1.WHAT IS SELENIUM 2.USE OF SELENIUM FOR AUTOMATION
Published: 2024-06-18 17:35:54

                ## 1.)What is selenium?

      Selenium is an open-source,automated testing tool used to test web applications across various browsers.Selenium can only test web applications,unfortunately so desktop and mobile application cannot be tested.
      Selenium was the first tool that allowed users to control a browser with the help of any language.It allowed professionals to automate various processes,but it had a set of drawback since it was not possible to perform automation testing on certain things with javascript.Besides,with web applications getting complex,the restrictions of the tool only started to increase.
      Soon,simon stewart from google got tried of the limitations of selenium.He required a testing tool that was capable of communicating with the browser directly, and hence he came up with webdriver.A few years later selenium merged with webdriver.This tool allowed professionals to do automation testing by using a single tool which was much more efficient.
      Jason Huggins,an engineer at THoughtworks,chicago,found manual testing repititive and boring.He developed a java script program to automate the testing of a web application called java script runner.
      Initially the new invention was developed by the employees at THoughtworks.However in 2004 it was renamed selenium and was made open-source.Since its inception,selenium has been a powerful automation testing tool to test various web applications across different platforms.
      Selenium is easy to use since it is primarily developed in java script.
      selenium can test web applications against various browsers like java,python,perl,PHP and ruby.
      selenium is "platform independent",meaning it can deploy on windows,linux and macintosh.
      selenium test scripts can be coded in any of the supported programming languages and can be run directly in most modern web browsers.
       With the growing need for efficient software products,every software development group need to carry out a series of tests before the launching the final product into the market.Test engineers strive to catch the faults or bugs before the software product is released,yet delivered software always has defects.
       Even with the best manual testing processes,there is always a possibility that the final software product is left with a defect or unable to meet the end user requirements.Automation testing is the best way to increase the effectiveness,efficiency and coverage of software testing with the help of selenium.
      manual testing can be time consuming and prone to human errors.selnium automation allows tests to be executed quickly and accurately,reducing the likehood of human mistakes and ensuring consistent test results.
      selenium allows developers and testers to automate the testing of web applications across different browsers and platforms.
       Most programmers and deveolpers who build website applications and wish to test them every now and then use selenium.One of the biggest advantages of selenium which has made it popular is its flexibility.Any individual who creates web programs can use selenium to test the code and applications.Further professional can debug and perform visual regression tests as per the requirements of the website or code.
      Im most organizations it is the job of quality analyst engineers to test the web application by using selenium.They are required to write scripts that can help in maximizing accuracy and test coverage to make changes in the project and maintain the infrastructure of the test.
     QA engineers are responsible for developing test suites that can identify bugs using which they can inform stakeholders about the benchmarks set for the project.The primary goal of QA engineers is to ensure efficiency and test coverage and increase productivity.

_Advantages of Selenium:-_

   **Lanuguage support:-**Seleniumallows us to create test scripts in different languages like ruby,java,php,python,javascript and c# among others.
      We can write your scripts in any of these programming languages and selenium will convert it into a selenium compatible course in no time.
     so when you go for selenium as a tool for performing automation testing,we wont have to worry about language and framework support as selenium will do that for us.

    **Multi-Browser Support:-**Selenium enables us to test website on different browsers such as google chrome,mozila firefox,microsoft edge,safari and internet explorer,etc.
      The selenium community has been working on improvising every day on one selenium script for all browsers.According to all browsers world wide ,selenium benefits are compatible with all browsers.Just one script is required for all browsers.
       **Open Source Availability:-** The availability of open source code is one of the benefits of selenium.Selenium is publicly available automation framework that is free to use because it is an open source product.
       Work can be saved here and used for beneficial purpose.The selenium community always willing to assist developers and software engineers in automating web browser capabilities and functionality.
      Selenium as an open source technology also allows you to customize the code for easier management and to improve the functionality of preset methods and classes.
      **Support across various operations:-** Different people use various operating systems and your automation tool must support all of them.
        selenium is highly profitable tool supporting and could work across different operating systems like Windows,linux mac os,unic etc.

      **Scalability:-**Automated testing with selenium can easily scale to cover a wide range of test cases,scenarios and user interactions.This scalabilty ensures maximum test coverage of the applications functionality.

       **Reusable test scripts:-**Selenium allows testers to create reusable test scripts that can be used across different test cases and projects.This reusability saves time and effort in test script creation and maintenance.

      **Parallel Testing:-**Selenium supports parallel test execution,allowimng multiple test to run concurrently.This helps to reduce the overall testing time,making the development process more easier and efficient.

       **Documentation and reporting:-**Selenium provides detailed test execution logs and reports,making it easier to track test results and identify areas that require attention.

      **User Experience Testing:-**Selenium can simulate user interactions and behaviour,allowing testers to assess the user experience and ensure that the application is intuitive and user-friendly.
      
    **Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment(CI/CD):-** Selenium can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines to automate the testing of each code change.This integration helps identidy and address issues earlier in the development cycle,allowing for faster and more reliable releases.

   ** Less Harware Usage:-** selenium requires less hardware than other testing tools,if we compare with others when the focus automation tools like QTP,UFT,SkillTest,etc.

_Disadvantage of Selenium:-_
    While selenium is a powerful automation testing tool some disadvantages must be covered.

   **Limited support for desktop application:-** Selenium has limited support for desktop apps and is mainly designed for online application testing.If your testing requirements involve desktop application testing,you may need to use additional tools or framework.

   **Lack of build in reporting:-** Selenium needs to provide build in reporting capabilities.Testers must rely on third-party reporting tools or custom code to generate comprehensive test reports,which can be time consuming and require additional effort.

   **Steep Learning Curve for beginners:-** Selenium requires programming skills to create and maintain test scripts.for individuals with limited programming knowledge there may be a significant learning curve to overcome leading to longer ramp-up times.

   ** Maintenance efforts for test scripts:-** Test scripts developed using selenium may require frequent updates and maintenance.As web applications evlove and change,test scripts must be updated to accommodate these changes which can be time consuming and resource intensive.
       we cannot automate sms based otp authentication and we cannot automate captcha also

   **Limited support for mobile testing:-** while selenium can test mobile web applications,it has limited support for native mobile applications.To test native mobile apps additional tools are required such as appium.

   **Dependency on browser update:-** selenium relies on browser-specific drivers to interact with web browsers.When browser release updates the corresponding selenium drivers may need to be updated.This dependency on browser updates can sometime cause compatibility issues and require additional effort to keep the automation tests up to date.

  **No support for image based testing and sms and OTP:-** selenium does not provide support for image based testing,where tests are based on comparing screenshots or visual elements.image based testing is useful for verifying the visual aspects of an applications and absence of this feature in selenium can be a limitation.
       
   **Limited support for non-web technologies:-** Seleniumprimarily focuses on web technologies and may not have extensive support for testing non web technologies such as desktop applications,mobile applications.

    **Limited control over network activities:-** Selenium does not have direct control over network activities such as simulating different network conditions.If your testing requires network related scenarios you may need additional libraries to simulate these conditions.

     **Dependency on browser automatiom:-** Selenium automation relies on browser's automation capabilities which can sometimes lead to inconsistence across different browsers.some browsers specific behaviors and limitations may impact the reliability and consistency of automation tests.

           

             ## 2.Use of Selenium for Automation

 Selenium is used for automation to streamline the testing of web applications ensuring they function correctly across various browsers and platforms.

 As we now are familiar with selenium,lets take a look at the main points of selenium and here are some key uses of selenium for automation.

  **Web Application Testing:-** 
 functional Testing-Verify that each function of the application operates according to its specifications. To validate that the application performs its intented functions correctly.
  Benefits- Automating functional tests ensures comprehensive coverage of application features improving reliability and functionality.
  Regression Testing- Ensure that new changes dont break exisiting functionalities.To verify that new code changes do not adversly affect the exisiting functionality of the application.
  Benefits- Automated regression tests can be run frequently and quickly ensuring that the applications remains stable after updates.

**Cross-Browser Testing:-** 
Purpose- Test web applications across different browsers such as chrome,firefox,safari and edge.
Benefits- Ensure consistent behaviour and appearance of the application in various browser environment.

**End to End Testing:-** 
purpose- To run tests with complex workflow of an application from start to finish.
Benefit- Ensures that all integrated components of the application work together as expected,providing confidence in the overall user experience.

**Automated test Execution:-**
Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment:- Integrate selenium with CI/CD pipeline to ensure that tests are run automatically with each build and deployment.
Benefit-facilitates early detection defects reduces manual efforts and speeds up the delivery of high quality software.
Scheduled Testing:- Run automated tests at regular intervals to catch issues early.

**Data Driven Testing:-** 
purpose- To run tests with multiple sets of data inputs to validate the applications behavior under various conditions.
Benefit- Enhances test coverage and identifies potential edge cases that could cause failures.

**Smoke Testing:-**
purpose- To Perform a quick check to ensure the most critical functionalities of the applications are working after a build or update.
Benefit- Automated somke tests provide rapid feedback on the health of the application allowing early detection of major issues.

**Performance and Load Testing:-**
Integration with tools- Use selenium scripts with tool like JMeter to simulate user load and measure application performance.
Purpose- Identify performance bottlenecks amd ensure the application can handle expected user loads.

**Behaviour Driven Development:-**
Integration with BDD tools- Use selenium with BDD framework like cucumber to write tests in plain language.
Benefit-Enhances collaboration between technical and non technical stakeholders.

**Mobile Web Testing:-**
Purpose- verify the applications compatibility with different operating systems screen resolutions and devices.
benefit- Ensure a consistence user experience across various environments.

**Headless browser testing:-**
Purpose- Run tests in headless mode(without a GUI) using headless browsers like headless chrome.
Benefit- Faster test execution and integration with environments where a GUI is not available.

**Compatibility Testing:-**
Purpose- verify the applications compatibility with different operating systems,secreen resolutions and devices.
Benefit- Ensures a consistent user experience across various environment.

**UI Testing:-**
Purpose- Automate testing of the user interface to ensure all UI elements function as expected.
Benefit- Detects issues with the visual elements and user interactions.

**Integration Testing:-**
Purpose- Test the interaction between different components of the application.
Benefit- Ensures that integrated parts of the application work together as intended.

**Error Detection and Logging:-**
Purpose- Automatically capture and log errors encountered during test execution.
Benefit- simplifies debugging and error resolution.

**Custom Testing Framework:-**
Purpose- Develop custom framework tailored to specific testing needs using selenium's Wendriver API.
Benefit- Flexibility to create robust and maintainable test suites.

**Integrating Testing with Other Tools:**

Jenkins- For CI/CD pipeline integration.
TestNg/JUnit- For test case management and reporting
Maven/Gradle- For project build automation
Allure/Extent Reports- For generating detailed test reports
Github/GitLab- For version control and colaboration

Selenium is a versatile tool for automating various aspects of web application testing.It enhances test efficiency,coverage and reliability making it an essential component in modern software development and quality assurance processess.

**Benefits:-**
Efficiency- Automates repititive testing tasks saving time and effort.
Consistency- Ensures consistence test execution and results.
Coverage- Provides extensive test coverage across different browsers and platforms.
Scalability- Supports parallel test execution allowing for scalable testing solutions.

**Selenium in Agile Environment:-**
    Selenium is an all in one tool that can help you streamline your agile testing process.By following the tips below you can ensure that your automated tests are practical and efficient and that they play a valuble role in your agile development cycle.

Automated test should be run frequently as part of the continuous integration process.
Test should be written to allow them to be run quickly and easily.
Test should be designed to test a specific functionality or behavior and should not be complex.
New features and changes should be accompained by automated tests to ensure that the applications functionality remains intact
Automated tests should supplement manual testing rather than replace it altogether.

In agile development Selenium testing is typically used in the following ways:
  As part of the regression testing process to ensure that existing features continue to work as expected after new code has been added.
  To verify that new features are working as expected before htey are released to production.
  To help identify and troubleshoot bugs in web application at both business and development levels before releasing the application.

**Open Source:-** selenium is open source this means that no licensing or cost is required,it is totally free to download and use.This not the case for many other automation tools out there.

**Mimic user actions:-** As stated earlier selenium webdriver is able to mimic user input in real scenarios you are able to automate events like keypresses,mouse clicks,drag and drop,click and hold,selecting and much more.

**Easy Implementation:-** Selenium webdriver is known for being a user-friendly automation tool.selenium being open source means that users are able to develop extensions for their own needs.

**Tool for every scenario:-** As mentioned earlier selenium is suite tools and you will most likely find something that fits your scenario and your way of working.

**Language Support:-** One big benefit is multilingual support.selenium supports all major langugaes like java,javascript,python,ruby,c sharp,perl,.Net and PHP giving the developer a lot freedom amd flexibility.

 **Conclusion:**
  Selenium is a top choice for automation testing due to its open-source nature,multi browser and platform support,language support and easy integration with other tools.Best practices for using selenium include using a POM design pattern,explicits waits,dynamic locators,test data management tools and version control systems.Selenium can be used for web application testing,regression testing,cross browser testing and load testing.