When automating a web application, we occasionally run across the NoSuchElementException exception, which is thrown when the element being interacted with cannot be located.



The main reason for this error is that the element that has to be interacted with is present on the page but takes some time to load and show up for the user. You can see how this could become a significant problem during automation and cause our scripts to fail. Here is when Selenium Java&#8217;s Thread.sleep() function comes into action. 



Let&#8217;s first learn the fundamentals of the Thread.sleep() Selenium sleep function before we look at how to use it effectively.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Overview_of_Threadsleep">1 Overview of Thread.sleep()?</a></li><li><a href="#Types_of_Wait_Commands_in_Selenium_Java">2 Types of Wait Commands in Selenium Java.</a></li><li><a href="#How_does_Threadsleep_work">3 How does Thread.sleep() work?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_Do_We_Use_Threadsleep_in_Selenium">4 Why Do We Use Thread.sleep() in Selenium?</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_use_Threadsleep_in_Selenium_test_automation">5 How to use Thread.sleep() in Selenium test automation?</a></li><li><a href="#Alternatives_to_Threadsleep">6 Alternatives to Thread.sleep().</a></li><li><a href="#Limitation_of_Threadsleep">7 Limitation of Thread.sleep().</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">8 Conclusion</a><ul><li><a href="#A_new_approach_to_Test_Automation">8.1 A new approach to Test Automation</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">9 Frequently Asked Questions:</a><ul><li><a href="#What_is_the_alternative_for_thread_sleep_in_Selenium">9.1 What is the alternative for thread sleep in Selenium?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-overview-of-thread-sleep">Overview of Thread.sleep()?</h2>



Thread.sleep is a <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/selenium-wait-for-page-to-load/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wait command in Selenium</a>&nbsp; that instructs the program to suspend the execution for a certain condition or a specific amount of time.



Here are some reasons why wait commands are necessary in Selenium.



<ul><li>Page loading: Web pages can take varying amounts of time to load depending on network speed, server response time, and other factors. If you try to interact with elements on the page before the page has fully loaded, your script may fail.</li> <li>Dynamic content: Many modern web pages use dynamic content that is loaded asynchronously, meaning that it can take time for certain elements to become available. If you try to interact with these elements before they are available, your script may fail.</li> <li>Latency: Network latency can cause delays in the time it takes for elements on a page to become available. If you don&#8217;t use wait commands, your script may fail if it attempts to interact with elements before they are fully loaded.</li> <li>Animations: Some web pages use animations or other visual effects that can cause delays in the loading of elements or the timing of events on the page. If you don&#8217;t use wait commands, your script may fail if it attempts to interact with elements during these animations.</li></ul>



<h2 id="types-of-wait-commands-in-selenium-java">Types of Wait Commands in Selenium Java.</h2>



There are three types of wait commands in Selenium Java:



<ul><li>Implicit Wait: Implicit waits are used to set a default waiting time for the web driver to search for an element if it is not immediately available. It is applied to the driver instance globally and is set using the driver.manage().timeouts().implicitlyWait() method. Once set, the implicit wait will remain in effect for the entire lifetime of the WebDriver object, and it will wait for the specified time before throwing a NoSuchElementException. This is useful when you have to perform several operations on a web page that may load or change over time.</li> <li>Explicit Wait: Explicit waits are used to wait for a specific condition to occur before proceeding further in the script. You can define a custom wait condition using the ExpectedConditions class provided by Selenium. The explicit wait is triggered when you use the WebDriverWait class and specify a maximum wait time using the until method. It checks for the presence, visibility, or any other condition of a web element before proceeding. If the condition is not met within the specified time, it throws a TimeoutException.</li> <li>Fluent Wait: Fluent waits are used to define more complex waiting strategies that involve polling for an element repeatedly until a specific condition is met. It can be used to wait for an element to become clickable, and visible, or to wait for a certain amount of time. It is created using the Wait interface and is used to define the maximum wait time, the polling interval, and the condition to wait for. The fluent wait is more flexible than the implicit and explicit waits and allows you to define a custom condition and polling interval, making it useful for waiting for elements that may load or change over time.</li></ul>



Using these wait commands can help to ensure that your Selenium scripts are more stable and reliable by allowing the script to wait for the web page to load or for specific elements to become available before proceeding further.



<h2 id="how-does-thread-sleep-work">How does Thread.sleep() work?</h2>



Thread.sleep() is a method in Java that pauses the current thread for a specified amount of time, allowing other threads to execute. When you call Thread.sleep(), the current thread enters a blocked state for the duration of the sleep period. During this time, the thread doesn&#8217;t execute any code and doesn&#8217;t consume any CPU resources.



Here&#8217;s how Thread.sleep() works:



<ol><li>When you call Thread.sleep(), the current thread enters a blocked state, which means it&#8217;s waiting for a certain amount of time to elapse.</li> <li>The thread scheduler removes the blocked thread from the list of threads that are ready to execute and puts it in a waiting state.</li> <li>While the thread is in a waiting state, the CPU is free to execute other threads that are ready to run.</li> <li>After the specified time has elapsed, the thread scheduler moves the blocked thread back to the list of threads that are ready to execute.</li> <li>The blocked thread is now ready to execute again, and the CPU can execute it along with other ready threads.</li></ol>



It&#8217;s important to note that the actual amount of time that a thread is blocked by Thread.sleep() may be longer or shorter than the specified sleep period. This is because the thread scheduler doesn&#8217;t guarantee precise timing of thread execution, and there may be other factors that affect the thread&#8217;s ability to execute, such as CPU load or other system resources.



<h2 id="why-do-we-use-thread-sleep-in-selenium">Why Do We Use Thread.sleep() in Selenium?</h2>



In Selenium sleep, Thread.sleep() is used to add a delay between operations or to wait for an element to appear on the page. This delay can be useful in a variety of scenarios, such as:



<ul><li>Waiting for page loading: Sometimes, the web page can take a while to load, and you need to wait for it to finish loading before performing any operations on it. In this case, Thread.sleep() can be used to add a delay to allow the page to finish loading.</li> <li>Waiting for element visibility: In some cases, you may need to wait for an element to become visible on the page before you can interact with it. Thread.sleep() can be used to wait for the element to appear on the page.</li> <li>Waiting for element interaction: Sometimes, you need to wait for an element to be interactable before you can click on it or perform any other operation on it. In this case, Thread.sleep() can be used to add a delay to allow the element to become interactable.</li></ul>



<h2 id="how-to-use-thread-sleep-in-selenium-test-automation">How to use Thread.sleep() in Selenium test automation?</h2>



To use the Thread.sleep() method in Java, you need to have a Java program with at least one thread. The Thread.sleep() method is used to pause the execution of a thread for a specified amount of time.



Snippet Code:



<styled-code>
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
import org.openqa.selenium.By;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import org.testng.Assert;
import org.testng.annotations.Test;

public class Sample {
	@Test
	public void TestSigmaLogin() {
		System.setProperty(&#8220;webdriver.chrome.driver&#8221;, &#8220;path of driver&#8221;);

		WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(); // instantiate the browser
		driver.manage().window().maximize(); // maximize the browser
		driver.get(&#8220;https://app.testsigma.com/ui&#8221;); // opening the application
		Thread.sleep(3000); //It will wait for 3sec.
											 
		driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;loginUsername&#8221;)).sendKeys(&#8220;xxxxxx@abc.com&#8221;);			 driver.findElement(By.name(&#8220;password&#8221;)).sendKeys(&#8220;xxxxxxx&#8221;); 
		driver.findElement(By.xpath(&#8220;//button[text()=&#8217;SIGN IN&#8217;]&#8221;)).click();
											
		String actualURL = &#8220;https://app.testsigma.com/home&#8221;;
		String expectedURL = driver.getCurrentUrl(); // It will fetch the current URL
		Assert.assertEquals(expectedURL, actualURL); 
		driver.close(); // It will close the current browser.
	}
}
</styled-code>



<h2 id="alternatives-to-thread-sleep">Alternatives to Thread.sleep().</h2>



<ol><li>Implicit waits: Implicit waits are used to tell Selenium to wait for a certain amount of time before throwing a &#8220;NoSuchElementException&#8221;. Implicit waits are set once and will be in effect for the entire duration of your test script.</li></ol>



Syntax:



<styled-code>
driver.manage().timeouts().implicitlyWait(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
</styled-code>



This code will set the implicit wait time to 10 seconds. If the element is not found within 10 seconds, a&nbsp; &nbsp; &#8220;NoSuchElementException&#8221; will be thrown.



 <ol start="2"><li>Explicit waits: Explicit waits are used to tell Selenium to wait for a certain condition to occur before moving on to the next step in your script. You can specify the maximum amount of time to wait, and the condition that must be met.</li></ol>



Syntax:



<styled-code>
WebDriverWait wait = new WebDriverWait(driver, 10);
WebElement element = wait.until(ExpectedConditions.elementToBeClickable(By.id(&#8220;someid&#8221;)));
</styled-code>



This code will wait up to 10 seconds for the element with the ID &#8220;someid&#8221; to be clickable. Once the element is clickable, it will be returned and you can interact with it.



 <ol start="3"><li>Fluent waits: Fluent waits are similar to explicit waits, but they allow you to chain together multiple conditions that must be met before moving on to the next step in your script.</li></ol>



Syntax:



<styled-code>
Wait<WebDriver> wait = new FluentWait<WebDriver>(driver)
 .withTimeout(Duration.ofSeconds(10))
 .pollingEvery(Duration.ofSeconds(1))
 .ignoring(NoSuchElementException.class);

WebElement element = wait.until(new Function<WebDriver, WebElement>() {
 public WebElement apply(WebDriver driver) {
 return driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;someid&#8221;));
 }
});
</styled-code>



 <h2 id="limitation-of-thread-sleep">Limitation of Thread.sleep().</h2>



There are several limitations of using Thread.sleep() in your code:



<ul><li>Fixed wait time: When you use Thread.sleep(), you are specifying a fixed wait time, which means your code will wait for that exact amount of time before moving on to the next step, regardless of whether the operation it is waiting for has actually finished. This can cause your code to waste time waiting for something that has already been completed, or to move on before an operation has finished.</li> <li>Inaccurate timing: The Thread.sleep() method can be inaccurate, as the time it waits can be affected by external factors such as the performance of the machine running the code or other processes that are running at the same time.</li> <li>Hard to maintain: When you use Thread.sleep(), it can be difficult to maintain your code over time, as you may need to adjust the wait times based on changes to your application or system performance. This can make your code harder to read and understand.</li> <li>Potential for race conditions: Using Thread.sleep() can also create potential race conditions in your code, where one thread is waiting for a certain amount of time while another thread is attempting to perform an operation that the first thread is waiting for. This can cause unexpected behavior and bugs in your code.</li></ul>



<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



Waits play a significant role in<a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> test automation</a>. The Cost of maintenance becomes a challenge without using correct waiting techniques. In the above article, we have advantages and disadvantages for Thread.sleep().



Thread.sleep() has its own limitation. Waits like implicit and explicit waits are more precise and maintainable than Thread.sleep(), as they allow you to specify the maximum amount of time to wait, and the condition that must be met.



Waits like implicit and explicit waits are more precise and maintainable than Thread.sleep(), as they allow you to specify the maximum amount of time to wait, and the condition that must be met



<h3 id="a-new-approach-to-test-automation">A new approach to Test Automation</h3>



While Selenium is an open source and free tool for automating your cross browser tests, it also requires coding expertise. There might be times when you need a tool that would let you do all you do in Selenium, without the need of any coding experience. At such times you can use Testsigma, a no-code test automation tool that is open source too. With Testsigma, You can automate your tests for web, mobile, APIs and desktops from the same place. Not only that, you can start <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/what-types-of-test-cases-should-be-automated-for-efficient-cross-browser-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automating your test cases</a> with Testsigma, from day 1.



<button class="btn bg-primary cta-btn" style="display: block;
 margin: auto;"><a href="https://github.com/testsigmahq/testsigma" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:#fff">Get Testsigma Open Source Here</a></button>



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



<h3 id="what-is-the-alternative-for-thread-sleep-in-selenium">What is the alternative for thread sleep in Selenium?</h3>



In Selenium, there are several alternatives to using Thread.sleep() to pause the execution of your test script for a specific amount of time:



<ol><li>Implicit Wait</li><li>Explicit Wait</li><li>Fluent Wait.</li></ol>

Role of Thread.sleep() in Selenium Webdriver

Role of Thread.sleep() in Selenium

API Testing Service: Is Outsourcing the Best Choice for API Testing?

According to recent studies, more than 86% of businesses worldwide now rely on software testing to ensure the quality and reliability of their applications. When a tester begins their testing journey, the first thing they usually learn is how to document test cases. And when they learn test automation, they convert those test cases to test scripts. This blog will take you on a journey to understand the difference between test cases vs test scripts.



<ul><li>A test case refers to a set of conditions or actions designed to verify a particular application functionality under test.</li> <li>A test script is an automated computer program that performs the same steps as a test case but via a tool.</li></ul>



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_a_Test_case">1 What is a Test case?</a></li><li><a href="#Why_do_we_need_a_Test_case">2 Why do we need a Test case?</a><ul><li><a href="#How_could_you_write_a_test_case">2.1 How could you write a test case?</a></li><li><a href="#Test_case_example">2.2 Test case example</a></li><li><a href="#Sample_Test_case_Template">2.3 Sample Test case Template</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_a_Test_Script">2.4 What is a Test Script?</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_Write_a_Test_Script">2.5 How to Write a Test Script?</a></li><li><a href="#Template_for_a_Test_script">2.6 Template for a Test script</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Summary-Difference_Between_Test_Case_vs_Test_Script">3 Summary-Difference Between Test Case vs Test Script</a></li><li><a href="#Wrapping_up">4 Wrapping up</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">5 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#What_are_test_case_management_tools">5.1 What are test case management tools?</a></li><li><a href="#What_makes_a_good_test_script">5.2 What makes a good test script?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-a-test-case">What is a Test case?</h2>



A test case refers to testers&#8217; instructions to validate a particular functionality or software application feature. It is a detailed description of a test&#8217;s inputs, operating conditions, and expected outputs. These test cases



<ul><li>Find software errors, bugs, or problems, which developers can fix.</li> <li>They help ensure the quality and reliability of the software by providing a systematic approach to testing.</li> <li>It is necessary to ensure that each test case is clear and concise, referencing the relevant requirement or features of the software.</li> <li>Proper documentation and management of all test cases are necessary for successful testing and quality product delivery.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-why-do-we-need-a-test-case">Why do we need a Test case?</h2>



Test cases are essential to identify potential defects and bugs in software applications before they become significant problems. Therefore, creating well-written, comprehensive test cases is critical for effective software development and <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/software-quality-assurance-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quality assurance</a>.



<h3 id="h-how-could-you-write-a-test-case">How could you write a test case?</h3>



Here is a test case example that verifies that a user can register successfully on a registration page-



<ol><li>Go to the registration page</li><li>Enter a valid name, email address, and password</li><li>Select &#8220;Create Account&#8221;</li><li>Ensure the user gets taken to the home page after logging in.</li><li>Verify that the user is logged in</li><li>Log out of the account</li><li>Verify that the user is logged out</li><li>Try to log in using the credentials created in step 2</li><li>Verify that the user can log in successfully</li></ol>



<h3 id="h-test-case-example">Test case example</h3>



<ol><li>Navigate to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.google.com/</a></li><li>Enter&nbsp;books&nbsp;in the&nbsp;inputText&nbsp;field</li><li>Press Enter/Return Key</li><li>Verify that the current page displays textbooks</li></ol>



<h3 id="h-sample-test-case-template">Sample Test case Template</h3>



Let&#8217;s discuss a sample test case to test whether an existing user can log in to the website successfully. Test Objective: Confirm you can log into the website using the correct information.Pre-requisites: A valid username and password. 



Steps:



<ol><li>Launch the application under test.</li><li>Enter the valid username and password.</li><li>Click the &#8216;Login&#8217; button.</li><li>Ensure that the user logs in successfully.</li></ol>



Expected Result: The user should be successfully logged in to the website.



<h3 id="h-what-is-a-test-script">What is a Test Script?</h3>



When you take the steps from a test case and automate them via some tool, usually a test automation tool, it becomes a test script.



<h3 id="h-how-to-write-a-test-script">How to Write a Test Script?</h3>



The tool for test automation supports the language in which the test script is written. Let&#8217;s understand the steps involved in the creation of a test script.



<ol><li>Requirements: Before writing a test script, it is essential to understand the purpose of the test and the expected outcome. Get conditions and read user reports and manuals.</li> <li>Identify Test Cases: With the requirements in hand, identify the test cases that need to be automated.</li> <li>Identify Test Data: Identify the data needed to execute the test cases to ensure the test cases are comprehensive.</li> <li>Write the Script: Develop the script based on the test cases and test data determined.</li> <li>Test the Script: Execute the script and ensure it runs</li> <li>Document the Results: Document the results of the test script execution and any bugs encountered.</li> <li>Debug the Script: Debug the script and make necessary changes if any bugs are encountered.</li> <li>Retest the Script: Retest the debugged item to ensure it performs as expected.</li> <li>Document the Final Version: Once the script is working as expected, document the final version of the script.</li> <li>Archive the Script: Finally, archive the script for future use.</li></ol>



<h3 id="h-template-for-a-test-script">Template for a Test script</h3>



Below we discuss a test script template:



Test Name/ Title: Give a Title of the test case



Summary of Test: Define the summary or test purpose in brief



Date of the test created: Creation of Test Date(autogenerated in most cases)



Designed by: Include Tester&#8217;s Name



Reviewed by: Include Reviewer&#8217;s Name



Prerequisites: The prerequisites for executing this test case include all the test cases that should be executed before the execution of this particular test.



Test Steps: As per execution, please go ahead and detail all the test steps and write them in order. While writing test steps, please make sure that you provide as much detail as possible.



Executed by: Once the test is executed, this will mention the person who initiated the test execution. 



Date of the Execution: The date on which the test was executed. 



Expected Results: Mention the expected result, including the error or message that should appear on the screen.



Test Status (Fail/Pass): IF all the steps pass, then the status will be &#8220;Pass&#8221; if one of the steps fails to execute as expected, the status will appear as &#8220;Fail.&#8221;



Image showing a test script example in <a href="https://staging.testsigma.com/ui/dashboard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/image_aa0a53d923147684edac39c0d6a8051c_2000.png" alt="Test script example in Testsigma" width="600" height="400"/><figcaption>Test cases and Test steps</figcaption></figure></div>



Testsigma is a no-code test automation tool, and thus, as you can see in the image above, you can automate your tests in plain English without learning any programming language. Testsigma lets you automate your tests for web, mobile, APIs, and desktop from the same place.



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<div class="title-with-description ">
Try Testsigma for free
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 <h2 id="h-summary-difference-between-test-case-and-test-script">Summary-Difference Between Test Case vs Test Script</h2>



The difference between the Test case and Test Script is summarized in the table below:



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="border: 1px solid black;border-collapse: collapse"><tbody><tr><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Test Case</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Test Script</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Test cases are written before the actual testing is done to define the scope of the testing.</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Test scripts are usually written after certain rounds of testing are done and we know that the functionality being automated works.</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Test cases are written for manual test execution.&nbsp;</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Test scripts are written for automated test execution.</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Test cases are written in English or the language of the tester.</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Test scripts are written in the language supported by the tool being used for automated test execution.</td></tr><tr style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse"><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Test cases document the steps to be followed during testing.</td><td style="border: 1px solid black;padding: 10px;border-collapse: collapse">Test scripts automate the test steps for test execution.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



 <h2 id="h-wrapping-up">Wrapping up</h2>



We now understand the part test cases and test scripts play in the different testing processes. Test cases are the first step in documenting the testing process for a function or a feature. Each test case tests one aspect of the software. On the other hand, test scripts automate the test steps for a test case.



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



<h3 id="h-what-are-test-case-management-tools">What are test case management tools?</h3>



Test case management tools are the applications that help teams manage their test cases better. These tools help us design, run, and report on the results of test cases.



<h3 id="h-what-makes-a-good-test-script">What makes a good test script?</h3>



A good test script tests the specific details that need to be tested for passing a test case. In case a test script fails during test case execution, it should report easily understandable errors to help with debugging.

Exploring Test Case vs Test Script: What's the Difference?

Exploring Test Case vs Test Script: What’s the Difference?

As a software tester, I have been fortunate enough to work on a variety of projects, from web services to SDK (Software Development Kit) APIs, and in different industries. Throughout my journey, I have learned some valuable lessons, mostly from my own failures. In this article, I would like to share those lessons with you. Whether you are an experienced tester or just starting out, I hope these lessons will help you to be more successful and efficient in your role.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Mistake_1_Neglecting_UX_Over_Focus_on_Functionality">1 Mistake 1: Neglecting UX: Over Focus on Functionality.</a></li><li><a href="#Mistake_2_Chasing_Trends_Hunt_Latest_Tools">2 Mistake 2: Chasing Trends: Hunt Latest Tools</a></li><li><a href="#Mistake_3_No_Pairing_Collaboration_with_Dev_Team">3 Mistake 3: No Pairing &amp; Collaboration with Dev Team</a></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">4 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-mistake-1-neglecting-ux-over-focus-on-functionality">Mistake 1: Neglecting UX: Over Focus on Functionality.</h2> 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/mistake-1.jpg" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" class="wp-image-26845" width="600" height="400"/></figure></div>



When testing software, it is easy to get caught up in checking that the functionality works as expected. However, testing for usability and user experience is equally important. The software may be functioning correctly, but if it is difficult to use or understand, it will not be adopted by developers and would not be met with a positive response from the customers. Without good usability, you will always risk dealing with people’s problems more instead of technical problems.&nbsp;



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“No matter what they tell you, it&#8217;s always a people problem.” <cite>– Jerry Weinberg</cite></blockquote>



Lesson 1: Don&#8217;t Neglect the UX: Balance Functionality Testing with Usability Testing



<ul><li>Implement steps to improve the usability of software, such as clear and easy-to-follow documentation, helpful error messages, unique error codes, avoiding breaking changes, etc.</li> <li>Increase the selling potential of software through good usability testing.</li> <li>Focus on the usability feedback about the product from the sales and customer relationship team.</li></ul>



To ensure that your software is usable, ensure the following:



<ul><li>The documentation is clear and easy to follow.</li> <li>The error messages are helpful.</li> <li>There are unique error codes for unique errors.</li> <li>Make sure the documentation does not assume the user to be knowledgeable of the technical jargon.</li> <li>All jargon and abbreviations are documented.</li> <li>Avoid any changes that break the existing functionality without repeated prior notifications in release notes. Ex: It’s very important to mark APIs deprecated well in advance instead of surprising them with breaking changes.</li></ul>



Good usability testing of your software can help you to increase your software’s selling ability. Here is a checklist that I have made to cover important usability checkpoints for your usability testing: <a href="https://testingtitbits.com/usabilitychecklist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Usability Heuristic Checklist &#8211; Testing Titbits &#8211; Rahul Parwal</a>



Also, Checkout these articles on Testsigma blog to learn more about UX Lessons:&nbsp;



<ul><li><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/ux-testing-ux-lessons-learned-from-my-real-life-experiences-part-1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UX &amp; Testing: UX Lessons Learned From My Real-Life Experiences &#8211; Part 1 (testsigma.com)</a></li> <li><a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/ux-lessons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UX Lessons Learned From My Real-Life Experiences Part &#8211; 2 (testsigma.com)</a></li></ul>



<h2 id="mistake-2-chasing-trends-hunt-latest-tools">Mistake 2: Chasing Trends: Hunt Latest Tools</h2> 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/mistake2.jpg" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" class="wp-image-26847" width="600" height="400"/></figure></div>



In one of my initial projects, we made the mistake of using a popular testing tool without fully considering its suitability for our specific use case and problem statement. This turned out to be a costly mistake in the long run, as the tool did not provide the features and capabilities we needed to effectively test and validate our software. We delayed switching to another suitable tool due to sunk cost fallacy. 



Sunk cost fallacy is the phenomenon whereby a person is reluctant to abandon a strategy or course of action because they have invested heavily in it, even when it is clear that abandonment would be more beneficial. We eventually had to switch to a different tool that was better suited to our use case and problem statement, but the cost of this transition was significant.&nbsp;



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">&#8220;The sunk cost fallacy is throwing good money after bad.&#8221; <cite>&#8211; Unknown</cite></blockquote>



Lesson 2: Solve the Problem, don’t just chase Trends: Choose Tools Wisely



While it&#8217;s understandable to be drawn to a popular tool, it&#8217;s crucial to take the time to perform a detailed tool analysis for your current and future needs before making a decision. Having learned this lesson, these are the changes that I have done to my tooling approach:



<ul><li>Started a practice of conducting tool analysis before making a decision, taking into consideration parameters such as supported protocols, testability, documentation and community, capabilities, adaptability, etc.</li> <li>Shifted focus from finding a problem for a trending solution (or tool) to solving the real problem.</li> <li>Enabled deep testing by using customizable and flexible tools.</li></ul>



When selecting a tool, consider the following parameters:



<ul><li>Supported protocols and standards.</li> <li>The tool should enable your testability.</li> <li>The tool has good documentation and a supportive community.</li> <li>Capabilities of the tool, how well it integrates with your existing systems, and how easily it can be customized to fit your needs.</li> <li>Can it be adapted to accommodate growth, new technologies, and changes in the market.</li></ul>



Testsigma is one such platform that checks all these parameters.



<button class="btn bg-primary cta-btn" style="display: block;
 margin: auto;"><a href="https://github.com/testsigmahq/testsigma" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:#fff">Try Testsigma Open Source</a></button>



The list of possible factors can be very exhaustive. To ensure that I cover all important points, here is a checklist that I personally use when evaluating new tools: <a href="https://www.developsense.com/resource/RapidSoftwareTestingHeuristicsForEvaluatingTestingTools.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rapid Software Testing Heuristics for Evaluating Testing Tools</a>.



<h2 id="mistake-3-no-pairing-collaboration-with-dev-team">Mistake 3: No Pairing &amp; Collaboration with Dev Team</h2> 



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/mistake3.jpg" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" class="wp-image-26853" width="600" height="400"/></figure></div>



During the early stages of my career, I did not collaborate or interact much with my developers. I believed that my role as a tester might get biased if I talk with them or listen to their opinions on testing. However, this is a double edge sword.&nbsp;



Lesson 3: Unleash Pairing: Collaborate to Innovate



Over the years, I have realized that collaboration is the key when it comes to innovation and one of the most effective ways to do this is through pairing. By pairing with your developers, you can share technical skills, and testing knowledge, and help identify potential risks and challenges early on. This would also contribute towards preventing bugs instead of fixing them.&nbsp;



One can also ask questions to better plan their testing:



<ul><li>What have you tested already?</li><li>What testing is remaining?</li><li>How are you mocking the API for your development?</li><li>Do you have some tools that I can also use?</li><li>Can we add this feature to enable testability?</li><li>What are you worried about?</li><li>Do you want me to deep test certain areas?</li></ul>



By doing so, you tap into the tacit knowledge of your development team and upskill your testing game. Transferring great inter-disciplinary knowledge is also a key aspect of pairing, as it helps bridge the gap between different departments and enhances cross-functional collaboration.



When working with developers, I have found the below practices to be useful in increasing collaboration:



<ul><li>Share your testing plans and results with the developers.</li><li>Ask for their input on the testing process.</li><li>Debrief your test strategy and test notes.</li><li>Talk about testability and how developers can enable you to test better.</li><li>Documenting your <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation</a> solutions to enable test collaboration.</li></ul>



By collaborating well with your developers, you can help to ensure that the testing of software is done with good quality and meets the expectations of your stakeholders.



<h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



These are just a few of the lessons that I have learnt from my journey as a software tester. I hope that these lessons will help you to be more successful in your role as a software tester. Whether you are just starting out or are an experienced tester, never stop learning and improving your skills. 



The world of technology is changing constantly and it’s important to change, upskill and adapt to the times today. It is also important to treat every failure as a learning opportunity and use it as a building block towards becoming a better testing craftsperson.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don&#8217;t wish it were easier; wish you were better. <cite>&#8211; Jim Rohn</cite></blockquote>


For all our visual readers, I have summarized this entire article in this <a href="https://xmind.app/m/ADviJG/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mind map</a>.


Embed URL:<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.xmind.app/embed/ADviJG/" width="750" height="422" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>



Until next time, Happy Testing, Happy Learning!

My Career in Software Testing A Reflection on 3 Mistakes and What They Taught Me

My Career in Software Testing: Learnings from 3 Mistakes

71% of businesses are using an agile development methodology. Agile emphasizes continuous integrations to produce incremental value often. Although this strategy is fancy in theory, it involves a lot of regression testing for the testers. Maintaining all the application features and offering continuous testing assistance becomes a headache for testing teams, particularly when the application is moving toward perpetual expansion. 



The majority of teams use the shift-left methodology, where rapid checks are made at the integration point using automated tests. Operations may automatically start a series of tests when the implemented code is pushed for merging with the master branch. Moving away from unicorns and rainbows, we get to see the ground reality of most development teams where the challenge is not just about the number of people, but also about available skill sets, supportive tools, technology, non-supportive processes, etc.&nbsp;



Having worked across different regions, I have been associated with teams of varied organizational structures. In each of those teams, the value proposition of test automation has been driven in a unique way. Why do I say that? test automation turns out to become time intensive activity if it’s not planned well. It is not something that can be done once and forgotten. Test automation requires ongoing attention and upkeep.&nbsp;



The only focus of test automation autonomy is on who is responsible for writing test scripts, running them on a regular basis, making decisions about test environments, maintaining the tests, and scaling these tests. I have seen numerous forms of autonomy and their benefits and drawbacks while working with diverse teams with varying demands.&nbsp;



Let&#8217;s examine a few commonly used <a href="https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/software-project-team-organization/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation team structures</a>.&nbsp;



1. Developer-led test automation team



&nbsp;Organizations with 1-2 scrum teams usually suffer from the non-availability of dedicated resources. Team members play multiple roles to get things done. These are usually energetic and self-driven environments, no formal processes are set up and team members just carry out the tasks according to what they see as right. It is hard to find uniform practices in such teams.&nbsp;



In these cases, developers take ownership of writing a few automated tests along with their unit tests. Most UI developers also take care of front-end and End-to-End testing.&nbsp;



PROS:



Self-managed and driven&nbsp;



Test code is written along with the development



Good test code principles in action&nbsp;



Failing tests can be fixed along/during the development timeline 



CONS



Miss out on various <a href="https://testsigma.com/end-to-end-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">End-to-End testing</a> scenarios&nbsp;&nbsp;



Tries to programmatically get things done by calling DB or log in directly escaping actual checks&nbsp;



The tests added are of limited support&nbsp;



Regular maintenance of failing scripts needs constant followup&nbsp;



Neglected and forgotten after a period of time&nbsp;



2. Split responsibility test automation team&nbsp;



In most small-scale organizations with 2-3 scrum teams, an individual tester is assigned to each scrum team. In such scenarios, the test colleague must take care of new features testing, perform regression, support non-functional tests and be available for any hot fixes/upgrades/migrations planned for the ongoing sprint. A split approach was taken, where developers would write the automated tests for all the new features and hand over the test code to the test colleague for execution, managing, and maintenance.



PROS



Development and test code go hand in hand within sprint&nbsp;



Good code practices are implemented&nbsp;



Shared effort, reduces the burden on single person&nbsp;



CONS



Compromises in test coverage&nbsp;



Added responsibility for developers along with Unit tests&nbsp;



Pressing priorities take away the attention from developers&nbsp;



Maintenance onus leads to more work for test engineers&nbsp;



Technical skills should be sharpened for test engineers to manage and maintain the code&nbsp;



3. Tester-led automation team 



Each scrum team would be given at least two test engineers in organizations where resource fulfilment was not a problem. where the workload on one person is reduced by dividing the testing jobs among the test engineers. Test engineers were solely responsible for writing, running, maintaining, and upgrading the test scripts. In scrum teams, this kind of test autonomy is typically favored. However, the process becomes more difficult because there are so many integration points in large agile teams. if the test cases are not carefully identified and mapped out. Failures start to multiply at the integration points.&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/tester-led-automation-team-.jpg" alt="Tester-led automation team" class="wp-image-26793" width="600" height="400" /></figure></div>



PROS:



Clearly defined accountability of test automation&nbsp;



Analysis of automation requirements and scenario coverage are taken care Enough time and care is dedicated to the tools and tech.&nbsp;



CONS



The hygiene of test code is dependent on test engineers’ tech skills Scaled agile can get overwhelming if there are no guardrails put in place&nbsp;



This can be resource intensive, as the application grows there will be a need for more hands on deck.&nbsp;



4. Outsourced (Qaas) test automation team



Organizations are choosing external testing services more frequently these days simply because they have more time to concentrate on innovation and be flexible while developing their expansion strategies. Since delivery times are getting shorter due to intense competition, firms cannot afford to spend their time investing in internal talent development because it is an expensive and resource-intensive activity. By contracting out test activities, a significant amount of responsibility is transferred to the test service provider. Having said that, outsourcing test activities comes with its own framework of challenges.



PROS



Required skills are readily available&nbsp;



Testing and test automation are taken care by the service provider&nbsp;



Test coverage through test automation is achieved. Teams may just have to overlook the ongoing deliverables&nbsp;



CONS



Someone within the team/organisation should lead the discussions with regard to testing&nbsp;



The Leading person should have a good understanding of what should be expected from the service provider&nbsp;



Regular audits of the tests prepared and executed should be carried out&nbsp;



Test code and other artifacts to be handed over should be clearly discussed while drawing the SLAs&nbsp;



Try out Testsigma, the test automation tool that enables collaboration for all members of your team.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-final-thoughts">Final thoughts&nbsp;</h2>



It goes without saying that test automation is the key to maximizing regression testing in agile teams. It is a significant test activity that cannot be disregarded. Teams should evaluate their current circumstances before deciding on a specific strategy for test automation.&nbsp;



There is only the likelihood and availability game; there is no foolproof technique to move things around. Although large organizations may hire additional people as needed, they occasionally run into trouble finding technically proficient testers in time for a project. However, because they must maintain lower operating expenses, small businesses cannot truly invest in tools, up-skilling, or other areas where outsourcing may be appropriate.

Different test automation team structures and their levels of autonomy

A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a web address that specifies the location of a resource on the internet. The URL of an application typically refers to the web address or endpoint that allows users to access or interact with the application.



The URL of an application can vary depending on the specific application and how it is hosted or deployed. For example, if the application is a web-based application hosted on a server, the URL may look something like this:



http://www.example.com/my-application/



If the application is a mobile application, the URL may refer to a specific endpoint or resource that the application interacts with through an API (Application Programming Interface).



It is important to test the URL-related functionality, and <a href="https://www.selenium.dev/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Selenium</a> helps us validate URL or related content.&nbsp;



getCurrentUrl() is a method in Selenium WebDriver that retrieves the current URL of the web page opened in the browser. This method returns a String value representing the current URL of the web page.



Let’s get started!



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Pre-requisite">1 Pre-requisite</a></li><li><a href="#Selenium_and_Selenium_WebDriver">2 Selenium and Selenium WebDriver</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_get_the_current_URL_in_Selenium_8211_Java">3 How to get the current URL in Selenium &#8211; Java?</a><ul><li><a href="#Code_Snippet">3.1 Code Snippet:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">4 Conclusion</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">5 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#What_are_the_different_methods_to_open_a_URL_in_Selenium">5.1 What are the different methods to open a URL in Selenium?</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_get_the_current_URL_in_Selenium_using_JavaScript_executor">5.2 How to get the current URL in Selenium using JavaScript executor?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-pre-requisite">Pre-requisite</h2>



To get started with <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/selenium-based-automated-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Selenium</a> automation getCurrentUrl(), the following components are necessary:



<ol><li>Download and Install JDK</li> <li>Download and Install IDE (Integrated Development Environment) like Eclipse, and IntelliJ</li> <li>Selenium Client Configuration</li> <li>Integrate TestNG with IDE</li> <li>Browser drivers for Firefox, Chrome, IE, etc.</li></ol>



<h2 id="h-selenium-and-selenium-webdriver">Selenium and Selenium WebDriver</h2>



Selenium is an open-source test automation framework that automates web browsers. It is used for functional and <a href="https://testsigma.com/regression-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regression testing</a> of web applications and supports a variety of programming languages, including Java, Python, C#, and Ruby.



Selenium WebDriver is a component of the Selenium framework that automates the interaction of a web browser with a web application. It provides a programming interface for controlling and automating web browsers. This allows users to perform actions like clicking buttons, filling out forms, and navigating between pages. WebDriver supports several popular web browsers, including Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Internet Explorer.



Selenium WebDriver provides a rich set of APIs that enable developers to write automated tests in their preferred programming language, making it a flexible and powerful tool for automating web applications. Its key features include support for multiple browsers and operating systems, the ability to interact with <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/web-element-in-selenium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">web elements</a> using a variety of locators, and the ability to wait for elements to load and perform actions asynchronously.



Overall, Selenium and Selenium WebDriver are popular tools in the field of <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation</a>, providing a robust and flexible solution for <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-web-application-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automating web application testing</a>.



<h2 id="h-how-to-get-the-current-url-in-selenium-java">How to get the current URL in Selenium &#8211; Java?</h2>



In Selenium-Java, you can use the getCurrentUrl() method of the WebDriver interface to get the current URL of the web page.



Method name &#8211; getCurrentUrl()



<h3 id="h-code-snippet">Code Snippet:</h3> 



<styled-code>
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;

import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
public class CurrentUrl{
 public static void main(String[] args) {
 System.setProperty(&#8220;webdriver.chrome.driver&#8221;, &#8220;C:\Users\Sgokhru\Desktop\Java\chromedriver.exe&#8221;);
 WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
 String url = &#8221; https://testsigma.com/&#8221;;
 driver.get(url);
 driver.manage().timeouts().implicitlyWait(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
 // get the current URL
 String strUrl = driver.getCurrentUrl();
 //Print the URL
 System.out.println(&#8220;Current Url is:&#8221;+ strUrl);
 //Close the browser
 driver.close();
 }
}
</styled-code>



In this example, we first create a new instance of the Chrome driver and navigate to a web page using the get() method. Then, we call getCurrentUrl() to get the current URL of the web page and store it in a String variable called currentUrl. Finally, we print the current URL to the console and close the browser using the close() method.



getCurrentUrl() returns a String that represents the URL of the current web page. This method can be useful for verifying that the browser has navigated to the expected URL, or for capturing the current URL for later use in your test script.



<h2 id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



The getCurrentUrl() method in Selenium Java is a useful method that returns the URL of the current web page being displayed in the browser. It verifies that the browser has navigated to the expected URL after performing some action, such as clicking a link or submitting a form.



This method is part of the WebDriver interface, which is the main interface used to control the browser in Selenium. It can be called on an instance of the WebDriver object, which is typically obtained by instantiating a subclass of the WebDriver interface, such as the ChromeDriver or FirefoxDriver.



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



<h3 id="h-what-are-the-different-methods-to-open-a-url-in-selenium">What are the different methods to open a URL in Selenium?</h3>



There are several methods in Selenium to open a URL:



<ul><li>get(): The get() method is the most commonly used method to open a URL in Selenium. It opens the specified URL in the current browser window or tab. Example: driver.get(&#8220;https://www.example.com&#8221;)</li> <li>navigate().to(): The navigate().to() method is also used to open a URL, but it provides more flexibility than get(). It allows you to navigate back and forward through the browser history, and also to refresh the page. Example: driver.navigate().to(&#8220;https://www.example.com&#8221;)</li></ul>



<h3 id="h-how-to-get-the-current-url-in-selenium-using-javascript-executor">How to get the current URL in Selenium using JavaScript executor?</h3>



You can get the current URL in Selenium using JavaScript executor in the following way:



JavascriptExecutor js = (JavascriptExecutor) driver;
String currentURL = (String) js.executeScript(&#8220;return window.location.href;&#8221;);
System.out.println(&#8220;The current URL is: &#8221; + currentURL);



<div class="cta-banner-v2">
<div class="title-with-description ">
Explore Testsigma, a low code test automation tool, to automate your end-to-end UI tests for web, mobile, desktop and APIs, from the same place, 10x faster.
</div>
<a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" class="cta-btn-v1" rel="noopener">Start here</a>
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Selenium Get Current URL using Java: Tutorial

The most fundamental step in web <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test automation </a>is element identification. There are numerous methods for QEs to locate elements. In Selenium, Find element by Text is used to locate a web element based on its text attribute. The text value is mostly used when the basic element identification properties, such as ID or Class, are dynamic and make it difficult to locate the web element.



In such cases,&nbsp; it becomes very difficult to <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/element-locators-automated-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">locate web elements</a>. One option that comes to save us is text or partial text attributes.



In this blog, we will see how text or partial text can be useful when other IDs or class name are dynamic.&nbsp;



Let’s get started.&nbsp;



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Find_Element_in_Selenium">1 What is Find Element in Selenium?</a></li><li><a href="#What_is_findElement_by_Text_in_Selenium">2 What is findElement by Text in Selenium?</a></li><li><a href="#Difference_between_findElement_and_findElements">3 Difference between findElement and findElements</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_Find_Element_by_Text_in_Selenium_for_a_Complete_Text_match">4 How to Find Element by Text in Selenium for a Complete Text match</a><ul><li><a href="#Code_snippetnbsp">4.1 Code snippet:&nbsp;</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Using_findElement_by_Text_with_text_and_contains_Methods">5 Using findElement() by Text with text() and contains() Methods</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_Find_Elements_by_Text_in_Selenium_for_Partial_Text_match">6 How to Find Elements by Text in Selenium for Partial Text match</a><ul><li><a href="#Code_Snippet">6.1 Code Snippet:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">7 Conclusion</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">8 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#How_do_you_search_text_in_Selenium">8.1 How do you search text in Selenium?</a></li><li><a href="#How_do_I_find_an_element_by_tag">8.2 How do I find an element by tag?</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_use_Selenium_to_find_elements_by_Attribute_Value">8.3 How to use Selenium to find elements by Attribute Value?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-find-element-in-selenium">What is Find Element in Selenium?</h2>



When you begin writing your Selenium automation script, the interaction with web elements is the first and most important step because it is the WebElements you experiment with within your test script. Interaction with these web elements is now possible only if you identify them correctly.



&#8220;Find Element&#8221; in Selenium refers to the process of locating a web element on a page, such as a button, text box, or link, in order to interact with it through a script. This is typically done using the Selenium WebDriver&#8217;s find_element_by_locator method, where a locator can be a unique identifier of a web element such as &#8220;id&#8221;, &#8220;name&#8221;, &#8220;class name&#8221;, &#8220;xpath&#8221;, etc. The method returns the first web element that matches the search criteria.



The syntax for find element is:



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.xpath(“//*[text()=’xyz’]”));



Different types of locators:



<ul><li>ID</li><li>Name</li><li>Class Name</li><li>Tag Name</li><li>Link Text</li><li>Partial Link Text</li><li>XPath</li><li>CSS Selector</li></ul>



<h2 id="what-is-findelement-by-text-in-selenium">What is findElement by Text in Selenium?</h2>



When you begin writing Selenium automation scripts, interaction with web elements is the first and most important step because these are the elements you experiment with within your test script. You can only interact with them when you identify them correctly.



“Find Element” refers to the process of locating a <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/web-element-in-selenium/">web element in Selenium</a> on a page, such as a button, text box, or link, in order to interact with it through a script. This is typically done using the Selenium WebDriver’s find_element_by_locator method, where a locator can be a unique identifier of a web element such as “id”, “name”, “class name”, “xpath”, etc. The method returns the first web element that matches the search criteria.



One common use case is finding an element by its text content, which uses <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/xpath-in-selenium/">xpath in Selenium</a> or link text (for hyperlinks). This method is particularly useful when the element doesn&#8217;t have a unique ID or class.



The syntax for findElement using xpath is:



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.xpath(“//*[text()=’your_text’]”));



Example with xpath:



WebElement submitButton = driver.findElement(By.xpath(&#8220;//*[text()=&#8217;Submit&#8217;]&#8221;));



submitButton.click();



The syntax for findElement using link text is:



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.linkText(&#8220;Exact Link Text&#8221;));



Example with link text:



WebElement homeLink = driver.findElement(By.linkText(&#8220;Home&#8221;));



homeLink.click();



The syntax for findElement using partial link text is:



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.partialLinkText(&#8220;Partial Link Text&#8221;));



Example with particle link text:



WebElement homeLink = driver.findElement(By.partialLinkText(&#8220;Ho&#8221;));



homeLink.click();



<h2 id="h-difference-between-findelement-and-findelements">Difference between findElement and findElements</h2>



findElement and findElements in <a href="https://www.selenium.dev/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Selenium</a> with Java are used to locate web elements on a page.



The difference between the two methods is that findElement returns a single WebElement object that represents the first element on the page that matches the search criteria, while findElements returns a list of all WebElement objects that match the search criteria.



For example, if you want to locate a button with the text &#8220;Submit&#8221; on a page, you could use the following code:



WebElement submitButton = driver.findElement(By.xpath(&#8220;//button[text()=&#8217;Submit&#8217;]&#8221;));



And if you want to locate all the links on a page, you could use the following code:



List links = driver.findElements(By.tagName (&#8220;a&#8221;));



 <h2 id="h-how-to-find-element-by-text-in-selenium-for-a-complete-text-match">How to Find Element by Text in Selenium for a Complete Text match</h2>



To find an element by its text in Selenium for a complete text match in Java, you can use the XPath locator strategy and the text() function.



To understand it better, let’s consider a use case.&nbsp;



Use case:



<ol><li>Launch the Testsigma website.</li> <li>Identify the web element and capture the text of the button ‘Schedule a demo’</li> <li>Compare the expected value to the actual.</li> <li>Close the browser.</li></ol>



<h3 id="h-code-snippet">Code snippet:&nbsp;</h3> 



<styled-code>
package demo;
import static org.testng.Assert.assertEquals;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
import org.openqa.selenium.By;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebElement;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;


public class CompleteText{
	public static void main(String[] args) {

		System.setProperty(&#8220;webdriver.chrome.driver&#8221;, &#8220;C:\\Users\\sgokhru\\Downloads\\chromedriver_win32\\chromedriver.exe&#8221;);

		WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
		String url = &#8220;https://testsigma.com&#8221;;
		driver.get(url);
		driver.manage().timeouts().implicitlyWait(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS);

		// Locating element with text()
		WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.xpath(&#8220;//span[text()=&#8217;Schedule a demo &#8216;]&#8221;));
		assertEquals(element .getText(), &#8220;Schedule a demo&#8221;);
		System.out.println(&#8220;Both the text are equal&#8221;);
		driver.quit();
	}
}
</styled-code>



<h2 id="using-findelement-by-text-with-text-and-contains-methods">Using findElement() by Text with text() and contains() Methods</h2>



In Selenium, text() and contains() methods are used to identify and locate web elements based on the text they contain.&nbsp;



The text() function matches the exact text content of an element. The above section shows an example of this.



The contains() method matches partial text content within an element.



An example of this would be locating an element whose text contains ‘Sub’ and clicking on it:



WebElement submitButton = driver.findElement(By.xpath(&#8220;//*[contains(text(), &#8216;Sub&#8217;)]&#8221;));



submitButton.click();



 <h2 id="h-how-to-find-elements-by-text-in-selenium-for-partial-text-match">How to Find Elements by Text in Selenium for Partial Text match</h2>



The contains() function is a built-in XPath function that is used to search for a substring within a string.



To understand it better, let’s consider a use case.



Use case:



<ol><li>Launch the website&nbsp; &#8211; https://testsigma.com</li> <li>Identify the WebElement and capture the text of ‘&#8217;Build stable and reliable automated tests’</li> <li>Compare the expected value to the actual.</li> <li>Close the browser.</li></ol>



<h3 id="h-code-snippet-1">Code Snippet:</h3> 



<styled-code>
package demo;
import org.openqa.selenium.By;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebElement;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
public class PartialText{
	public static void main(String[] args) {

		System.setProperty(&#8220;webdriver.chrome.driver&#8221;,
				&#8220;C:\\Users\\sgokhru\\Downloads\\chromedriver_win32\\chromedriver.exe&#8221;);

		WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
		String url = &#8220;https://testsigma.com&#8221;;
		driver.get(url);
		//It will maximize the browser
		driver.manage().window().maximize();
		
		driver.manage().timeouts().implicitlyWait(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS);

// Locating element with text()
		WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.xpath(&#8220;//p[contains(text(), &#8216;Build stable and reliable automated tests&#8217;)]&#8221;));

		System.out.println(&#8220;Element with text(): &#8221; + element.getText());
		driver.quit();
	}
}
</styled-code>



<h2 id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



In this blog, we looked at finding an element using text() method. We saw how to use the text() method for both full and partial text matches. We also saw how we could use it in the FindElements case to get a list of Web Elements via text match. Using a text() can be really useful when other attributes such as IDs or class names are dynamic in nature, and they keep changing the moment you refresh your page.



As evident, to use Selenium, one needs to be an expert in one of the programming languages. There is where a no-code test automation comes in.



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<div class="title-with-description ">
Explore Testsigma, a low code test automation tool, to automate your end-to-end UI tests for web, mobile, desktop and APIs, from the same place, 10x faster.
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<a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" class="cta-btn-v1" rel="noopener">Start here</a>
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Happy Testing..!



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



<h3 id="h-how-do-you-search-text-in-selenium">How do you search text in Selenium?</h3>



You can search for text in Selenium using the findElement or findElements method. The getText() method in Selenium Java is used to retrieve the text content of an element on a web page.



<h3 id="h-how-do-i-find-an-element-by-tag">How do I find an element by tag?</h3>



In Selenium, you can find an element on a web page by its HTML tag name using the findElement or findElements method and the By.tagName locator strategy. Here&#8217;s an example using the findElement method to find a single input element:



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.tagName(&#8220;input&#8221;));



<h3 id="h-how-to-use-selenium-to-find-elements-by-attribute-value">How to use Selenium to find elements by Attribute Value?</h3>



In Selenium, you can find elements on a web page by their attribute value using the findElement or findElements method and a locator strategy such as By.xpath or By.cssSelector. Here&#8217;s an example using the findElement method to find an element with a specific value for the &#8220;value&#8221; attribute:



WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.xpath(&#8220;//*[@value=&#8217;Search Value&#8217;]&#8221;));



In this example, the driver is an instance of the WebDriver interface, and By.xpath(&#8220;//*[@value=&#8217;Search Value&#8217;]&#8221;) specifies the locator strategy and the value to search for.



You can replace &#8220;value&#8221; with any other attribute name, and &#8220;Search Value&#8221; with the desired attribute value, to search for elements with different attribute values.

How to Find Element by Text in Selenium: Tutorial with Example

Suppose you are leveraging the Ghost platform’s powers to run your business or blogging websites and are wondering what factors you need to consider before you deploy and publish it. In that case, this guide should prove helpful, and by the end, you should have a better understanding of testing a website built with Ghost.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#What_is_Ghost">1 What is Ghost?</a></li><li><a href="#The_moving_parts">2 The moving parts</a><ul><li><a href="#GScan_Testing">2.1 GScan Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Unit_Testing">2.2 Unit Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Browser_Testing">2.3 Browser Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Mobile-Friendly_Testing">2.4 Mobile-Friendly Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Visual_UI_Testing">2.5 Visual UI Testing</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">3 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-what-is-ghost">What is Ghost?</h2>



<a href="https://ghost.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ghost</a> is an open-source blogging platform built to simplify the process of online publishing for individual bloggers and online publications. One can use its tools to create blogging websites, publish content and even send newsletters to their paid audience.



It launched in 2013, with the project founder having worked in WordPress &#8211; a Content Management Site (CMS) also used for making websites and blogs. Today, Ghost is a popular choice amongst individuals and organizations for publishing blogs and content. Some notable users of the platform are IBM, Tinder, Sky News, VEVO, and Zappos.



Also, It is the #1 CMS on GitHub, having 42k stars (by the time of writing this blog) and being used by millions of people.



It offers an on-prem solution and also a managed service &#8211; Ghost (Pro) that requires minimal to no maintenance and handling of servers. If you are a person who wants flexibility, is tech savvy, or has a tech team to manage and monitor the servers, the on-prem solution might be the one for you, whereas if you don’t want all that hassle and just want to focus on the content, Ghost (Pro) would be a good choice.



On top of this, it offers multiple third-party integrations like Stripe, Google Analytics, Twitter, YouTube, and many more that can enhance your website.



There are, of course, other CMS alternatives available to start your blogging site or other websites, like Substack, WordPress, Medium, Patreon, etc.



<h2 id="h-the-moving-parts">The moving parts</h2>



So, you must be wondering that since everything is being handled by the Ghost blogging platform itself and that there is a lot of abstraction from the internal workings, what is there left to be tested by you? Let’s see.



Ghost is built on NodeJS, and uses technologies like ExpressJS, MySQL &amp; SQLite databases, and Markdown, Ember, Handlebars for templating and user interface. Most of these things are used internally and abstracted from you as a user.



However, what we can control is the Handlebars part of it, which is used for creating the user interface (HTML) of your website. Ghost provides various themes out of the box, and one can also create a theme and upload it. So, we can use Handlebars, which is a templating language, to create custom themes to be used by the platform.



Another variable is the version of the platform you’re using. Even though the Ghost.org team thoroughly tests and then releases a version, upgrading to the newer versions could cause regression. So, one should have test cases in place to prevent this from happening.



So, as we can see, the moving parts over which we have control are quite small. Hence the scope of testing is also minimal. The relevant aspects to be tested could be as follows:



<ol><li>GScan Testing (Ghost Theme Scanner)</li><li>Unit Testing</li><li>Browser Testing and Cross-Device Testing</li><li>Mobile-friendly Testing</li><li>Performance Testing</li></ol>



<h3 id="h-gscan-testing">GScan Testing</h3>



GScan is the authorized tool for scanning Ghost themes. It checks for errors and feature support.&nbsp;



GScan works on a set of rules. Each rule has a way of checking whether it has failed or passed and also gives a descriptive solution on how to resolve that. There are three error levels associated with each rule, which are as follows:



<ol><li>recommendation:&nbsp; these are things the dev might want to know about</li> <li>warning: usually used for deprecations, things that will be errors in the next version</li> <li>error: anything that makes the theme invalid or incompatible with the current version of Ghost</li></ol>



In addition, an error can be marked as fatal. It means that if it is left unchecked, a Ghost publication would throw 500 errors on certain pages because of the detected out-of-date or erroneous code.



<h3 id="h-unit-testing">Unit Testing</h3>



Unit Test is performed to test the different “units” in a source code, to ensure that every single unit is functioning properly.



There are several JavaScript Testing frameworks to choose from, such as Jest, Mocha, and Jasmine. Any one of these can be used to define the test cases, which can then be run on your custom Ghost Themes.



One way to test and streamline your unit tests is to use a testing tool like <a href="https://testsigma.com/">Testsigma</a>. The tool helps in the easy creation, execution, and management of your test cases, saving effort and time while improving your code&#8217;s quality. 



One can write test cases in simple English language, which means that anyone can contribute to testing. Besides, the platform reduces or even eliminates the complex setup processes, and the learning curve to use the tool is also not steep.



<h3 id="h-browser-testing">Browser Testing</h3>



Browser Testing is done to check whether the published website is rendering according to the expectations or not in a Web Browser. All the different aspects of the website’s UI (User Interface) can be tested through this test. Also, the test is not just limited to one Web Browser. Users all around the world use different browsers to access content on the internet. Some of the popular web browsers are Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and Opera.



Conducting <a href="https://testsigma.com/cross-browser-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cross-Browser Testing</a> will ensure that every user consuming the content will have the same experience, without any surprises.



Also, one can test how a website would look and function on different devices like Desktops, Tablets, Mobiles, TVs, etc, to ensure multiple device support.



It is very important to know your user base and the kind of devices you want your website to function properly on.



While conducting Browser Testing, one has to make a list of devices and browsers they want to target for running their website seamlessly. This can be a time taking, manual and tedious task to complete.&nbsp;



But by using a tool like Testsigma, we can run all the tests parallelly and complete all the tests in a short period.



<h3 id="h-mobile-friendly-testing">Mobile-Friendly Testing</h3>



As mobile phones and tablets have become more powerful and prominent in today’s world, in most cases the traffic generated on websites is from these devices.&nbsp;



So, it is wise to test if your websites are mobile responsive, and whether all the features and functionalities are accessible from these devices, and offer the same experience as on other devices.



Testsigma can be used here as well. As it helps you in delivering an amazing mobile experience to your clients and users of the website. Since it is a no-code tool, anyone without any kind of coding expertise can run the tests.



<h3 id="h-visual-ui-testing">Visual UI Testing</h3>



Your Website’s UI must look according to the expected requirements. Hence, all the visually identifiable aspects should be checked for and asserted properly. For instance:



<ul><li>Text Alignment with Images</li> <li>UX distortion on the device’s resolution change</li> <li>All interactive elements are accessible and not hidden because of any kind of overlapping.</li> <li>No UI distortion on zooming in and out.</li></ul>



Use Testsigma to run visual UI tests as well. It takes snapshots of the UI, which you can use to compare before and after scenarios and catch visual bugs.&nbsp;



<button class="btn bg-primary cta-btn" style="display: block;
 margin: auto;"><a href="https://github.com/testsigmahq/testsigma" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:#fff">Try out Testsigma open source for your test automation needs here.</a></button>



<h2 id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



Millions of websites are published using the Ghost platform, as it is user-friendly and quick to publish. If your website is one of those millions, I hope you have a better understanding of what to test and how to test when building a Ghost website.



We saw what Ghost is and what services they provide. Following that, we dived into the internals and the moving parts of a Ghost website, which are the factors we have control over. Then we learned about all the aspects of software testing, and what all tests are required to ensure the proper functioning of the website or application.



As it is evident, Testsigma allows us to test all these aspects and provides us with all the features required for testing a Ghost Website.



I hope I left you with something new to learn!



<customlinks>
<ts-link-item>
<ts-linktext-value>ghost inspector alternatives</ts-linktext-value>
<ts-linkurl-value>https://testsigma.com/blog/ghost-inspector-alternatives/</ts-linkurl-value>
</ts-link-item>
</customlinks>

A beginner’s guide to testing your websites built with the Ghost platform

Ghost Test: 5 Key Aspects to be Tested on Ghost Platform

A Complete Guide to Selenium Grid 4: Architecture and Configuration

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