Introduction
As technology evolves, software testers and developers must stay up-to-date with the latest tools and techniques. Web application testing has greatly benefited from the adoption of Selenium, the most popular open-source framework for automated testing. Many new features and enhancements have been made in Selenium 4, that will help to increase the efficiency of test automation.
We will explore Selenium 3 vs Selenium 4 differences in-depth in this article, highlighting the innovations and improvements that have been made. We will examine the enhanced functions, enhanced features, and their overall effects on the automation testing process.
Table of Content
- What is Selenium Automation Testing
- Architecture of Selenium 3 vs Selenium 4
- Selenium 3 vs Selenium 4: Core Differences
- Comparison Table: Selenium vs Selenium 4
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is Selenium Automation Testing?
Selenium Automation Testing is a popular software testing framework used for automating web applications. It enables testers to create test scripts that run on several platforms and browsers in a variety of computer languages, including Java, C#, Python, and Ruby. Testers can validate the functioning and behavior of online applications by simulating user interactions with Selenium, such as clicking buttons, typing text, and navigating across various web sites.
The ability of Selenium Automation Testing to run test scripts across a variety of browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer, is one of its main features. This guarantees a seamless user experience by having the web application act uniformly across various browsers. Also, it offers parallel execution, which cuts down on testing time by enabling testers to run several test cases at once. Selenium Automation Testing has become a vital tool in the software testing industry due to its reliable and adaptable design, which enables businesses to produce accurate and high-quality online applications quickly.
Architecture of Selenium 3 vs Selenium 4
Let's have a look at Selenium 3 and Selenium 4 architecture that unveils advancements that enhance test automation efficiency and compatibility.
Selenium 3 Architecture:
This architecture is based on a client-server model. Here's a breakdown:
1. WebDriver API: Selenium 3 is based on the WebDriver API. It works directly with the web browser and offers a platform-independent interface for automating them. Compared to Selenium RC, its programming interface is intended to be clearer and more basic.
2. Browser Drivers: To work with various web browsers, Selenium 3 uses drivers that are specific to each of them. These drivers serve as a bridge between the automated browser and the WebDriver API. A separate driver is needed for each (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.) for WebDriver to be able to control its behavior.
3. JSON Wire Protocol: The JSON Wire Protocol is used by Selenium 3 to facilitate communication between the WebDriver server and client libraries (such as Java and Python). Through the definition of a standardized data exchange mechanism, this protocol enables smooth communication across various browser implementations and programming languages.
4. Selenium Server: The Selenium Server serves as a go-between for the client library and the drivers in Selenium 3. It allows communication between the client and the WebDriver instances that are running on several computers, and it maintains multiple browser sessions.
Selenium 4 Architecture:
Selenium 3 architecture revolves around a distributed testing framework with a client-server model. Here's a detailed overview:
1. WebDriver API: It provides a standardized interface for automating web browsers and is the central component of Selenium 3. With the help of this API, users can act, interact with web elements, and programmatically extract data from online pages. WebDriver makes test automation easier by offering a consistent set of commands that work with various browsers.
2. Browser-Specific Drivers: To facilitate communication between the WebDriver API and different web browsers, Selenium 3 makes use of browser-specific drivers. These drivers act as go-betweens, converting orders from WebDriver into actions. For example, to ensure cross-browser compatibility, distinct drivers exist for popular browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and others.
3. JSON Wire Protocol: To facilitate communication between client libraries and WebDriver servers, Selenium 3 makes use of the JSON Wire Protocol. The standardized data interchange made possible by this protocol enables smooth communication across various implementations and programming languages. To provide consistency and interoperability, it defines a set of HTTP endpoints for sending instructions and receiving responses.
4. Selenium Server: The core of the Selenium 3 architecture, the Selenium Server facilitates communication between the WebDriver instances and the client libraries by controlling browser sessions. It offers a central location for distributing test execution among several computers and web browsers, facilitating scalability and parallel testing. The testing requirements can determine whether to deploy the Selenium Server locally or remotely.
5. Remote WebDriver: Selenium 3 supports remote WebDriver instances, allowing tests to be executed on remote machines or devices. When conducting tests across many environments and setups, this functionality is especially helpful in dispersed testing scenarios. Teams may do cross-platform testing and effectively utilize resources by using Remote WebDriver, which eliminates the need for physical access to every target device.
6. Selenium Grid: A scalable solution for concurrent test execution across various nodes and environments, Selenium 3 interacts effortlessly with Selenium Grid. With Selenium Grid, users may configure a grid of WebDriver servers, each of which can perform tests on several operating systems and browsers simultaneously. This distributed architecture is perfect for large-scale automation projects since it speeds up execution and improves testing efficiency.
Selenium 3 vs Selenium 4: Core Differences
Comparing Selenium 3 vs 4, there are several enhancements and new features. The following are the main variations between the two versions:
1. Chrome Driver
The Chrome Driver extension will be the main difference between Selenium 3 and 4. In Selenium 3, the Chrome Driver is extended to the Remote Web Driver. However, Chrome Driver is an extension of the Chrome Driver Class in Selenium 4.
2. Communication Mode Between Client and Server
As seen from the design of Selenium 3 and 4, Selenium 3 features a JSON Wire Protocol that allows data to be exchanged between the client and the server.
On the other hand, since Selenium 4 uses the WebDriver W3C protocol to establish communication between the client and server, JSON Wire Protocol is not needed in this scenario.
3. Selenium Grid: From Selenium 3 to 4
Version 4 of Selenium Grid features a redesign focused on scalability and user-friendliness. It may now be used more successfully for distributed testing, enabling the simultaneous execution of tests across many environments and browsers, and it provides enhanced load balancing.
Apart from this, it facilitates easier configuration, improved logging, and Docker containers. Improved capabilities to execute tests in parallel across various settings and configurations, increasing the efficiency and speed of test execution.
4. Start of Node and Hub Bars
To perform automation testing in Selenium 3, testers must always launch the Hub and Node jars. It can get challenging at times for the testers. With Selenium 4, testers can eliminate these kinds of issues because automation testing can be carried out without launching the Hub or Jar.
5. Backward Compatibility and Transition
Because Selenium 4 maintains backward compatibility with Selenium 3, customers can upgrade without having to make major adjustments to their current test scripts. To encourage users to embrace newer, more effective techniques, Selenium 4 deprecates several outdated features and methods from Selenium 3.
Comparison Table: Selenium 4 vs Selenium 3
Conclusion
The upgrade from Selenium 3 to 4 represents a major advancement in online automation testing. Selenium 4 delivers better cross-platform compatibility and performance with the adoption of the W3C WebDriver standard, doing away with the requirement for intermediate servers. Testers now have more powerful and user-friendly tools thanks to improved features including relative locators, integration with Chrome DevTools Protocol, and improved window and tab management.
Also, version 4's seamless backward compatibility guarantees an easy upgrade path, enabling users of pious updates to take advantage of the new features without experiencing significant disruptions to their test scripts. The updated version Grid improves parallel testing capabilities and facilitates scaling and management of tests in various contexts.
With the latest version, the framework has been updated to provide testers and developers with a more streamlined, reliable, and intuitive experience. Selenium 4's innovations make it an appealing option for staying ahead in the rapidly changing web automation landscape, regardless of whether you are launching brand-new automation projects or modernizing old ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main differences between Selenium 3 and Selenium 4?
The adoption of the W3C WebDriver standard, enhanced browser driver support, integration with the Chrome DevTools Protocol, relative locators, improved window and tab management, and an updated Selenium Grid for more effective parallel testing are just a few of the improvements that come with Selenium 4 over its predecessor.
Why is the W3C WebDriver standard important in Selenium 4?
By offering a standardized method of interacting with web browsers, the W3C WebDriver standard guarantees improved compatibility and performance across many browsers. As a result, Selenium 3's reliance on the JSON Wire Protocol is lessened, resulting in more reliable and consistent performance across different browser implementations.
How does Selenium 4 improve browser support compared to Selenium 3?
For Chromium-based browsers such as the recently released Microsoft Edge, Selenium 4 provides native support for browser drivers that are more reliable and effective. Better performance, additional functionality, and more compatibility with contemporary web technologies are all provided by these improvements.
What are relative locators, and how do they improve testing in Selenium 4?
With their introduction in Selenium 4, relative locators have made it possible for users to locate elements according to their relative positions (e.g., above, below, to the left of, to the right of). This feature makes element positioning techniques simpler, which improves the readability and maintainability of test scripts.
Should I upgrade to Selenium 4 if I am currently using Selenium 3?
As Selenium 4 has so many new features, it is strongly advised that you update. Selenium 4 is a useful update for both new and old automation projects because it offers greater browser support, more robust features, and more effective testing infrastructure—all while preserving backward compatibility.
What types of applications can you test using Selenium?
We can test a wide range of web applications using Selenium, including eCommerce platforms, content management systems, enterprise applications, and custom-built websites. Selenium supports all major browsers, ensuring comprehensive cross-browser testing.
Do you provide customized test automation frameworks?
Absolutely. We develop customized test automation frameworks tailored to your specific needs and requirements. Our frameworks are designed to be scalable, maintainable, and easy to use, helping you achieve efficient and effective test automation.