for distributed testing.
Selenium ToolSupported BrowsersSupported OS
Selenium IDEChrome, FirefoxWindows, Mac, Linux
WebDriverChrome, Firefox, Edge, SafariWindows, Mac, Linux
Selenium GridMultiple browsersMultiple OS

Note: OperaDriver is no longer supported.

ToolBest For
Selenium IDEBeginners, simple test cases, learning automation concepts
Selenium RCCross-browser testing, complex test scenarios
WebDriverAdvanced automation, AJAX-based applications
Selenium GridRunning tests in parallel across multiple environments

Automate web applications seamlessly with Selenium – the key to smarter testing!.

FeatureSeleniumQTP (UFT)
CostFree, open-sourceCommercial (Paid)
Browser SupportMultiple browsersLimited browsers
OS SupportWindows, Mac, LinuxWindows only
Mobile TestingSupportedRequires HP Mobile Center
Parallel ExecutionSupported via Selenium GridRequires Quality Center (paid)
FeatureQTP (UFT)Selenium
Application TestingWeb and desktop appsWeb apps only
Built-in Object RepositoryYesNo
Test Automation SpeedFaster due to IDESlower as it depends on external IDEs
Data-Driven TestingEasier with built-in tablesRequires programming
Professional SupportAvailableCommunity support only
Exporting Test DataSupportedNot natively supported

Although QTP has advanced capabilities, Selenium is preferred due to:

  1. Cost-effectiveness – Selenium is free.
  2. Flexibility – Supports multiple programming languages and browsers.
  3. Parallel Execution – Saves testing time with Selenium Grid.

Selenium is a widely adopted tool for web automation testing due to its flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and cross-browser compatibility. The Selenium Suite consists of Selenium IDE, Selenium RC, WebDriver, and Selenium Grid, each serving different testing needs. Selenium’s open-source nature and extensive community support make it a strong competitor against commercial tools like QTP/UFT.

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