Uses of PhantomJS and Selenium WebDriver
From searching the web to conducting system tests, developers rely on various tools to carry out their tasks. Two of the most popular tools available for conducting such tasks are PhantomJS and Selenium WebDriver.
These two tools make it possible for developers to test websites and web applications on real browser platforms. In this article, we will explore the uses of PhantomJS and Selenium WebDriver, as well as their respective advantages.
PhantomJS
PhantomJS is a headless Webkit browser; this means that it lacks a graphical interface. PhantomJS is an excellent tool for running system tests, as it makes it possible for developers to test their web applications in an automated and headless manner.
Its command-line interface also makes it easy for developers to run tests within their terminal.
Selenium WebDriver
On the other hand, Selenium WebDriver is an open source testing framework.
It allows developers to automate browser actions without having to interact with the browser manually. With Selenium WebDriver, developers can conduct tests using various programming languages such as Python, Java, and C#.
It is compatible with various browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, making it a potent tool in web testing.
Example: Searching DuckDuckGo and Asserting URL Correctness
To illustrate the use of PhantomJS and Selenium WebDriver, let us consider a simple search on DuckDuckGo. Using Selenium WebDriver, we can instruct the Firefox browser to navigate to the DuckDuckGo homepage and search for a keyword of our choosing.
Once the search results page is displayed, we can extract the URL and check if it matches the expected URL. Here is a Python code snippet that demonstrates the above process:
from selenium import webdriver
# Open Firefox
driver = webdriver.Firefox()
# Navigate to DuckDuckGo homepage
driver.get('https://duckduckgo.com')
# Search for the keyword "PhantomJS"
search_bar = driver.find_element_by_id('search_form_input_homepage')
search_bar.send_keys('PhantomJS')
search_bar.submit()
# Check that the URL contains the keyword "PhantomJS"
assert 'https://duckduckgo.com/?q=PhantomJS&ia=web' in driver.current_url
# Close Firefox
driver.quit()
Example: Testing RealPython.com “Download Now” Button
Another example of the use of Selenium WebDriver is testing the “Download Now” button on RealPython.com. The website offers a product for download, and we want to test if the download button is functional.
With Selenium WebDriver, we can automate the clicking of the download button and evaluate the expected changes. Here is a Python code snippet that demonstrates the above process:
from selenium import webdriver
# Open Firefox
driver = webdriver.Firefox()
# Navigate to RealPython.com homepage
driver.get('https://realpython.com')
# Click "Download Now" button
download_button = driver.find_element_by_link_text('Download Now')
download_button.click()
# Check that the new page loaded successfully
assert 'https://realpython.com/products/' in driver.current_url
# Close Firefox
driver.quit()
Benchmarking Tests with PhantomJS and Firefox
One of the advantages of using PhantomJS is its speed in running benchmarking tests. PhantomJS headless browser implementation makes it possible to carry out tests in an automated manner without requiring graphical rendering.
In the example below, we will demonstrate how to benchmark and compare the speed at which PhantomJS and Firefox execute an action. We will use the previous examples of the DuckDuckGo search and RealPython.com “Download Now” button click to conduct the benchmarking.
Example: Benchmarking RealPython.com “Download Now” Button Click with PhantomJS and Firefox
Here’s how we can test the speed of PhantomJS and Firefox using the RealPython.com “Download Now” button example:
import time
from selenium import webdriver
# Setup PhantomJS headless browser
phantomjs_driver = webdriver.PhantomJS()
# Setup Firefox browser
firefox_driver = webdriver.Firefox()
# Navigate to RealPython.com homepage and locate the download button
phantomjs_driver.get('https://realpython.com')
firefox_driver.get('https://realpython.com')
download_button = phantomjs_driver.find_element_by_link_text('Download Now')
download_button2 = firefox_driver.find_element_by_link_text('Download Now')
# Measure start time for PhantomJS click
start_time = time.time()
# Click "Download Now" button with PhantomJS
download_button.click()
# Measure end time for PhantomJS click
phantomjs_click_time = time.time() - start_time
# Measure start time for Firefox click
start_time = time.time()
# Click "Download Now" button with Firefox
download_button2.click()
# Measure end time for Firefox click
firefox_click_time = time.time() - start_time
print('PhantomJS click time: {0} seconds'.format(phantomjs_click_time))
print('Firefox click time: {0} seconds'.format(firefox_click_time))
# Close drivers
phantomjs_driver.quit()
firefox_driver.quit()
Conclusion
In conclusion, in this article, we have explored the uses of PhantomJS and Selenium WebDriver in web testing. PhantomJS is a headless Webkit browser that is used for running system tests in an automated and headless manner, while Selenium WebDriver is an open source testing framework that enables developers to automate browser actions.
Additionally, we have looked at how benchmarking tests can be conducted with PhantomJS and Firefox, with PhantomJS offering faster test running times. These tools are essential for web developers to perform various tests during web development.
In summary, the article has explored the uses and advantages of PhantomJS and Selenium WebDriver in web development and testing. While PhantomJS offers the benefit of running automated tests in a headless manner, Selenium WebDriver enables developers to automate browser actions.
Additionally, benchmarking tests with PhantomJS could ensure faster test running times. The article concludes by emphasizing the significance of these tools in web development and testing, underscoring their ability to help developers carry out tests and speed up processes.
As the web continues to evolve and grow, tools like PhantomJS and Selenium WebDriver remain essential for web developers.