<<Previous Post << Complete Tutorial>> Next Post>>
What is Selenium IDE?
Full form of Selenium IDE is Selenium Integrated Development Environment.
In this article, I will explain the below things:
- What is Selenium IDE?
- Selenium IDE and different components of Selenium
- Advantages of Selenium IDE
- Disadvantages of Selenium IDE
- When you have to go for Selenium IDE?
- Do we really use Selenium IDE for Automating the Tests in real-time?
- What are the different pre-requisites required for learning Selenium IDE?
- Official Website page of Selenium IDE
What is Selenium IDE?
Selenium IDE in simple terms is a Record and Playback tool.
- Selenium IDE records the tests like recording a video
- Selenium IDE playbacks the tests like playing the recorded video
Using Selenium IDE, we can automate the tests by recording all the user actions performed on the application in the browser during the time of recording.
For example, using Selenium IDE we can record the Login test by following the below steps:
- While the recording option is on in Selenium IDE, we will navigate to login page
- Enter the Username and Password into the fields
- Click on Login button
- After login, we will verify that the User has successfully logged in by verifying whether any option on the Home page is available
- Stop the recording and save the recorded test
I will practically demonstrate this recording process in the upcoming articles.
Once the test got recorded and saved in the Selenium IDE, we can execute or playback whenever we want.
We playback (i.e. execute) the recorded and saved test in the Selenium IDE to check whether all the recorded steps are passing or failing.
For example, when we playback the Login Recorded tests in Selenium IDE, all the below steps will be performed automatically by Selenium IDE as shown below:
- User will navigate to the Login page
- Username and Password will be entered into the text fields
- Login button will be clicked
- Selenium IDE will verify whether the User has logged-in
- The Test execution will stop
Based on the execution status by Selenium IDE, the Test may pass or fail.
I will practically demonstrate this playback process in the upcoming articles.
Now, let’s understand more about Selenium IDE.
Selenium IDE is one of the four components of Selenium
The following are the four different components of Selenium and Selenium IDE is one of them:
- Selenium IDE
- Selenium RC
- Selenium WebDriver
- Selenium Grid
Note: To get a high-level idea on the four components of Selenium, read the previous article on Different components or tools of Selenium
Advantages of using Selenium IDE
The following are the different advantages of using Selenium IDE:
1) Simplest and Easiest of all the Selenium Components/Tools
In Selenium IDE, we simply record the tests and playback them.
It is as simple and easy to use, as recording a video and playing the recorded video.
Hence Selenium IDE is the simplest and easiest tool for developing the Selenium Automation Tests.
2) Creates Selenium Automation Tests in less time
In general, it takes a day to develop 2-4 Automation tests.
But by using Selenium IDE, we can automate the 2-4 automation tests in minutes.
Hence Selenium IDE creates Automation Tests in less time.
3) No programming knowledge is required
Coming to the components of Selenium other than Selenium IDE, we need to have the programming knowledge to create Automation Tests.
But for Selenium IDE, programming knowledge is not at all required.
Disadvantages of using Selenium IDE
The following is the major disadvantage of using Selenium IDE:
Not an overall solution for automating and maintaining complex applications
Automating complex applications using Selenium IDE will result in a huge number of tests to be recorded.
If any small changes happen in any of the functionality say Login, we have to re-record the huge number of tests that are connected to the Login functionality.
If the application keeps on changing, the maintenance of already recorded tests will become a headache, as we need to record the huge number of tests again and again.
Hence Selenium IDE is not an overall solution for automating and maintaining complex applications.
But the latest version of Selenium IDE has introduced a modular concept, which makes the test maintenance easier.
When you have to go for Selenium IDE?
The following are the different reasons you or your team can use Selenium IDE for automating your tests:
Reason#1 – Non-Programmers
Selenium IDE is the easiest tool for non-programmers, as it doesn’t require any programming knowledge for automating the tests.
Reason#2 – Quick Automation
When you don’t have more time to automate boring or repetitive tests, you can quickly automate them using Selenium IDE
Reason#3 – Simplifying Bug Reporting
When you find any bug in the application, we can simply record the scenario causing the bug using the Selenium IDE and report it as a bug.
We can easily replicate the bug, by executing the recorded scenario which was used in reporting the bug.
Hence we can use Selenium IDE for simplifying the bug reporting process.
Reason#4 – New to Automation
If you are new to Automation, then you can use Selenium IDE for simplifying your learning.
Do you really use Selenium IDE for Automating the tests in real time?
The answer is No.
We generally use the other component/tool of Selenium i.e. Selenium WebDriver to the full extent for automating the tests using Selenium.
Selenium IDE is just a prototyping tool and can only be used for very small applications having static pages.
In case of complex applications, Selenium IDE is not recommended to use, due to heavy maintenance of recorded tests.
What are the different pre-requisites required for learning Selenium IDE?
Basic HTML Concepts and Locators will be enough for understanding the maximum portion of Selenium IDE.
But, in order to use Selenium IDE at a very advanced level, we have to learn JavaScript basics and DOM (Document Object Model) basics too.
JavaScript and DOM basics that are required will be explained in the upcoming articles.
Official Website page of Selenium IDE
Selenium guys have created an official web page for New Selenium IDE.
You can find all the information about New Selenium IDE at this official page: https://www.seleniumhq.org/selenium-ide/
I will practically explain all the things available at this official page in the upcoming articles.
Here concludes this article.
In the next article, I will explain Installation of Selenium IDE in Chrome Browser.
Next Steps:
- > To learn more about Selenium, continue to the next post (Click on Next Post link below)
- > Check complete Selenium Tutorial Contents here (Click here)
Please leave your questions/comments/feedback below.
Happy Learning ?
On a mission to contribute to the Software Testing Community in all possible ways.
<<Previous Post << Complete Tutorial>> Next Post>>