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Selenium is one of the leading automation platforms in web application testing. Using Selenium, you can automate your testing process efficiently and deliver a bug-free product quickly. This article will guide you in building and executing Selenium projects in Java. According to <a href="https://www.selenium.dev/blog/2021/selenium-survey-results/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>, 67% of Selenium users prefer Java for writing test scripts. Before you learn to build Selenium projects, let&#8217;s get to know the basics of Selenium and why it is popular among developers.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Insights_Into_The_Open_Source_Selenium_Project">1 Insights Into The Open Source Selenium Project</a></li><li><a href="#Why_Are_Selenium_Project_Ideas_Popular">2 Why Are Selenium Project Ideas Popular?</a></li><li><a href="#How_to_Build_a_Selenium_Project">3 How to Build a Selenium Project</a></li><li><a href="#H">4 H</a></li><li><a href="#How_To_Create_A_Selenium_Project_With_Eclipse_IDE">5 How To Create A Selenium Project With Eclipse IDE?</a></li><li><a href="#Sample_Selenium_Project_using_Java">6 Sample Selenium Project using Java</a></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_to_Write_Test_Scripts_in_Selenium">8.1 How to Write Test Scripts in Selenium?</a></li><li><a href="#Which_Language_is_Best_for_Selenium">8.2 Which Language is Best for Selenium?</a></li><li><a href="#Is_Selenium_Testing_Easy">8.3 Is Selenium Testing Easy?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="insights-into-the-open-source-selenium-project">Insights Into The Open Source Selenium Project</h2>



Selenium is one of the top open-source test automation frameworks that has been in the automation space for a very long time. It can be used to automate web testing across different browsers and platforms.



The latest version is Selenium 4 (4.20.1 as of April 26, 2024). The market share of Selenium is 28.19% in the software testing space.



Selenium is still widely used by many companies (approximately 68,253 companies)



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/WWhcR4l9D5CSh8CHgEyKW52ADNEaCVNvog3M_Nn4ZFsN5hJBzBBfg6AzxAWKVDTds778U3hb_0zMD_SbX64bu2n7pycwLm_OGjAbYOI6Gl0e88OixU3GRPLeW_3ah4F3vXhhVgnvLLXhT7c004WX-xQ" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" /></figure>



<a href="https://enlyft.com/tech/products/selenium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Credits</a>



<h2 id="why-are-selenium-project-ideas-popular">Why Are Selenium Project Ideas Popular?</h2>



Selenium has been one of the most widely used open-source testing frameworks by web developers and testers since its launch in 2004. It supports diverse programming languages like Java, C#, Python, Perl, PHP, Ruby, and JavaScript, giving testers more flexibility in creating test scripts, which is the key reason for the success of Selenium projects.&nbsp;



Selenium is also compatible with various top browsers and platforms. This compatibility allows students to build full-stack and MERN stack projects, which is also a main reason behind Selenium&#8217;s success. It is used by top global companies like Facebook, Amazon, etc.



<h2 id="h-how-to-build-a-selenium-project">How to Build a Selenium Project</h2>



You can build Selenium projects in multiple ways. For example, you can build and configure Selenium Projects using Java, Maven, and more. Here, we will see how to build a Selenium project using Java. You need to download the following software to build and configure Selenium projects:



<ul><li>Java: Install Java or JDK as we use Java to build a Selenium project.</li><li>Eclipse: You have to <a href="https://www.eclipse.org/downloads/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">install Eclipse IDE</a> (Integrated Development Environment). It helps write, run and maintain tests or projects.</li></ul>



Note &#8211; You can also use some other IDE like IntelliJ IDEA or NetBeans.



<h2 id="h-h">H</h2>



<h2 id="how-to-create-a-selenium-project-with-eclipse-ide">How To Create A Selenium Project With Eclipse IDE?</h2>



You can avoid all this complexity and simplify the test automation process using low-code testing tools like Testsigma. Unlike Selenium, which requires you to create test scripts using programming languages, Testsigma simplifies automated testing using NLPs, Recorder, or Data-driven testing.&nbsp;



You can create tests similar to Natural Language, making it a very user-friendly and powerful tool for testers, developers, and stakeholders. Take a quick look at the detailed comparison between <a href="https://testsigma.com/comparison-automated-testing-tools-selenium-testsigma">Selenium vs Testsigma</a>.



The most simple way to build a Selenium project is by using Java. To do this, first, you must manually download all the required Selenium jars and the <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-automation-frameworks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testing frameworks</a>. 



Note &#8211; We are using Eclipse to execute Selenium test scripts in this example.



Steps to Build and Configure a Selenium Project



Step 1 &#8211; Click on the File menu from the navigation. Select New, then click on Java Project. (File -&gt; New -&gt; Java Project)



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/Screenshot2023-01-22021634_61697469ecd98961a9f64298341fbd73_2000.png" alt="Selenium projects" width="600" height="400" /></figure></div>



If you&#8217;re using an old version of Eclipse, and if you don&#8217;t find Java Project under New, follow these steps,



<ul><li>Select New and click on Project.</li><li>Now, select Java Project and click Next.</li></ul>



Step 2 &#8211; Enter the Project Name building-selenium-project-Testsigma and click Finish.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/Screenshot2023-01-22022645_58840e512d47246bdc14d2e2ac326a6d_2000.png" alt="Create a Java project" width="600" height="400" /></figure></div>



The Java project building-selenium-project-Testsigma is successfully created in the package explorer of Eclipse.



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Step 3 &#8211; Now, you need to manually install the necessary Selenium jars and a unit testing framework like TestNG jars. To download these, go to the <a href="https://www.selenium.dev/downloads/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Selenium downloads page</a> and check on the latest versions.



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Step 4 &#8211; Let&#8217;s install the TestNG jars now.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/Screenshot2023-01-22023134_4cb18157c08940ac6f8149135aeca498_2000.png" alt="TestNG" width="600" height="400" /></figure></div>



Step 5 &#8211; After you download Selenium server standalone jar, you should add it to the Selenium project. To do so, right-click on the Java Project created, then hover your mouse on Build Path and click on Configure Build Path.



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Step 6 &#8211; Now, select Add External JARS&#8230; option to add the downloaded jar file to the Selenium projects.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/Screenshot2023-01-22023918_1e2fae6c8507ec65796c6ff9a6dfa453_2000.png" alt="Add External Jars" width="600" height="400" /></figure></div>



Step 7 &#8211; Select the jar selenium-server-standalone and TestNG and click Open.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/Screenshot2023-01-22023944_a1258f10c6a83f91b79afbc38517ea79_2000.png" alt="Add file" width="300" height="100" /></figure></div>



Note &#8211; This Jar file will help start the Selenium Server.



Step 8 &#8211; Verify if the jar files are added to the Build Path and click on Apply and Close.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/Screenshot2023-01-22024013_07982699209540db48ab65c9939c9f5a_2000.png" alt="Verify the build path" width="600" height="400" /></figure></div>



Note &#8211; Check if the downloaded jar files are under Referenced Libraries 



Step 9&nbsp;– Now, right-click on the src and create a package&nbsp;building-selenium.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/Screenshot2023-01-22024218_142b94ca06f605fa2f8db014eb5b3936_2000.png" alt="Create a Java Package" width="600" height="400" /></figure></div>



As you can see, the building-selenium is created.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/Screenshot2023-01-22030709_86879842d5b86c43fd85c8850ed65615_2000.png" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" width="300" height="300" /></figure></div>



Step 10 &#8211; Next, right-click on the package created. Select New, then Class, to create a Java Class. Now, enter the Java Class name and click Finish.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/Screenshot2023-01-22025809_da59738cc1fbde92f6ff23b551bab208_2000.png" alt="Create a Java Class" width="600" height="400" /></figure></div>



This will create a BuildingSeleniumProject.java file, where you can type your test script.Now that we have configured Selenium, let&#8217;s write a sample test case in Java.



<h2 id="h-sample-selenium-project-using-java">Sample Selenium Project using Java</h2>



The following is a sample Selenium project created using Java in Eclipse,




package building_selenium;
import org.openqa.selenium.By;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
public class BuildingSeleniumProject {
	
	 public static void main(String[] args) {
	
	 // declaration and instantiation of objects/variables
	 System.setProperty(&#8220;webdriver.chrome.driver&#8221;, &#8220;C:\\Users\\Yamini\\Downloads\\chromedriver.exe&#8221;);
	 WebDriver driver=new ChromeDriver();
	
	 // Launch website
	 driver.navigate().to(&#8220;http://www.google.com/&#8221;);
	
	 // Click on the search text box and send value
	 driver.findElement(By.name(&#8220;q&#8221;)).sendKeys(&#8220;Testsigma tool&#8221;);
	
	 // Click on the search button
	 driver.findElement(By.name(&#8220;btnK&#8221;)).submit();
	}
}




Code Explanation



This program, on successful execution, will open Google search, type the search text used in the search bar, and display the result page.



Output



When executed, the above code will open Google on the Chrome browser, automatically type the text &#8220;Testsigma tool&#8221; in the search bar and then display the top search results catering to the search.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/Screenshot2023-01-22194958_e8cb3aaf6fcd14ffe50c7d3023ae4e14_2000.png" alt="Selenium Test Output" width="600" height="400" /></figure></div>



The above step-by-step process will help you to build and configure Selenium projects in Eclipse using Java. However, this will require testers to have coding knowledge as they will have to write test scripts using any programming language supported by Selenium. 



Selenium supports automation testing only for web applications. But if you&#8217;re looking to perform web, mobile app or API testing without needing to program test cases, try out <a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a>. 



Testsigma is a cloud-automation testing platform that lets you write tests using simple English. It is a low-code automation platform that does not require much coding knowledge. So, it can be used by anyone on your team. It is a cloud-based tool, so you don&#8217;t have to install anything to use the software.



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



Building and executing a Selenium project may be a bit complicated, but I hope the above step-by-step instructions will help you build your Selenium projects in no time. 



<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/automated-test-scripts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Automating test scripts</a> using Selenium for your web application makes testing easy. This helps the developers to identify bugs and solve them quickly. However, if you are looking to test web apps, mobile apps or API without writing a single line of code, you should prefer our <a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cloud automation platform &#8211; Testsigma</a>.



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



<h3 id="h-how-to-write-test-scripts-in-selenium">How to Write Test Scripts in Selenium?</h3>



Before you start writing test scripts in Selenium, you need to download the necessary components such as Java, IDE, Drivers, Selenium Jars, and, TestNG required to build the test environment. Once you download and complete the setup process, you can then easily write test scripts in Selenium.



<h3 id="h-which-language-is-best-for-selenium">Which Language is Best for Selenium?</h3>



Java is one of the top programming languages used by testers worldwide. But you can also use other languages like C#, Ruby, JavaScript, and Python. Also, there are a few factors you need to consider when you try to learn a language, like the project requirements and the client&#8217;s preference.



<h3 id="h-is-selenium-testing-easy">Is Selenium Testing Easy?</h3>



Automating testing using Selenium is quite easy, but you need to have prior knowledge of programming languages like Java, Ruby, and Python to write, run, and execute test scripts.

An Easy Way to Build and Execute Selenium Projects

It&#8217;s already 2023, and as we all know, software testing has advanced significantly. But it doesn&#8217;t imply we should ignore the fundamentals or the basics. The &#8220;7 Principles of Software Testing&#8221; are such basics that we should always adhere to. You may have studied these concepts as part of your ISTQB certification training when you started your testing career.



Did you just forget about them after reading the book, as you did with previous theoretical papers? Or do you continue to adhere to or follow these principles in your day-to-day testing activities? We should follow particular processes for testing activities, which may appear more difficult at first, but will save us a lot of time in the long run.



As a quality assurance measure, testing is essential to the software development process. By testing the software, developers can ensure that the product meets the requirements and is free of defects.



There are various types of testing that can be employed, depending on the stage of development. For example, unit testing is conducted on individual components or modules, while integration testing focuses on the interactions between different modules/components. System testing is a comprehensive testing approach that covers the entire system, from end to end.&nbsp;



So, let us go through the principles of Software testing that every software tester should be aware of in-depth, these will be helpful in all stages of testing.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Why_are_Software_Testing_Principles_Important">1 Why are Software Testing Principles Important?</a></li><li><a href="#What_are_the_7_Principles_of_Software_Testing">2 What are the 7 Principles of Software Testing?</a><ul><li><a href="#1_Testing_shows_the_presence_of_defects_not_their_absence">2.1 1. Testing shows the presence of defects (not their absence)</a></li><li><a href="#2_Exhaustive_testing_is_impossible">2.2 2. Exhaustive testing is impossible</a></li><li><a href="#3_Early_testing">2.3 3. Early testing</a></li><li><a href="#4_Defect_Clustering">2.4 4. Defect Clustering</a></li><li><a href="#5_Pesticide_Paradox">2.5 5. Pesticide Paradox</a></li><li><a href="#6_Testing_is_context-dependent">2.6 6. Testing is context-dependent</a></li><li><a href="#7_Absence-of-errors_fallacy">2.7 7. Absence-of-errors fallacy</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Myth_8220Testing_Principles_Arenbspjust_for_Reference_Not_to_be_Used_in_Practice8221nbsp">3 Myth: &#8220;Testing Principles Are&nbsp;just for Reference, Not to be Used in Practice&#8221;&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="#Closing_words">4 Closing words:</a></li><li><a href="#Frequently_Asked_Questions">5 Frequently Asked Questions</a><ul><li><a href="#What_are_the_First_Principles_of_Testing">5.1 What are the First Principles of Testing?</a></li></ul></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="why-are-software-testing-principles-important">Why are Software Testing Principles Important?</h2>



Software testing principles are important for ensuring the quality and reliability of software applications. Here&#8217;s why they matter:



<ol><li>Early Bug Detection: Testing principles detect defects early, preventing them from escalating into larger problems in production.</li><li>Better Software Quality: Adhering to testing standards leads to higher-quality software that fulfills user expectations.</li><li>Risk Mitigation: The testing principles detect and reduce possible risks, improving software security and performance.</li><li>Enhanced client Confidence: Thorough testing increases client trust and pleasure with the software.</li><li>Cost Savings: Testing principles save time and resources by preventing costly rework and problem fixes.</li><li>Compliance and Standards: Testing principles aid in meeting industry and regulatory standards.</li><li>Iterative Development: Adhering to testing principles develops a learning and iterative development culture.</li></ol>



These ideas emphasize the significance of testing principles in producing dependable and high-quality software.



Read here &#8211; <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/principles-of-software-test-automation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Principles of Automation</a>



<h2 id="what-are-the-7-principles-of-software-testing">What are the 7 Principles of Software Testing?</h2>



Below are the 7 fundamental principles :



<ol><li>Testing shows the presence of defects</li><li>Exhaustive testing is impossible</li><li>Early testing</li><li>Defect clustering</li><li>Pesticide paradox</li><li>Testing is context dependent</li><li>Absence-of-errors fallacy</li></ol>



<h3 id="1-testing-shows-the-presence-of-defects-not-their-absence">1. Testing shows the presence of defects (not their absence)</h3>



Who doesn&#8217;t love identifying defects? We&#8217;d all like to. Every product or web application I use will have defects 😀. Primarily, we conduct testing to identify flaws and deviations. We concentrate on the faults and vulnerable modules.



Also, we perform different types of testing to uncover the defects. Once the software has been developed and tested, it is ready for release. However, in some cases, defects may still be present. In these cases, it is important to have a process in place for tracking and resolving defects.



Because there are still a few defects in the system that you were unable to discover for a variety of reasons. That doesn&#8217;t imply we&#8217;re not competent. This issue can be mitigated by updating or revising the scenarios and test data. As a result, we can endeavor to develop day by day.



<h3 id="2-exhaustive-testing-is-impossible">2. Exhaustive testing is impossible</h3>



Exhaustive testing is impossible. You cannot utilize every permutation and combination feasible. That&#8217;s why we have to rely on the heuristics and best practices to guide our testing efforts. We use our business and domain knowledge to <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/test-efficiency/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test efficiently</a>.&nbsp;



There are several reasons why exhaustive testing isn&#8217;t really possible. The first point is that testing anything and everything is impossible. Second, testing everything in a reasonable timeframe is impossible. Third, it is difficult to foresee every single problem. Fourth, it is hard to predict how the test will be performed. Finally, exhaustive testing is impossible to validate.



There is no such thing as a perfect test in software testing. There will always be some edge cases that we get to neglect or sections of the code that are more complex than others. That is why it is critical to employ a range of testing approaches and to always seek new ways to improve our testing process.



No matter how much time and effort we put into it, some bugs will always creep through the gaps. We can only do our best to reduce the number of potential issues and ensure that we have a comprehensive testing methodology to capture as many of them as possible.



<h3 id="3-early-testing">3. Early testing</h3>



Testing is a critical component of software development. Early testing, on the other hand, is critical since it helps developers to detect and correct problems before they become mainstream. Also, this saves a lot of money and effort.&nbsp;



Conducting user testing is one of the greatest methods to uncover problems early on. When a user tests software, they undertake tasks that are essential to them. This enables developers to learn how users interact with the product and assess if the features and design are functioning properly.



User testing may also assist developers to assess whether a proposed feature is feasible. They can evaluate if consumers will find the new feature beneficial and whether it will create any problems by testing it with a group of users.



Early testing is critical for a number of reasons. For instance, it can detect possible problems early on, before they trigger significant problems. Early testing can also assist to enhance the overall quality of the completed product. Finally, early testing can assist to enhance development efficiency by letting developers focus on correcting issues that are discovered early on.



<h3 id="4-defect-clustering">4. Defect Clustering</h3>



Defect clustering refers to the tendency for faults to concentrate in particular areas of code. This might be due to a variety of variables, such as how the code is designed, how the team is organized, or just how the human brain works.



For whatever reason, defect clustering can have a significant impact on your development process. If the majority of your defects are concentrated in one region of code, you&#8217;ll spend most of your time and effort repairing them there.



It is a problem-solving technique that helps identify and resolve defects in products. It is based on the observation that defects are often grouped together in clusters.



As anyone in software development knows, defects are inevitable. But what many people don&#8217;t realize is that defects tend to cluster together. Here&#8217;s what you need to know about defect clustering and how to deal with it effectively.



Have you heard about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pareto Principle</a>?&nbsp;



The Pareto principle states that for many outcomes, roughly 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes (the &#8220;vital few&#8221;). Other names for this principle are the 80/20 rule, the law of the vital few, or the principle of factor sparsity.



Knowing this might be very useful for your testing; if we identify one problem in a certain module/area, there is a good probability we will find many more. Identifying the most complicated components, or regions with the greatest dependencies or change, for example, might help you focus your testing on the most critical risk areas. This should always be the primary consideration when planning future test activities.



<h3 id="5-pesticide-paradox">5. Pesticide Paradox</h3>



The pesticide paradox describes how, while pesticides are intended to kill pests, they frequently have the opposite effect. That is, they have the potential to boost insect populations. This paradox arises because pesticide usage might result in the evolution of insect resistance. When this occurs, insecticides no longer efficiently kill the bugs, allowing the pests to thrive.



Similarly, the same testing technique and test scenarios may not help in the discovery of new defects. As software testers, we must always strive to improve test quality in order to offer a high-quality product. We must also regularly evaluate and examine the Test process, Test cases, Approach, and Test data in order to overcome the Pesticide Paradox. Retrospective meetings can be of greater assistance here.



<h3 id="6-testing-is-context-dependent">6. Testing is context-dependent</h3>



There is no questioning the significance of testing. But understanding when and how to test is much more crucial. There is no right or wrong answer since testing is context-dependent. The idea is to use your best judgment to determine what is appropriate for your individual scenario.



Here are a few things to consider during testing:



1. Do not conduct tests in a vacuum



Make certain that you understand the context in which your code will be utilized. This will assist you in determining what needs to be tested and how to test it.



2. Keep things simple



Try not to test everything all at once. Begin with the fundamentals and progressively add more exams as needed.



3. Be meticulous



Once you&#8217;ve determined what needs to be tested, make sure you test every part of it. Testing for both good and negative results is included.



<h3 id="7-absence-of-errors-fallacy">7. Absence-of-errors fallacy</h3>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://testsigma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Software-testing-process-07.jpg" alt="Zero defects identified ≠ Bug-Free Product
" class="wp-image-25259" width="600" height="400" /><figcaption>Zero defects identified ≠ Bug-Free Product </figcaption></figure></div>



Testing is performed to guarantee that the software/system is fit for purpose and satisfies the users&#8217; expectations. As a result, finding no defects does not indicate that the product meets the quality and expectations of the customers.



Assuming that something will never happen because it has never happened before. The absence-of-errors fallacy can give the illusion of security. Just because something has never happened before does not exclude it. It is a logical fallacy that occurs when it is assumed that something must be true since it has not been proven to be false. This is sometimes seen in arguments when one person argues, as if it were evidence, &#8220;There is no proof that X is true.&#8221;



<h2 id="myth-testing-principles-are-just-for-reference-not-to-be-used-in-practice">Myth: &#8220;Testing Principles Are&nbsp;just for Reference, Not to be Used in Practice&#8221;&nbsp;</h2>



This myth couldn&#8217;t be further from the truth. Testing principles are crucial in creating an effective Test Strategy and crafting robust test cases that catch errors. It&#8217;s like learning to drive for the first time.



When you start learning to drive, you pay attention to every detail: gear shifts, speed control, clutch handling, and more. But as you gain experience, driving becomes second nature. You effortlessly engage in conversations with passengers while seamlessly navigating the road.



Similarly, experienced testers have internalized testing principles to the point of applying them instinctively. They become integral to their testing approach, guiding their decisions without conscious effort. Therefore, the myth that testing principles are not used in practice is unfounded.



Understanding and embracing testing principles empowers testers to deliver high-quality software by leveraging industry best practices. So, let go of this myth and embrace the power of testing principles in your endeavors.



<h2 id="h-closing-words">Closing words:</h2>



Whatever testing you do, these principles will always be a guiding light to you. <a href="https://attentioninsight.com/best-web-analytics-tools/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testing is an important</a> part of the software development process and is essential for ensuring the quality of the final product. Software testing is a discipline, and each tester must be disciplined in order to create a seamless and high-quality product. As a result, the methods and principles differ, and we, as testers must be able to adhere to and follow them.



While testing, as in other professions, sometimes there are tasks that become repetitive. One of the solutions to improve productivity, in such cases, is to implement test automation. Testsigma is a test automation tool that lets you automate your <a href="https://testsigma.com/end-to-end-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">end-to-end test</a> cases for web, mobile, API and desktop applications. It is also available as an open-source and free version.



<button class="btn bg-primary cta-btn" style="margin: auto"><a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:#fff">Get your test automation journey started with Testsigma.</a></button>



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<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/the-unpleasant-phenomenon-in-agile-testing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Unpleasant Phenomenon In Agile Testing</a>



<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/api-testing-basics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">API testing basics for beginners</a>



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



<h3 id="what-are-the-first-principles-of-testing">What are the First Principles of Testing?</h3>



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Agile Testing Certifications: Elevating Your Testing Career

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Uploading a file is a common factor for most scenarios. There are many instances, like uploading a resume for your job portal, uploading your identity proof for your passport, etc. When multiple files need to be uploaded and tested at once, it becomes necessary to ensure that there are no errors to automate the test cases. Why? This avoids human intervention as it’s time-consuming. 



This is where Automation testing comes into the picture. <a href="https://www.selenium.dev/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Selenium</a> is the most popularly used framework to automate the test cases. Through this blog, let’s understand how to upload a file using Selenium.



<div id="toc_container" class="no_bullets">Table Of Contents<ul class="toc_list"><li><a href="#Quick_look_at_Automation_Testing">1 Quick look at Automation Testing</a></li><li><a href="#Introduction_to_Selenium">2 Introduction to Selenium</a><ul><li><a href="#Features_of_Selenium">2.1 Features of Selenium:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#How_to_Upload_a_File_Using_Selenium">3 How to Upload a File Using Selenium</a><ul><li><a href="#Selenium_into_Action">3.1 Selenium into Action</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Test_Script">4 Test Script</a><ul><li><a href="#Explanation">4.1 Explanation:</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Testsigma_to_the_Rescue">5 Testsigma to the Rescue</a><ul><li><a href="#Features_of_Testsigma">5.1 Features of Testsigma</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="#Conclusion">6 Conclusion</a></li></ul></div>
<h2 id="h-quick-look-at-automation-testing">Quick look at Automation Testing</h2>



<a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Automation testing </a>is a type of testing that uses programs and scripts to run test cases. It is a software testing technique in which testers leverage automated software tools for executing test cases. 



Automating the test suite helps in saving time and effort required in performing repetitive and resource-heavy tasks that are difficult to perform manually.



<h2 id="h-introduction-to-selenium">Introduction to Selenium</h2>



<a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/selenium-based-automated-testing/#Selenium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Selenium</a> is a set of libraries and tools that automates web browser actions. It automates the actions carried out on web applications. In simple words, Selenium offers the tools and functionalities to interact with the browser to automate the browser actions, like clicking, inputting, navigating, selecting, etc., with the help of scripts. 



It is open source and freely available. To download and configure, you can refer to the blog on <a href="https://www.selenium.dev/documentation/webdriver/getting_started/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Selenium Tutorial. </a>It offers a range of features that simplify the implementation of Automating Browser Testing. It helps testers perform tests across various browsers efficiently and seamlessly.



<h3 id="h-features-of-selenium">Features of Selenium:</h3>



<ul><li>It is flexible and extensible.</li> <li>It widely supports multiple programming languages, operating systems, browsers, and browser versions.</li> <li>The current stable version of Selenium is Selenium 4. Know more about this through the help of this blog.</li></ul>



Now that you are aware of <a href="https://testsigma.com/automated-testing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Automation testing</a> and Selenium, let’s understand how to upload a file using Selenium.



<h2 id="h-how-to-upload-a-file-using-selenium">How to Upload a File Using Selenium</h2>



There are various methods to upload a file using <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/selenium-based-automated-testing/#Selenium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Selenium</a>. You can use locators, page object models, etc., to upload a file. In this case, let’s use locators and sendkeys method to upload a file. 



Let’s take a scenario where you would like to upload a file to your Google mail account.



 Step 1: Login into your <a href="https://accounts.google.com/v3/signin/identifier?dsh=S1225345330%3A1673409110332214&amp;continue=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2F&amp;rip=1&amp;sacu=1&amp;service=mail&amp;flowName=GlifWebSignIn&amp;flowEntry=ServiceLogin&amp;ifkv=AeAAQh4DjxZLNGSv3-JWm5KIOD6KBQVceZDdzd6ZqzcJhxp1kJeqd_EucKtlxkKoEt0qJMRMEGtugg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gmail</a> account.



Step 2: Click on Compose button to compose an email.



Step 3: Add a recipient 



Step 4: Click the attach button to upload the file as shown in the below screenshot.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/image_79fcf01b3fc61303995593c852d6f0d7_2000.png" alt="file-upload-upload-afile-using-selenium" width="600" height="400"/></figure></div>



These are the manual steps carried out to upload a file.



Now let’s see how Selenium plays a vital role in testing the upload file functionality for a web application.



<h3 id="h-selenium-into-action">Selenium into Action</h3>



Let’s use locators in Selenium to locate the attachment button. In this case, I will be using XPath locator. 



Step 1: Create a driver instance. In this case, I’d use <a href="https://chromedriver.chromium.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ChromeDriver</a>. 



Note: Download the ChromeDriver compatible with your Google Chrome browser version. To configure ChromeDriver, refer to this blog on <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/chromedriver-for-selenium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ChromeDriver for Selenium</a>.



Below command is used to create a Google Chrome browser instance.



<styled-code>
ebdriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
</styled-code>



Step 2: Navigate to the Gmail account. Using the driver object, we will assign the path to 



Gmail.driver.get(”<a href="https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin/identifier?service=mail&amp;passive=1209600&amp;osid=1&amp;continue=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2Fu%2F0%2F&amp;followup=https%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2Fu%2F0%2F&amp;emr=1&amp;ifkv=AeAAQh67qi67hERgy55hxwzyPbJokf2lAcZ8FsAKJ6EZ4ZMZmtgAMpzA4Y81SUo67izHbxBUdmqznw&amp;flowName=GlifWebSignIn&amp;flowEntry=ServiceLogin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.gmail.com</a>”)



Step 3: Enter your credentials and login to your Gmail account. In this case, let’s use the id and name locators to locate the username and password. Here I am using Sendkeys method to send the values to the respective email and password field.



<styled-code>
Web element username = 
driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;identifierId”).sendkeys(”your_username”);
</styled-code>



<styled-code>
Web element password = 
driver.findElement(By.password(&#8220;Passwd”).sendkeys(”your_password”);
</styled-code>



Step 4: Now let’s click on the Compose email field. In this case, let’s use XPath locator to locate the Compose button. Here we use the click action to click on the button.



Note: The value for the XPath locator can be fetched by inspecting the specific web element on the web page. In this case, we are using Relative XPath. The value is shown below for the Compose button.



Learn the fundamentals of XPath locator by referring to <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/xpath-locators-cheat-sheet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this cheatsheet</a>.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://images.storychief.com/account_36412/image_d31761c9da0437d745a51269301f6131_2000.png" alt="Testsigma - Test automation platform" width="400" height="400"/></figure></div>



 



<styled-code>
Web element compose= 
driver.findElement(By.xpath(&#8220;//div[contains(text(),&#8217;Compose&#8217;)]”).click();
</styled-code>



Step 5: As a next step, we need to upload the file. Let’s write the <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/xpath-locators-cheat-sheet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Relative Xpath locator</a> for attachment button. Here also click action is used to click on the attachment button to attach the file.



<styled-code>
Web element compose= 
driver.findElement(By.xpath(”//div[@id=&#8217;:1dp&#8217;]”).click();
</styled-code>



Step 6: Let’s use the add file method to add the file.



addFile.sendKeys(&#8220;&lt;FILE_PATH>&#8221;);// FILE_PATH is the path to the file you want to upload



driver.findElement(By.linkText(&#8220;Upload a file&#8221;)).click(); // We are assuming that there is a link with text “Upload a file”, that will initiate the file upload.



Step 7: Next step is to verify if the file is uploaded. Refer to the below script to verify. The XPath locator value might differ. So it is better to inspect the uploaded file and then write the relative XPath for the same.



<styled-code>
if(driver.findElement(By.xpath(&#8220;//div[@id=&#8217;:1md&#8217;]&#8221;)).isDisplayed()) {
assertTrue(true, &#8220;File is Uploaded&#8221;);
}else {
assertTrue(false, &#8220;File not Uploaded&#8221;);
}
}
</styled-code>



<h2 id="h-test-script">Test Script</h2>



<styled-code>
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
import org.openqa.selenium.By;
import org.openqa.selenium.WebElement;
import org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver;
import org.openqa.selenium.remote.RemoteWebDriver;
import org.testng.annotations.AfterClass;
import org.testng.annotations.BeforeClass;
import org.testng.annotations.Test;
public class fileupload {
private RemoteWebDriver driver;
@BeforeClass
public void setUp() throws Exception {
System.setProperty(&#8220;webdriver.chrome.driver&#8221;, &#8220;Path of the chrome driver&#8221;);
Webdriver driver = new ChromeDriver();
driver.manage().timeouts().implicitlyWait(20, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
}
@Test
Web element username = driver.findElement(By.id(&#8220;identifierId”).sendkeys(”your_username”);
Web element password = driver.findElement(By.password(&#8220;Passwd”).sendkeys(”your_password”);
Web element signin = driver.findElement(By.linkText(&#8220;Next”).click();
Web element compose= driver.findElement(By.xpath(&#8220;//body/div[7]/div[3]/div[1]/div[2]/div[2]/div[1]/div[1]/div[1]/div[1]”).click();
// Add file method 
addFile.sendKeys(&#8220;Add Path to the file&#8221;);// For uploading the file
driver.findElement(By.linkText(&#8220;Upload a file&#8221;)).click(); // You need to mention your own locator as it will vary due to dynamic in nature.
driver.findElement(By.linkText(&#8220;Set new profile picture&#8221;)).click();
Thread.sleep(2000);// Image name can be of your choice
if(driver.findElement(By.xpath(&#8220;//div[@id=&#8217;:1md&#8217;]&#8221;)).isDisplayed()) {
assertTrue(true, &#8220;File is Uploaded&#8221;);
}else {
assertTrue(false, &#8220;File not Uploaded&#8221;);
}
}
@AfterClass
public void tearDown() throws Exception {
driver.quit();
}
}
</styled-code>



<h3 id="h-explanation">Explanation:</h3>



In the above program, we have used TestNG annotations for Before Test, @Test and After test. In the before test method, we are setting up the system properties of the ChromeDriver and launching the WebDriver instance to instantiate the browser. Next, we will navigate to the Gmail account.



As a next step, we will use locators to locate the web elements on the web page and upload a file. 



The last step is to verify if the file has been uploaded. In this case, I am using assert function to display true and false. Finally, use driver.quit() command to quit the driver instance.



This is how we need to write the script for uploading a file using Selenium. As demonstrated above, uploading a file with Selenium is a relatively easy process. 



But, as it is a user action, it needs to be tested frequently to make sure that the website offers a flawless user experience. 



Let’s now understand how Testsigma eases the process of writing such a test case and how it is helpful to make the task of a test engineer easy.



<h2 id="h-testsigma-to-the-rescue"><a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a> to the Rescue</h2>



There are already widely used tools and frameworks in the industry, such as Selenium. They also provide vivid features that aid in the performance of Automated testing. To make the best use of these frameworks, a user with a strong understanding of programming is required. 



Finding and keeping good resources is a major challenge for most businesses today. Another cost in the recent trends is training resources needed to perform automated testing using these frameworks. This highlights the need for a tool that is highly simplified and does not require a high level of technical knowledge to use. This is where Testsigma comes into the picture.



<h3 id="h-features-of-testsigma">Features of Testsigma</h3>



Testsigma is a cloud-based platform for unified test automation. It simplifies and accelerates automated testing for web applications, mobile applications, and APIs. Even someone with no or limited coding skills can easily learn how to use this platform. 



This is basically a codeless platform for you to execute the test cases with ease. Automated test suites can be created quickly and with minimal technical overhead. 



How does Testsigma assist you in accomplishing this?



<ul><li>It employs simple English commands supported by an NLP (Natural Language Processing) engine, allowing the user to create test cases in minutes. Most of the teams with limited coding knowledge can achieve sprint test automation with minimal effort using NLP and integrated API testing capabilities.</li> <li>Maintaining multiple servers, operating systems, and mobile devices is no longer a problem with Testsigma. This is because Testsigma offers a cloud version too where all of this available on the cloud.</li> <li>End-to-end tests for web, mobile apps, and APIs can be built 5 times faster with English scripts that self-heal, allowing for maintenance-free testing.</li> <li>Parallel tests can be run on multiple operating systems, browsers, and browser versions. Testsigma provides access to over 200 Android and iOS operating systems for testing.</li> <li>With a few clicks, you can <a href="https://testsigma.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sign up for our Cloud-hosted platform.</a> Testsigma cloud requires no setup and can easily integrate many features supported by the automated testing process. Refer to this <a href="https://testsigma.com/docs/getting-started/setup/overview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">documentation on Testsigma</a> for more details.</li> <li>Testsigma is not a record and playback tool. It has all the flexibility of an enterprise-class test automation tool/framework, yet the simplest to write automated test scripts.</li> <li>Testsigma’s community-powered marketplace provides <a href="https://testsigma.com/addons" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">add-ons</a> for automated actions and data generators that can be accessed instantly or customized to match your use case.</li></ul>



Know the similarities and differences between Selenium and Testsigma with the help of the blog on <a href="https://testsigma.com/blog/selenium-vs-testsigma-which-is-the-best-automation-testing-tool/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Selenium vs Testsigma.</a> This blog also helps you understand how Testsigma is a better test automation tool with many advanced features employed.



With this, we come to the end of this article on How to Upload a file in Selenium.



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



In the modern era, customers have minimal tolerance for a bad user experience. Gone are those days when customers would entertain multiple iterations and changes to the software. Therefore, delivering top notch quality software which meets the users’ expectations and caters to their timelines is highly essential. This basically leads to short release cycles, and the testing approach needs to be effective and with wide coverage of test cases.



With raging competition and ever-changing requirements of the end users, it is necessary that organizations deliver high-quality software at the earliest. Using test automation at the right place at the right time can really help improve the quality while also keeping the testing cycle time to a minimum.



<a href="https://testsigma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testsigma</a> is a fully-managed test automation platform that provides enhanced security, a large test lab, review management, and powerful reporting capabilities, among other things. You should consider using Testsigma to ensure a smooth and comprehensive testing process, particularly for automation of your web, mobile, desktop, and API testing.

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