Selenium is an open-source tool that is used for automated software testing. Since its birth, the tool has grown rapidly. Well, perhaps because it is open-source but also due to the fact that it can be used across various browsers. On top of that, Selenium can be used with many languages such as C#, Python, Java, etc. Thus, a Java programmer does not have to learn another programming language to learn Selenium. The same thing applies to a Python or C# programmer.
So the question is, should you learn Selenium for software testing? To answer that, let us understand some of the benefits of Selenium.
The Benefits of Selenium
1. It is an automated testing tool
Some time ago, software testers had to manually test every functionality in their program before certifying that the product was good for deployment. And if they make any change to the code, they would need to retest every dependent function to confirm the alteration does not break the program somewhere. The issue with that is that it takes a lot of time, and the tester may also miss out on some things. Of course, he is human. Using Selenium automates the whole testing procedure; you really don’t have to worry about whether all scenarios have been tested. Selenium does everything automatically.
Furthermore, it does it in a short period of time. So the take-home here is Selenium relieves stress, gets the best test coverage, and betters the testing accuracy.
2. Selenium has different tools for your testing needs.
Selenium Suite can be split into 4: Selenium Webdriver, Selenium IDE, Selenium RC, and Selenium Grid.
I. Selenium Webdriver
The Selenium Webdriver is used as a browser automation tool. In other words, it gets commands from the user and communicates with the browser as though a human has sent that command. For instance, Selenium Webdriver can be used to visit a website, log in to a social media account, post a feed, and so on.
II. Selenium IDE
Selenium IDE is the simplest framework on Selenium that is used for recording and playing script. One downside of Selenium IDE is that it works in only Firefox browsers and cannot be used for mobile-based applications. If you, however, want to execute a less advanced test case on Firefox, Selenium IDE does the job perfectly.
III. Selenium RC
This was the initial release of Selenium even before Webdriver, called Selenium 1. It is great for testing web applications on almost all browsers. Selenium RC uses Javascript for its automation. One interesting thing about Selenium RC is that it allows parallel execution of various test cases. It also supports remote execution when used alongside Selenium Grid. Selenium RC however, has one drawback – being a client/server-based architecture, the server needs to be started manually for every test case. Selenium Webdriver was developed to solve this problem.
IV. Selenium Grid
This was made to work with Selenium RC when you wish to run more than one test case simultaneously on different browsers. The tests could even be against different machines, running on different operating systems and, separate browsers.
3. Selenium is fast and produces accurate results.
As mentioned earlier, Selenium beats manual testing any day and anytime. This is specifically what companies need. To become an efficient tester, it is critical to master Selenium through online Selenium training and gets the appropriate certificate. It gives you an upper hand in the eyes of the hiring manager.
4. Testing in Selenium is easy.
Selenium has a user-friend UI and syntax that allows the execution of test cases easily and effectively. In addition, it has a great reporting system where the testers can extract results and take necessary actions on the fly.
5. Wide community with constant update
One of the things you wouldn’t like is to get stuck somewhere in your project and not find it in the community. Not Selenium anyway. There is a wide community that is dedicated to making the tools bug-free with regular updates and clear documentation. You can implement the updates right away without any special training.
6. Support various platforms and OS
Have you ever wanted to take a test online and you are advised to use a particular browser? This is perhaps because the web application/website was not tested to work with another browser. You can find out how your web application would perform virtually all browsers with Selenium. Also, you can execute test cases on different OS such as Windows, Linux, or Mac.
From these, it is a no-brainer that Selenium skill all testers should have, even in 2021. Companies require a fast, accurate, and cost-effective software testing procedure. This is what Selenium brings to the table.
My advice? Start with Selenium. You could learn other testing tools as you move up the ladder. However, Selenium is a fundamental requirement for every software tester.
