Get to Know How to Download and Install Selenium IDE and Explore its Essential Features:
Let us first understand what this guide is going to offer. Through this guide, you will learn about Selenium IDE – from the steps to download and install it to an in-depth explanation of its functionalities. With the knowledge gained from this tutorial, you will be capable of installing Selenium IDE and discovering all its features independently.
Recommended IPTV Service Providers
- IPTVGREAT – Rating 4.8/5 ( 600+ Reviews )
- IPTVRESALE – Rating 5/5 ( 200+ Reviews )
- IPTVGANG – Rating 4.7/5 ( 1200+ Reviews )
- IPTVUNLOCK – Rating 5/5 ( 65 Reviews )
- IPTVFOLLOW -Rating 5/5 ( 48 Reviews )
- IPTVTOPS – Rating 5/5 ( 43 Reviews )
=> This is the second tutorial in our complimentary Selenium training series online. In case you haven’t gone through the first Selenium tutorial, we encourage starting here: Complimentary Selenium Online Tutorial #1
Kindly Note: This particular tutorial is rather comprehensive and loaded with graphics, thus it might take a while to fully load. If you wish to enlarge any image, feel free to click on it or open it in a new window.
Here’s What You Will Learn:
Introduction to Selenium IDE
Selenium IDE, short for Selenium integrated development environment, is a tool for automated testing available for Firefox as a plug-in. Its simplicity in installation and learning makes it the perfect tool for generating testing scripts. This tool operates on a record and playback basis which enables users to make edits to the recorded scripts.
One remarkable aspect of Selenium IDE is that it doesn’t necessitate advanced programming knowledge. To create testing scripts using this tool, users only need to have fundamental understanding of HTML, DOM, and JavaScript.
Being that Selenium IDE is a plug-in for Firefox, it can exclusively be used with Firefox. Furthermore, due to certain constraints, it may not be suitable for more complex testing scripts. Alternatively, other tools like Selenium RC and WebDriver can be utilized for complex scripts.
Now that we have breezed through an overview of Selenium IDE, let’s move on to the process of installation.
Selenium IDE Download and Installation
We have broken down the installation process into the following steps to make it easier to understand:
You need to ensure that Mozilla Firefox is installed on your device before we proceed. You can download it from here: Mozilla Firefox download.
Step #1: Download Selenium IDE: Launch Firefox and visit the URL http://seleniumhq.org/ which will take you straight to the official Selenium HQ website. Navigate your way to the “Download” page that contains the most recent releases of Selenium fragments.
Step #2: Look for the Selenium IDE section and select the latest version available.
Step #3: You might come across a security warning box once you click on the link to ensure the safety of your system. Since you are downloading the plugin from the official site, you can click “Allow.”
Step #4: Firefox will quietly download the plugin in the background. On completion of the download, an installation window pops up. Click on “Install Now.”
Step #5: After the installation is complete, a pop-up window will appear prompting you to restart Firefox. Click on “Restart Now” to finalize the installation of Selenium IDE.
Step #6: As soon as Firefox restarts, Selenium IDE will show up under the “Web Developer” section which is listed in the menu bar.
Step #7: Once you launch Selenium IDE, the Selenium IDE window displays.
Features of Selenium IDE
Let’s now delve into each of these features for comprehensive understanding.
(Caution – For easier readability of the text, click on any image to enlarge it – this applies to all images)
#1. Menu Bar
Located at the top of the Selenium IDE window is the menu bar that comprises five modules:
- File Menu
- Edit Menu
- Actions Menu
- Options Menu
- Help Menu
A) File Menu
The File Menu is akin to any other file menu found in general applications. It provides users the ability to:
- Create a new test case, open an existing one along with saving the current test case.
- Export the test suite or test case using different programming languages compatible with Selenium RC and WebDriver. Users get the option to select from unit testing frameworks such as jUnit and TestNG. This allows a specific combination of programming language, unit testing framework, and tool from the Selenium package to export test cases.
- The “Export Test Case As” option only exports the currently opened Selenium IDE test case.
- The “Export Test Suite As” option exports all the test cases associated with the currently opened IDE test suite.
- To close the test case.
The following formats can be used to save the Selenium IDE test cases:
- HTML format
The following formats/programming language can be used to export Selenium IDE test cases:
- Java (IDE exported in Java)
- Ruby (IDE exported in Ruby)
- Python (IDE exported in Python)
- C# (IDE exported in C#)
Please note that, in future, Selenium IDE versions might support additional formats.
B) Edit Menu
The Edit Menu offers options such as Undo, Redo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete and Select All which are common in any edit menu. It also includes notable options such as:
- Insert New Command: Allows users to insert a new test step or command anywhere within the current test case.
- Insert New Comment: Allows users to include a new comment anywhere in the current test case as a description of the following test steps.
About Insert New Command
The new command would be inserted above the selected test step or command.
Users can then insert their own command action, target, and value.
About Insert New Comment
In a similar fashion, users can also insert comments.
C) Actions Menu
The Actions Menu offers options such as:
- Record: Enables Selenium IDE to go into recording mode which records all user actions performed in Firefox.
- Play entire test suite: Plays all Selenium IDE test cases that are connected to the current test suite.
- Play current test case: Plays the user recorded/created Selenium IDE test cases that are currently selected.
- Pause / Resume: Allows users to pause and resume test case execution whenever required.
- Toggle Breakpoint: Enables users to set one or multiple breakpoints to pause execution at specific test steps.
- Set / Clear Start Point: Allows users to set a start point to execute the test case from a specific test step.
- Users have the liberty to set the execution speed from fastest to slowest depending on the responsiveness of the application being tested.
D) Options Menu
The Options Menu permits users to configure various settings in Selenium IDE. It is touted as one of the most essential and efficient menu options of the tool.
Primarily, the Options Menu consists of these four components:
Options
This option launches the Selenium IDE dialog box that allows users to configure locator builders, available plugins, available formats, and general settings.
About General Settings
Users have the freedom to customize numerous functions of Selenium IDE including remembering base URL, extensions, default timeout value, and a lot more through the General Settings.
Formats
The Formats option gives users the opportunity to alter Selenium IDE test cases (Selenese commands) into different formats.
Locator Builders
While recording user actions, the Locator Builders influences the order of produced locator types. Locator types are used to singularly identify web elements on a webpage.
E) Help Menu
The Help Menu links users to the official documentation, release notes, and guides for Selenium IDE. This can be helpful to users seeking more information and guidance.
#2. Base URL Bar
The Base URL Bar is very similar to an address bar. It remembers previously visited websites to simplify the process of navigation.
Users have the option to enter a target value such as “/download” aligned with the “open” command, for relative paths. This would open the “/downloads” which is appended to the base URL (http://docs.seleniumhq.org/resources) on the browser.
#3. Toolbar
The toolbar offers various options concerning the recording and execution of test cases:
- Playback Speed: Adjusts the speed of test case execution, from maximum speed to slower speeds.
- Play test suite: Executes all test cases connected to the current test suite in sequence.
- Play test case: Executes the test case which is currently selected.
- Pause: Pauses the currently ongoing execution.
- Step: Enables users to inch into each test step.
- Rollup: Merges several test steps into one single command, thereby enhancing the organization of test cases.
- Record: Initiates or stops the recording of actions by the user. A hollow red ball signifies recording mode, while a solid red ball means the end of recording mode. By default, Selenium IDE opens in recording mode.
#4. Editor
All test cases in Selenium IDE are recorded in the Editor section. Every action by the user is recorded in the sequence in which it was performed.
The editor has two views:
1) Table View
This is the default view in Selenium IDE. The test case is displayed in tabular form. Each action performed by the user is contained in the table view under “Command,” “Target,” and “Value” columns. These columns stand for the user action, identification of the web element, and corresponding test data respectively. The editor also allows users to insert, create, and edit new Selenese command using the editor form located at the bottom.
2) Source View
The test case displays in HTML format. Each test step is represented as a row (<tr>) with separate columns (<td>) for the command, target and value. Test cases can have additional rows and columns for every Selenese command which is akin to an HTML document.
About Editor Form:
The Editor Form enables users to enter any relevant command, with suggestions for corresponding commands being automatically populated. The Select button allows users to select a web element, and the locator is automatically retrieved into the target field. The Find button also assists users to find a web element on the page based on a defined target. The value represents the test data input for the target element and the scenario that is being tested.
#5. Test Case Pane
The Test Case Pane displayed on the left-side of the Selenium IDE window, exhibits a list of recorded test cases. Multiple test cases can remain opened simultaneously under the Test Case Pane allowing users to switch between them with ease. The test case steps are organized in the editor section.
To indicate the outcome of test case execution, Selenium IDE uses color coding:
<
ul>