What Are the Top Selenium WebDriver Commands?

Introduction

Automation testing has become a crucial part of modern software development. According to a report by MarketsandMarkets, the global automation testing market size is expected to grow from $20.7 billion in 2021 to $49.9 billion by 2026. A significant player in this space is Selenium an open-source framework that enables developers and testers to automate web applications effortlessly.

If you're considering enrolling in a Selenium certification course or an online Selenium course, you’ve probably encountered the term "WebDriver commands." These commands form the backbone of Selenium automation testing, allowing you to interact with web elements, manage browser actions, and validate test outcomes.

In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into the top Selenium WebDriver commands you need to master, complete with examples, practical applications, and tips to help you ace any Selenium training online.

What Is Selenium WebDriver?

Selenium WebDriver is a collection of open-source APIs that automate browser actions. It supports various programming languages, including Java, C#, Python, and JavaScript. WebDriver controls browsers natively, making your automation scripts more reliable and faster.

Key Features:

• Cross-browser compatibility

• Multiple programming language support

• Open-source and widely supported

• Integration with popular frameworks like TestNG and JUnit

If you're serious about pursuing automation certification online, mastering Selenium WebDriver commands is non-negotiable.

Categories of Selenium WebDriver Commands

To organize your learning effectively, let’s classify WebDriver commands into five primary categories:

1. Browser Commands

2. Navigation Commands

3. Web Element Commands

4. Wait Commands

5. Keyboard and Mouse Interaction Commands

We’ll explore each category with practical examples.

Top Selenium WebDriver Commands You Must Know

1. Browser Commands

Browser commands allow testers to interact with the browser itself. Here are the most essential ones:

• get(String URL)

• Opens a web page.

• driver.get("https://www.example.com");

• getCurrentUrl()

• Retrieves the current URL.

• String url = driver.getCurrentUrl();

• getTitle()

• Fetches the page title.

• String title = driver.getTitle();

• close()

• Closes the current browser window.

• driver.close();

• quit()

• Shuts down all browser windows opened by WebDriver.

• driver.quit();

Pro Tip: Use quit() instead of close() when dealing with multiple windows to avoid leaving processes hanging.

2. Navigation Commands

Navigation commands help manage browser history and page transitions.

• navigate().to(String URL)

• Loads a new web page.

• driver.navigate().to("https://www.example.com");

• navigate().back()

• Simulates clicking the browser's Back button.

• driver.navigate().back();

• navigate().forward()

• Moves forward in browser history.

• driver.navigate().forward();

• navigate().refresh()

• Refreshes the current page.

• driver.navigate().refresh();

3. Web Element Commands

These commands, which you can learn in an Online Selenium course, enable interaction with individual web elements such as text boxes, buttons, and links.

• findElement(By locator)

• Locates a single web element.

• WebElement searchBox = driver.findElement(By.name("q"));

• findElements(By locator)

• Finds multiple elements.

• List<WebElement> links = driver.findElements(By.tagName("a"));

• sendKeys(CharSequence... keysToSend)

• Types text into an input field.

• searchBox.sendKeys("Selenium certification course");

• click()

• Clicks a button or link.

• driver.findElement(By.id("submit")).click();

• getText()

• Retrieves inner text from an element.

• String text = driver.findElement(By.id("message")).getText();

• getAttribute(String attributeName)

• Fetches the value of a specified attribute.

• String value = driver.findElement(By.id("email")).getAttribute("value");

4. Wait Commands

Handling dynamic content is one of the trickiest parts of web automation. Selenium offers two main types of waits:

• Implicit Wait

• Applies a universal wait time for the entire script.

• driver.manage().timeouts().implicitlyWait(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS);

• Explicit Wait

• Waits for a specific condition to occur before proceeding.

WebDriverWait wait = new WebDriverWait(driver, 10);

WebElement element = wait.until(ExpectedConditions.visibilityOfElementLocated(By.id("username")));

Case Study: A fintech company reduced test failures by 40% after integrating Explicit Waits into their Selenium framework.

5. Keyboard and Mouse Interaction Commands

Advanced interactions like hovering, dragging, and keyboard actions can be managed using the Actions class.

• Actions actions = new Actions(driver);

• moveToElement(WebElement element)

• Hovers over an element.

• actions.moveToElement(driver.findElement(By.id("menu"))).perform();

• dragAndDrop(WebElement source, WebElement target)

• Drags an element from one location to another.

WebElement source = driver.findElement(By.id("source"));

WebElement target = driver.findElement(By.id("target"));

actions.dragAndDrop(source, target).perform();

• sendKeys(CharSequence keys)

• Sends keyboard inputs.

• actions.sendKeys(Keys.ENTER).perform();

Practical Tutorial: Automating a Login Process

Let’s automate a simple login process using the commands we've learned.

Scenario: Automating login on a demo website.

WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver();

driver.get("https://example.com/login");

WebElement username = driver.findElement(By.id("username"));

WebElement password = driver.findElement(By.id("password"));

WebElement loginButton = driver.findElement(By.id("loginButton"));

username.sendKeys("testUser");

password.sendKeys("testPass");

loginButton.click();

driver.quit();

Hands-On Tip: Try replacing hard-coded credentials with data-driven inputs for advanced testing.

Benefits of Learning Selenium WebDriver Commands

Enrolling in a Selenium certification course or an online Selenium course has multiple benefits:

• High Salary Potential: Glassdoor reports that Selenium testers can earn up to $110,000 annually.

• Versatile Skillset: Works with Java, Python, C#, and JavaScript.

• Global Demand: Selenium remains a preferred tool for companies worldwide.

• Foundation for Advanced Tools: Skills in Selenium open doors to tools like Appium and Katalon Studio.

Key Takeaways

• Selenium WebDriver commands are essential for automation testing.

• Commands are categorized into Browser, Navigation, Web Element, Wait, and Interaction commands.

• Real-world examples improve practical understanding.

• A Selenium certification course or online Selenium course enhances career opportunities.

Conclusion

Mastering Selenium WebDriver commands is your first step toward becoming an automation expert. Enroll in a Selenium certification course or opt for Selenium training online to build job-ready skills. Start practicing these commands today and lead the future of automation testing!