In today’s digital society, where software applications dominate our daily lives, the quality and reliability of these applications are becoming key factors for success. Software testing, often seen as an integral part of the Software Development Life Cycle – SDLC, is a process that ensures the quality and stability of software applications.

The goal of software testing is to find and fix bugs in the software to ensure that it meets its requirements and user expectations. But software testing is not just about finding bugs. It is a systematic approach to validating all aspects of the software, from functionality and performance to security and user experience.

Why automation testing is important

As the production of web browsers increases, so does the need to test them before the final product is released to the market. IT testers try to catch any bugs that websites have and then fix them. Even with the best efforts in manual testing, it happens that the final product is left with a bug or is unable to meet the requirements of its users. The best way to avoid these problems and increase testing efficiency is to implement automation testing.

Automation testing benefits

• Speed and efficiency

One of the main reasons why automation software testing is important is to increase the efficiency and speed of the testing process. Manual testing can be lengthy and challenging, and can become limited in terms of coverage of different test scenarios. However, automated testing can be run quickly and repeatably, speeding up the test cycle and allowing a wider range of functions to be tested.

• Repeatability and consistency

Automation testing is consistent and repeatable. This means that the testing team does not have to worry about human errors or deviations in testing. Each test is performed exactly according to predefined scenarios, leading to reliable results. This consistency is invaluable because it allows you to uncover bugs and issues in the software that might otherwise be overlooked.

• Wide coverage

Automated testing allows you to test various aspects of the software, including functionality, performance, security and user experience. This ensures that the software is thoroughly tested in all relevant areas and is ready for all possible usage scenarios.

• Regression testing

With any change to software that is frequently changed and improved, regression testing needs to be performed to ensure that new changes do not break existing functionality. Manual regression testing would be time-consuming and error-prone, but automation allows you to quickly and accurately verify that new changes don’t break existing code.

• Cost reduction

Although investing in test automation may seem costly at first, a long-term view shows that automation can significantly reduce testing costs. Less need for manual testers and the ability to test more efficiently means companies can save time and resources.

Automation testing tools

We can use different tools to automate testing, the choice depends on our requirements. The most well-known software automation tools are:

• Selenium
• Cypress
• Appium
• TestNG
• Robot Framework
• Playwright
• Katalon
• Tosca
• LambdaTest
• Perfecto

We will now describe the first one on the list and that is Selenium.

What is Selenium?

Selenium is an open-source framework used for automation testing of web applications. Selenium supports a wide range of browsers and operating systems, making it a flexible and versatile tool. Developed by Jason Huggins in 2004 as an internal tool for global technology company Thoughtworks, it is now a popular tool for application developers and software testers around the world.

Selenium advantages

• It frees from manual testing and minimizes human error.
• It provides extensive test coverage.
• It can do code refactoring and reuse a complex test script every time a new feature is added.
• It automates iterative software testing.
• It is an integral part of agile development.
• It supports various programming languages such as Java, Python, Ruby, C#, Pearl, PHP and others.
• Selenium test scripts can be programmed in any of the supported programming languages and run in most modern web browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Explorer or Safari.

Selenium disadvantages

• Selenium can be complex to configure and use.
• Automated tests need to be regularly maintained to keep them in line with changes in the application.
• It does not support automation testing for desktop applications.

Selenium automation testing tools

Selenium consists of a group of tools that facilitate the process of automated software testing. They are Selenium IDE, Selenium RC, Selenium WebDriver and Selenium Grid. Their individual aspects and advantages are presented below.

Selenium IDE

Selenium’s integrated development environment provides the ability to record and playback a variety of test scripts and allows the Selenium tester to export recorded scripts in many languages, such as HTML, Java, Python, Ruby, and others. These scripts can then be used in another of the Selenium RC or WebDriver tools. It is available as an extension for Chrome, Firefox and Edge.

Selenium RC (Remote Control)

This tool allowed Selenium IT testers to write automated user interface tests of web applications in a supported programming language.

Selenium RC (Remote Control) is a legacy framework for automation testing of web applications. It is no longer maintained, but is still used for some legacy applications.

Selenium RC worked by running a server that communicated with the browser via the HTTP protocol. The Selenium RC server received commands from the testing tool and then sent them to the browser. Selenium RC supported a wide range of browsers and operating systems. It was also very flexible and allowed users to write tests in different programming languages.

In 2010, the Selenium RC project was discontinued and replaced by the Selenium WebDriver project.

Selenium WebDriver

The successor to Selenium RC is Selenium WebDriver, which provides a programming interface for creating and running test cases. It works much faster than its predecessor because it makes direct connections to web browsers.

Selenium WebDriver works by simulating user interaction with a web application. Programmers can use Selenium WebDriver to control the browser and perform actions such as clicking buttons, entering text, and selecting items from lists.

Selenium Grid

Selenium IT tester can run tests on different computers using different browsers and operating systems at the same time using Selenium Grid. The result is efficient parallel software testing in a short time.

Selenium Grid consists of the following components:

• Hub: the Hub is the central component of the Selenium Grid that receives requests from the testing tools and distributes them to the nodes.
• Node: Node is the computer that runs the tests. Nodes can be different types of devices such as computers, tablets and smartphones.

Selenium automation testing advantages

There are several tools on the market for automated software testing. Each of them brings certain results and has certain advantages and disadvantages. Why should a software tester choose Selenium?

1. Selenium is a free open-source tool

One of the many benefits of Selenium is its open source availability. It is publicly available and provided free of charge. Selenium has become the most reliable test automation tool due to the ease of generating test scripts to verify functionality.

2. Selenium supports several programming languages, browsers and operating systems

Selenium provides language and framework support for all the most widely used programming languages, such as Java, Python, JavaScript, C#, Ruby or Perl, multiple browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Opera and Edge, and last but not least, it provides support across various operating systems such as Windows, Linux, Mac OS, UNIX etc. With other automation software testing tools, these services are not common things.

3. Selenium is constantly updated, takes up less space and is easy to use

As the Selenium tool community grows, it provides frequent updates that are easily available. In addition, it publishes a clear and simple Selenium tutorial on how to use them. If we compare Selenium with other automation testing tools, we find that it is easy on hardware.

4. Selenium is a flexible and efficient tool

The main benefit of automation testing with Selenium is its efficient use and flexibility. Thanks to the high flexibility and continuous development of Selenium features, it quickly and efficiently helps developers and IT testers to change necessary codes on websites.. It also identifies duplicates, minimizes complications and improves maintenance during application development. With Selenium Grid, you can run multiple tests in parallel, reducing the testing time.

Most popular programming languages Selenium Java and Selenium Python

The programming language allows the IT tester to give instructions to a programming tool in a way that it understands the command correctly.. There are indeed many programming languages, but just as English and German are the most widely spoken languages, there are also preferred languages in programming. These include programming languages Java, C# and Python.

Selenium Java programming language

Most professional Selenium IT testers use for testing web browsers Selenium Java programming language.. One reason is that Java has a constantly growing network of active software developers who continuously contribute to the creation of test cases. Another reason is it provides faster manipulation than other programming languages and that saves IT testers time and effort.

Selenium Python programming language

Python programming language is an open source programming language and provides a number of high-level data structures. It is relatively easy to use and like Selenium Java, it is very popular amongst IT testers. The Selenium Python tool is also very useful for automation testing because it supports multiple programming formulas. Last but not least, it sends standard commands to different browsers regardless of the browser design, which some programming languages have a problem with.

Selenium tutorial – how to get started with automation testing using Selenium?

Do you want to start working as a Selenium IT Tester? Then be sure to check out this guide to getting started. First you need to install the necessary components. Selenium is available for Windows, macOS and Linux. To install and run Selenium, you will need following components:

• Java: Selenium WebDriver is written in Java, so you need to have Java installed. Java is available for Windows, macOS and Linux. You can download it here.
• Selenium WebDriver: Selenium WebDriver is an API that allows programmers to write tests for web applications. Selenium WebDriver is available for Windows, macOS and Linux. Download it here.
• Testing framework: the testing framework is a tool that helps you write and run tests. There are many different testing frameworks that support Selenium WebDriver, such as Selenium IDE, JUnit, TestNG and Cucumber. The link to download Selenium IDE is here.

After installing the components, you can start writing tests. Selenium IDE is a good place to start because it allows you to record and play back tests without having to write code.

If you want to write tests in a programming language, you can also use the Selenium WebDriver API. There are many resources to help you get started with automation testing using Selenium, including the official Selenium documentation and online courses such as these.

Selenium testing – a simple test example

This test opens a Google web page, finds the search box and enters “Selenium”. Then the test clicks the Search button and checks if the text “Selenium” is in the page title.

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;

public class PrvyTest{

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Nastavenie prehliadača
        System.setProperty("webdriver.chrome.driver", "/cesta/ku/chromedriveru");

        // Vytvorí inštanciu prehliadača
        WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

        // Otvorí webovú stránku Google
        driver.get("https://www.google.com/");

        // Nájde prvok
        WebElement searchBar = driver.findElement(By.name("názov prvku"));

        // Zadá do vyhľadávacieho poľa text
        searchBar.sendKeys("Selenium");

        // Klikne na tlačidlo Submit(Hľadať)
        searchBar.submit();

String ocakavanyNazov = "Selenium";
String aktualnyNazov = "";

        // Skontroluje, či je text "Selenium" v názve stránky
        String title = driver.getTitle();
if (aktualnyNazov.contentEquals(ocakavanyNazov)){
      	  System.out.println(title);
                System.out.println("Test prešiel!");
            } else {
                System.out.println("Test neprešiel!");
            }

        // Zavrie prehľadávač
        driver.quit();
    }
} 

Selenium vs Cypress

• Flexibility: Selenium is more flexible than Cypress. It supports a wide range of browsers and operating systems and can be used to test a wide range of web applications. Cypress only supports Chrome.
• Speed: Cypress is faster than Selenium. Cypress is designed to be as fast as possible, while Selenium is designed to be as flexible as possible.
• Ease of use: Cypress is easier to use than Selenium. Cypress has a simpler API and is designed to be easy to understand even for beginners. Selenium has a more complex API that can be more difficult to understand and use.
• Support for modern web frameworks: Cypress is designed specifically for testing web applications, built by using modern web frameworks. Cypress has features that are specific to these frameworks, such as support for React code. Selenium is not specifically designed for testing web applications built by using modern web frameworks.

Selenium vs Robot Framework

• Flexibility: Selenium is more flexible than Robot Framework. Selenium supports a wide range of browsers and operating systems, while Robot Framework only supports applications and technologies that support its API.
• Speed: Selenium is faster than Robot Framework. Selenium is designed to be as fast as possible, while Robot Framework is not as fast.
• Easy to use: Robot Framework is easier to use than Selenium. Robot Framework has a simpler syntax and is designed to be easy to understand even for beginners. Selenium has a more complex API that can be more difficult to understand and use.
• Support for different applications and technologies: Robot Framework is more flexible than Selenium. Robot Framework supports a wide range of applications and technologies, while Selenium is limited to web applications.

Selenium vs Appium

If you need a framework for testing web applications, then Selenium is a good choice. If you need a framework for testing mobile apps, then Appium is a good choice.

• Target applications: Selenium is designed for testing web applications, while Appium is designed for testing mobile applications.
• Platform support: Selenium only supports web browsers, while Appium supports Android, iOS and Windows.
• Support for programming languages: Selenium supports a wide range of programming languages and Appium supports the same programming languages as Selenium.
• Flexibility: Selenium is more flexible than Appium because it supports a wide range of browsers and operating systems.
• Speed: Selenium is faster than Appium.

Selenium vs TestNG

• Target applications: Selenium is designed to test web applications, while TestNG is designed to test a wide range of applications.
• Platform support: Selenium only supports web browsers, while TestNG supports web browsers, desktop apps and mobile apps.
• Support for programming languages: Selenium supports a wide range of programming languages and so does the TestNG.
• Flexibility: Selenium is more flexible than TestNG in terms of platforms.
• Speed: Selenium is faster than TestNG.
• Ease of use: TestNG is easier to use than Selenium.
• Testing features: TestNG is more flexible than Selenium when it comes to features testing.

Selenium vs Cucumber

• Target applications: Selenium is designed to test web applications, while Cucumber is designed to test a wide range of applications.
• Platform support: Selenium only supports web browsers, while Cucumber supports web browsers, desktop apps, and mobile apps.
• Support for programming languages: Selenium supports a wide range of programming languages and so does Cucumber.
• Flexibility: Selenium is more flexible than Cucumber when it comes to platforms.
• Speed: Selenium is faster than Cucumber.
• Ease of use: Cucumber is easier to use than Selenium.
• Testing features: Cucumber is more flexible than Selenium when it comes to features testing.

Playwright vs Selenium

• Target applications: Selenium and Playwright are both designed for testing web applications.
• Platform support: both Selenium and Playwright support web browsers only.
• Support for programming languages: Both Selenium and Playwright support a wide range of programming languages.
• Flexibility: Selenium is more flexible than Playwright.
• Speed: Playwright is faster than Selenium.
• Easy to use: Playwright is easier to use than Selenium.

Katalon vs Selenium

• Katalon supports a wide range of applications and technologies. While Selenium supports a wide range of applications and technologies, it does not support testing of desktop applications.
• Platform support: Katalon supports web browsers, mobile apps, APIs, and desktop apps, while Selenium only supports web browsers.
• Support for programming languages: Katalon supports a wide range of programming languages, so does Selenium.
• Flexibility: Katalon is less flexible than Selenium in terms of features testing.
• Speed: Katalon is faster than Selenium.
• Easy to use: Katalon is easier to use than Selenium.
• Cost: Katalon is a commercial framework, while Selenium is an open-source framework.

Tosca vs Selenium

• Target applications: Tosca supports a wide range of applications and technologies, Selenium is defined for web applications.
• Platform support: Tosca supports web browsers, mobile apps, APIs and desktop apps, while Selenium only supports web browsers.
• Support for programming languages: Both Tosca and Selenium support a wide range of programming languages.
• Flexibility: Tosca is less flexible than Selenium when it comes to features testing.
• Speed: Tosca is faster than Selenium.
• Easy to use: the Tosca is an easier tool to use than the Selenium.
• Price: Tosca is a commercial framework, while Selenium is an open-source framework.

Conclusion

Automation testing will make the tester’s job easier and with the help of Selenium, it supports agile software development as it can react flexibly to software changes. While in the past a tester had to put a lot of time and effort into software testing and start from scratch with every slight change, nowadays Selenium IT testers have a big advantage. Selenium automates frequent and iterative testing of web browser functionality, performance, and compatibility, and it provides developers with near-instant feedback.

Selenium tool is great for all IT testers or programmers, especially thanks to its wide possibilities of simulating web applications. If you also want to test software applications and you speak German, there are several job vacancies at msg life Slovakia. Check out our latest job offers and read about our great employee benefits. Send us your CV and you might soon be discussing testing with our colleagues!

If you speak German and are IT Tester Consultant Medior or IT Automation Tester, take a look at our employee benefits and respond to our job offers!