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Selenium vs WebdriverIO: What are the differences?

Selenium and WebdriverIO are both popular tools for automating web browsers. Let's explore the key differences between them.

  1. Programming Language Support: Selenium supports multiple programming languages, including Java, Python, C#, and Ruby, while WebdriverIO is primarily focused on JavaScript.

  2. API Design: Selenium provides a more generic API that is consistent across different programming languages, allowing users to write tests in their preferred language. On the other hand, WebdriverIO provides a more JavaScript-centric and intuitive API.

  3. Architecture: Selenium is a standalone framework that requires additional dependencies, such as a browser-specific driver, to interact with browsers. WebdriverIO, on the other hand, includes a WebDriver implementation and eliminates the need for additional dependencies.

  4. Parallel Execution: Selenium supports parallel execution of tests across multiple browsers and platforms, which is useful for reducing test execution time. WebdriverIO also supports parallel execution but provides better out-of-the-box parallel execution capabilities.

  5. Testing Framework Integration: Selenium can be integrated with various testing frameworks, such as JUnit, TestNG, and NUnit, to structure and execute tests. WebdriverIO has built-in support for Mocha and Jasmine, making it easier to set up and run tests without the need for any external testing framework.

  6. Community Ecosystem: Selenium has a larger and more established community with a wide range of resources, documentation, and community-driven plugins. WebdriverIO has a smaller but rapidly growing community and a more concentrated ecosystem of plugins and integrations.

In summary, Selenium offers broader programming language support and a more generic API, while WebdriverIO focuses on JavaScript and provides a more intuitive API. WebdriverIO also simplifies the setup by including a WebDriver implementation and provides better out-of-the-box parallel execution capabilities. Selenium has a larger community and more resources, while WebdriverIO has a smaller but growing community with a concentrated ecosystem of plugins.

Advice on Selenium and WebdriverIO
Needs advice
on
JestJestSeleniumSelenium
and
WebdriverIOWebdriverIO
in

we are having one web application developed in Reacts.js. in the application, we have only 4 to 5 pages that we need to test. I am having experience in selenium with java. Please suggets which tool I should use. and why ............................ ............................ .............................

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Replies (1)
Prashanth Marappa
Senior Software Engineer at Mphasis · | 1 upvotes · 213.4K views
Recommends
on
SeleniumSelenium

with the help of selenium we can automate react js for functional testing

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Needs advice
on
CypressCypressSelenideSelenide
and
WebdriverIOWebdriverIO

Hi, I am starting out to test an application that is currently being developed - FE: React. BE: Node JS. I want the framework to be able to test all UI scenarios (from simple to complex) and also have the capability to test APIs. I also need to run tests across all OSs and Browsers (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS). I have also looked into react-testing-library and @TestProject.io. Any advice you can give as to which framework would be best and why would be so much appreciated! Thank you!!

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Replies (3)
Recommends
on
PlaywrightPlaywright

You should also definitely look into Playwright, which is a new automation tool from Microsoft building on top of the Puppeteer experience and trying to bring this experience in the cross browser space - very exciting project. Great team. Also CodeceptJS as already Playwright support which at a ton of valuable features on top of Playwright, give it a go!

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Jinesh Khimsaria
Test Automation Specialist at Personal · | 3 upvotes · 72.4K views
Recommends
on
WebdriverIOWebdriverIO

I'm also looking for the same, FE: React & BE: NodeJS. Cypress won't help as it lacks cross-browser testing, it doesn't support all the browsers. I'm still investigating it, but looks like WebdriverIO may fulfil what I'm looking for - Cross-browser testing, integration with CI/CD, running it as a docker service, good support on assertions & reporting of test results. Let me know if you found any information on any of the above mentioned points.

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Recommends
on
CodeceptJSCodeceptJS

Hi Esther, if you really need cross OS and cross device automation Cypress wont help, with WebdriverIO you can do it … and check out CodeceptJS, which is a wrapper around several frameworks (like WebdriverIO) and will support future players (currently for example upcoming Playwright) as well.

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Pros of Selenium
Pros of WebdriverIO
  • 175
    Automates browsers
  • 154
    Testing
  • 101
    Essential tool for running test automation
  • 24
    Record-Playback
  • 24
    Remote Control
  • 8
    Data crawling
  • 7
    Supports end to end testing
  • 6
    Easy set up
  • 6
    Functional testing
  • 4
    The Most flexible monitoring system
  • 3
    End to End Testing
  • 3
    Easy to integrate with build tools
  • 2
    Comparing the performance selenium is faster than jasm
  • 2
    Record and playback
  • 2
    Compatible with Python
  • 2
    Easy to scale
  • 2
    Integration Tests
  • 0
    Integrated into Selenium-Jupiter framework
  • 11
    Various integrations to vendors like Sauce Labs
  • 10
    Open Source
  • 8
    Great community
  • 7
    Easy to setup
  • 4
    Best solution for broad browser support

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Cons of Selenium
Cons of WebdriverIO
  • 8
    Flaky tests
  • 4
    Slow as needs to make browser (even with no gui)
  • 1
    Update browser drivers
  • 8
    High maintenance

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What is Selenium?

Selenium automates browsers. That's it! What you do with that power is entirely up to you. Primarily, it is for automating web applications for testing purposes, but is certainly not limited to just that. Boring web-based administration tasks can (and should!) also be automated as well.

What is WebdriverIO?

WebdriverIO lets you control a browser or a mobile application with just a few lines of code. Your test code will look simple, concise and easy to read.

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What companies use Selenium?
What companies use WebdriverIO?
See which teams inside your own company are using Selenium or WebdriverIO.
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What tools integrate with Selenium?
What tools integrate with WebdriverIO?

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What are some alternatives to Selenium and WebdriverIO?
Protractor
Protractor is an end-to-end test framework for Angular and AngularJS applications. Protractor runs tests against your application running in a real browser, interacting with it as a user would.
Cypress
Cypress is a front end automated testing application created for the modern web. Cypress is built on a new architecture and runs in the same run-loop as the application being tested. As a result Cypress provides better, faster, and more reliable testing for anything that runs in a browser. Cypress works on any front-end framework or website.
Nightwatchjs
Nightwatch.js is an easy to use Node.js based End-to-End (E2E) testing solution for browser based apps and websites. It uses the powerful Selenium WebDriver API to perform commands and assertions on DOM elements.
Puppeteer
Puppeteer is a Node library which provides a high-level API to control headless Chrome over the DevTools Protocol. It can also be configured to use full (non-headless) Chrome.
Cucumber
Cucumber is a tool that supports Behaviour-Driven Development (BDD) - a software development process that aims to enhance software quality and reduce maintenance costs.
See all alternatives