Can I Learn Python Online to Use It For Selenium Testing?

Yes, if you want quick results, then learn Python online to bind Selenium with Python. Python is an easy-to-learn programming language, speaking relatively. And Selenium is the top automation tool of today. If you are a Selenium tester and hope to use Python for writing test scripts, then learning Python makes sense. This is because writing Selenium test scripts in Python is quite simpler than in any other programming language.

What is Python?

Python is a free, open-source, general-purpose programming language that can be used for various reasons. Quite naturally, all the top companies across the world prefer using Python for web application development, mobile application development, building games, and Data Science. 

One of the common reasons for the popularity of Python is the existence of libraries that make coding seem simpler. No wonder, Python is the most preferred language in Data Science. And it is the very reason why Selenium and Python complement each other well.

Another most important reason is Python is less wordy. Meaning, less amount of code can get you the results which might not be the case with the other programming languages. Therefore, productivity is higher when using Python.

Benefits of learning Python:

• The presence of the Python Package Index (PyPI) which contains many third-party modules makes utilizing the other programming language possible.
• Python is fraught with libraries that are meant for almost all functionalities, a programmer might think of such as internet protocols, web service tools, operating system interfaces, for data science, etc. This eases the load of the programmer.
• Python is a universally adopted programming language with a large community that helps the developers when they are stuck with syntaxes or libraries.
• Python is not just easy to learn but also offers excellent readability due to its uncluttered formatting. PEP 8, the code styling guidelines helps the developer in formatting the code.
• The built-in data structures in Python help in creating run-time data structures thereby reducing the code length, time, and effort.

What is Selenium Automation?

Selenium, on the other hand, is again an open-source automation testing tool with the medium difficulty level. It supports Java, Python, Perl, Ruby, PHP, C#, JavaScript, etc. Selenium has a rich collection of functions that are specially tailored for testing web applications.

What level of Python expertise do the testers require for Selenium?

The testers prefer Selenium Python binding as learning Python is easier as compared to Java. Also, the Python training for beginners is as easy as it is for advanced level programmers.

However, learning the Python basics is enough most of the time it is the fundamental concepts of Python that are required to carry out most of the testing. This is especially true if only one instance of the browser has to be opened and replicate the user movements. Nevertheless, the testers might need a little more expertise when dealing with multiple browser instances, but yet it’s no big deal learning them.

What is Selenium with Python?

The testers can use the open-source Selenium automation tool with Python for Selenium testing. So, how does the Selenium Python binding work?

• The Python’s APIs enable you to connect to the browser through Selenium.
• These APIs are simple enough where the tester can write functional/acceptance tests with the help of Selenium Webdriver.
• What’s more, the APIs also allow the tester to access all the functionalities of the Selenium Webdriver in the most intuitive manner.
• The testers make use of standard Python commands to send them to different browsers such as Firefox, Chrome, IE, Opera, etc. using Selenium Webdriver despite the variations in the browsers.

Learn Python online and upskill

The choice of the scripting language- Python, JavaScript, or otherwise is usually determined at the nick of the moment based on the decisive factors like:

• List of supported browsers by the programming language and the browsers that the project requires.
• The range of frameworks and tools that can be used through different APIs.
• Ease of establishing the scripting environment.
• The difficulty level of the web application.
• The comprehensiveness of the API and the frequency at which it receives the updates.
• How well the scripting language supports the scalability requirements during the project.
• In-house support from the developers for the programming language.
• Adoption of a programming language within the company.
• Test case complexity and the required scope of coverage.

Hence, learning Python as and when the requirement arises can be challenging. Therefore, the best place to learn Python is through online courses as they can help you complete the concepts within a short duration apart from being cost-effective.