Automation testing is one of the most important parts of the modern App market. This is because, due to the rising complexity of modern apps,
it is almost impossible to limit the test cases to manual testing. App developers should not only verify the individual performance of the
apps but also ensure that all the components work in close synchronization. This is the exact goal that automation testing serves. Selenium is one of the most well-known names in the test automation segment. This is because, with the help of this test suite, the application
developers have created high-quality apps for over 10 years. In the Selenium test suite, the Selenium WebDriver plays a critical role in the execution of the automation test cases.
With this article, we are going to discuss some of the best plugins
and extensions that are available with the Selenium WebDriver. These additions will help the application developers to massively improve the quality of the app undergoing the development process. Finally, we will wrap up our discussion by introducing multiple platforms and tools
that play a critical role in improving the efficiency of automation test cases.
Understanding Automation Testing
The basic concept of automation testing is eliminating human involvement in the application testing lifecycle. Instead, the system will use a text file
that will consist of all the required parameters and data sets for emulating human interaction. Based on this emulation, the system can easily interact and communicate with the app undergoing the development process. Based on these communications, the system will generate a detailed test report showing the usability, stability,
and user interactivity of the app undergoing the development process. The app developers and testers can later go through this report to
understand whether the application is ready to be released to the open market.
It is also possible to make significant changes in the application test file
to ensure that it is customized according to the requirements of the app. The app developers can also reuse a huge segment of the existing test data in future app projects. However, it is very important to remember that automation testing comes with a significantly high initial investment. This is because the app developers have to configure various tools, plugins,
and libraries that are critical for the proper execution of the test cases. One of the most important considerations is to have enough revenue resources to justify this transition to automation testing.
Elaborating Selenium and Selenium WebDriver
While introducing Selenium, we can say that it is an open-source umbrella project that consists of multiple tools for conducting automation testing on modern web applications. All the tools present under the Selenium suit have a unique role in the application test case. Moreover, since Selenium is open source, the application developers do not have to worry about any charges for accessing all the features of Selenium. This test suite also has a community of tech lovers who are always ready to help newcomers in the segment. Selenium is highly dependent on the popular programming language JavaScript. However, it is very important to understand that Selenium is only useful for conducting automation testing on web applications.
So, when the application developers are working on other alternatives like hybrid apps, native apps, and cross-platform apps, they will be forced to look for an alternative tool or platform in the app development market. Now let us briefly understand the role of all the tools present under the Selenium test suit:
- The Selenium WebDriver: This is the most important part of the Selenium test suite. This is because, with the help of the Selenium WebDriver, the testers can not only start the test cases but also verify that the test instances are conducted on the target element of the web application. Also, with the help of the Selenium WebDriver, it is possible to conduct the test cases on the native environment of the web browser without any dedicated test engine. This is a massive improvement compared to the Remote Controller that was previously present in the test suite.
- The Selenium IDE: With this tool, the application developers can conduct the automation test cases in a codeless format. This is because the system will automatically generate automated test cases based on user interactions in real-time. The app developers only have to use the application, and the system will create the test cases based on these interactions.
- The Selenium Client API: In case the app development project requires certain instances of manual test creation, Selenium client API makes it possible. With this tool, app developers can create automation test cases in any of the popular programming languages like JavaScript, Python, Ruby, and many others. After this process, the app developers can automatically import the test cases into the native environment of Selenium.
- The Selenium Grid: This tool is useful for improving the efficiency of modern web applications that consist of thousands of different elements. This is because the grid allows the app developers to initiate the automation test cases in a parallel format with multiple configurations and on multiple machines at the same time. This reduces the testing period to only a few days.
Best Plugins and Extensions for the Selenium WebDriver
For the simplicity of the new automation testers and developers, we have conducted thorough market research and selected some of the best plugins and extensions for Selenium WebDriver. They are as follows:
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WebDriverManager: This plugin helps application developers to simplify the process of a web driver management system. This is because while using this plugin, the system can automatically download the drivers for the web browsers that the application developers are currently using. So, the app testers can remove the hassle of manually handling WebDriver executables.
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Selenide: This is a wrapper framework for the Selenium WebDriver and provides powerful features for improving automation test cases. Some of the features offered by this framework include automatic waits, smart locators, and easy-to-understand assertions.
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Allure Test: This is a tool that generates and maintains interactive test reports when the application developers are using the Selenium WebDriver. Some of the most important features of the test reports include attractive visualizations, detailed statistics, and error logging.
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TestNG: This framework easily integrates with Selenium WebDriver and provides advanced features like parallel test execution and powerful reporting options. It also helps the app developers to manage and maintain the Selenium automation test cases properly.
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Selenium Grid: As we already mentioned earlier, the major benefit of the Selenium Grid is that it allows the parallel execution of the test cases. This is a huge benefit considering that modern web applications consist of thousands of different elements that need to be verified. With Selenium Grid, it is also possible to run multiple test instances on different machines side by side.
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Log4j: This is a utility that can be easily integrated with the Selenium WebDriver. After its integration, it will automatically log all the messages that will be generated during the test case execution process. Based on this data, the application developers can easily debug all the errors and faults that might be generated in the application.
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Cucumber: This is a behavior-driven testing framework. With the help of this framework, the application developers can create automation test cases that are more readable and easier to understand. The primary goal of this framework is to improve the coordination between the technical and non-technical teams present in an app development company.
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Selenium-Jupiter: This is a JUnit 5 extension for the Selenium WebDriver. While using this extension, the application developers can massively boost the junit5 capabilities of the Selenium WebDriver. For instance, it enhances the test case creation process and enables parallel test execution while using JUnit5.
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Page Object Model (POM) Frameworks: With the help of these frameworks, the application developers can create maintainable and reusable test cases while using the Selenium WebDriver. These frameworks attain this goal by creating separate classes for web page elements and interactions. It also abstracts all the different web page models that are used in an app.
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Jenkins: Although Jenkins isn’t that specifically made for Selenium WebDriver, it can massively benefit the application developers while they’re working with Selenium WebDriver. This is because, with the help of Jenkins, it is possible to integrate continuous integration and continuous development with automation test cases. With the help of this process, app developers can massively improve the coordination between the development and testing teams.
Tools and Platforms for Selenium Testing
Tools and plugins can massively improve the efficiency of modern automation test cases. While using Selenium, app developers can implement various platforms to improve the quality of the app during the development process. For instance, the integration of cloud platforms can remove the requirements of an onsite device testing bench. This is because, with the help of cloud platforms, the application developers can achieve similar test results while conducting the test cases on devices present in remote servers. Some other benefits of cloud platforms include the removal of geolocation barriers and access to legacy devices.
If you are looking for the best software testing tools for automation testing, you should try LambdaTest. LambdaTest is a modern cloud-based digital experience testing platform for web apps. It ensures the app’s stability respective to the user’s change in the 3000+ environments, including real devices. LambdaTest also uses parallel test execution to improve the efficiency of the test case multiple times. While using this tool, the application developers can import the automation test cases from Selenium and other well-known frameworks like Playwright and Cypress. Currently, 10,000+ enterprises rely on LambdaTest for their fast, smooth, and bug-free deployment.
Finally, the integration of thousands of emulation software with hundreds of real devices massively boosts the dependability of the test reports.
The Conclusion
With this article, we tried to spread proper awareness regarding various extensions and plugins that are critical for the proper use of the Selenium WebDriver. We are gradually advancing towards an app market that will be dominated by automation testing practices. So, it is very important for app developers to not only adopt automation testing but also ensure that their knowledge is updated regarding the revolutionary trends and additions in this segment. The app-developing companies can also increase their presence in the market with various campaigns and awareness seminars. Finally, it is very important to choose the correct tool that can complement the requirements of the developers.
Also read:-A Beginner’s Guide To Automated Regression Testing