The modern application testing process is very complex, involving multiple test instances directed at testing various aspects of the application. For example, while testing an app, the testers have first to try to test the individual functioning and then follow it with the verification of the combined infrastructure.
So, it is one of the standard processes that, after the execution testing process, the system might detect some critical errors in the core infrastructure of the application. Selenium is a commonly used option for initiating automation testing on web-based applications.
Considering the importance of the testing cycle, we will discuss the various debugging options for Selenium automation testing through this article.
We will also understand how the application developers can use these features to boost the productivity of their application testing cycle massively.
Understanding Selenium and the General Idea of Automation Testing
As mentioned, automation testing is the most effective solution for testing modern applications. That’s because while using this process, developers do not have to rely on manual testers for executing the test cases. Instead, the system will use a text file to supply pre-determined parameters for analyzing the application’s performance based on human interaction emulations. As per the requirements of the app project, the testers can also make significant changes in the text file to ensure the accuracy of the test reports.
By implementing advanced automation testing, the app developers can benefit the testing cycle in the following ways.
- It is possible to complete thousands of test cases within a few days using automation testing. That is because it uses the concept of parallel test execution to initiate multiple test instances on different configurations, machines, and device combinations at the same time.
- Automated Testing generates highly accurate test reports as it does not consist of errors that can arise due to human involvement. It also has a critical role in improving the efficiency of the test cases as it can run the test instances 24 hours round the clock, which is beyond human abilities.
- With the implementation of automation testing, the company can save a lot of time and resources in the long run. This is because they can eliminate the expenses and hassle of maintaining a manual testing team.
- Despite all these advantages of automation testing, the new testers must be aware that test automation comes with an initially high investment. This is because, during the initial years, the company will incur many expenses for integrating tools, plugins, and libraries critical for proper automation test cases.
Coming to Selenium we can define it as a modern umbrella project that consists of different tools for initiating test automation on web-based apps. All the tools in the Selenium suite have a unique role at a certain instance of the test execution process. Selenium is also very simple and easy to adopt as the core infrastructure of this tool works on the JavaScript programming language.
By integrating Selenium, the app developers can use the component tools in the following instances of the test case execution process:
- During the initiation of codeless automation testing, the app developers can refer to the Selenium Integrated Development Environment. This intelligent tool can analyze the user interactions on the web application and automatically generate test cases in real time.
- In some instances, the testing system requires the developers to create the automation test cases manually. The application testers can implement the Selenium Client API. Using this tool, it is possible to choose any of the preferred programming languages, which include Python, JavaScript, and Ruby, for the test case creation process. This tool also has a crucial role in simplifying the process of importing these test cases in the native environment of Selenium.
- After the app testers have created the test cases, they can use the Selenium WebDriver to initiate these test instances in the native environment of a web browser. The Selenium web driver can also analyze these test parameters and redirect them to the target elements of the web application. A unique feature of this tool is that it can perform all of these processes without the involvement of a dedicated test initiation engine.
- While working with modern applications, test efficiency is crucial in improving the test environment. So, the app developers can use the Selenium Grid to improve the test efficiency with parallel test execution. This tool can run thousands of test instances simultaneously with the concept of a hub that is connected to several nodes. Here, each node represents the elements present in the web application.
LambdaTest and its Benefits during Selenium Testing
When implementing Selenium testing with LambdaTest, an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform, app testers can enhance test accuracy by integrating with a cloud-based real-device testing infrastructure. This integration improves the efficiency and quality of the application under development. Using this platform, you can execute test cases of 40+ real devices, browser instances, and operating system combinations via remote servers. LambdaTest also aggregates these test instances to generate highly accurate test reports.
During the execution of Selenium automation testing, the LambdaTest real testing cloud has the following upsides.
- To improve the test accuracy and possible user base, LambdaTest also provides testing options on legacy devices and older browser versions.
- This platform also helps to generate and maintain a real-time activity log to keep track of all the test cases. This list consists of not only the running and successful test cases but also the failed test instances. So the app developers can always use this data as a reference to find out the previously known errors in the app infrastructure.
- The LambdaTest report consists of not only test activity logs but also visual representations, including screenshots and videos. Using this data, the app developers can highlight the common bugs and errors in the app infrastructure. So, this process also has a crucial role in simplifying the debugging and troubleshooting process.
- LambdaTest also has a very elaborate support system consisting of live chat, mail support, and over-the-call support. App testers can use these features to improve their knowledge about the various tools and features available with this platform. It also has a huge community of developers and testers where they can discuss among themselves about multiple issues.
Debugging Options for Selenium Automation Testing
The integration of LambdaTest with Selenium automation testing provides multiple debugging options to improve the productivity of the application testing cycle. So, to simplify this knowledge for the new automation testers, we have created a list of the most important debugging options:
- Accessing the Command Logs
We can consider the command logs as the most comprehensive record regarding the test execution data. Using these logs, the testers can identify all the steps that have been executed in the execution process. This data is also useful for troubleshooting the errors for the failed steps. While using LambdaTest, the app testers can access the command logs from the LambdaTest automation dashboard. This data is also available through the REST API.
- Analyzing the Visual Logs
The primary intention of visual logs is to capture screenshots of web pages that have been automatically generated at every Selenium command executed by the predetermined code. Using the visual logs, the testers can debug the exact step where the testing process has failed. These logs also show the rendering status of the web page during the test case failure. Using these logs, it is possible to identify layout-related issues and design-related errors on the web page depending on the browser changes. We mentioned the code snippet for screenshot capture.
- Video Logs
While using the LambdaTest Selenium Grid, the system will run the test cases exactly as executed on the remote engine. The major benefit of this process is that during the test failure, the app developers can visualize the entire test case in action. These videos can be accessed using the LambdaTest automation testing dashboard for every testing session.
While viewing the video, the developers can navigate through it using the command logs. These logs will also show every step behavior during command execution for the failed command.
- Selenium Logs
The Selenium logs will capture the information about every Selenium command that has been executed in the test script including the browser preferences. These logs will also provide insight into multiple errors that might have occurred during the test execution process. Some of the most important details include Selenium downstream and upstream commands, Selenium internal logs and commands received by the Selenium Grid.
- Console Logs
These logs will capture the browser console output at various steps during the test execution process. The LambdaTest automation dashboard and REST API keep track of all console logs. The Code snippet for browsing console logs is mentioned below.
- Telemetry Logs
OpenTelemetry and Selenium 4 allow the testers to view the tracing of requests and subsequent event logs for every request. This information assists the troubleshooting sessions, especially from the perspective of Selenium’s internal operation.
- Terminal Logs
The testers can upload the terminal logs with the help of session API. These logs are printed on the client machine for specific tests or sessions, and help to view the stack traces in case of failures. It can also pinpoint the reasons that led to the failures.
- Network Logs
These logs capture the browser performance data based on parameters like latency, network traffic, and HTTP requests. The LambdaTest automation dashboard will provide the information needed for network logs.
The Final Verdict
In this article, we discussed some of the most popular debugging options that are available to developers when they are executing Selenium automation testing with LambdaTest.
Using these options, the app developers can quickly remove the errors in the app and forward it to the production phase. To properly utilize these features, the app developer should constantly update their information about the recent innovations in the test automation segment.
It is also a wise decision to constantly collect information about the changing requirements of the target audience base. This data is crucial for customizing the app parameters to serve a wider customer segment. Finally, to boost the productivity of the development cycle, the app testers should choose an automation tool that suits their preferences and the app requirements.
