selenium 3 vs selenium 4

2 min read 29-09-2024

Selenium 3 vs Selenium 4: What's New and Why It Matters

Selenium, the ubiquitous web automation framework, has been a cornerstone of web testing for years. With the arrival of Selenium 4, the landscape has shifted. But how exactly does Selenium 4 differ from its predecessor, Selenium 3? And why should you care? Let's delve into the key changes, advantages, and considerations when choosing between these versions.

The Core Difference: Architecture and Stability

Q: What is the most significant difference between Selenium 3 and Selenium 4?

A: Selenium 4 boasts a major architectural overhaul focusing on stability and better support for modern web development trends. It introduces a new WebDriver protocol, bringing more robust communication between your test script and the browser.

Analysis: This enhanced protocol translates to more reliable test execution, particularly in the face of evolving web technologies and frequent browser updates.

Beyond Architecture: New Features to Explore

Q: What new features are available in Selenium 4?

A: Selenium 4 introduces several valuable additions:

Improved Browser Support: Selenium 4 supports a wider range of browsers, including new versions and more modern browsers like Chromium Edge.
Relative Locators: This powerful new feature allows you to locate elements relative to other elements on the page, simplifying complex scenarios. See an example of relative locators in action on GitHub
Enhanced Actions API: Selenium 4 offers a more streamlined and intuitive Actions API for interacting with web elements, making your test scripts more concise and readable.
Selenium Grid 4: This updated grid infrastructure promises improved stability, scalability, and easier setup, making distributed testing even more efficient.

Practical Examples:

Relative Locators: Imagine you want to select a "Delete" button that's located directly below a specific product title. With relative locators, you can achieve this with a single line of code: driver.findElement(By.relativeLocator(withTagName("button").below(By.xpath("//h3[text()='Product Title']"))));
Actions API: To simulate a user clicking a button after hovering over an element, you can use the following concise code: actions.moveToElement(element).click().perform();

Should You Upgrade?

Q: Is it necessary to upgrade to Selenium 4?

A: While Selenium 3 still functions, upgrading to Selenium 4 is highly recommended. You'll benefit from the improved stability, expanded browser support, and powerful new features that streamline test automation.

Considerations:

Compatibility: Before upgrading, ensure that your existing tests are compatible with the new Selenium 4 architecture and features.
Dependencies: Check if your chosen programming language bindings and testing frameworks have updated versions that support Selenium 4.

Conclusion: Selenium 4 marks a significant step forward for the popular framework. By offering a more stable architecture, expanded functionality, and improved browser support, Selenium 4 empowers you to automate web testing more efficiently and reliably. With careful planning and consideration, upgrading to Selenium 4 is a worthwhile investment for your web testing strategy.

selenium 3 vs selenium 4