A Guide to Handling a WebTable in Selenium

Selenium Headless Tests on Browsers: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you looking to automate your cross browser tests using the <a href="https://www.selenium.dev/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Selenium web automation framework</a>? If so, you must understand <a href="https://www.selenium.dev/documentation/webdriver/elements/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Web Elements</a> and how to handle them in Selenium. Whether it’s locating Web Elements in Selenium or performing actions on them, interacting with Web Elements is a key part of any automated test script.&nbsp;



In this article, we&#8217;ll discuss everything you need to know about Web Element handling in Selenium. We will also cover different strategies for handling dynamic Web Elements in Selenium and ways to improve your code&#8217;s execution time by avoiding unnecessary waits.&nbsp;



So let&#8217;s get started!



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Web_Element">1 What is Web Element?</a><ul><li><a href="#Syntaxnbsp">1.1 Syntax&nbsp;</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Common_Selenium_WebDriver_Commands_for_Web_Elements">2 Common Selenium WebDriver Commands for Web Elements</a></li><li><a href="#Operations_performed_on_the_WebElements">3 Operations performed on the WebElements</a></li><li><a href="#Locators_In_Selenium_WebDriver">4 Locators In Selenium WebDriver</a></li><li><a href="#Final_Words">5 Final Words</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">6 Frequently Asked Questions:</a><ul><li><a href="#What_are_the_types_of_Web_Elements">6.1 What are the types of Web Elements?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_the_purpose_of_WebElement">6.2 What is the purpose of WebElement?</a></li><li><a href="#Is_size_a_WebElement_method">6.3 Is size() a WebElement method?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-web-element">What is Web Element?</h2>



Web page components such as text boxes, checkboxes, buttons, drop-downs, radio buttons, web forms, etc. are called web elements. These can be identified by attributes like id, classname, name, or XPath.



Via Selenium, you can interact with these web elements to perform tasks like clicking a button or filling in text boxes.



<h3 id="h-syntax">Syntax&nbsp;</h3>



The syntax for interacting with a text box is given below:



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;TextBox&#8221;));

element.sendKeys(&#8220;stqatools&#8221;);



Or



driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;TextBox&#8221;)).sendKeys(&#8220;stqatools&#8221;);



<h2 id="h-common-selenium-webdriver-commands-for-web-elements">Common Selenium WebDriver Commands for Web Elements</h2>



Let us learn in-depth about the commonly used commands for common web elements on a web page in Selenium &#8211; 



1. Clear Command



The clear() command in Selenium is used to clear the text from a text box or text area. It is equivalent to selecting the contents of the element and pressing the DELETE or BACKSPACE key.



Method &#8211; clear() : void&nbsp;



Command &#8211; element.clear();&nbsp;



Code Syntax &#8211;&nbsp;



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;UserName&#8221;)); 
element.clear(); 
 
//Or can be written as 
 
driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;UserName&#8221;)).clear();



2. Sendkeys Command



The Sendkeys command in Selenium simulates the keyboard input of a user. It is used to type text into input boxes, text areas, and any Web Element allowing text input. It also simulates pressing special keys such as Enter, Tab, and other function keys.



Method &#8211; sendKeys(CharSequence? KeysToSend) : void&nbsp;



Command &#8211; element.sendKeys(&#8220;text&#8221;);&nbsp;



Code Syntax &#8211;&nbsp;



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;UserName&#8221;)); 
element.sendKeys(&#8220;JavaTpoint&#8221;); 
 
//Or can be written as 
 
driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;UserName&#8221;)).sendKeys(&#8220;JavaTpoint&#8221;);



3. Click Command



The Click command in Selenium is a user action that simulates a mouse click on an element, typically a button or a link, which can open a new page, submit a form, or perform other actions on the web page.



Method &#8211; click() : void&nbsp;



Command &#8211; element.click();&nbsp;



Code Syntax &#8211;&nbsp;



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.linkText(&#8220;javaTpoint&#8221;)); 
element.click(); 
 
//Or can be written as 
 
driver.findElement(By.linkText(&#8220;javaTpoint&#8221;)).click();



4. IsDisplayed Command



The IsDisplayed command in Selenium determines if an element is currently visible on the page or hidden from view. Depending on the element&#8217;s visibility, it will return a Boolean value (true or false). This ensures that elements are visible on the page before continuing with a test.



Method &#8211; isDisplayed() : boolean&nbsp;



Command &#8211; element.isDisplayed();&nbsp;



Code Syntax &#8211;&nbsp;



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;UserName&#8221;)); 
boolean status = element.isDisplayed(); 
 
//Or can be written as 
 
boolean staus = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;UserName&#8221;)).isDisplayed();



5. IsEnabled Command



The IsEnabled command in Selenium is used to check whether the specified element is enabled or not. It returns true if the element is enabled and false if the element is disabled. It is used to verify the state of the web page elements.



Method &#8211; isEnabled() : boolean&nbsp;



Command &#8211; element.isEnabled();&nbsp;



Code Syntax &#8211;&nbsp;



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;UserName&#8221;)); 
boolean status = element.isEnabled(); 
 
//Or can be written as 
 
boolean staus = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;UserName&#8221;)).isEnabled();



6. IsSelected Command



The IsSelected command in Selenium determines whether an element has been selected or not. This command returns a boolean value of True or False depending on the state of the element. This command is mainly used for checkboxes, radio buttons, and options in a select element.



Method &#8211; isSelected() : boolean&nbsp;



Command &#8211; element.isSelected();&nbsp;&nbsp;



Code Syntax &#8211;&nbsp;



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;Sex-Male&#8221;)); 
boolean status = element.isSelected();



7. Submit Command



The submit command in Selenium is used to submit a form. One can use it on any element that is a descendant of a form element.



Method &#8211; submit() : void&nbsp;



Command &#8211; element.submit();&nbsp;&nbsp;



Code Syntax &#8211;



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;SubmitButton&#8221;)); 
element.submit(); 
 
//Or can be written as 
 
driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;SubmitButton&#8221;)).submit();



8. GetText Command



GetText is a command in Selenium used to retrieve the innerText of an element. It retrieves the text from a drop-down list, a paragraph, a list item, a button, etc.



Method &#8211; getText() : String&nbsp;



Command &#8211; element.getText();&nbsp;



Code Syntax &#8211;



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.xpath(&#8220;anyLink&#8221;)); 
String linkText = element.getText();



9. GetTagName Command



The GetTagName command in Selenium retrieves the tag name of an element. It returns a string containing the tag name of the element on which this command is being called.



Method &#8211; getTagName() : String&nbsp;&nbsp;



Command &#8211; element.getTagName();&nbsp;



Code Syntax &#8211;



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;SubmitButton&#8221;)); 
String tagName = element.getTagName(); 
 
 //Or can be written as 
 
 String tagName = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;SubmitButton&#8221;)).getTagName();



10. getCssValue Command



The getCssValue command in Selenium is a method used to retrieve the value of a given CSS property of an element on a webpage. It is useful for verifying the attributes of an element, such as its font size, color, or visibility.



Method &#8211; getCssvalue() : String&nbsp;&nbsp;



Command &#8211; element.getCssValue();&nbsp;&nbsp;



Code Syntax &#8211;



WebElement element = driver.find_element_by_css_selector(&#8220;body&#8221;)
bg_color = element.value_of_css_property(&#8220;background-color&#8221;)



11. getAttribute Command



The getAttribute command in Selenium is a method used to retrieve the value of an attribute of a Web Element. It checks the value of an attribute of an element, such as its ID, class, name, title, etc. It can also be used to check the state of a checkbox or radio button.



Method &#8211; getAttribute(String Name) : String&nbsp;&nbsp;



Command &#8211; element.getAttribute();&nbsp;



Code Syntax &#8211;



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;SubmitButton&#8221;)); 
String attValue = element.getAttribute(&#8220;id&#8221;); //This will return &#8220;SubmitButton&#8221;



12. getSize Command



The getSize command in Selenium is used to return the width and height of an element. It returns a dictionary object with two keys, width, and height, which contain the width and height of the element, respectively.



Method &#8211; getSize() : Dimension&nbsp;



Command &#8211; element.getSize();&nbsp;



Code Syntax &#8211;



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;SubmitButton&#8221;)); 
Dimension dimensions = element.getSize(); 
System.out.println(&#8220;Height :&#8221; + dimensions.height + &#8220;Width : &#8220;+ dimensions.width);



13. getLocation Command



The getLocation command in Selenium is used to retrieve the current URL of the page that is currently loaded in the browser. This command can be used to verify that the page has loaded correctly and that the URL matches the expected URL.



Method &#8211; getLocation() : Point&nbsp;



Command &#8211; element.getLocation();&nbsp;



Code Syntax &#8211;



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;SubmitButton&#8221;)); 
Point = element.getLocation(); 
System.out.println(&#8220;X coordinate : &#8221; + point.x + &#8220;Y coordinate: &#8221; + point.y);



 <h2 id="h-operations-performed-on-the-webelements">Operations performed on the WebElements</h2>



Working with Web Elements in Selenium can be complex and challenging. However, there are several operations that can be performed on Web Elements to be identified by their attributes like id and name, or they can be located with the help of XPath or CSS selectors.&nbsp;



Furthermore, Web Element states can also be inspected in terms of whether they are enabled or disabled, visible or hidden on the page. As a result, all these operations make Web Elements in Selenium an incredibly useful <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation</a> tool for web applications.



Some basic operations performed on the WebElement are &#8211;



<ul><li>Browser Operations &#8211; Launch, navigate, maximize, minimize, refresh and exit.</li><li>Web Page Operations &#8211; Get the title of the page, URL of the page</li><li>Link Operations &#8211; Click on the Link, Return to the home page, and return to the link name</li><li>Edit Box Operations &#8211; Enter a value, get a new value, delete</li><li>Button Operations &#8211; Enable/disable button status, display status update</li><li>Text Operations &#8211; Capture or return messages/texts on the webpage</li><li>Image Operations &#8211; General image display, clickable image function, redirecting image link</li><li>Frame Operations &#8211; Switch to a specific web page frame from the top window and vice versa</li><li>Checkbox Operations &#8211; Tick and undo</li><li>Drop Down Operations &#8211; Click on the drop-down menu, select and get the count</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-locators-in-selenium-webdriver">Locators In Selenium WebDriver</h2>



Selenium WebDriver supports many different locators to help you find Web Elements and interact with them. The basic locators include id, className, name, linkText, partialLinkText, tagName and XPath. Each of these is used in a slightly different way to provide you with the capability to locate Selenium Web Elements quickly and accurately.&nbsp;



Id is one of the most popularly used locators. It helps locate an element based on its unique ID assigned by web developers, while className can help select Web Elements that follow the same style. The name helps identify Web Elements that have the same name tag, and linkText is apt for Web Elements in Selenium with text hyperlinks associated with it.&nbsp;



Similarly, partialLinkText uses part of the text string with Web Elements, and tagName allows you to <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/element-locators-automated-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">locate Web Elements</a> using its HTML tag, while XPath helps to parse through the web pages or XML documents for Web Elements.



<h2 id="h-final-words">Final Words</h2>



While we use Selenium to automate our cross browser tests, scripting all the user actions is possible only with the help of supported programming languages like JAVA, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, C# or .NET. This means that to work with Selenium, you need to have expertise in one programming language at least.This is where Testsigma can help. <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a> low-code test automation platform. Here, you can automate even you complex test scenarios without needing to code. Testsigma lets you automate your end-to-end UI tests for web, mobile, desktop and APIs, from the same. And, the test automation and execution is 5x faster.



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<h2 id="h-frequently-asked-questions">Frequently Asked Questions:</h2>



<h3 id="what-are-the-types-of-web-elements">What are the types of Web Elements?</h3>



Web Elements are the objects that comprise a web page. They can be divided into a number of categories, such as windows, web browsers, web forms, and web objects.&nbsp;



Web forms consist of web elements like text fields, buttons, and checkboxes used to extract information from end users. Last but not least are web elements which include images, videos, hyperlinks, and documents like PDFs.&nbsp;



<h3 id="what-is-the-purpose-of-webelement">What is the purpose of WebElement?</h3>



WebElement (an HTML element) is the interface that allows the Selenium code to interact with various elements on web pages. It allows users to manipulate and assert Web Elements on web pages by selecting, clicking, entering data, etc.



<h3 id="is-size-a-webelement-method">Is size() a WebElement method?</h3>



No, size() is not a WebElement method. It is a method of the built-in Java class java. util.Collection.

The Complete Guide to Handling Web Elements in Selenium

A Comprehensive Guide to Automating Clicks using Selenium

Selenium Click | How to Automate Clicks Using Selenium?

Jenkins and Maven are quite the names in the realm of CI/CD due to their ability to facilitate continuous integration and delivery in software development. Jenkins is an automation platform that has a wide range of plugins and customizable settings, while Maven is a powerful build manager designed to help maintain consistent environments across the development cycle. Let&#8217;s compare them in detail.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Maven_vs_Jenkins_8211_Overview">1 Maven vs Jenkins &#8211; Overview</a><ul><li><a href="#What_is_Maven">1.1 What is Maven?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_Jenkins">1.2 What is Jenkins?</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Maven_vs_Jenkins_Key_Points_of_Comparison">2 Maven vs Jenkins: Key Points of Comparison</a></li><li><a href="#Maven_vs_Jenkins_How_to_Choose">3 Maven vs Jenkins: How to Choose?</a></li><li><a href="#Summary">4 Summary</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">5 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#Does_Jenkins_use_Maven">5.1 Does Jenkins use Maven?</a></li><li><a href="#Can_I_use_Jenkins_without_Maven">5.2 Can I use Jenkins without Maven?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-maven-vs-jenkins-overview">Maven vs Jenkins &#8211; Overview</h2>



Maven and Jenkins are both very important tools in software development, though they serve different purposes. Maven is a build automation tool used specifically for Java projects while focusing on dependency management and project structuring.&nbsp;



As for Jenkins, it is an open-source automation server that makes <a href="https://testsigma.com/continuous-integration">continuous integration </a>and continuous delivery (CI/CD) possible by automating the building, testing, and deployment of applications.&nbsp;



In other words, Maven takes care of the build lifecycle, while Jenkins orchestrates the workflow. Thus, they are complementary tools in modern DevOps practices.&nbsp;



<h3 id="h-what-is-maven">What is Maven?</h3>



Maven is the most commonly used build tool for Java applications. It simplifies project management by handling dependencies, managing project structure, and automating the build process based on a set of standard conventions.



<h3 id="h-what-is-jenkins">What is Jenkins?</h3>



Jenkins is an open-source automation server software that accelerates the delivery pipeline through robust operational testing functionality. This helps ensure that your teams can deliver applications more quickly and with more confidence.



<h2 id="h-maven-vs-jenkins-key-points-of-comparison">Maven vs Jenkins: Key Points of Comparison</h2>



Let us take a detailed look at the comparison table:



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Feature/Aspect</td><td>Maven</td><td>Jenkins</td></tr><tr><td>Purpose</td><td>Build automation and dependency management</td><td>Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD)</td></tr><tr><td>Advantages</td><td>&#8211; Standardizes build processes&nbsp; &#8211; Manages dependencies effectively&nbsp; &#8211; Provides a clean project structure&nbsp; &#8211; Supports various build lifecycles&nbsp; &#8211; Integrates well with other tools (e.g., IDEs)&nbsp; &#8211; Dependency resolution&nbsp; &#8211; Inheritance and aggregation</td><td>&#8211; Flexible and customizable&nbsp; &#8211; Integrates with various tools and platforms&nbsp; &#8211; Offers a wide range of plugins &#8211; Supports parallel builds&nbsp; &#8211; Provides visibility into the build process&nbsp; &#8211; Supports a wide range of languages&nbsp; &#8211; Can be integrated with various tools and platforms&nbsp; &#8211; User-friendly web interface&nbsp; &#8211; Good for both small and large projects</td></tr><tr><td>Disadvantages</td><td>&#8211; Can be complex for beginners&nbsp; &#8211; Requires a learning curve&nbsp; &#8211; May have performance issues with large projects&nbsp; &#8211; Can be less flexible for non-Java projects</td><td>&#8211; Can be complex to configure&nbsp; &#8211; Requires a certain level of technical expertise&nbsp; &#8211; May have performance issues with large projects&nbsp; &#8211; Can be resource -intensive for complex pipelines</td></tr><tr><td>Key Features</td><td>&#8211; Dependency management (POM)&nbsp; &#8211; Build lifecycle (clean, compile, test, package, install, deploy)&nbsp; &#8211; Site generation&nbsp; &#8211; Plugin ecosystem</td><td>&#8211; Pipeline creation and management&nbsp; &#8211; Integration with source control systems (Git, SVN, etc.)&nbsp; &#8211; Integration with testing frameworks (JUnit, TestNG, etc.)&nbsp; &#8211; Notification and reporting features</td></tr><tr><td>Use Cases</td><td>&#8211; Building Java projects&nbsp; &#8211; Managing dependencies&nbsp; &#8211; Creating project documentation&nbsp; &#8211; Automating release processes</td><td>&#8211; Continuous integration (CI)&nbsp; &#8211; Continuous delivery (CD)&nbsp; &#8211; Automated testing&nbsp; &#8211; Deployment automation&nbsp; &#8211; Monitoring and reporting</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h2 id="h-maven-vs-jenkins-how-to-choose">Maven vs Jenkins: How to Choose?</h2>



When choosing between Maven and Jenkins, consider their purposes:&nbsp;



Maven is build and dependency management tool-specialized for Java projects; On the other hand, Jenkins specializes in pipeline automation for facilitating the CI/CD process.&nbsp;



Take note of your project requirements—where Maven integrates well with the project structure, Jenkins is required to automate testing and deployment.&nbsp;



Consider your team&#8217;s familiarity with each tool since adoption plays a role.



Integration needs with existing tools should also be taken into account.&nbsp;



More often than not, using both would be ideal to have an &#8220;all-inclusive&#8221; solution for effective project management and automation.



<h2 id="summary">Summary</h2>



Although it is crucial to understand the difference between Jenkins and Maven, the two commonly used frameworks, developers, and testers that utilize Maven-Jenkins integration typically achieve the greatest outcomes.



When comparing Jenkins vs Maven, we must understand that they are separate technologies, each designed to play a specific function in the design process. Maven-Jenkins integration is a key component of the most successful DevOps journeys.



Maven excels in compiling code and running tests, which is one aspect of the process. However, Jenkins has complete control over the <a href="https://www.redhat.com/en/topics/devops/what-cicd-pipeline" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CI/CD pipeline</a> and is essential to a successful DevOps environment.



<h2 id="frequently-asked-questions">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



<h3 id="does-jenkins-use-maven">Does Jenkins use Maven?</h3>



Yes, Jenkins can use Maven for building and testing projects. Maven is a popular build tool used by many Java developers, and it is well-supported by Jenkins. When configuring a project in Jenkins, you can specify that it should use Maven by selecting the “Maven Project” option in the “New Item” menu.



<h3 id="can-i-use-jenkins-without-maven">Can I use Jenkins without Maven?</h3>



Without Maven, Jenkins will not be able to handle dependencies properly or automatically generate builds. As a result, it is recommended that Jenkins be used in conjunction with Maven.<gwmw style="display:none;">

Analyzing Maven and Jenkins: Knowing the Best of the CI Tools

Shailja Srivastava