Difference Between Selenium 2.0 and Selenium 3.0

Selenium is a leading device for net utility trying out in terms of software program checking out and automation. Selenium has developed through the years, with foremost improvements and upgrades to be had in variations 2.0 and 3.0. Software program testers must recognize the differences between Selenium 2.0 and 3.0 to successfully make use of the opportunities of this powerful automation platform. This article will explore the differences between both of these terms.

What is Selenium 2.0?

Web packages are the main software for which Selenium 2.0, normally called Selenium WebDriver, is an open-source automated trying-out device.

1. It is a progressed model of Selenium 1.0 with extra sophisticated functionalities and functions for web testing.
2. In the assessment of Selenium RC (Remote Control) API, which was applied in Selenium 1.0, Selenium 2.0 introduced the WebDriver API, which gives an extra clean and concise method of interacting with internet elements.

Key Features and Improvements of Selenium 2.0

1. WebDriver API: In Selenium 2.0, the WebDriver API shall we testers to work with internet factors in a greater object-orientated and consumer-friendly manner. Many strategies and instructions are available in WebDriver to simulate user operations such as typing textual content, clicking buttons, and traversing net pages.
2. Multiple Browser Support: It is compatible with some web browsers, which include Internet Explorer, Safari, Opera, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome. This allows testers to verify that online programs are compatible with various browsers and behavior move-browser checking out.
3. Enhanced Reliability and Performance: When compared to Selenium RC, Selenium WebDriver offers better dependability and performance. It uses native techniques to interface directly with the browser, which leads to faster test script execution and improved stability.
4. Headless Testing Support: Headless browser testing is supported by Selenium 2.0, which enables testers to run test scripts without opening a visible browser window. Running tests in continuous integration settings and increasing test execution speed are two benefits of headless testing.
5. Integration with Testing Frameworks: JUnit, TestNG, NUnit, and other well-known testing frameworks are just a few of the ones with which Selenium WebDriver easily integrates. As a result, testers can take advantage of these framework features for planning, carrying out, and reporting test results.

What is Selenium 3.0?

The next most important model of the Selenium automation checking out framework, which replaces Selenium 2.0 (WebDriver), is called Selenium 3.0.

1. With its release in 2016, Selenium 3.0 brought about some tremendous modifications and upgrades meant to raise the device’s compatibility, overall performance, and stability: the Selenium WebDriver.
2. This marked a noteworthy advancement in the Selenium testing framework’s growth, providing enhanced compatibility, reliability, and performance for web application automation on many browsers and systems.
3. Selenium WebDriver has remained the industry standard tool for web automation testing since its creation, giving testers and developers the ability to create dependable and solid automated tests.

Key Features and Improvements of Selenium 3.0

1. Removal of Selenium Core: Previously discontinued, Selenium Core was eliminated in Selenium 3.0. The initial JavaScript-based automation engine of Selenium, called Selenium Core, was not actively updated and had several drawbacks. By removing Selenium Core, the architecture of Selenium was made simpler and WebDriver development became the main focus.
2. GeckoDriver for Firefox: GeckoDriver, Mozilla’s WebDriver implementation for Firefox, was the suggested method for automating Firefox browsers with Selenium 3.0. Better compatibility and support for more recent Firefox versions are provided by GeckoDriver, which took the role of the outdated FirefoxDriver.
3. Improved Community Support and Documentation: Selenium 3.0 introduced changes to the community support and documentation, offering users more in-depth instructions, tutorials, and tools to help them understand and troubleshoot Selenium WebDriver.
4. Support for ChromeDriver: Google’s WebDriver implementation for Google Chrome browsers was maintained by Selenium 3.0. ChromeDriver is still an attractive choice for Selenium WebDriver users to automate testing in Chrome browsers and guarantee compatibility with the most recent browser versions.
5. Enhanced reliability and Performance: The primary goal of Selenium 3.0 was to enhance WebDriver implementation’s reliability and performance on various platforms and browsers. To provide a more dependable and effective test automation, efforts were undertaken to fix defects, improve error handling, and maximize resource utilization.

Selenium 2.0 and Selenium 3.0

Parameters	Selenium 2.0	Selenium 3.0
Browser Driver Support	ChromeDriver and FirefoxDriver are the supported browser drivers.	Maintained support for browser drivers but advised using GeckoDriver instead for automating Firefox.
Support for Headless Browsers	Its headless browser testing capability was limited, and third-party tools or setups were usually needed.	Better support for headless browser testing has been added, enabling users to run tests with WebDriver’s headless browser capabilities without opening a visible browser window.
Documentation and Community Support	In comparison to later versions, the documentation and community support might have been less accurate, but they were still available.	It improved community support and documentation, providing users with more thorough instructions, tutorials, and learning materials.
Security Enhancements	Though it had some security features, there might have been some security hazards.	Test automation was made safer and more secure with the introduction of security upgrades and enhancements in Selenium 3.0.
Concurrency and Parallel Execution	2.0 Selenium had little support for running tests in parallel or concurrently, parallelization frequently required extra setup or third-party tools.	3.0 Selenium has better support for parallel and concurrent test execution, with built-in features that allow tests to be performed simultaneously in various browser contexts and instances.

Conclusion

The shift from Selenium 2.0 to 3.0 denotes a significant advancement in the field of web application testing and automation. Although Selenium 2.0 established the groundwork for dependable and effective testing procedures, Selenium 3.0 included improvements and modifications to further raise the framework’s capabilities. Accepting the advances presented by Selenium 3.0 and its further versions helps participants to keep up with the technology developments and satisfy the constantly changing requirements of contemporary software development methodologies.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the biggest differences between Selenium 2.0 and 3.0?

1. Web Driver integration: Selenium 2.0 integrated WebDriver, while 3.0 removed the core and relies solely on WebDriver for browser automation.
2. Mobile testing: Selenium 2.0 had limited mobile testing capabilities, while 3.0 separates mobile testing into the Appium project.
3. Browser support: Selenium 3.0 offers native browser implementations from vendors, leading to better browser interaction.
4. APIs: Selenium 3.0 provides improved and updated APIs compared to 2.0.

2. Is Selenium 2.0 still supported?

No, Selenium 2.0 reached its end-of-life in June 2017. It’s highly recommended to use Selenium 3.0 or later for your projects.

3. Can I migrate from Selenium 2.0 to 3.0 easily?

For WebDriver API users, the transition is relatively smooth. The main change is removing the Selenium core and using WebDriver directly. Other aspects may require adjustments depending on your specific scripts and testing framework.

4. Which version of Selenium should I use?

If you’re starting a new project, use Selenium 4.0 (the latest stable version). If you’re maintaining an existing project using Selenium 2.0, consider migrating to 3.0 for ongoing support and improved features.

5. Are there any drawbacks to using Selenium 3.0 compared to 2.0?

1. Might require adjustments to existing scripts if migrating from 2.0.
2. New features and complexity might have a learning curve for beginners.