In this short tutorial, we’ll highlight Selenium version 4 features. The new changes allow testers to write clearer, more stable, and efficient automation tests across all browsers.
Understand Selenium 4 and Its New Features
Selenium has been the undisputed leader in automated cross-browser testing. It keeps bringing new features from its first 1.0 release to the latest one,i.e., 4.0. Let’s take a deeper look at the brand-new additions.
Increased Compliance in Selenium Version 4
Selenium 4.0 makes your web tests more reliable across different browsers. They now follow a common standard, making things simpler and smoother.
Full W3C Compliance
In Selenium 4.0, there is no more need for encoding and decoding through the JSON wire protocol. Instead, it fully supports the W3C standard. It now can directly interact with browsers. This change makes a test case more stable and consistent. Popular drivers like Chrome and Gecko also incorporated the same W3C guideline.
End of Support for Opera and PhantomJS
The new version has ended the native support for Opera and PhantomJS. They won’t have any compatible web drivers either. However, automation testers can still use Chrome for testing Opera. It is because the latter uses chromium as its core. On the other hand, those using PhantomJS can utilize the headless mode with Chrome or Firefox.
Selenium Grid Makeover
The new Selenium version 4 features a powerful Grid to improve parallel test execution.
Docker Magic
Spinning up Selenium Grid is now a breeze with Docker container support. Enjoy faster scaling and seamless integration with Kubernetes.
Intuitive GUI
Managing the Grid has never been easier. The user-friendly GUI helps you visualize and control your testing infrastructure effortlessly.
HTTPS and IPv6 Enabled
Embrace modern protocols and network configurations with support for HTTPS and IPv6 addresses.
Revamped Selenium IDE
Cross-Browser Bliss
The new IDE is back as a Firefox and Chrome add-on, letting you record and playback tests across popular browsers.
New SIDE tool
The updated IDE includes a SIDE tool, a.k.a. Selenium IDE runner. It enables QAs to run their projects on node.js. This tool allows for cross-browser tests either locally or on Cloud Selenium Grid.
Enhanced Control Flow
Write robust tests with improved “while” and “if” conditions, and benefit from a backup strategy for element location.
Export Flexibility
Generate test cases in various languages like Java, Python, and C# for seamless integration with your testing frameworks.
Relative Locators
Selenium 4 brings in a new set of locators on board known as relative locators. They redefine the way you can locate the web elements. The keywords are ‘to the left of,’ ‘to the right of,’ ‘above,’ and ‘below’.
You can read about them in detail here: Selenium 4 Relative Locators
Simple Documentation
The documentation section receives a facelift. It has a clean UI for effortless navigation. This enhancement serves as a valuable resource for testers and developers. They can now quickly access info on Selenium tools, language bindings, and more.
Bid Adieu to Desired Capabilities
Selenium 4 bids adieu to Desired Capabilities, introducing Options in their place. Testers now create Options objects to define browser-specific capabilities, streamlining the process and enhancing flexibility.
Evolution of Actions Class
The Actions class in Selenium 4 underwent major changes. It added a lot of new methods. Some of these are as follows:
1. click(WebElement) – It backfills the moveToElement’s click method to perform the click action.
2. clickAndHold(WebElement) – It is an alternative to moveToElement’s click and hold to perform click action.
3. contextClick(WebElement) – It provides a new way of calling the moveToElement’s context-click method for the right-click sequence.
4. doubleClick(WebElement) – This is the modern version of moveToElement’s double-click method mimicking the double-click action.
5. release() – It brings the mouse button from pressed to normal state. In old Selenium, it was under the ButtonReleaseAction class but lately shifted to the Actions class.
All the above methods add a new dimension to simulating mouse and keyboard actions. With this change, testers will have more precise control over their test cases.
Refer to these awesome tutorials for additional perspective.
Must Read:
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2. Explore Penetration Testing
3. Definition of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
4. Definition of Software Testing Life Cycle (SDLC)
5. Generate Test Report in Selenium
6. Generate Extent Report in Selenium
7. How to Merging Extent Reports
8. How to Zoom In/Out in Selenium Java
9. Random API for Postman
10. Extent Report vs. Allure Report
11. Inspect Elements in Safari, Android, and iPhone
Summary – Selenium Version 4 Features
Selenium 4 makes web testing better by working well with different browsers. It’s easier to create efficient test scripts with simpler automation.
Its support of W3C standards ensures consistent testing across browsers. New features, like better error messages and improved locators, make testing more reliable and user-friendly. Overall, Selenium 4 is a big upgrade, making web automation simpler and more effective.
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Happy testing,
TechBeamers.
