How to perform UI Testing with Selenium

On This Page How does Selenium UI Testing work?May 23, 2026 · 5 min read · Tool Comparison

How to perform UI Testing with Selenium

User Interface (UI) testing formalize the visual and interactive aspects of web applications. Selenium is often the go-to creature for automating UI tests across browsers. Selenium is an open-source automation try puppet that supports a bit of script languages such as Java, Perl, C #, Ruby, JavaScript, etc. It offer testers the flexibility to choose the book language, bet on the application under examination.

Overview

What is UI Testing?

  • Focuses on the front-end: UI components, layout, reactivity, visual correctness.
  • Proper UI quiz ensures that functionality and exploiter flows match expectations.

Key Features of UI Testing Using Selenium

  • Cross-browser testing to ensure ecumenical compatibility.
  • Testing user workflows: clicks, stimulant, form submission.
  • Verifying layout and responsive behavior.

Best Practices in UI Testing

  • Avoid dynamical locators, use stable selectors.
  • Use explicit waits/synchronization alternatively of sleep.
  • Take screenshots or videos to help in debugging.

This clause will explain how to use Selenium for effective UI testing, including best practices and consideration.

How perform Selenium UI Testing work?

Selenium 3 works through a Client-Server Design via JSON Wire protocol where the Selenium Client Library interacts with browsers through Browser Drivers. This Selenium Client Library offers multi-language support, which permit the tester to choose the script for writing test cases.


Selenium Webdriver Architecture

Selenium automates web browser Interaction, where trial scripts are written to do different user actions on the web coating UI. This makes Selenium apt for UI Testing along with since it can perform the same tests on different browser and browser versions.

Also Read:

How to set up Selenium for UI tests

Before exploring how to write Selenium UI tests, let ’ s understand how to set up Selenium. First of all, the prerequisites mentioned below have to be met.

Prerequisites for Selenium

  • Install NodeJS
    To check if the NodeJS and npm are aright instal, enter the following command:
    $ node -v
    $ npm -v
  • Install Eclipse IDE
  • Install Selenium ServerUtility using npm, by entering the following command:
    npm install -g selenium-standalone
  • Update Selenium Standalone Server and Browser Drivers to the late version, by entering the following command:
    selenium-standalone install
  • Run Selenium Standalone Server and the browser before running the test script by enrol the following command:
    selenium-standalone start
  • Install Selenium WebDriver and Client Language Bindings

For a elaborated demonstration of how to run a Selenium test, go through this.

How to write a trial playscript for Selenium UI Testing

For autonomous testing across multiple user personas, check out SUSATest — it explores your app like 10 different real users.

Let ’ s write the first tryout book using JavaScript. The codification will navigate to, and fetch its title on the console using the promise function.

var webdriver = require (‘ selenium-webdriver ’); var name = new webdriver.Builder (). withCapabilities (webdriver.Capabilities.firefox ()) .build (); name.get (‘ https: //www.browserstack.com ’); var promise = browser_name.getTitle (); promise.then (function (title) {console.log (rubric);}); browser.quit ();

Also read:


How to locate UI elements in Selenium UI Testing

To do Selenium UI Testing, it is indispensable to discover specific UI factor using locators in order to execute actions on them. Once Selenium WebDriver is initialize and the loaded webpage has to be tested, the locater let the tester to select an HTML DOM (Document Object Model) element on the web application to do actions using the test handwriting.

Types of locator:

  1. ID
  2. Name
  3. ClassName
  4. TagName
  5. Link Text
  6. Fond Link Text

Using the different locator scheme note above, the tester can use findElement to locate a individual unique component or findElements to locate multiple matching elements on the web page under test.


Did you know:


  • Find Element by ID and click it

Continuing the above scenario, the code will navigate to www.browserstack.com and click on theCostless Trialbutton on the webpage.

Finding the ID of the Free Trial Button

var webdriver = require (‘ selenium-webdriver ’); var browser_name = new webdriver.Builder (); withCapabilities (webdriver.Capabilities.firefox ()) .build (); browser.get (‘ https: //www.browserstack.com ’); driver.findElement (By.id (`` free-trial-link-anchor '')) .click ();

Similarly, other Locator strategies can be used to find element (s) for Selenium UI Testing.


Read more:


Best Practices for Selenium UI Testing

Here are some of the best practices for Selenium UI Testing to be postdate for better results:

Use the appropriate locater strategy: As the performs by interacting with the browser ingredient, it is essential to use the right locator strategy for better navigation of UI elements using DOM.

1. Avoid Thread.sleep ():at times due to the JS UI elements, which take some clip to load, and could not be located now upon reload or refresh of the web page.

is not a great option, peculiarly for active elements. This is because the examiner has to put in a specific delay clip in progress. When Thread.sleep () is use, the code will pause for the specified period of time, no matter what. This may get flaky tests, and causes an unneeded postponement in trial execution time.

Use instead.

While for each UI element a different Thread.sleep () command has to be written, Implicit expect acts globally, and a single Implicit waiting act for different UI elements declared below the wait. This makes Implicit wait a better option than Thread.sleep () for script effective codification.

Use Explicit Wait for dynamic Ajax UI constituent, as the system pause until the element loads completely. It can be almost effectively used when elements occupy a longer clip to load, or in case of timeouts to get exact test results without wasting resources.

2. Use PageObjects:For enhancing the overall maintenance of the test suite and reduce redundancy, use. By defining the webpage as classes, and the elements on them as variable, user interaction is enforce in the signifier of method to reduce duplication in the test hand, improving the overall efficiency.

3. Choose the rightfield selector order:For faster testing, choosing the right chooser order is important. This optimizes the tests for best results. The correct selector order isXPath & lt; CSS & lt; Links Text & lt; Name & lt; ID.

4. Take Screenshots or Video record in event of a failed test: Screenshots and Video Recordings help in debugging when a test event fails and testify unexpected deportment. They help name just where in the test script, anomaly appear and get the test to fail.


Recommended Read:


5. Integrate to run tests from CI/CD grapevine:Selenium can easily integrate with popular such as, Circle CI, Bamboo CI, and many more to support Automated UI screen with. Doing so create go exam quicker, easier, and more efficient.

BrowserStack ply with the industry ’ s most trusted

All Selenium tests must be run on real browsers and device for accurate result. Start running tests on 2000+ existent browser and device on BrowserStack ’ s. Run on its to get fast result without compromising on accuracy. Detect the bugs and volunteer a high-end UX/UI to the users by machine-driven screen in with BrowserStack Automate.

Try BrowserStack for Free

Tags
45,000+ Views

# Ask-and-Contributeabout this topic with our Discord community.

Related Guides

Automate This With SUSA

Upload your APK or URL. SUSA explores like 10 real users — finds bugs, accessibility violations, and security issues. No scripts needed.

Try SUSA Free

Test Your App Autonomously

Upload your APK or URL. SUSA explores like 10 real users — finds bugs, accessibility violations, and security issues. No scripts.

Try SUSA Free