RobortSelenium, a popular open-source framework, has been a go-to tool for web automation testing. The latest release, Selenium 4, brings a wide range of updates and improvements over its predecessor, Selenium 3, making it even more powerful and efficient for modern web applications. In this article, we’ll explore the key features introduced in Selenium 4 and how they enhance your testing efforts. For a detailed comparison between Selenium 3 and Selenium 4, check out this article: Selenium 3 vs. Selenium 4.
Key Features of Selenium 4
1. W3C Standardization of WebDriver
One of the most significant changes in Selenium 4 is the WebDriver’s complete adherence to the W3C WebDriver protocol. Selenium 3 used the JSON Wire Protocol for communication, whereas Selenium 4 adopts W3C standards. This transition ensures better compatibility, stability, and browser interaction.
Why It Matters:
• Reduces errors in browser interaction and improves the efficiency of test execution.
• Cross-browser testing becomes smoother.
Example:
from selenium import webdriver
# With Selenium 4, no need to pass the browser's executable path
driver = webdriver.Chrome() # Automatically starts the driver
driver.get("https://www.example.com")
print(driver.title)
driver.quit()
2. Improved Selenium IDE
elenium 4 comes with a revamped Selenium IDE, a record-and-playback tool that helps in generating test scripts without writing code manually. The newer version is more user-friendly and includes additional features such as:
• Cross-browser support: Test scripts can be run on multiple browsers.
• CLI runner: Allows you to execute tests from the command line.
Key Benefits:
• No coding required for basic automation.
• Supports parallel test execution to speed up the testing process.
3. Enhanced Relative Locators
In Selenium 4, Relative Locators allow testers to locate elements based on their positions relative to other elements, such as above, below, to the left of, etc. This feature simplifies element identification in complex web pages.
from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
from selenium.webdriver import Chrome
from selenium.webdriver.common.relative_locator import locate_with
driver = Chrome()
driver.get("https://www.example.com")
# Using relative locators
submit_button = driver.find_element(locate_with(By.TAG_NAME, "button").below(By.ID, "username"))
submit_button.click()
driver.quit()
This makes it easier to locate elements without relying heavily on complex XPaths or CSS selectors.
4. Native Support for CDP (Chrome DevTools Protocol)
Selenium 4 offers native support for CDP, enabling developers and testers to interact with the Chrome browser at a lower level. This opens up features such as:
• Simulating network conditions like throttling.
• Capturing logs and performance data.
• Mocking geolocation for location-based app testing.
Example: Simulating network speed
driver.execute_cdp_cmd(
"Network.emulateNetworkConditions",
{
"offline": False,
"latency": 100, # 100 ms
"downloadThroughput": 500 * 1024, # 500 kbps
"uploadThroughput": 500 * 1024 # 500 kbps
}
)
driver.get("https://www.example.com")
This is incredibly useful for performance testing under different conditions.
5. New Window and Tab Management
Selenium 4 makes managing new windows and tabs easier with its new tab and window methods. You can now switch between windows or tabs without complex handling, enhancing the readability and simplicity of your code.
Example:
from selenium.webdriver import Chrome
driver = Chrome()
driver.get("https://www.example.com")
# Open a new tab
driver.switch_to.new_window('tab')
driver.get("https://www.google.com")
# Open a new window
driver.switch_to.new_window('window')
driver.get("https://www.bing.com")
driver.quit()
This feature is particularly handy when dealing with multiple tabs or pop-up windows in your test cases.
6. Better Documentation and WebDriver BiDi
With Selenium 4, there is better, clearer documentation, making it easier to onboard new developers and testers. Additionally, Selenium 4 introduces WebDriver BiDi (Bidirectional Protocol), which allows WebDriver to listen to browser events, such as DOM changes or console logs, offering more insight into what’s happening during your test runs.
7. Deprecation of Desired Capabilities
In Selenium 4, the DesiredCapabilities class has been deprecated in favor of Options classes for browser configuration. This makes code more intuitive and maintains compatibility with W3C standards.
Example:
from selenium.webdriver.chrome.options import Options
from selenium import webdriver
options = Options()
options.add_argument("--headless")
driver = webdriver.Chrome(options=options)
driver.get("https://www.example.com")
print(driver.title)
driver.quit()
This change ensures that Selenium’s browser configuration is more consistent and less prone to errors.
8. Grid 4: Enhanced Scalability and Flexibility
Selenium Grid 4 introduces a host of improvements for distributed testing. Some of the key updates include:
• Support for Docker containers for easier grid setup.
• Improved observability features, allowing you to monitor Grid’s state and performance.
Example: Setting up Grid with Docker
# Pull the Docker image for Selenium Grid
docker pull selenium/standalone-chrome
# Run the Grid container
docker run -d -p 4444:4444 -v /dev/shm:/dev/shm selenium/standalone-chrome
Conclusion
Selenium 4 has revolutionized the automation testing landscape with its significant upgrades, making it easier for testers to write, maintain, and scale their test cases. From W3C protocol standardization to better locators and enhanced browser tools, Selenium 4 ensures that web automation is faster, more reliable, and easier to implement.
Whether you're new to Selenium or upgrading from Selenium 3, the enhanced features in Selenium 4 will make a big difference in your automation journey. For a deeper comparison between Selenium 3 and Selenium 4. Also, Alphabin offer many advanced software testing services in usa and globally so, if you want to make your app and softwae bug-free alphabin is the good chooses for you.
