02 September, 2014

Selenium and Its Components

As an open source software testing tool, Selenium is used widely to assess internet applications. The portable framework is allows QA engineers to write test cases in a number of widely used programming languages including PHP, Java, C#, Perl, Ruby, Python, Groovy and Selenese. The testers further has option to run tests against most popular web browsers, and deploy the open source testing framework on Windows, Macintosh and Linux. The enterprises can further choose from different components of Selenium according to the nature and requirements of individual internet application testing projects.


Key Components of Selenium

selenium automation testing
Selenium Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
Selenium IDE is a simple and easy to use web application testing framework that is designed as a Firefox plug-in. The framework makes it easier for QA engineers to write and run test cases run tests against Mozilla Firefox without knowing a programming language in-depth. It can even be used by beginners who are interested in understanding the automated testing concepts and Selenium commands.

The testing professionals can use the IDE to record and playback test scripts without writing any additional code. Selenium IDE is more suitable for writing code that does not require any major customization. However, the QA engineers can use the IDE to create simple cases that can be subsequently exported to Selenium Remote Control and WebDriver.

Selenium Client API
As noted earlier, Selenium allows testing professionals to write test case in a several programming languages including PHP, Java, C#, Perl, Ruby, Python and Groovy along with a test domain-specific language called Selenese. When the test cases are written in languages other than Selenese, they communicate with Selenium by calling methods in the Selenium Client API. At present, Selenium Client API is available only for selected programming languages like Java, Ruby, C# and Python.

Selenium Remote Control (RC)
As a test tool, Selenium RC allows testers to write internet application UI test scripts in any programming language. The tests can then run against any mainstream JavaScript-enabled browser to evaluate the HTTP website. Selenium RC comes with two major components, i.e., a server and client libraries. The testers can use the server as an HTTP proxy to send web requests. The server can automatically launch and kill browsers. Also, they can use client libraries for computer languages to write test cases using their preferred programming language.

Selenium WebDriver
As the successor to Selenium RC, Selenium WebDriver can be used as an effective cross platform web application testing framework. It allows QA engineers to communicate with the web browser directly or control it from the operating system level. So the framework can be used to test rich internet applications developed with many AJAX based functionalities. The framework further makes it easier for testing professionals to create customized test results.

Selenium Grid
Selenium Grid is designed as a sever that allows testers to run tests in parallel. The QA engineers can use the server to simultaneously run tests on multiple servers. So the server is effective in bringing down the amount of time required for testing large internet applications. The Grid uses a server as a hub. The tests access the browser instances by contacting the hub. Normally, the hub has a list of servers that allow tests to access to browser instances. Thus, hub allows the tests to access and use these browser instances.

Selenium is available as an open source web application testing framework under the Apache 2.0 license. So like Selenium, its components can also be downloaded and used by businesses without paying any licensing fees and charges. Thus, both Selenium and its components can be availed by large companies, small businesses and startups.

You can hire testers from top selenium web app testing companies in India who can help you accomplish testing with the selenium tools within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide selenium automation testing services. If you would like to hire selenium testers from our team, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.

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