Exploring Selenium 4: Enhancing Web Automation with New Features

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Selenium 4 introduced a range of features to simplify web automation testing, making it more user-friendly, efficient, and comprehensive. These updates make automation testing faster and more adaptable to modern testing challenges. Let’s dive into these features and explore examples in Java using Selenium with real-world applications.

1. Relative Locators: Simplifying Element Identification

What it is: Relative Locators allow you to locate elements based on their position relative to other elements (e.g., “above,” “below,” “to the right of”). This is helpful for elements that might not have unique locators.

Example: Suppose you’re automating the login process for a banking application. You can locate the “Login” button in relation to the password field, even if the button itself lacks unique identifiers.

WebElement loginButton = driver.findElement(with(By.tagName("button")).above(By.id("password")));
loginButton.click();

This approach is particularly useful in applications where elements move or where IDs and classes may not be reliable across versions.

2. Enhanced Window and Tab Management: Better Multitasking