Currently, automation testing has made itself one of the most integral parts of the modern application development process. Due to the current state of the application development process, it is impossible to limit the testing processes to only manual testing teams. A major reason contributing to this is the one-stop solution for all applications, which must simultaneously have access to various elements. For the proper implementation of such an application, the developer should verify the individual performance of all the app units and the combined infrastructure of the app framework. An interesting fact about automation testing is that during its initial years, Selenium was the only framework to implement this testing practice. However, with the advancement of technology, many new alternatives have arrived.
Currently, multiple browsers have gained popularity in the market. So, from a business point of view, the developers must provide stable performance on all of these browsers. With this article, we will take a detailed look into some of the basic steps the developers must implement for using Selenium automation testing on different web browsers.
Understanding the Root of Automation Testing
Before proceeding further into the article, developing the basic idea of test automation is essential. In simple terms, it is an advanced process of automatically initiating and executing multiple testing processes simultaneously. Due to the automation process, app development companies do not require the involvement of human developers in this process. Instead, the system will use a text file containing all the required data sets and parameters in the application testing process. With the help of this data, the system will act like a normal user and interact with the application. Based on these interactions, the developers can conclude whether the application is ready to be released for the open market. The app testers can also make changes in the test file to customize the results according to their requirements.
It is also possible to store and reuse automation test cases in future app development projects. However, while we are on test automation, it is essential to look at the major disadvantage of this modern process. This is because while using automation testing, app development companies have to invest quite a lot of money to get started with this process. This investment will be implemented to integrate different plugins, libraries, and dependencies that play a critical role in automation testing. We recommend the app developers have a proper analysis of their investments, business perspectives, and possible returns before making the transition.
Creating the Basic Awareness of Selenium
Selenium is one of the oldest software for initiating automation testing. Many app developers often disregard Selenium to be a standalone tool. In reality, Selenium is a test suite that consists of multiple tools that help the developers at different stages of the application testing process. During the initial years, Selenium was known as a JavaScript test runner due to the framework’s dependency on this well-known programming language. Since its initial release in 2004, Selenium has gone through four major updates and has managed to remain at the top of the table for over ten years. Moreover, the open-source nature of Selenium allows all individual developers and small companies to use its features without worrying about the licensing process.
Similar to automation testing, Selenium also has a massive drawback. The developers can only initiate automation testing on web applications while using Selenium. Currently, there are multiple different types of applications like native apps, hybrid apps, and cross-platform apps that are popular in the market exclusively. This restriction can massively limit the development capabilities of a modern app company. We suggest app developers have access to multiple automation frameworks simultaneously. The primary component tool of the Selenium test suite includes WebDriver, client API, the Selenium grid, and the Selenium integrated development environment.
The Selenium client API helps the developers to create the automation test cases in their preferred programming language. The Selenium grid allows the developers to initiate and execute the automation test cases in a parallel format. The benefit of this process is that they can execute multiple test configurations simultaneously. The Selenium integrated development environment helps developers to create automated test cases based on user interactions. This means for the test case generation process, the developers have to use the application like a normal user. Finally, the Selenium WebDriver is the most important component of the test suite as it helps the developers to create the test cases and redirect them to the target elements of the web application.
Need for Multi-Browser Support
During the early years of the Internet, Internet Explorer was the only browser to access all Internet-based services. However, with the advancement of technology and customer demands, this market has massively changed. Currently, hundreds of web browsers are readily available in the market, and many more are frequently coming. In the desktop segment, Google Chrome is the most popular web browser, followed by Safari and Microsoft Edge. Moreover, while working with these browsers, the developers must also provide stable support for their applications on the legacy versions of these browsers. This is because data reveals that over 75% of the user base does not update browsers.
So from a company’s point of view, we can easily justify the need for multiple browsers support. This will not only help to improve the audience reach massively but will also create a positive image for the brand. Moreover, the app developers should also provide stable performance on the mobile counterpart of these web browsers. This is because other data reveals that more than 55% of Internet traffic comes from mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.
Steps to Implement Selenium Automation Testing on Different Web Browsers
It is a simple process for the developers to initiate Selenium-based automation testing on different web browsers. This is because they can easily complete this process by following only a few simple steps. For the simplicity of the new developers, we have mentioned all the steps below:
● For the proper execution of the Selenium-based automation testing on multiple browsers, the developers must have access to a cross-browser testing platform. These platforms will help the developers to initiate the test cases on multiple browsers at the same time. We’ll learn more about these platforms in the next part of this article.
● During the cross-browser testing process, it is very important to have access to real devices. This is because, with the help of simulation software, the developers cannot specify the application’s performance based on physical differences. These differences include user interaction errors, low battery, or a broken screen. Cloud platforms can help developers eliminate the need for real devices if they cannot bear the expenses.
● After choosing the preferred cross-browser testing platform, the developers must install the respective browser drivers. The developers must choose the drivers for all the browsers they’re currently targeting. If the developers do not have a list of the target browsers, they can consider the most popular browsers now available. Companies can also conduct market surveys to gain information about the preferred browser in their target audience.
● After this process, the app developers must create automation test cases to perform cross-browser testing on their web applications. Then the developers have to simply execute the test cases with the help of the cross-browser testing platform. After the execution process, the system will automatically display the result. If there is a bug or error in any test case, the developers can easily refer to the activity log and move on to the debugging process. This is considered to be yet another advantage of using modern cross-browser testing platforms.
Integration of Platforms and Tools in Selenium-Based Automation Testing
We already mentioned that automation testing is one of the most complex testing practices for new developers and testers. The best solution is the integration of various platforms and tools in automation test plans. With these tools and platforms, the developers can simplify the automation testing process and improve the overall quality of the testing process. This is because these platforms provide access to additional features and tools that can massively help the developers. For reference, we can consider the example of cloud platforms that eliminate the hassle and headache of maintaining a physical device lab for performance analysis. This is because, with these platforms, the developers can achieve similar results with cloud testing. We can learn more about this advanced application testing process by moving toward LambdaTest:
To perform the introductory process, we can introduce LambdaTest as a modern cross-browser platform to conduct test cases on web applications over the web. Cross-browser testing has become the necessary standard of ensuring that you provide the best applications to your customers. This is because, with these test cases, the developers can ensure stable app performance instead of the user’s change in the operating system, device version, or system specifications. This platform also has multiple advanced features like parallel test execution to improve the testing process’s efficiency. LambdaTest can import the automation test cases from Selenium and other popular frameworks like playwright and Cypress. While the testers are working with Selenium test cases, they can execute it on more than three thousand modern unique browsers simultaneously.
Conclusion
Automation testing is one of the most prominent trends in the app development market. The primary motive of this article was to spread adequate awareness regarding the implementation of Selenium automation testing on multiple web browsers. From a company’s business point of view, it is pointless to restrict the development capabilities to a specific browser or interface. Moreover, device or browser incompatibility is one of the most crucial factors affecting a brand’s reputation. Experts also believe that the influence of test automation will continue to rise with time. So, developers should keep themselves updated with all the modern automation testing innovations and trends. App companies should also try their best to spread the required information and knowledge.
