Selenium WebDriver is a widely used web testing framework that allows developers to automate web browsers. It provides a simple and intuitive API for performing browser automation tasks such as clicking links, filling out forms, and submitting data. In this blog post, we will explore the architecture of Selenium WebDriver and how it works under the hood. If you want to learn more about Selenium, you might be interested in Selenium Training in Hyderabad.
WebDriver Architecture
The architecture of Selenium WebDriver comprises three main components:
- Selenium WebDriver API
- Browser Drivers
- Browser-specific Browser Drivers
Let’s take a closer look at each of these components.
1. Selenium WebDriver API
The Selenium WebDriver API is the primary programming interface for browser interaction. It provides methods and classes for automating browser actions such as clicking links, filling out forms, and navigating different pages.
The API is implemented in programming languages like Java, Python, C#, Ruby, and JavaScript. This allows developers to choose the most comfortable language when writing test scripts.
2. Browser Drivers
Browser Drivers are small executables that provide a communication bridge between the Selenium WebDriver API and the browser. They are responsible for controlling the browser and sending commands to it.
Selenium WebDriver supports browser drivers such as Chrome Driver, Gecko Driver, and Edge Driver. Each browser driver is specific to a browser and platform such as Windows, macOS, or Linux. If you want to learn more about Selenium and its applications, consider enrolling in a Selenium Course in Kochi.
3. Browser-specific Browser Drivers
Browser-specific Browser Drivers are additional executables that are required for specific browsers. For example, Chrome Driver is required for Chrome, Gecko Driver is required for Firefox, and Edge Driver is required for Microsoft Edge.
These browser-specific drivers provide additional functionality that is specific to the browser. For example, Chrome Driver supports Chrome-specific features such as Chrome Options and Chrome Dev Tools. Similarly, Gecko Driver provides support for Firefox-specific features such as Firefox Profile and Firefox Options.
How Selenium WebDriver Works
When a test script is executed, the Selenium WebDriver API sends commands to the browser driver, which sends the commands to the browser. The browser then executes the commands and returns the result to the driver, which returns the result to the API.
API, driver, and browser communication happens over a JSON Wire Protocol wire protocol. This protocol uses HTTP requests and responses to communicate between the different components.
It supports different locators for finding elements on a web page, such as ID, Name, Class Name, Tag Name, Link Text, and Partial Link Text. Once an element is located, the API can click, fill out forms, and submit data.
Selenium WebDriver is a robust web testing framework that allows developers to automate browser actions. Its architecture comprises three main components. The Selenium WebDriver API, Browser Drivers, and Browser-specific Browser Drivers. Developers can write more efficient and effective test scripts by understanding how these components work together. If you are looking to learn Selenium WebDriver, you may consider taking a Selenium Course in Coimbatore.