Selenium Webdriver vs Selenium IDE: Features and Application

Most of the time, people making an investment in automatic checking out answers tend to have queries associated with the tools. On account that selenium is one of the most popular and widely followed automation testing solutions, we at BugRaptors take into account it as our responsibility to help our clients apprehend what is selenium. Which module of the software do we use for the test automation? And, why is it proper for fast, sturdy, and efficient checking out?

Selenium is undoubtedly a famous open-supply net-based totally automated device. Selenium gives a strong set of equipment that supports the speedy development of take a look at automation for web-based totally packages at the side of such a lot of capabilities:

• It works anywhere JavaScript is supported.
• Selenium can simulate a user navigating via pages after which assert for particular marks at the pages.
• It hooks for many other languages – Java, Ruby, Python, and C#.
• Selenium has various variations like Selenium IDE, Selenium remote manipulation, Selenium WebDriver, and Selenium Grid.

What is Selenium IDE? 

Selenium IDE (referred to as integrated improvement surroundings) is the most effective device within the Selenium Suite. it is a report and Playback tool, which is very simple to utilize, however, it’s miles pretty unreliable. Selenium IDE was created to decorate the rate of making the test cases. It has a report & playback function that helps you to create easy exams hastily (within seconds).

However, it has an awesome user interface and additionally helps numerous extensions. it is a Firefox add-on that creates check cases very rapidly thru its report-and-playback capability. this feature is much like that of QTP. moreover, it is simple to put in and examine. Selenium IDE should simplest be applied as a prototyping tool – now not a general answer for developing and preserving complex check suites.

Selenium IDE features:

Below are the top features of Selenium IDE:

1. Move-browser applicability:

Whilst it become first launched in 2006, Selenium IDE turned into the most effective and compatible with Firefox. This persisted for a decade, but that has been modified. Selenium IDE is now to be had as both a Firefox add-on and a Google Chrome Extension.

Selenium IDE also can run checks on Selenium WebDriver through Selenium IDE’s command line take a look at runner–side Runner. via combining elements of Selenium IDE and WebDriver, facet Runner saves IDE scripts as .facet documents and runs them with the aid of leveraging browser drivers – EdgeDriver, ChromeDriver, Geckodriver

2. Sturdy useful tests:

Brittle tests have always been a difficulty with regard to crafting and executing functional assessments. whether they’re recorded or coded via hand, this concern is steady.

on the grounds that developers launch new capabilities with growing frequency, the UI code continuous modifications. Naturally, UI modifications bring about modifications in object locators too.

Selenium IDE resolves this trouble by shooting several item locators every time a script is recorded. within the midst of playback, if IDE can not hit upon one locator, it’s going to strive the usage of each different locator till considered one of them functions as required. However, if none of the locator’s paintings are, the check will fail.

3. Better handling of UI capabilities:

In checking out net apps, check scripts have to deal with UI factors that can unpredictably pop up within the app. this could include cookie notices, popups notifying unique offers, share requests, adblocker requests, paywall notifications, and so forth.

Selenium IDE makes use of conditional common sense to address such intermittent UI functions. actually insert the situation’s common sense (or, as it is also called, manage flow) into Selenium IDE scripts.

4. Higher guide for embedded code:

Even as the Selenium IDE API is quite huge in functionality, it can not do everything. To permit a script to call a JavaScript snippet, Selenium IDE has to execute the script and execute async script commands.

Evidently, developers can operate with a huge measure of flexibility by using JavaScript’s flexibility and several libraries. In reality, click on the check step on which JavaScript ought to be run, pick Insert New Command, enter execute a script, or execute async script in the command field.

5. Trolling from CI build scripts:

Aspect Runner is referred to as from the command line so that you can match it into CI construct scripts. that is viable so long as the CI server can name selenium-ide-runner and add the .facet report (the test script) as a build artifact.

Consequently, Selenium IDE may be greater successfully incorporated into software program development pipelines. Moreover, scripts prepare with the aid of participants with lesser technical talent (QA groups, business analysts) also can be finished with every build. This facilitates aligning QAs with developers, thus reducing the variety of insects that show up in the very last release.

6. Virtual testing of responsive net apps:

In terms of checking out the visible schematics of responsive net apps, it should be examined on an extensive variety of viewports. This ensures that the internet site renders flawlessly, regardless of what tool is getting used to access it. Responsive web bugs are quite commonplace, and few matters annoy customers more than the askew visible representation on their display.

Testers can also screen internet site conduct on BrowserStack’s responsive checker which lets them access viewports of modern-day gadgets. absolutely input the website URL and look at the way it renders across actual

What is Selenium WebDriver?                                

Selenium WebDriver is an internet automation framework that lets you run your checks on numerous browsers, now not simply Firefox. WebDriver also permits you to apply a programming language in growing your test with a guide on several programming languages which include Java, .internet, PHP, Python, Perl, and Ruby.

When you have some defined automation testing targets, you do no longer must recognize all of the selenium variations. To supply great test outcomes, you just need to be informed in one. however, Selenium WebDriver turned into the primary cross-platform testing framework that would manipulate the browser from the OS stage. it’s by far the actual middle API that permits you to write down standalone checks.

Features of Selenium Webdriver

1. Open source and transportable:

Selenium is an open-source and portable web testing Framework.

2. Aggregate of device and DSL:

It is a combination of equipment and DSL (area particular Language) a good way to perform diverse sorts of exams.

3. Less difficult to understand and implement:

Selenium instructions are categorized in phrases of various instructions which makes it easier to apprehend and implement.

4. Lessen test execution time:

It helps parallel take a look at execution which lessens the time taken in executing parallel checks.

5. Lesser assets required:

Selenium calls for lesser assets in comparison to its competitors like UFT, RFT, etc.

6. Supports a couple of Programming Languages:

C#, Java, Python, Hypertext Preprocessor, Ruby, Perl, and JavaScript

7. Helps more than one working structure:

Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, Mac, Solaris.

8. Helps multiple Browsers:

Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, net Explorer, area, Opera, Safari, and so forth.

9. Parallel test Execution:

It additionally helps parallel test execution which reduces time and increases the performance of exams.

10. A bendy language:

Once the check instances are organized, they may be achieved on any operating gadget like Linux, Macintosh, and so forth.

11. No Installation Required:

Selenium web motive force does not require server setup, or test scripts interaction immediately with the browser.

Difference Between Selenium IDE & Selenium WebDriver 

• Selenium IDE only works within the Mozilla browser, while WebDriver works nicely with all browsers like Firefox, IE, Chrome, Safari, Opera, etc.
• IDE is a GUI Plug-in, while WebDriver is a real core API that permits binding in various languages.
• IDE is quite simple to apply because it works at the file & playback method, whereas WebDriver doesn’t help with document and playback options.
• Selenium IDE is not object-orientated, whereas WebDriver’s APIs are completely object-oriented.
• In IDE, the customers want to append full xpath with ‘xpath=\’ syntax, while in WebDriver, there may be no want to append full xpath with ‘xpath=\’ syntax.
• IDE no longer assists listeners, while WebDriver supports the implementation of listeners.
• It does not aid in testing iPhone/Android applications, while WebDriver supports checking out iPhone/Android programs.
• IDE is very simple to apply as it’s miles report & playback, while WebDriver is a bit complex and has a massive API.
• IDE doesn’t guide moving mouse cursors at the same time as checking out, whereas WebDriver supports shifting mouse cursors in the course of the take-a-look-at direction.

The Crux 

Despite the fact that WebDriver no longer has record and playback functions, WebDriver gives higher capacity and abilities with regards to trying out. both its miles the ability to address local alerts or cope with file upload across the selenium grid, you don’t need to depend upon a selected file on the machine, WebDriver can serialize the document and generate an information URL on the opposite give up.

Besides this, WebDriver allows the introduction of more robust scripts as you can tap into the power of the host language. This lets in higher error handling, reusable modules, and the potential to faucet into coordinate stuff outdoors of the internet browser. moreover, WebDriver even holds the capability to leverage improvement code to speed up trying out.

All in all, in case you are looking for greater sturdy and scalable checks, the usage of WebDriver over IDE may be the closing way to deal with any programming problem at the same time as ensuring first-rate automation test outcomes.