Android devices have a massive share of the global user population. Because more and more people are using Android smartphones, app developers need to be able to test their application’s functionality on Android devices just as they would on Windows desktop or Apple...
Selenium Basics: What Is Selenium Used for?
Selenium is a free, open-source web browser automation tool primarily for functional and non-functional software testing purposes. Test scripts for performance and load testing, regression testing, integration testing, end-to-end testing, unit testing, and system testing can be created on Selenium with various programming languages.
Its suite of tools includes Selenium Grid, Selenium IDE, Selenium WebDriver, and Selenium RC. Software testing teams trust Selenium for test automation because of its comprehensive testing environment support with the ability to record and playback automated test runs.
How to Get Started with Selenium
Selenium for beginners can be intimidating. WebDriver is the simplest and most efficient method of getting started with Selenium. Learn how you can set up Selenium projects with ease.
Selenium Library Installation
Java 8 or higher is typically required to install a Selenium library. You’ll want to make sure your programming system is updated to its latest version for optimal efficiency when installing Selenium. First, install bindings for your automation project, then install the respective Selenium library based on your programming language of choice. There are versions available for Maven, Gradle, Python, C#, Ruby, JavaScript, and Kotlin languages.
Browser Driver Installation
To allow web browser automation, a browser driver must be installed through Selenium WebDriver. All major browsers are supported by Selenium, including Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and Internet Explorer. There are a few different ways to set up a working environment in Selenium. You can use WebDriver management software to install the browser driver or place directors in a PATH directory. Users can also embed the location in the code itself as a method of installing the browser driver.
New Project Creation
Once in the browser driver of their choice, users need to create a new project. From there, they can create a new package for the project to be filed under and write a Selenium test script. After creating a project and developing a script, users can conduct test scenarios and record the results of software navigating their project as if it were an actual person.
Built-in Selenium WebDriver with Ranorex
Selenium test automation can be improved with supplemental software tools. Ranorex saves users time and effort with our built-in Selenium WebDriver integration. Our easy-to-navigate interface is a preferable option to Selenium’s complex framework. Ranorex users can automate tests faster with reliable and accessible no-code programming features that work with all our available Selenium integrations.
There are a few areas in which Selenium WebDriver software is lacking. For example, it has no built-in reporting capabilities, no parallel testing, and no automation of Windows-based applications. The challenges and shortcomings of Selenium testing are overcome with Ranorex tools that help you debug, build, and maintain automated tests.
Selenium Automation Tools
Selenium Grids
Testing teams can conduct parallel tests with Selenium Grids, achieving more test runs of variables in a shorter amount of time. Ranorex offers Selenium Grid support for parallel test execution and distribution.
Grids consist of multiple nodes that communicate with one another and serve as a WebDriver management and distribution system to disperse tests across different environments. They allow scalable, distributed web testing with a network of local or remote devices. Grids can be built in-house using physical and virtual servers, with a cloud hosting solution, or solely with physical in-house server solutions.
Selenium WebDriver
Selenium WebDriver is a cross-platform testing framework that can configure and control browsers. It’s revolutionary in its ability to conduct tests without a core engine and to support various coding languages.
Ranorex’s built-in Selenium test automation integration enables everyone on the team to build and execute tests without programming knowledge. For new software testing employees, learning Selenium doesn’t have to involve the heavy demands of learning a coding language.
Selenium IDE
For recording and replaying automated test runs, Selenium IDE is the designated program. As an integrated development environment, Selenium IDE records these in the script language “Selenese” and performs commands like clicking links and fetching web page data.
This rapid prototyping tool has an intuitive user interface and has recently implemented test run reusability in its system. It can also facilitate the debugging of test scripts through step execution. Ranorex’s full-feature automation framework also has an advanced IDE for mobile and desktop applications, which Selenium does not offer.
Selenium RC
Selenium RC, also known as Selenium Remote Control, was one of Selenium’s first popular versions. It is still available for installation and has a few main components. It has language-specific client libraries and a standalone server that launches and stops browsers. Selenium RC acts as an HTTP proxy by interpreting and running Selenium commands from the test program to the browser. WebDriver performs much faster than Selenium RC, so most software development teams prefer updated Selenium models.
Selenium Integration with Ranorex
Selenium WebDriver’s built-in functions don’t offer a full spectrum of support. Features like test report functionality are missing from their suite. Ranorex provides an abundance of top-grade tools with Selenium integration, including the ability to automate tests without programming and handle timeouts. Its improved capture and replay features can also solve UI synchronization issues and identify unique web application elements.
Ranorex’s system can configure local, cloud-hosted, or remote testing endpoints. It can also use proprietary automation technology for faster performance. Ranorex Spy provides users with instant object identification. While Ranorex has the capacity to replace Selenium with its advanced automation techniques, it doesn’t need to. You can keep all of your favorite Selenium functions and enjoy the best of both worlds with the enhancement of Ranorex tools.
Work with Selenium by Getting Started with Ranorex
Ranorex’s Selenium automation tool integration leverages the power of Selenium with the intuitive interface and efficient parallel testing capabilities of Ranorex. Make the most of your testing resources and learn Selenium with the help of Ranorex software. Sign up for a free trial of Studio or DesignWise for mobile, desktop, and web automation. All the Selenium basics will be available to you at the touch of a button.
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