July 30th, 2024 | Credo Systemz | Career Insights

Introduction

In the field of test automation, Selenium is the most critical and long-lasting skill for freshers. It is an open-source, widely adopted framework which supports multiple programming languages and browsers. Let’s explore the ten essential selenium tips for freshers to build a strong foundation in test automation.

• Basics of Selenium

To develop the skills of selenium, start by gaining a solid understanding ofselenium architecture and its components,

• Selenium IDE
• Selenium WebDriver
• Selenium Grid

Learn to write simple test scripts and to implement the Page Object Model (POM) to enhance readability of the test scripts.

To automate web application testing, understand the concept of WebDriver, its architecture, grid, web elements and synchronization.

• Programming Language

Selenium supports multiple languages, like Java, C#, Python, Ruby, and JavaScript. Select a language based on your comfort. Java is a good choice to access extensive community support. It is suitable for aspirants who can handle complex syntax.

If you prefer an easy-to-learn language, learn Python with clean syntax. It is effective for beginners and to perform automation and scripting tasks. Choose C# to work in a Microsoft-dominated environment or in developing enterprise applications.

• XPath and CSS Selectors

To locate web elements accurately, XPath and CSS Selectors are crucial for beginners in Selenium. In Selenium, XPath syntax is used to navigate through elements and attributes in an HTML document.

• Types of XPath
• Absolute XPath
• Relative XPath

CSS selectors are used to locate web elements efficiently. Mastering XPath and CSS Selectors help beginners handle complex web elements.

• Use Explicit Waits

Beginners should know how to write selenium scripts that can handle dynamic content. It is possible by using explicit waits which pause the execution of a script under certain conditions. Explicit waits are used to load dynamic content on the web page. The common conditions used in explicit waits are:

• visibilityOfElementLocated – waits until the element is visible.
• elementToBeClickable – waits until the element is clickable.
• presenceOfElementLocated – waits until the element is present in the DOM.
• textToBePresentInElement – waits until the specified text is present in the element.
• Page Object Model (POM)

To have expertise in automation testing, freshers must practice writing readable test scripts. Adopt the Page Object Model design pattern that represents web pages as separate classes. To interact with the web elements, the class includes locators and methods. The web elements are defined as variables and actions are represented as methods. POM is used to achieve readability, reusability and maintainability.

• Independent Test Cases

Creating independent test cases is the best practice to debug and maintain test automation. Ensure the test cases do not depend on each other by:

• Setup and teardown process
• No interdependencies
• Reusable components
• Unique test data.
• Assertions

Assertions are critical as it verifies the actual outcome with the expected outcome of the test. Learn to use assertions effectively to check the essential aspects of the application under the test. The best practices involved in using assertions are:

• Each test should assert one logical condition with clear messages for better understanding. In TestNG Assert.assertEquals(actual, expected, “Custom failure message”)
• Use a consistent format and ensure meaningful assertions to validate the correct behavior of the application.
• Handling Dynamic Content

Web applications have dynamic content which refers to web elements that may change their state or content. Beginners should learn the various strategies to handle dynamic content with Selenium, such as:

• Explicit waits
• AJAX calls
• Polling
• Javascript executor
• Retry mechanism
• Reporting Tools

Reporting tools are vital in test automation to perform various processes, like:

• Identifying issues
• Making informed decisions
• Tracking progress

Expertise in using reporting tools like TestNG, JUnit, pytest, to generate detailed reports of the test executions. These reports help in analyzing test results, enhancing the test process and identifying issues quickly.

• Keep Practicing

To master selenium skills and latest selenium features, Credo Systemz provides Selenium Training in Chennai using professionals. Learn Selenium best practices, industry trends with a hands-on approach. Practice regularly to sharpen the selenium skills through real-time projects.

Conclusion

Finally, the essential tips for using Selenium will be helpful during the initial challenges in test automation. To write efficient test scripts, focus on building a strong foundation and continuously improve the skills of Selenium. Happy testing!

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