Selenium is a testing tool that operates on its own. Although there are various other testing tools, Selenium remains the most popular. But why is it so? What makes Selenium so unique that almost all testers and developers prefer this tool?

After successfully creating a program, the most challenging part for a developer is finding the errors and bugs. Testing tools are beneficial when it comes to finding these bugs. Not only does it help remove errors, but it also helps to check and improve the quality of the software.

Selenium tops the list of the commonly used testing tools. It is followed by Appium, which is used for all iOS software testing.

Before we dive into the advantages and features of Selenium, let us have a brief look at what Selenium is.

What is Selenium?

Selenium is an open-source testing tool. The main features of Selenium include its capacity to support multiple browsers, multiple programming languages and OS. The open-source feature of Selenium gives accessibility for anyone to use it.
The different features of Selenium make it more efficient and better than other testing tools. Since Selenium is language-independent, it is also platform-independent. That is, it can execute a program regardless of the type of OS.

Selenium can only test web applications and not other applications such as mobile and desktop.

It supports tools such as TestNG and JUnit for producing accurate reports and executing test cases. It achieves continuous testing with the help of softwares such as ANT, Maven, Jenkins and many more. Join Selenium Training in Chennai to have an advanced understanding of this testing tool.

Let us now look at the advantages of Selenium as a testing tool and understand why it is so popular.

Advantages of Selenium

• Multi-Browser Compatibility

If we look at all the popular browsers such as Google, Edge, Firefox, Opera and many more, Selenium script supports all of them. Selenium is compatible with multiple-browsers. Therefore, only one script is enough instead of creating  multiple ones for different browsers. This feature was updated in the WebDriver version.

• Multiple Language Support 

One of the significant advantages of WebDriver is that it supports multiple programming languages such as Python, Java, Ruby, JavaScript etc. In addition to the en-source language, it also provides binding languages between two major languages. This helps the developers to work with any programming language they are comfortable with instead of struggling with an unfamiliar one.

• Open Source 

The major advantage of Selenium is that it is an open source platform. That is, it can be publicly accessed for free. It also provides features such as QuickTest Professional (QTP) and Domain Specific Language (DSL) free of cost.

• Reusability and Add-ons

Selenium scripts are reusable. That is, without entirely changing the codes, it can be modified and used for another function. This helps to manage and reduce the time taken to define and code a new application. Add-ons or Plug-ins are also available that help to enhance the scope of testing.

• Supports multiple OS

With the new update in WebDriver, multiple operating systems such as Linux, UNIX, Mac and Windows can support Selenium. This feature is one of the most advantageous because it allows a test case to be created in one OS and executed in another.

• Constant updates from the Selenium community

If you are ever worried about not having enough resources or updates, you always reach out to the community here. Selenium offers an active community that regularly updates the server with resources and upgrades. Its resources are cost-efficient since they are available for free to the public. 

If you require help with this tool, the Selenium community is always there to help you. You can also join Selenium Training in Bangalore to acquire complete knowledge on the topic.

• Easy implementation

Selenium is an easy testing tool to use. The scripts and codes can be created effectively with ease. The user-friendly platform further provides the developers to create and specify the codes. The detailed report also provides room for improvement and further helps to make changes in the script.

• Faster execution time and Easy integration

The execution time for Selenium is much faster compared to other testing tools. In Selenium, the use of parallel testing allows the code to be executed at a quicker pace.

In Selenium integration, Selenium is a highly secured and complex testing server. With any supported language and framework, Selenium can run its testing without many complications.

Now that we have an understanding of the advantages of Selenium let us take a deeper look into the different components of Selenium.

Selenium Suite Components

• Selenium IDE

The main purpose of Selenium IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is to increase the reaction rate of the test case.

With Selenium IDE, we can edit and debug the script. This helps to perform the automation task with ease. In addition, we can also record the test results to later make changes in the script.

The primary purpose of IDE is to test and run the test cases produced by it.

Selenium IDE is a simple tool that can be operated by someone with very little knowledge of Selenium.

• Selenium RC

Selenium Remote Control (RC) is a fundamental part of this suite.

Selenium RC helps the developers to build the codes in multiple languages for testing. This framework ensures that the functionalities of the web are working properly at the user end. 

The browser session starts and terminates automatically. This is done by the client library which is created by default.

• Selenium WebDriver

The Selenium WebDriver framework allows the user to create scripts in any programming language that the developer is comfortable with. It also gives permission to perform cross-browser tests. 

The main objective of this tool is to make sure that the program is running as expected.

The Webdriver tool tests language binding as well as the proper execution of the individual browser codes. Popular browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox are supported by this tool.

• Selenium Grid

The main purpose of Selenium Grid is to conduct parallel execution. That is, a single operation is executed simultaneously in multiple processors or CPUs.

Selenium Grid and Selenium RC work together in this process.

This is done by selecting a single server as a central part of the network or hub. Then multiple commands are passed through different routes of a random web browser from that hub.

We know what Selenium is and its components. But what are the roles of a Selenium tester? What does it mean to be a Selenium tester? Let us take a brief look at it.

Roles of a Selenium tester

Selenium is the top testing tool in the field of computing. In the past decade, there has been a huge spike in using different programming languages. This has automatically called for the huge need for Selenium operators. 

• As a Selenium professional, one should be proficient in developing automated test scripts. 
• They should also know how to maintain and run these codes in Selenium. 
• Once the codes are tested, Selenium professionals are also responsible for analysing the test results and making the required script changes.
• A Selenium tester should have knowledge about different programming languages such as Java, Python, C#, etc.
• They should have an understanding of the different networks and web applications.

If you are interested in the field of coding and testing, being a Selenium tester is the right path for your future. You can also expand your field to Automation engineer and software development test engineer after learning Selenium.

Conclusion

In this article, we have looked at what is meant by Selenium. After reading this article, one should have a clear understanding about the advantages of Selenium over the other tools. We have also taken a deeper look into the different components and features of Selenium.

 In addition, we have also taken a brief look at the roles of a Selenium professional. If you wish to learn more about this subject, join the Selenium Training in Chennai to get expert coaching.