Selenium is a powerful tool for automating web applications, and one of its key features is the ability to locate elements on a webpage. Locators used to identify elements on a webpage so that Selenium can interact with them. There are several types of locators in Selenium, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we will discuss the different types of locators in Selenium and when to use them.
What are locators in selenium?
Locators in Selenium used to identify elements on a webpage so that Selenium can interact with them. Elements on a webpage such as buttons, links, input fields, and images defined by HTML tags and attributes. Locators in Selenium used to target these elements by specifying the HTML tag name, attribute name, and value.
Selenium supports several types of locators to identify elements on a webpage such as ID, Name, Class Name, Tag Name, Link Text, Partial Link Text, CSS Selector, and XPath. Each locator has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of locator depends on the specific scenario and the structure of the webpage.
Using locators in Selenium, testers and developers can automate web application testing by interacting with elements on the webpage, verifying that the correct elements are present, and ensuring that the application behaves as expected. This saves a significant amount of time and effort compared to manual testing, which can be prone to errors and inconsistencies.
Different Types of Locators in Selenium
There are 8 locators in Selenium:
1. ID Locators
2. Name Locators
3. Class Name Locators
4. Tag Name Locators
5. Link Text Locators
6. Partial Link Text Locators
7. CSS Selector Locators
8. XPath Locators
ID Locators
ID locators the most commonly used locators in Selenium. They work by finding an element on a webpage with a unique ID attribute. The ID attribute is a unique identifier that is assigned to an element on a webpage. ID locators are the fastest and most reliable type of locator since IDs are unique and can be used to quickly locate elements on a webpage.
Java Example:
WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.id("element_id"));Name Locators
Name locators are used to locate elements on a webpage by their name attribute. The name attribute is another type of attribute that is used to identify elements on a webpage. Name locators are less reliable than ID locators because the name attribute is not always unique.
Java Example:
WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.name("element_name"));Class Name Locators
Class name locators are used to locate elements on a webpage by their class name attribute. The class name attribute is a common attribute that is used to group elements on a webpage. Class name locators are less reliable than ID locators because the class name attribute is not always unique.
Java Example:
WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.className("element_class"));
Tag Name Locators
Tag name locators are used to locate elements on a webpage by their HTML tag name. The HTML tag name is the name of the element, such as div, p, or span. Tag name locators are less reliable than ID locators because there can be multiple elements on a webpage with the same tag name.
Java Example:
WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.tagName("element_tag"));
Link Text Locators
Link text locators are used to locate links on a webpage by their link text. The link text is the visible text that is displayed on the webpage. Link text locators are commonly used to locate links on a webpage.
Java Example:
WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.linkText("my_link_text"));
Partial Link Text Locators
Partial link text locators are similar to link text locators, but they are used to locate links on a webpage by a partial match of their link text. Partial link text locators are useful when the link text is dynamic or when only a part of the link text is known.
Java Example:
WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.partialLinkText("my_partial_link_text"));
CSS Selector Locators
CSS selector locators are used to locate elements on a webpage using CSS selectors. CSS selectors are patterns used to select elements on a webpage based on their attributes, such as ID, class name, or tag name. CSS selector locators are powerful and flexible, but they can be complex to write.
Java Example:
WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.cssSelector("#my_id"));
XPath Locators
XPath locators are used to locate elements on a webpage using XPath expressions. XPath expressions are a powerful way to select elements on a webpage based on their attributes or their location on the page. XPath locators are flexible, but they can be complex to write.
Java Example:
WebElement element = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//tagname[@attribute='value']"));
Conclusion
In summary, locators in Selenium are a critical component of web automation testing. They allow Selenium to interact with elements on a webpage and verify the behavior of web applications.